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Kubernetes Fundamentals: A Step-by-Step Development and Interview Guide 1st Edition Himanshu Agrawal download

The document is a promotional overview of the book 'Kubernetes Fundamentals: A Step-by-Step Development and Interview Guide' by Himanshu Agrawal, which provides insights into Kubernetes and its applications. It includes links for downloading the book and mentions additional resources available on the website ebookmeta.com. The book covers various aspects of Kubernetes, including its architecture, key features, and installation processes.

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100% found this document useful (1 vote)
19 views

Kubernetes Fundamentals: A Step-by-Step Development and Interview Guide 1st Edition Himanshu Agrawal download

The document is a promotional overview of the book 'Kubernetes Fundamentals: A Step-by-Step Development and Interview Guide' by Himanshu Agrawal, which provides insights into Kubernetes and its applications. It includes links for downloading the book and mentions additional resources available on the website ebookmeta.com. The book covers various aspects of Kubernetes, including its architecture, key features, and installation processes.

Uploaded by

urmysyram
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Kubernetes
Fundamentals
A Step-by-Step Development and
Interview Guide

Himanshu Agrawal
Foreword by Krishna Prasad P
Kubernetes
Fundamentals
A Step-by-Step Development
and Interview Guide

Himanshu Agrawal
Foreword by Krishna Prasad P
Kubernetes Fundamentals: A Step-by-Step Development and
Interview Guide
Himanshu Agrawal
Pune, India

ISBN-13 (pbk): 978-1-4842-9728-5 ISBN-13 (electronic): 978-1-4842-9729-2


https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-9729-2

Copyright © 2023 by Himanshu Agrawal


This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or
part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of
illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way,
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Trademarked names, logos, and images may appear in this book. Rather than use a trademark
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The use in this publication of trade names, trademarks, service marks, and similar terms, even if
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While the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of
publication, neither the authors nor the editors nor the publisher can accept any legal
responsibility for any errors or omissions that may be made. The publisher makes no warranty,
express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein.
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Love you, Papa, Unnat, Yashi, Jiju, Bittu, Shanu, Kanak,
Mamaji, Mamiji, and Naaniji.
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन।
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि॥
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2, Verse 47:
You are only entitled to act (karma),
not to the fruits of your act.
Do not become attached to the fruits of your actions. At the
same time, do not become attached to inaction (no karma).
Table of Contents
About the Author������������������������������������������������������������������������������xvii

About the Technical Reviewer�����������������������������������������������������������xix

Acknowledgments�����������������������������������������������������������������������������xxi

Introduction�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������xxiii

Foreword���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� xxvii

Chapter 1: Welcome to The World of Containers!���������������������������������1


Fundamental Questions We Need to Ask��������������������������������������������������������������2
How Has Application Deployment Evolved?����������������������������������������������������2
What Is a Hypervisor?��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������4
What Is Virtualization?�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������6
What Is Distributed Design?����������������������������������������������������������������������������7
What Are Different Application Design Architectures in
Distributed Design?�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������8
What Is Cloud Computing?����������������������������������������������������������������������������10
What Is Containerization?������������������������������������������������������������������������������12
What Are the Advantages of Containerization Over Virtualization?����������������13
Can Containerized Applications Run on a Cloud Infrastructure?�������������������16
What Is the Microservices Architecture?�������������������������������������������������������16
How Is Containerization Different from the Microservices Architecture?������19
What Is the Future of Containerization?��������������������������������������������������������19
Understanding Key Container Technologies��������������������������������������������������������20
What Is Docker?��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������20

v
Table of Contents

What Is Kubernetes?�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������21
What Is Red Hat’s OpenShift Container Platform?�����������������������������������������21
What Does Being “Cloud-Native” Mean?�������������������������������������������������������22
What Is Serverless?���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������23
Why Use Docker and Kubernetes?����������������������������������������������������������������24
Comparing Key Container Technologies��������������������������������������������������������������25
What Are the Alternatives to Docker?������������������������������������������������������������25
What Are the Alternatives to Kubernetes?�����������������������������������������������������26
How Are Kubernetes and Docker Related?����������������������������������������������������27
How Is Kubernetes Different from Docker Swarm?���������������������������������������27
How Is Kubernetes Different from Red Hat OpenShift,
Google Kubernetes Engine, and Others?�������������������������������������������������������28
Summary������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������28

Chapter 2: Kubernetes Deep Dive�������������������������������������������������������31


