FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126  
127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   >>   >|  
paring to substitute in its place his helmet, which hung by his saddle. "You had better keep on your cap, sir," said the countryman, smiling; "it will be warmer in the night breeze than your helmet; they will scarcely look for the Duke in this neighbourhood, and should we meet them, we two are a match for any four of them." The young man thought he had betrayed a want of courage; and a feeling of shame rose in his breast, when he noticed the unconcern of his conductor, on foot, who had nothing but a thin leathern cap on his head, and armed only with an axe and knife. He mounted his horse, and his guide, taking the bridle, led him down the hill. "You believe, therefore," asked Albert, after a pause, "that the Leaguist cavalry do not venture thus far?" "It is not very likely," answered the fifer of Hardt; "because Neuffen is a strong fort, and contains a good garrison; the Leaguists will, however, soon besiege it; but vagabonds, such as Truchses' cavalry, will not venture in small bodies so near an enemy's position." "Look how clear and beautiful the moon shines!" cried the young man, whose mind, still dwelling on the sight of the mountains they had left, admired the fantastic shades of the wood, and the brilliant shining rocks; "look how the windows in Neuffen glimmer in the moonlight." "I would much rather she did not shine this night," replied the countryman, who at times looked anxiously about him; "a dark night would have suited us better; the moon has betrayed many a brave man. She now stands directly over the Reissenstein, where a giant once lived; it will not be long, however, before she goes down." "What is that you say of a giant, who lived on the Reissenstein?" "Yes," said Hans, "tradition says that many years back a giant lived on that spot; there, just where the moon shines on the mountain, stands his castle, called Reissenstein, or Achalm; it belongs now to the Helfensteiners; it is built on the declivity of the rock, high up in the air; and has no nearer neighbours than the clouds, and the moon. Just opposite the castle, on another eminence, upon which now stands Heimenstein, is a cavern, in which a giant formerly lived. He possessed an enormous treasure of gold, and could have lived nobly and in luxury, had there been other giants and giantesses besides him to keep him company. He was determined to build a castle, such as other knights possessed on the Alb. The rock opposite appeared to him
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126  
127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
castle
 

Reissenstein

 

stands

 

possessed

 

cavalry

 
betrayed
 
Neuffen
 

opposite

 
venture
 

countryman


shines

 

helmet

 
directly
 

replied

 
moonlight
 

glimmer

 
windows
 
brilliant
 

shining

 

suited


anxiously

 

looked

 

enormous

 

treasure

 

cavern

 

Heimenstein

 

eminence

 

luxury

 

determined

 

knights


appeared

 
company
 

giants

 

giantesses

 

clouds

 
neighbours
 

mountain

 
tradition
 

called

 
nearer

declivity
 

Achalm

 
belongs
 
Helfensteiners
 

shades

 

vagabonds

 
conductor
 

unconcern

 
noticed
 

feeling