secretly, thereby sharing his offence
against us and the whole empire. Beside these crimes, you have been
taken this day with arms in your hands. You are therefore guilty of
high treason against the most illustrious League of Swabia and
Franconia."

"Your charges are highly ridiculous," replied the young man, in a tone
of defiance: "you made me swear to remain neuter between the two
parties for fourteen days, to which I faithfully adhered, so true as
God is my witness. You have no right to require an account of my
conduct since that time, for I was no longer bound to you: and as to
what you say of my being taken with arms in my hand, I would ask you,
noble knights, who among you would not defend his life to the last when
he was attacked by six or eight men? I demand then, as my right, the
treatment becoming the rank of knighthood; and therefore I am ready to
swear to a six weeks' neutrality. You cannot require more of me."

"Would you prescribe laws to us?" said Truchses. "You have learned a
good lesson, indeed, from the Duke. I think I hear him speaking; but
not one step shall you take to your friends before you own where that
old fox, your father-in-law, is, and the road the Duke has taken."

"The knight of Lichtenstein was taken prisoner by your cavalry," he
replied; "but the road which the Duke has taken, I know not; and I am
ready to give my word of honour upon it."

"To be treated as a knight, indeed!" said Truchses, with a sarcastic
laugh; "there you deceive yourself altogether. You must first prove
where you won the golden spur! No; such criminals as you, are,
according to our laws, thrown into the lowest dungeons; and so I will
commence with you."

"I think that unnecessary," interrupted Fronsberg. "I will answer for
Albert von Sturmfeder that he has a right to the golden spurs; besides
which, he saved the life of a noble belonging to the League. You cannot
forget the evidence of Dieterich von Kraft, how, through the
intercession of this knight, he was saved from an ignominious death,
and was even set at liberty. He has a right, therefore, to the same
treatment by us."

"I know you have always spoken a word for him, your darling child,"
rejoined Truchses; "but this once it is of no avail. He must be sent to
the tower of Esslingen this very moment."

"I will stand bail for him," said Fronsberg. "I possess the right of a
voice in council with the rest. Let it pass to the vote what is to be
done with the