History of Kubernetes�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������32
How Did Kubernetes Come into Existence?��������������������������������������������������32
What Is the Linux Foundation?����������������������������������������������������������������������34
What Is the Cloud Native Computing Foundation?����������������������������������������34
Kubernetes Architecture�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������35
What Is the Architecture of Kubernetes?�������������������������������������������������������35
What Are the Key Features of Kubernetes?���������������������������������������������������36
What Is Kubernetes Not?�������������������������������������������������������������������������������38
Master Node (Control Plane)�������������������������������������������������������������������������������39
What Does the Master Node Do?�������������������������������������������������������������������40
What Are the Different Components of the Master Node?�����������������������������41
What Is the API Server (kube-apiserver)?������������������������������������������������������41
What Is the Scheduler (kube-scheduler)?�����������������������������������������������������42

vi
Table of Contents

What Is the Controller Manager (kube-controller-­manager)?������������������������42


What Is etcd?�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������43
What Is cloud-controller-manager?���������������������������������������������������������������43
Can the Master Node and Worker Nodes Run on the Same Machine?����������44
Worker Node�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������44
What Are the Components of a Worker Node?����������������������������������������������45
What Is the Node Agent kubelet?������������������������������������������������������������������45
What Is the Node Agent kube-proxy?������������������������������������������������������������46
What Is the Container Runtime?��������������������������������������������������������������������46
What Is the Container Runtime Interface?�����������������������������������������������������47
Communication Between Worker Nodes and Master Nodes�������������������������������48
How Does the Worker Node Communicate with the Master Node?��������������48
How Does the Master Node Communicate with the Worker Node?��������������48
Object Management and Garbage Collection������������������������������������������������������49
What Are Objects in Kubernetes?������������������������������������������������������������������50
What Are the Important Elements of a Kubernetes Object?��������������������������50
How Do You Manage Objects in Kubernetes?������������������������������������������������54
What Is Garbage Collection in Kubernetes?��������������������������������������������������56
Installing Kubernetes������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������58
What Are Several Kubernetes Installation Configurations?���������������������������58
What Are Several Options for Running a Kubernetes Cluster on
Any Local Box?����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������59
What Is Kubeadm?����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������59
What Is Minikube?�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������59
Summary������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������64

Chapter 3: Fundamental Objects in Kubernetes Clusters�������������������67


Containers�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������68
What Is a Container and a Container Image?������������������������������������������������69

vii
Table of Contents

Are Containers Immutable and Stateless?����������������������������������������������������69


Can Containers Self-Heal?�����������������������������������������������������������������������������70
Which Kubernetes Component Creates Containers Within a Pod?����������������70
Do We Always Need to Pull the Container Image?�����������������������������������������70
How Do I Create a Pod with a Single Container?�������������������������������������������71
What Are Container Life-Cycle Hooks?����������������������������������������������������������73
What Are the Possible Container Life-Cycle States?�������������������������������������75
What Are Init Containers?������������������������������������������������������������������������������76
Explain Ephemeral Containers�����������������������������������������������������������������������79
What Are Different Multicontainer Pod Patterns?������������������������������������������80
Pods��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������81
What Is a Pod?�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������81
Can a Pod Have More Than One Container Running Inside It?����������������������82
Is It Recommended to Have More Than One Container in a Pod?�����������������82
Can You Add a New Container After the Pod Has Been Created?������������������83
Can Pods Self-Heal?��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������84
Do Containers Inside a Pod Share Resources like IP Addresses?�����������������84
Within a Pod, Can Containers Have the Same Names?���������������������������������84
What Is the Threshold for the Number of Pods You Can Create
on a Node?����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������85
What Are the Different Pod Life-Cycle Phases?���������������������������������������������85
Pod Status vs. Pod Phase Status�������������������������������������������������������������������87
What Are the Different Pod Conditions?��������������������������������������������������������87
How Do You Control Container Restarts Within a Pod?����������������������������������88
How to List Pods from All Namespaces?�������������������������������������������������������89
What Is Pod Networking?������������������������������������������������������������������������������89
Within the Same Pod, Can Containers Share the Pod’s Storage Volume?�����90
How Are Pods Created or Managed?�������������������������������������������������������������90

viii
Table of Contents

What Are Static Pods?�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������90


