Hast any designs?"
Ebbo explained that he thought of making his way to Genoa to consult
the merchant Gian Battista dei Battiste, whose description of the
captive German noble had so strongly impressed Friedel. Ebbo knew
the difference between Turks and Moors, but Friedel's impulse guided
him, and he further thought that at Genoa he should learn the way to
deal with either variety of infidel. Theurdank thought this a
prudent course, since the Genoese had dealings both at Tripoli and
Constantinople; and, moreover, the transfer was not impossible, since
the two different hordes of Moslems trafficked among themselves when
either had made an unusually successful razzia.
"Shame," he broke out, "that these Eastern locusts, these ravening
hounds, should prey unmolested on the fairest lands of the earth, and
our German nobles lie here like swine, grunting and squealing over
the plunder they grub up from one another, deaf to any summons from
heaven or earth! Did not Heaven's own voice speak in thunder this
last year, even in November, hurling the mighty thunderbolt of
Alsace, an ell long, weighing two hundred and fifteen pounds? Did I
not cause it to be hung up in the church of Encisheim, as a witness
and warning of the plagues that hang over us? But no, nothing will
quicken them from their sloth and drunkenness till the foe are at
their doors; and, if a man arise of different mould, with some heart
for the knightly, the good, and the true, then they kill him for me!
But thou, Adlerstein, this pious quest over, thou wilt return to me.
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