The Poniard's Hilt Part 30

"Count, how much are the treasures worth that are locked in these coffers?"

"Oh, they do not contain much--they are large on the principle that it is always well to be provided with a large pot and a big coffer, as we say in Germany, but they are almost empty."

"So much the worse, count. I wished to double, triple and even quadruple the value of their contents."

"Are you jesting?"

"Count, I desire to increase your power and wealth beyond even your hopes. I swear as much by the indivisible Trinity."

"I then believe you. After this morning's miracle, you would not dare to risk drawing upon my house the fire of heaven, by taking so redoubtable an oath in vain. But what is your reason for wis.h.i.+ng to add so greatly to my power and wealth?"

"Because I have a personal interest in so doing."

"You convince me."

"Would you like to have domains as vast as those of a King's son?"

"I surely would."

"Would you like to have, instead of those half empty coffers, a hundred others bursting with gold, precious stones, vases, goblets, bowls, armors and costly fabrics?"

"Certainly I would."

"Would you, instead of being count of a city in Auvergne, govern a whole province--in short, be as rich and powerful as you could wish?"

"By the indivisible Trinity, are you serious? Explain yourself; I drink in your words."

"I swear to you by the Almighty G.o.d."

"Do you also swear by the great St. Martin, my patron saint?"

"I swear it also by the great St. Martin that my tender is serious."

"Well, then, to the point. What is your project?"

"At this hour my father Clotaire is outside of Gaul warring against the Saxons. I propose to profit by his absence and make myself King in the place of my father. Several counts and dukes of the neighborhood have entered into the conspiracy. Will you be with or against me?"

"And what about your brothers, Charibert, Gontran, Chilperic and Sigebert? Will they leave your father's kingdom to you alone?"

"I shall have all my brothers killed."

"Clovis, your grandfather, as well as his sons, all rid themselves of their nearest relatives in the same fas.h.i.+on. You would be proceeding according to the traditions of your house."

"Answer, count; will you pledge yourself by a sacred oath to combat on my side at the head of your men? If you will, then, by an equal oath, I shall pledge myself to make you duke of whatever province you may choose, and to relinquish to you the goods, treasures, slaves and domains of the richest seigneurs who may have sided with my father against me."

"What you demand of me, if I understand you rightly, is that I pledge myself, in my own name and the name of my leudes and pursuivants, to _obey your mouth_, as we express it in Germany?"

"Yes, that is my demand."

"But what fate do you reserve for your father?"

"His own bodyguard came near cutting him to pieces just before the war with the Saxons. Are you aware of that?"

"Such a rumor did reach us."

"Well, then, my plan is to have my brothers killed; to declare that my father died in the war with the Saxons; and then to p.r.o.nounce myself King of Gaul in his place."

"But when he returns from Saxony with his army, what will you do then?"

"I shall take the field against him at the head of my leudes, and I shall kill him--just as he killed his nephews."

"I am thinking of what may happen to me. If in the war with your father you go down, and I am found mixed up in the affair--it will go ill with me. I would then be stripped as a traitor of all the lands that I hold in _benefice_, only my salic lands would be left to me."

"Do you expect to win in a game without taking any risks?"

"I would much prefer that! But listen, Chram. Let the counts and dukes of Poitou, Limousin and Anjou take your side against your father, then I and my leudes will _obey your mouth_. But I shall not openly declare myself in your favor until the others shall have first taken up arms openly."

"You wish to play a safe game."

"Yes, I wish to risk little and gain much--I sincerely admit it."

"Very well--then let us exchange pledges."

"Wait a moment, King; we shall swear upon a sacred relic."

"What are you doing? Why open that coffer? Leave the lid up so that I may see your treasures. By my royal hair, I never in my life have seen a more magnificent Bible case than this!" exclaimed Chram as Neroweg lifted the precious Bible case from the coffer. "It is all gold, rubies, pearls and carbuncles. From what pillage did you get that?"

"In a city of Touraine. The gospels within are all written out in gold letters."

"The case is superb. I am dazzled by it."

"King, we shall take our pledge upon these gospels."

"I consent. Well, then, upon these holy Gospels, I, Chram, son of Clotaire, swear by the indivisible Trinity and by the great St. Martin, and according to the formula consecrated in Germany, that, 'if you, Neroweg, count of the city of Clermont in Auvergne, yourself and your leudes, who once stood on the side of the King, my father, will now come over to the side of me, Chram, who propose to const.i.tute myself King over you, and that if I do so const.i.tute myself, I shall make you duke of some great province of your own choice, and shall give you the domains, houses, slaves and treasures of the richest of the seigneurs who may have stood by my father and against me. Amen.'"

"And I, Neroweg, count of the city of Clermont in Auvergne, swear on these Gospels, by the indivisible Trinity and the great St. Martin, that if the counts and dukes of Poitou, Limousin and Anjou, instead of continuing as heretofore on the side of your father, openly go over to your side, and in arms, for the purpose of establis.h.i.+ng you, Chram, as King over them, then I together with my men, will do likewise in order that you may be established King over us. And may I be consigned to the eternal fires if I fail in my oath! Amen."

"And may I, Chram, be consigned to the eternal fires if I fail in my oath! It is sworn before G.o.d."

"It is sworn before the great St. Martin."

"And now, count, allow me to examine this magnificent Bible case. Count, I have never seen anyone comparable with you for the quickness with which you open and close a coffer. Our oath now binds us together, and I can speak to you plainly. The first thing that I now have to do is to rid myself of my four brothers, Gontran, Sigebert, Chilperic and Charibert."

"The glorious Clovis, your grandfather, always proceeded in that fas.h.i.+on when he thought proper to join some new kingdom or other heritage to his possessions. He always killed first and seized afterwards. He then had no adversary to combat."

"My father Clotaire has also been of that opinion. He began by killing the children of his brother Clodomir, whereupon he seized their heritage."

"Others, like your uncle Theodorik, on the contrary, seized first, and then sought to kill--that was unskilful. A corpse is more easily plundered than a live body."