What Happens to Pods When a Node Dies, and Can the Same
Pod Get Rescheduled to Another Node?��������������������������������������������������������91
What Happens to Terminated Pods?��������������������������������������������������������������91
Can the Pod Be Forcefully Deleted?��������������������������������������������������������������92
What Are Affinity and Anti-affinity in Kubernetes?����������������������������������������92
What Happens When More Than One Node Selection Term Is
Specified with Node Affinity?������������������������������������������������������������������������97
What Happens When More Than One Match Expression Is Specified
with Node Affinity?����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������98
How Will You Make Sure That a Certain Pod Gets Created on a Certain
Node?������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������98
How Will You Make Sure That Your Pod Gets Scheduled Only on a
Node That Is Already Running a Certain Pod?���������������������������������������������101
How Will You Ensure That Two Pods Get Scheduled on the Same Node?����101
How Can You Control Pod Security?������������������������������������������������������������105
What Is the Runtime Class?�������������������������������������������������������������������������106
Summary����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������107

Chapter 4: Advanced Objects In Kubernetes Clusters����������������������109


Workload Resources�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������110
What Are Workload Resources?�������������������������������������������������������������������110
What Are Several Built-in Workload Resources?�����������������������������������������110
DaemonSet and StatefulSet������������������������������������������������������������������������������111
What Is DaemonSet?�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������111
What Is a DaemonSet Object?���������������������������������������������������������������������111
What Is StatefulSet?������������������������������������������������������������������������������������114
Can You Explain a StatefulSet Object?��������������������������������������������������������114
How Does StatefulSet Different from Deployment?������������������������������������116
How Do You Delete a DaemonSet and StatefulSet?������������������������������������117

ix
Table of Contents

ReplicaSet: Providing a Stable Set of Running Pods�����������������������������������������118


What Is ReplicaSet, and What Is Its Purpose?���������������������������������������������119
What Is a ReplicaSet Object?����������������������������������������������������������������������119
How Do You List All ReplicaSets from All Namespaces?�����������������������������121
How Do You Delete a ReplicaSet?���������������������������������������������������������������122
How Does ReplicaSet Work?�����������������������������������������������������������������������122
Is ReplicaSet Self-Healing?�������������������������������������������������������������������������123
Which Kubernetes Object Creates a ReplicaSet?����������������������������������������123
Do You Need to Explicitly Create a ReplicaSet?�������������������������������������������123
Can ReplicaSet Be Used Independently of the Deployment Object?�����������123
When Do You Explicitly Use ReplicaSet?�����������������������������������������������������124
Deployment�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������124
What Is the Kubernetes Deployment Workload?�����������������������������������������124
Can You Explain Several Elements of the Deployment Specification?���������125
Can You Explain a Simple Deployment Object?�������������������������������������������127
How Do You List All Deployments from All Namespaces?���������������������������129
How Do You Delete a Deployment?�������������������������������������������������������������130
Is a New ReplicaSet Created Each Time a Deployment Is Created?������������130
What Are Deployment Rollout and Revision?����������������������������������������������130
What Are the Different Deployment Life-­Cycle Statuses?���������������������������132
How Can You Restart a Deployment?����������������������������������������������������������134
What Is a Rolling Update?���������������������������������������������������������������������������136
How Can You Roll Back a Deployment?�������������������������������������������������������142
How Can You Scale a Deployment?�������������������������������������������������������������144
What Is Horizontal Autoscaling?������������������������������������������������������������������145
How Can You Pause and Resume a Deployment?���������������������������������������146
Can You Delete a Pod from a Running Deployment, and What
Happens Then?��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������146

x
Table of Contents

Can You Update a Deployment While an Existing Deployment Is


Rolling Out?�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������146
What Is the Difference Between the matchLabels and labels Fields
of Any Object’s Template?���������������������������������������������������������������������������147
What Are Common Deployment Strategies?������������������������������������������������148
What Is the Blue-Green Deployment Strategy?�������������������������������������������149
What Is a Canary Deployment?�������������������������������������������������������������������151
How Do You Deploy a Feature with Zero Downtime in Kubernetes?�����������154
Summary����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������155

Chapter 5: Objects Important For A Secure Kubernetes Cluster������157


Jobs: Seeing the Task to Completion����������������������������������������������������������������158
What Is a Job in Kubernetes?����������������������������������������������������������������������158
How Do Jobs Differ from Other Workload Resources?��������������������������������159
Can You Use a Job to Run Multiple Pods in Parallel?����������������������������������159
Where Can a Kubernetes Job Be Used?������������������������������������������������������159
What Are Alternatives to Kubernetes Jobs?������������������������������������������������160
What Is a Simple Nonparallel Job Object?��������������������������������������������������160
How Do You Specify How Many Tries the Job Controller Should
Make to Finish the Job?������������������������������������������������������������������������������162
How Do You Specify the Maximum Time for Which a Job Should Run?������164
How Do You Delete a Job?���������������������������������������������������������������������������166
What Are Parallel Jobs?�������������������������������������������������������������������������������167
What Is a Cron Job?������������������������������������������������������������������������������������173
How Do You Delete a Cron Job?������������������������������������������������������������������175
What Happens If a Cron Job Is Already Running and It Is Time for
the Next Job?����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������176
How Do You Control the History of Cron Job Execution?�����������������������������177
Namespaces: Virtual Clusters Within Kubernetes Clusters�������������������������������177
What Is a Namespace?��������������������������������������������������������������������������������177

