Tales from the German. Volume II. The Lichtensteins, The Sorceress, The Anabaptist , livre ebook

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pubOne.info present you this new edition. On christmas-eve, in the year 1628, Katharine, the wife of the merchant Fessel, of Schweidnitz, was standing in her large back parlor, with her infant upon her arm, arranging with feminine taste, upon a long table covered with a snow-white cloth, the Christmas gifts destined for her husband, her children, and the other members of her family.

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Publié par	Pub One Info
Date de parution	06 novembre 2010
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9782819946892
Langue	English

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TALES
FROM THE GERMAN
TRANSLATED
BY NATHANIEL GREENE.
VOLUME II.
THE LICHTENSTEINS.
A TALE OF THE TIMES OF THE THIRTY YEARSWAR.
BY C. F. VAN DER VELDE.
CHAPTER I.
On christmas-eve, in the year 1628, Katharine, thewife of the merchant Fessel, of Schweidnitz, was standing in herlarge back parlor, with her infant upon her arm, arranging withfeminine taste, upon a long table covered with a snow-white cloth,the Christmas gifts destined for her husband, her children, and theother members of her family.
At a table in the corner, sat the book-keeper,Oswald Dorn, giving the finishing touch to a miniature manger,which he had ingeniously constructed for the children of hisemployer. He now placed a beautifully painted angel, cut out ofisinglass, in the side of the manger in which the infant Saviorlay, for the purpose of indicating the celestial mission of theheavenly messenger by its transparent brilliancy. He gave yetanother satisfied look at the well executed work, and thenapproached Katharine, who had, meanwhile, spread out an infinitevariety of useful and agreeable presents, articles of dress, piecesof coin, books, toys, and c. She was now distributing to each onehis portion of cakes, sweet biscuits, sugar animals, gingerbread,apples and nuts, with just impartiality. In deep thought, thebook-keeper took from the table two figures formed of Schweidnitzgingerbread. They represented two of Dr. Martin Luther's enemies,Tetzel and Eck, in their official robes, disfigured with the headsof animals. The names inscribed on them left no doubt whom theywere intended to represent. Dorn examined the caricatures with anominous shake of the head. 'Do not give these ill-shaped things tothe children, ' said he. 'Believe me, it is not well for them to beso early taught to make war upon opinions which they do notunderstand. Mockery and derision are bad aids to the holy cause,and the hand, which grasps filth to throw at an adversary, isitself the first soiled. The bitterness, with which the strugglefor truth and spiritual freedom has been carried on, has alreadyspread enough of suffering and misery over Europe. Let not thedemon of sectarian zeal intrude itself into the nursery. '
'You take every thing in the same earnest andserious way, ' jestingly answered the friendly Katharine, layingthe caricature figures aside. 'Who that heard you would suppose youhad bravely drawn your sword for the new faith yourself? The redscar upon your forehead contradicts your words. '
He hastened away. The reverend Johannes Beer, whohad entered the room unnoticed at the commencement of thisconversation, looked after him with astonishment, and then askedthe hostess: 'that young man talks very strangely— may he not be apapist in disguise, sent into this house as a spy for ourdestruction? '
'By no means! ' cried Katharine with zeal. 'Youknow, my worthy sir, that he was wounded fighting for the Augsburgconfession, and during the two years he has dwelt under our roof,he has constantly evinced so true an attachment for us, and such anoble zeal against the tyranny of the pope, that I would answer forhis honesty with my life. '
'You judge of others according to the goodness ofyour own heart! ' cried the parson. 'Believe me, in the iron timesin which we live one cannot be too cautious. One Judas was foundeven among the apostles. Many a one who was a Paul for the pureevangelical doctrines has fallen from the faith, and now rages anangry Saul against his former brethren. The devil has once morebecome wholly devilish, and the anti-christ again goes about like aroaring lion seeking whom he may devour. The emperor, incited bythe monks, has determined to effect a counter reformation inSilesia; and already in Glogau, the Lichtensteins, 1 those terriblemen of blood, who convert by fire and sword, are raging in afurious and shocking manner. '
'Ah, reverend sir, ' complained Katharine, 'we haveinvited you to share our joys and partake with us of the festivalof our Lord; but by repeating such dreadful news you will embitterall our enjoyments, and convert our christmas supper into amourning feast. '
