We have steel in our hearts and our hands,
We are thousands that fear not to die;
And we'll faithfully keep to his latest commands,
And we'll follow his path to the sky.'
Song of the Hussites
A FEW days afterward Hubert gathered some berries on the hill, and brought them to the ladies in their apartment. When, in answer to his gentle knock, he was bidden to enter, he saw that they already had a visitor; if one so lowly as the apprentice lad, who stood cap in hand at a respectful distance answering their questions, deserved the name. The Rani sat in her straight, high-backed armchair, to our ideas very uncomfortable, yet the most luxurious seat the castle contained. Zedenka was bending over her embroidery frame. And the quiet bower maiden had her distaff in hand, but her fingers just then were idle: there was a very unwonted flush on her face, and her pale blue eyes actually sparkled. Frantisek had brought her tidings from home, and apparently she was listening to them with no lack of interest.
Hubert recognized the lad who ran beside them to Pihel, and gave him a friendly greeting.
The Pani explained: ‘This good youth has come from Leitmeritz to bring his master's daughter a message and a token. Prithee, Master Hubert, take him to the hall, and see to it that he is well refreshed with meat and drink.’
‘When he must needs set out again, Mistress Aninka will give him a message for her father.'
Nothing loath, Hubert took the apprentice under his wing. Pihel contained far more servants than were necessary, especially in the present state of its lord's finances. A call to one brought at least half a dozen, who supplied Frantisek zealously with bread, meat, and beer, and hovered about him on the chance of hearing the news of the town. Vaclav came in also, to have the strap of his stirrup mended, as he said, but he did not go away again when the repairs were finished.
Hubert's acquaintance with Czech was improving daily; but he was still unable to follow a consecutive narrative, and only caught a sentence here and there of what Frantisek was saying.
The youth became presently very earnest, and his voice grew at once lower and more rapid. Hubert lost more and more of his words; but not one of them escaped Vaclav, as he leant over the table with both his elbows upon it, looking intently at the speaker. The group of servants was now augmented by Vitus and Clodek, who, having been at Constance, and shared its experiences and its lessons, were much in advance of the others in knowledge and intelligence. As for passionate interest in religious questions, that existed everywhere in Bohemia, and in all ranks, from the highest to the lowest.
‘There are many in the town that think so,' Frantisek was saying. ‘If any of the knights and barons, like your noble Kepka here, would take up arms to avenge him, I trow they would have such a following as Bohemia has never seen. Every lad who could buy or borrow a sword would have it; and for the rest, a flail from the threshing-floor, a scythe or a reaping-hook, would do as well. Yet there be some of us who say it were better to follow his teaching than to avenge his death.' ‘So say I,' spoke Vitus. ‘Although,' he added sadly, 'I have little right to speak at all.' He could never forgive himself for the accident others had so freely forgiven.
‘Specially,' pursued Frantisek, ‘should we remember how he spake against Indulgences; and bade us beware of the cunning and avarice of the priests, who care for nothing but to rob us of our hard-earned groschen. They tell us, forsooth, that a man should leave his living mother to starve, while he spends a kop of groschen getting his dead father out of purgatory. That is making void the command of God to fill their own pockets. Besides, how know we there is any such place as purgatory at all?'
‘Ah, there you speak rashly, friend Frantisek,' said Clodek. ‘Everyone knows he must go to purgatory.' ‘Not everyone,' said Frantisek in a lower tone.
‘Thy master would take his quarterstaff and break it on thy shoulders if he heard such talk from thy lips,' remarked one of the older servants.
‘My master knows I serve him well, so he is like to keep his quarterstaff to lean upon when he goes to the Town Council,' returned Frantisek with spirit. ‘You have the Holy Scriptures here with you in the house,' he added. ‘I pray you, what say they about purgatory?'
‘Master John never spoke against purgatory,' said Clodek, with the air of one who settled the question.
‘But against Indulgences much and often,' returned Frantisek. ‘And I pray of you who were in Constance to tell me if from anything you heard of him you gathered that he thought to go thither himself? '
Clodek was silent; but Vaclav cried out eagerly, ‘He did not, Frantisek, he did not! He said to Robert, "This very day I shall rejoice with my blessed Savior in heaven!" '
‘By your leave, Panec̆, that proves nothing at all,' said the old man who had spoken before. ‘A saint like him! While he was on earth he lived in heaven; how, then, could he go, when he died, to a worse place?'
‘I trow the dying thief was not much of a saint,' said Frantisek. ‘Yet was it said to him, "This day shalt thou be with Me in Paradise."'