xi
Table of Contents

Can You Have Multiple Objects with the Same Name in


One Namespace?����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������178
How Do You Create a New Namespace?�����������������������������������������������������178
How Do You Create an Object in a Particular Namespace?�������������������������179
How Do You Delete a Namespace?��������������������������������������������������������������181
How Can You List All the Namespaces?������������������������������������������������������182
Which Namespaces Are by Default Present in the Kubernetes System?����182
Do All Kubernetes Resources Fall Under Some Namespace?���������������������184
How Can You Explicitly Set the Default Namespace?����������������������������������185
Labels and Label Selectors: All About Filtering and Selection��������������������������187
What Are Object Names and Object UIDs?��������������������������������������������������188
Labels����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������188
Label Selectors��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������191
What Are Annotations?��������������������������������������������������������������������������������196
Authentication, Authorization, and Admission Control��������������������������������������198
How Does Access Control Work in Kubernetes?������������������������������������������198
What Is Authentication?�������������������������������������������������������������������������������199
What Is Authorization?���������������������������������������������������������������������������������204
What Is Admission Control?�������������������������������������������������������������������������207
Summary����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������209

Chapter 6: Networking In Kubernetes����������������������������������������������211


Fundamentals of Kubernetes Networking��������������������������������������������������������212
Basic Computer Networking Concepts��������������������������������������������������������212
What Is Kubernetes Networking?����������������������������������������������������������������215
What Are the Fundamental Restrictions in Kubernetes Networking?����������216
How Do Two Containers Within the Same Pod Interface with
Each Other?�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������217
How Do Two Containers, Running in Different Pods, Interface
with Each Other?�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������217

xii
Table of Contents

How to Expose Applications Inside and Outside of the Cluster?�����������������218


Service: Exposing Applications to the Outside World����������������������������������������219
What Is Service, and Why Do We Need It?���������������������������������������������������219
What Are Endpoints and EndpointSlice?������������������������������������������������������220
What Are a Service Object and Pod Selection?�������������������������������������������221
What Are the Different Service Types?��������������������������������������������������������226
What Is the ClusterIP Service?��������������������������������������������������������������������227
What Is the ExternalName Service?������������������������������������������������������������232
Can You Expose Two Ports in the Same Service?����������������������������������������234
How Can You Add Session Affinity to Your Service?������������������������������������235
What Are the Service Discovery Mechanisms in Kubernetes?��������������������235
Ingress: Consolidate Routing Rules�������������������������������������������������������������������235
What Is Ingress and the Ingress Controller?������������������������������������������������236
What Is an Ingress Object?��������������������������������������������������������������������������237
What Are the Possible Values of the Path Type, and How
Does Path Matching Work?�������������������������������������������������������������������������242
What Are the Different Ingress Types?��������������������������������������������������������243
Summary����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������246

Chapter 7: Kubernetes Storage System��������������������������������������������249


Volumes: Store Your Data����������������������������������������������������������������������������������250
What Is a Volume in Kubernetes, and Why Is It Needed?����������������������������250
What Is the Ephemeral Volume Type?����������������������������������������������������������252
What Is the Persistent Volume Type?�����������������������������������������������������������255
What Are PersistentVolume and PersistentVolumeClaim?��������������������������257
What Are the PersistentVolume and PersistentVolumeClaim Objects?�������260
Can You Demonstrate the Creation and Use of Persistent Volumes?����������264
How Do You Delete PersistentVolume and PersistentVolumeClaim
Objects?�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������267

xiii
Table of Contents

ConfigMap: Store Configuration Data in Plain Text��������������������������������������������268


What Is ConfigMap, and What Is Its Purpose?���������������������������������������������269
What Are Several Ways to Create a ConfigMap Object?������������������������������269
How Can You Use ConfigMap Inside a Pod?������������������������������������������������274
Is ConfigMap Data Immutable?�������������������������������������������������������������������278
Secrets: Store Configuration Data in Encrypted Format�����������������������������������279
What Is Secret, and What Is Its Purpose?����������������������������������������������������279
What Are Several Ways to Create a Secret Object?�������������������������������������280
How Can You Use Secret Inside a Pod?�������������������������������������������������������286
What Is the Difference Between ConfigMap and Secret?����������������������������290
Summary����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������290

