is eyes
fixed on the door, until he heard the steps of Arnold and of his
servant. Then his heart failed him, and he covered his face with his
hands, while Arnold entered, and approached the bed, beside which he sat
down, saying, "O, Theobald! I must give way to my joy! It is beyond my
strength. May God support us at this hour!" At these words Ethbert left
the room, saying, "Amen."

"It was I--it was I who struck you!" exclaimed Theobald, bathing with
tears the hands with which he had covered his face. "Arnold, it was my
sword that made this still bleeding wound! Pardon! pardon! in the name
of God alone! Arnold, forgive! O forgive one who would have been your
murderer!"

"And let our tears and our hearts mingle," said Arnold, rising, and
embracing Theobald, "to bless this great God who sees us and who has
brought me to you!"

"To me!" exclaimed Theobald, looking at Arnold, and coloring. "Ah, that
bandage! that wound!"--and he began again to weep.

"But for this wound," replied Arnold, with energy, "would you be here,
and would Theobald ever have been my friend?"

"Yes, thy friend, noble and charitable soul!" repeated Theobald. "You
said to me, Arnold, when I advanced to kill you, 'Why would you shed my
blood and take my life?' To-day, here is my blood and my life! It
belongs to you. I call God, who now hears me, to witness."

"O, how wonderful are his ways!" said Arnold. "What an admirable
Providence has united us--you, the Iron-Hearted, and me, the Lion!"
added he, smiling. "Did the Baron of Rothenwald think, three days since,
that he would be lying in the bed of the Earl of Winkelthal, and
peacefully smiling at the words of a Calixtan?"

Theobald reddened: this last word had surprised and disturbed him; and
it was only by controlling the secret indignation of his soul, that he
said, "I did not know that peace and charity entered these lofty towers
and innumerable battlements. I had been told, Arnold--and I believed
it--that impiety alone made its dwelling here."

"No, Theobald--it is not impiety; it is the word of the Lord, and the
love of Jesus, we trust, which directs and consoles our hearts."

_Theobald_. Yours! yes: I believe it; for I see it hourly. But these
Taborites, Arnold--this ferocious and cruel Ziska--do they know the name
of Jesus--they who persecute the Holy Church?

_Arnold_. You have seen them only at a distance, Theobald; and you do
not even suspect that it was for the cause of Jesus and f