'It is the duty of a faithful pastor, ' said theclergyman, 'to frighten away the sleep of safety into which we arerocked by ease and selfishness. Our good Schweidnitz will also haveto suffer in its turn. Have they not already taken from us thehonorably purchased church of the cross, and the church of our dearlady of the woods? Have they not already forbidden us the serviceof God in the church of the Holy Ghost? They will surely take theearliest opportunity to do the same with St. Stanislaus and St.Wenceslaus. Various suspicious signs and tokens have lately beenseen. As I was observing the stars last night, with my colleagueGlogero, the constellations were very ominous; and about midnight afearful sign arose in the heavens from the north. A large red ballof fire described a flaming arch from the edge of the horizon tothe zenith of the parish church, where it burst with a powerfulexplosion. It indicates the near proximity of great danger to ourreligious liberties. '
During this speech so prophetic of evil, Katharine,with a happy feminine tact, contrived to forget the threatenedtroubles amid the little cares of the moment, and proceeded toignite the innumerable lights of the christmas-trees, and thoseplaced in the little manger for the purpose of illuminating itsinterior. The brightness of day was diffused through the largeroom, which awaked the child upon her bosom, and it smilinglystretched out its little hands toward the joyous light.
'See how my little Johannes is delighted, ' said themother to the gloomy man. 'Careless of the threatening future, heenjoys the present. Does not our holy bible say, 'unless you becomelike little children you shall not enter into the kingdom ofheaven! ' Therefore leave the portentous future to the wiseguidance of God, and be happy with us to-night, for once, like thisharmless child. Above all, be silent in my husband's presence,respecting your bad news. He has been very anxious and dejected forsome days, and I shall be much grieved if anything occur to renderus unhappy this evening, to which christians of all denominationslook with general joy as the anniversary of their common origin.'
One of Fessel's apprentices now opened the door. 'Mymaster directs me to say to you, ' cried he, 'that you mayimmediately commence the distribution of the presents, before it istoo late. He has yet much to do in the counting-room. Two importantletters have arrived. He will come to you at the earliest momentpossible. '
'That is not at all pleasant! ' sighed Katharine, asthe messenger disappeared. 'There can be no true family festivalwhere the master of the house is missing. Nevertheless, my husbandis right! If I delay much longer, the supper will be spoiled andeverything will be in disorder. ' She rang a bell which stood uponthe table. A distant shout of children answered the noisy summons.She rang a second time, when the shouts came nearer, and a joyoustumult arose at the door of the room. She now put down the bell,and looked pleasedly toward the door, before which the whispering,laughing and tramping band awaited the third call.
'They must wait a little, ' said Katharine, smiling,to the clergyman. 'It seasons the pleasure, and is a wholesomelesson for youth, when early taught. ' The holy man nodded assentto the pedagogical artifice; but meanwhile the mother's heart beganto yield, and impelled Katharine's hand toward the bell.
The third call now sounded, when the door burst openas if at the explosion of a petard, and the four children ofFessel, two vigorous boys and two lovely girls, stormed into theroom, surrounding and dragging their favorite, the book-keeper,along with them. After them followed the clerks, apprentices,servants and maidens, who modestly arranged themselves in a rownear the door until their places were pointed out to them.
The children precipitated themselves toward therichly laden table like a rushing stream, recognizing the portiondestined for each with a searching and rapid glance. 'I will drawthis against Wallenstein! ' screamed the wild Martin, brandishing alittle sword that he found among his presents. 'A bible and a bunchof quills, ' cried the intellectual Ulrich, holding them up: 'now Iwill write against the papists like the noble Hutten, whose name Ibear. 'Alas, the poor maidens who can never be married! ' criedboth of the girls, bringing two waxen nuns to their mother.
'Beloved children! ' said the clergyman, pressingthem all to his heart. They tore themselves from his arms and brokeout in a simultaneous shout of astonishment and joy upon observingthe miniature manger. Then as if beside themselves they ran,tumbling over each other, to their mother, the clergyman and Dorn,thankfully showing and praising their several presents.
'Will you not look at your christmas present, masterDorn? ' asked Katharine of the book-keeper, who kept himself apartin serious silence.
He turned toward the designated place with amelancholy smile, and as he cast his eyes upon the rich present, acomplete and splendid dress-suit with a full complement of thefinest linen, he turned again with deep emotion to Katharine, whowas pointing out their places to the rest of the household.
'This is too much, madam Katharine, ' he cried. 'Howmay you thus favor the stranger beyond the children of your house?'
'The stranger? ' asked Katharine resentfully. 'Inour hearts it has been a long time since you were so, and we shouldmuch regret to have you consider yourself one. Believe me, we aresensible what a faithful companion and assistant my husband hasacquired in you, and that every thing we can do for you is buthonestly discharging our obligations. '
'Ah, see, master Dorn, you also have got a sword! 'cried Martin, holding up this essential part of the dress of aburgher in those times, which lay by Dorn's present.
Dorn suddenly approac