Chapter 8: Manage Your Kubernetes Cluster Efficiently�������������������293


Probes: Health Check Your Containers��������������������������������������������������������������294
What Is a Probe?�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������294
What Are Several Mechanisms for Performing a Probe?�����������������������������294
What Are Some Outcomes of a Probe?��������������������������������������������������������295
What Are Several Types of Probes?�������������������������������������������������������������295
What Are Important Configuration Parameters for Probes?������������������������298
Can You Create an exec Liveness Probe?����������������������������������������������������299
What Is a httpGet Liveness Probe?��������������������������������������������������������������303
What Is a tcpSocket liveness Probe?����������������������������������������������������������305
Can You Create a Readiness Probe?������������������������������������������������������������306
Resource Management: Requests, Limits, and Quotas�������������������������������������312
What Are Requests and Limits?�������������������������������������������������������������������313
What Are Resource Quotas?������������������������������������������������������������������������317
What Are Limit Ranges?������������������������������������������������������������������������������320
Can You Create a Pod with Explicit CPU and Memory Requests and
Limits?���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������323

xiv
Table of Contents

What Happens When You Create a Pod with Unreasonably High


Requests and Limits?����������������������������������������������������������������������������������325
What Happens When You Create a Pod That Breaches Resource
Quota Limits?����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������326
How to Automatically Assign Default Requests and Limits for Pods?���������328
How Do You Define Minimum and Maximum CPU and Memory
Constraints for Pods?����������������������������������������������������������������������������������330
What Happens When You Create a Pod Without Any Explicit CPU
and Memory Requests and Limits?�������������������������������������������������������������333
What Is Pod Priority, and How Is It Useful?��������������������������������������������������334
Taints and Tolerations���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������338
What Are Taints and Tolerations?�����������������������������������������������������������������338
What Are the Different Effects of Taints And Tolerations?���������������������������342
Can a Node Have More Than One Taint?������������������������������������������������������342
Summary����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������346

Chapter 9: Docker Overview And Kubernetes Best Practices�����������349


Docker: All You Need to Know to Get Started����������������������������������������������������350
Fundamentals of Docker�����������������������������������������������������������������������������350
Understanding Primary Technologies in Docker������������������������������������������364
Primary Docker Commands�������������������������������������������������������������������������369
Docker Best Practices���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������373
What Are Docker Development Best Practices?������������������������������������������373
What Are Dockerfile Best Practices?�����������������������������������������������������������375
What Are Docker Security Best Practices?��������������������������������������������������377
Kubernetes Best Practices��������������������������������������������������������������������������������378
What Are Kubernetes Development Best Practices?�����������������������������������378
What Are the Best Practices for Large Clusters?�����������������������������������������381

xv
Exploring the Variety of Random
Documents with Different Content
returned, but a second summons soon roused Father George from
his slumbers, and brought him to the door.

The grey dawn was now beginning to break, and as soon as the
priest beheld the face of his young ward, he exclaimed, "Not to-
night, Ferdinand, not to-night.--Night do I call it? Heaven help us! it
is morning. See you not the sun coming up there? To-morrow night,
my boy, as soon as all in the castle are asleep, come down, and
bring the lady with you. I pray this Baron of Eppenfeld may keep the
Counts before his tower for a day or two."

"I doubt that such will be the case, good Father," answered
Ferdinand, "for there is a postern open, and they have tidings of it."

"That is unlucky," said the priest, "but speed you on to the castle,
and hide well your purpose from every eye. Let no one see you
thoughtful or agitated, and go early to rest, as if you were tired with
the labours of the days past. Away, Ferdinand, away."

The young man waved his hand and rode on, and in a few
minutes his horse was in front of the great gates. Beckoning to one
of the sentinels on the walls, he told him to go down and wake the
warder to let him in. But the man came down himself, and unbarred
the gates, while Ferdinand, dismounting, led his horse across the
draw-bridge.

"Ha! God's benison on you, Master Ferdinand!" said the soldier.


"You have luck to get out of the castle of Eppenfeld. How did you
manage that?"

"I will tell you all another time, Henry," replied the young
gentleman. "I am tired now, and hungry, to say sooth. Who is in the
castle?"

