"
"Was the corpse restored?" asked the able Rathsherr Ulrich.
"No," said Ebbo. "Almost all our retainers had perished, and when a
friar was sent to the hostel to bring home the remains, it appeared
that the treacherous foe had borne them off--nay, my grandfather's
head was sent to the Diet!"
The whole assembly agreed that the Count could only mean to make the
absence of direct evidence about a murder committed eighteen years
ago tell in sowing distrust between the allies. The suggestion was
not worth a thought, and it was plain that no site would be available
except the Debateable Strand. To this, however, Ebbo's title was
assailable, both on account of his minority, as well as his father's
unproved death, and of the disputed claim to the ground. The
Rathsherr, Master Gottfried, and others, therefore recommended
deferring the work till the Baron should be of age, when, on again
tendering his allegiance, he might obtain a distinct recognition of
his marches. But this policy did not consort with the quick spirit
of Moritz Schleiermacher, nor with the convenience of the mercers and
wine-merchants, who were constant sufferers by the want of a bridge,
and afraid of waiting four years, in which a lad like the Baron might
return to the nominal instincts of his class, or the Braunwasser
might take back the land it had given; whilst Ebbo himself was
urgent, with all the defiant fire of youth, to begin building at once
in spite of all gainsayers.
Pages:
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386