nt joy which sat
upon his features,--no, it was an expression of sorrowing
thoughtfulness, with which an honourable man receives a valiant
conquered enemy.

Albert now stood before these men, when Truchses von Waldburg
began:--"The Swabian League has at last the honour of seeing the
illustrious Duke of Wuertemberg before them. The invitation which you
sent to us was certainly much too courteous, but----"

"You are mistaken," answered Albert, raising the vizor of his helmet at
the same time. The members of the League started when they beheld the
fine countenance of the young knight, as if they had seen Minerva's
shield and Medusa's head.

"Ha! traitors! base villains! dogs!" cried Truchses to the three
soldiers; "what cub do you bring here in the place of the Duke? The
very sight of him excites my bile! Tell me quickly what has become of
him--speak!"

The soldiers turned pale. "Is he not the right one?" they asked. "That
was him with the green cloak."

Truchses trembled with rage, his eyes darted fire, he would have
executed the soldiers upon the spot, and talked of hanging them; but
the rest of the knights compelled him to curb his violence; and Hutten,
pale with anger also, but more composed than the other, asked, "Where
is Doctor Calmus? let him come forward, to give an account of himself,
for he volunteered to arrest the Duke."

"Ah, sir!" replied one of the soldiers, "his account is already
settled; he lies dead on the bridge of Koengen."

"Killed?" cried Sickingen, "and the Duke fled! relate the circumstance,
villains!"

We placed ourselves in ambush near the bridge, as the doctor ordered
us. It was still dark, when we heard the tread of horses approach the
bridge, and at the same time perceived the signal which our cavalry on
the other side of it had agreed to make as soon as the Duke's party
issued from the wood. "Now is the time," cried the doctor; "we
instantly got up and occupied the exit from the bridge. As far as we
could distinguish, four horsemen and a peasant formed the party. The
two hindermost turned back and engaged our cavalry, whilst the other
two, and the peasant, attacked us.

"We stretched out our lances, the doctor calling to them to surrender;
but they paid no attention to the summons, and fell on us with
determined fury. The man in the green mantle was pointed out as the
prize, and we should soon have had him had it not been for the
peasant,--if it was not, indeed, the very devil h