"Why, the Count went forth some time ago," replied the man,
"and left nought but a guard of twenty men, with the women, and
Count Frederick's priest, and him they call Martin of Dillberg."
Ferdinand muttered something to himself which the soldier did
not hear, and then led on his horse towards the stable. None of the
grooms were up; but every young gentleman in those days was well
accustomed to tend his own horse, and, though it must be
confessed, the escaped captive did what was necessary for his poor
charger as rapidly as possible, yet he did not neglect him. As soon as
this duty was accomplished, he hurried back into the castle; and had
any one been watching him, it might have been observed that his
step became more light and noiseless as he ascended the great
stairs, and passed along the corridor, which stretched across one
entire side of the principal mass of the building. At the door next but
one to that of the Count of Ehrenstein, he paused for several
moments, and looked up with an anxious and hesitating look, as if
he doubted whether he should go in. But the morning light was by
this time shining clear through the casements; he heard the sound
of persons moving below, and for Adelaide's sake he forbore, and
walked on towards the narrow staircase which led to his own
chamber. Ere he had taken ten steps, however, a sound, as slight as
the whisper of the summer wind, caused him to stop and turn his
head; and he saw the face of Bertha looking out from her mistress's
apartments. Instantly going back as noiselessly as possible, he
whispered, "Is your lady waking? Can I come in?"

"Not unless you are mad," answered Bertha. "She has been up all
night, and I too, God wot--though I have slept comfortably in the
corner. But thank Heaven you are safe and well, for her little foolish
heart would break easy enough if anything were to happen to your
unworthiness. But what news? When did you return?"

"I am but this instant back," answered the lover, "I have been
captive at Eppenfeld, and only freed by good Franz Creussen. Tell
her that I have seen Father George, however, and that he says--
mark well, Bertha--to-morrow night, as soon as all is quiet in the
castle. She will soon understand."
"Oh, I understand, too," answered Bertha, "for I have seen Father
George as well as you--forced to go down to do your errands. Well,
poor souls, as there is no other to help you, I must. But now tell me
how is all this to be arranged?"

"I will come, I will come," replied Ferdinand, "as soon as every
one is asleep."

"Well, on my word, you gain courage quickly," exclaimed Bertha.


"You will come! What, here?"

"Ay, anywhere," rejoined Ferdinand; "if it cost me life, pretty


Bertha, I would come--but hark, there are people stirring above--Tell
your lady--adieu."

"Be cautious, be cautious, rash young man," said the girl, and
instantly drawing back, closed the door.

On the stairs Ferdinand encountered Martin of Dillberg, who


would fain have stopped him to speak of his adventures; but the
former passed on, after a brief answer to the youth's inquiry
regarding his escape; and Martin of Dillberg proceeded on his way,
with his lip curling for a moment in a sneering smile, which faded
away quickly, and gave place to a look of deep and anxious thought.

Ferdinand sought no great length of repose; but was speedily


down again in the halls of the castle, on the battlements, in the
corridors, in the hope of somewhere meeting her he loved. Nor was
he disappointed; for some hours before noon, Adelaide came forth,
with hopes and wishes like his own, to walk upon the walls.--But
hardly had she and Ferdinand met--not ten words had been spoken
between them--when Martin of Dillberg was at the lady's side; and
thus during the whole day were they deprived of all means of direct
communication. As if he divined their object, and was resolved to
frustrate it, the youth was always on the watch, ever near, never
abashed, although the effect of his presence on their conversation
was only too visible. Thus passed by hour after hour, till towards
evening, tidings arrived that the two Counts were still beneath the
walls of Eppenfeld, and that but little progress had been made in the
siege. Ferdinand questioned the messenger as to whether the
postern by which he had escaped had been attempted; but upon
that point the man could give him no information; and the young
gentleman thought it his duty to send the soldier back to his lord
with intelligence in case the news which had been formerly sent had
been misunderstood or not received--and with a request that he
might be permitted to join the attacking force on the following day.

For one brief moment, soon after the messenger had departed,
Adelaide and her lover were alone together; and ere their tormentor
was upon them again, she had time to say, "Bertha has told me all,
dear Ferdinand, I shall be ready."

Not long after, she retired to her own apartments for the night;
and her lover remained in the hall with Martin of Dillberg and Count
Frederick's chaplain, trying to weary them out, till nearly eleven
o'clock at night. Then declaring that he was tired with all that he had
done during the preceding day,--which was true enough,--he
withdrew to his own chamber, and there sat meditating over the
happiness of the coming hour. The moments seemed sadly long; it
appeared as if the sounds of voices speaking and closing doors
would never end; but at length the noises ceased, one after the
other; and after waiting half an hour without hearing anything stir
within the walls, with a beating but happy heart, Ferdinand
approached his door, opened it, and listened.

