ke by the light of the moon. The veins of his of his forehead
were swollen beyond their common size, his cheeks being deeply flushed,
and his eyes sparkled like fire.

"Hewen! get the scaling ladders ready," said the Duke with a stern
voice. "Thunder and lightning! I stand before my own house, and they
will not let me in. The trumpets shall sound once more, when, if they
don't open the gates instantly, I'll fire the town and burn it to the
ground."

"_Bassa manelka!_ that's what I like," said Long Peter to his comrade,
who stood in the front rank near the Duke. "The ladders are going to be
brought, we'll climb up like cats, and drive those fellows from the
walls, and then the musqueteers will pepper them properly, _canto
cacramento_!"

"Ah! yes," said the Magdeburger, "and then we'll sally into the town,
set fire to all corners--plunder--burst open the doors--that's the fun
for us lansquenets!"

"For God's sake, my Lord Duke," said Albert, who had heard his last
words, and had observed the rapacious spirit which animated the
soldiers, "only wait a short quarter of an hour longer; recollect it is
your own capital. They are most likely still deliberating."

"What have they got to consult so long about?" replied Ulerich with ill
humour: "their rightful lord stands before his own gate, and demands
admittance. My patience is already exhausted. Spread my banner to the
light of the moon, Albert; let the trumpets sound; summon the town once
more for the last time; and if the gates are not opened by the time I
have counted thirty after the last word, by the holy Hubertus, I'll
storm the walls. Be quick! Albert."

"O sir! consider your town, your best town! Having lived so long in
it, would you now give it to the flames? Give them a little more time."

"Ha!" laughed the Duke in anger, and struck the armour of his breast
with his steel glove, which sounded through the stillness of the night,
"I see you are not inclined to enter Stuttgardt, and merit your wife
thereby. But no more words now, at the risk of my displeasure, Albert
von Sturmfeder. Obey my order quickly: unfurl my banner, let the
trumpet sound! sound and frighten the dogs out of their sleep, that
they may know a Wuertemberger stands here, and will enter his house in
spite of the Emperor and Empire. I say, summon them again, Sturmfeder!"

The young man obeyed the order in silence, and riding close up to the
ditch, unfurled Wuertemberg's banner. The rays of the