diplomacy, while she could not but admire his ill-timed boldness,
"speak not so to the Count, for I am sure what you say is not true."

"Indeed," growled Captain Conrad, "the young villain is more crafty
than we gave him credit for. Instead of a rope he will have a challenge
from the Count, and so die honourably like a man, in place of being
strangled like the dog he is."

"Dear Wilhelm, for my sake, do not persist in this course, but throw
yourself on the mercy of the Count. Why retail here the irresponsible
gossip of a camp, which I am sure contains not a word of truth, so far
as the Count is concerned."

Herbert of Schonburg held up his hand for silence, and made confession
with evident difficulty.

"What the young man says with harshness is true in semblance, if not
strictly so in action. For the moment, thinking of my wife and child, I
hesitated, and when the hesitation was gone the opportunity was gone
with it. My punishment has been severe; by that moment's cowardice, I
am now a childless man, and therefore perhaps value my life less highly
than I held it at the time we speak of. Hear then, your sentence: You
will be taken to the top of the wall, the iron removed from your
wrists, and your sword placed in your hand. You will then leap from
that wall, and if you are unhurt, I will leap after you. Should your
sword serve you as well as your father's served him, you will be free
of the forest, and this girl is at liberty to accompany you. I ask her
now to betake herself to the field outside the gate, there to await the
result of our contest."