CHAPTER XIX.
The whole castle of Eppenfeld slept as tranquilly for several hours
after Ferdinand of Altenburg had left it, as if no danger had
threatened its lord, and no troops were marching to attack it; and it
is very probable that the evasion of the young captive, and the
means of entrance which he had left open for the enemy, would not
have been discovered till chance or humanity led some one in the
place to send him food, had it not been for an accidental event
which happened during the night. We have seen that one of the
motives for preventing the young gentleman's return to his lord, was
to afford time for storing the castle with provisions; and various
parties had been sent out to scour the country for that purpose.
Some of the leaders went nearly drunk, and returned sober, and
some went sober and returned nearly drunk. Amongst the latter was
a personage who, accompanied by two companions, found his way
to a village where they enjoyed themselves for a couple of hours;
and then, finding it late, and no progress made in their foray, they
rode on to the side of a hill, where the villagers were accustomed to
feed their swine, and possessing themselves of the unruly beasts,
commenced the far more difficult enterprise of driving them to the
castle. Now the distance could scarcely be less than ten miles; and if
any one considers what it is for three men, not very sober, to drive
sixty swine such a distance, he will not be surprised that the task
occupied many hours. Nevertheless, on approaching the castle,
which they did by the lesser entrance at the back, the marauders
found their flock shorn of its fair proportions, and not more than
forty of the beasts which never chew the cud could be mustered,
notwithstanding all the counting which the three soldiers could
accomplish. One of the hogs had run one way, another another. One
had committed suicide by throwing itself into a stream, rather than
follow the course on which fate and circumstances were driving it;
another had been run through the body by one of the soldiers,
somewhat too eager in pursuit; others had rushed back between the
horses, and had effected their escape; while others again lay down
upon the road, and refused to move even when the lance galled
their sturdy chines.
Within a mile of Eppenfeld, however, the leader fancied that he
had got the remainder of the herd in security, for the road was
narrow, and led straight up to the lesser gate of the castle.
Unfortunately, however, the small foot-path communicating with the
postern, branched off on the right hand of the road about a hundred
yards' distance from the walls. Though it was night, and the whole
party, horse and foot, was tired, a brisk young porker, who seemed
to set fatigue at defiance, instantly perceived the way to the postern,
and as it was evidently a path which his drivers did not wish to
pursue, he darted towards it, with a sort of caracole, and a grunt of
intimation to his companions. The hint was not lost upon them, and
with one universal whine of delight, the whole herd were instantly
running along the path, and thence pursuing their way by the
narrow ledge of rock under the wall of the castle.

To follow on horseback was out of the question, but two of the


men instantly sprang to the ground, with a multitude of curious and
high-sounding German oaths, and rushed after the bristly fugitives.
Even then the open postern might have escaped observation, had
not pigs been fond of strange places; but exactly at the spot where
the small door stood open, a halt took place amongst the herd, and
a tremendous pressure from behind was the consequence. Five or
six were pitched over the edge of the rock, fracturing their skulls as
they fell, and the rest, finding that hesitation was destruction, parted
into two bodies, the one pursuing its way straightforward towards
the opposite road through the valley, the others rushing, jostling,
and squeaking, into the castle, as if it had been a great sty, for
which, indeed, they might very well mistake it.

The pursuit of the first troop was evidently useless, and the two
men, turning after the second division, proceeded to close the door
to secure their prey, and then, for the first time, perceived that a
large portion of woodwork, between the iron bands which secured
the door, had been sawn away. To have found the postern open
would have been nothing very marvellous in their eyes, considering
the state of discipline in which they lived; but the work of the saw
was convincing proof to them that somebody had been sawing; and
driving the pigs before them into the court-yard, they at once
proceeded to inquire who the sawyer was.

The whole castle was speedily roused and in an uproar; and what
between the capture of the pigs, as they galloped about the wide
court-yard, the instant putting of them to death, in not the most
scientific manner, for want of food to keep them in a living and
unsalted state, and the various operations for rendering the postern
even more defensible than before, the active labours of the whole
garrison were not over when daylight broke upon the castle, and the
spears and pennons of the forces of Ehrenstein and Leiningen were
seen coming up the valley.

The Baron laughed loud and long, as he watched the approach of


the enemy. "Not a hundred and fifty men," he exclaimed; "on my
life! I have a great mind to go out and meet them; why we have
eighty here within the walls, and methinks the reiters of Eppenfeld
are at least worth double those of Ehrenstein--but we will let them
waste themselves upon the postern, for doubtless that young coistrel
will direct them thither."

