After a short time
Axel, who had been wounded in the cheek, entered, announcing Baron
Grotta, lieutenant-colonel in the imperial army, saying, "My lords, the
colonel awaits you in the hall: for heaven's sake show no fear, and let
the magister settle the terms of a capitulation."

He consented and left the room. On arriving in the hall a fine-looking
officer met him, whose countenance might be called beautiful, had there
not been an expression of defiance and haughtiness about the eyes and
mouth which detracted from the impression first produced. After the
usual civilities had been exchanged, the stranger informed him that a
division of the imperial army was to pass through the village on that
day, and that their general had learned with astonishment the audacity
with which the castle had opposed their light troops; that he was
inclined, however, to pardon this, knowing the rapacity and outrages of
the Croats, who made no distinction between friend and foe; but that
now he expected the castle to be surrendered to him immediately.

"On what conditions," asked the astonished baron.

"Methinks you ought to be glad if an imperial general," said he in a
sarcastic tone, "after what has happened, once more kindly invites you
to trust blindly to his generosity. At all events it is more advisable
for you to open your gates than to let our cannons burst them open."

At this moment the beautiful Tugendreich entered the hall, followed by
a servant with flasks and goblets. Love, with its joys and sorrows had
diffused a supernatural charm over her noble countenance, which did not
fail to produce so magical an effect upon the warrior, that he at once
in a gentler tone added to his menaces the question, "Is this your
daughter?" The baron then introduced her, and the stranger took the
brimming goblet she presented to him, and in a polite manner asked on
what conditions the castle would capitulate. The baron pleading
indisposition in consequence of the nightly assault promised to send
his chaplain to negociate, and left the hall delighted to be released
from this purgatory. The experienced hero now addressed himself
courteously to the Fraeulein, and after condoling with her on account of
the terrors of the past night, and expressing his satisfaction at being
able to contribute something to alleviate their present situation, was
beginning to get as sentimental as it became a soldier in the thirty
years' war, when old Talander ent