‘I think,' said one of the young men, ‘we ought to leave these hard questions to the priests.'
‘Ay, to good priests,' said Prokop, ‘not to ignorant fellows like our Master Sbynek, who is gone from us back to Prague, and a good riddance too.'
‘There be good priests,' answered Frantisek, ‘God be praised, who is raising them up among us to teach His people. There is one of them coming just now to Leitmeritz—a right learned and godly man—the priest of Arnos̆tovic̆.'
‘Where is that?’ asked someone.
‘Oh, nearby Prague. I know you are all honest lads here, seeing you wear the colors of Kepka. You will keep a secret? '
‘Ay, that we will,' said several voices.
‘When I journeyed to Prague last April on business for my master, I heard that same priest Wenzel preach. That was something like a sermon! He spoke of the Lord and of His dying for our sins; and how we must repent and believe on Him, and love Him with all our hearts. He spoke, moreover, of the cup of Christ, which the wicked priests have been keeping to themselves, and forbidding us to touch, although He said when He gave it, ‘Drink ye all of it."'
‘Hark to that, Clodek,' said Prokop. ‘Thou canst say naught against that. Master John approved the giving of the cup.'
‘And I take it,' added Frantisek, ‘that all who love him will do as he said about that.'
‘Then will all Bohemia arise as one man, and demand it of the priests,' cried Vaclav; ‘and if they refuse, we will take it by force.'
‘Under favor, Panec̆, that did he never counsel,' observed Vitus modestly. ‘He said that "adult believers, who asked for it devoutly, should receive it in the name of the Lord."'
‘So says Master Wenzel,' added Frantisek. ‘Though I think he would not refuse it even to a child who had true faith and love.'
‘I am not a child,' said Vaclav; ‘I can ride well, and tilt at the ring.'
‘Would we had such another as Priest Wenzel for our chaplain,' observed Prokop.
‘I would not mind hearing what he had to say,' said the old man. ‘Though, in general, I like not new ways.'
‘Then, father, you may have your wish soon enough,' returned Frantisek. ‘Master Wenzel is coming to Leitmeritz next week.'
‘Does our lord know that?’ asked someone.
‘You can tell him if you will. We are keeping the matter quiet, as some folk there be in the town—and my master, to my sorrow, is one of them—who bear no love to the Word of God. But Kepka is a good friend. Everything is safe with him.'
‘But where will Master Wenzel preach?’ asked Clodek. ‘I trow there is not a priest in the town who would give him his pulpit.'
‘He will have a better pulpit than any of theirs,' returned Frantisek. ‘In a royal church, where Master John has preached many and many a time. It hath a pavement of emerald, green and fair, and high overhead it hath a glorious roof, blue as the sapphire.'
‘Hold thine idle talk of emeralds and sapphires, which belike thou hast never seen,' said Clodek. ‘If thou hast an honest tongue in thine head, tell us in plain words where Master Wenzel is to preach. Belike some of us will go to hear him.'
‘In plain words, then—next Wednesday being a holiday, at noon of the clock Master Wenzel will preach in old Zuzikon's field by the river. 'Tis just half a league from the town.'
‘And the Holy Sacrament? the giving of the cup? Will he venture to do it?’ asked Vitus, instinctively lowering his voice.
‘What I do not know, that I cannot tell,' returned Frantisek with an air of mystery. ‘Though there is some talk of another meeting at daybreak in some private chamber in the town. But nothing is arranged as yet. Moreover, I must be faring homewards. Will any of you do me the favor to ask if Mistress Aninka hath a token to send to her father? '
‘Wilt ask her thyself?’ suggested Václav.
‘That would I right gladly,' the youth returned, flushing. ‘But it would be overbold in me to trouble the ladies again.'
‘Not if I bring thee to them. Come along with me,' cried Vaclav, suiting the action to the word. They disappeared together, and soon afterward were seen, still together, walking quickly down the hill, Frantisek talking as fast as he walked, and Vaclav apparently drinking in every word.
That evening Chlum observed to the Páni , ‘Now, God forgive me, Pani, if haply I have misjudged that varlet Peichler. The man must have some good in him somewhere, else would not his daughter love him so fondly. Never saw I such a change in a young maid as in her to-night. Almost she looks beautiful; and once, really, I heard her laugh. All because, as they tell me, she hath had a message from her father.'
The Páni smiled. ‘It has not occurred to my good lord,' she said, ‘that the charm might be rather in the messenger than in the message.'
‘I had not thought of that,' he answered, ‘being dull of apprehension.'