"I rather think they will strive to take us by famine, my valiant


lord," replied Fritz, who was standing by him; "for depend upon it
they have made such speed in order to prevent us from providing
against a siege."

"Then we will give the lie to their expectations," cried the Baron
of Eppenfeld. "Ho! bring us some good stout beams here. We will
hang out a new sort of banner, such as they have never seen. Plant
one firmly in every tower, and then bring up the carcasses of the
pigs and oxen."

Under his directions the slaughtered cattle were pulled up aloft,


and hung out from the battlements, like the banners of those days;
and for some minutes the approaching force could not make out the
meaning of this strange display.

"By Heaven! I believe he has hanged the poor fellows who went
with our young friend Ferdinand," exclaimed Count Frederick, as the
pigs, being the lightest, were first swung up to the top of the beams.

"Nay, nay, my good lord," cried Seckendorf, "they seem to me like


swine. Ay, and there goes an ox, too, depend upon it he intends to
allow us that he can hold out for a month or two."

"Let us to the postern with all speed," said old Karl of Mosbach;
"he may find us in the donjon ere dinner time to help him eat his
pork."

"Let it be well reconnoitred first," said the Count of Ehrenstein;


"there is no use of our throwing away men's lives upon a useless
attempt. It is evident that he is prepared to receive us. He has
probably divined that we would come so soon, from the discovery of
the lad's escape; and if so, depend upon it, the postern has been
strengthened."

A party was accordingly detached to examine carefully the


approach to the proposed point of attack, and advanced some way
up the path leading from the valley. The walls of the castle were fully
manned; and hand guns not having been yet invented, bows and
crossbows were bent against the enemy: but not an arrow was
discharged or a quarrel let fly, till the men of Ehrenstein having
advanced considerably within range, discovered that the postern was
blocked up in such a manner as would render any attack upon it
hopeless with so small a force. No sooner did they commence their
retreat, however, than a flight of missiles assailed them from the
walls, greatly hastening their speed, and wounding several.

"Ah, ha!" cried the Baron, "they have had enough of the postern,
and they will soon have had enough of the castle. It is too hard a
stone for the teeth of these two poor Counts!"
But the worthy lord greatly miscalculated the character of one at
least of his adversaries. The Count of Ehrenstein, indeed, would very
willingly have accepted the liberation of his men as compensation for
all offences; but the Baron did not even think fit to give the slightest
sign of making that reparation; and Count Frederick was not a man
to suffer any difficulties to divert him in his efforts to wipe out what
he considered as both an insult and an injury. Shortly after the
return of the reconnoitring party to their companions, various
movements were observed amongst the assailants which somewhat
puzzled the people on the walls, and discouraged the more wary and
experienced. Three or four horsemen rode off in different directions
at full speed; and the rest of the forces, dividing into two parties,
posted themselves on the roads on either side of the castle, while
the two Counts, with some ten or twelve picked men, took up their
position under the shade of a large clump of beech trees, on the
side of the hill opposite to the postern, whence both of the principal
gates of Eppenfeld could be seen, and succour afforded to either of
the bodies of assailants in case a sortie should be made from the
walls. There dismounting from their horses, the two noblemen and
their followers stretched themselves on the grass, and seemed
calmly waiting for the result of the steps they had taken.

"Depend upon it, my good lord, they have sent to Neustadt for a
party of those dogged citizens," said Fritz, "or perhaps to Landau for
cannon."

"Nonsense and folly!" exclaimed the Baron, "they can never drag
cannon up here. Why, the great pierrier of Landau weighs a couple
of ton, and the little one a ton. They may bring a falconet, but that
will do no good; and as to the pigs of Neustadt, we will slaughter
them as they come, and send them home pickled to their fat wives."

Still it was evident that the worthy lord was by no means


comfortable; and his uneasiness increased when he saw the men of
Leiningen begin to cut down and shape some stout trees. He had so
frequently beheld persons of power and courage, whom he had
injured or offended, turn away, hopeless of redress, after a short
demonstration against his stronghold, that he had calculated boldly
upon such being the case in the present instance, and the signs of
resolution and perseverance displayed by the two Counts, showed
him plainly that the far more serious and discouraging affair of a
siege was likely to follow. With dogged resolution, however, he held
to resistance, and the only effect upon his mind was to make him
take immediate measures for still further strengthening the defences
of his castle. Great beams were placed across the gates, and the
lower part of each was piled up with rubbish, which was very
abundant within the building. The stones of the court-yard were
taken up and carried to the battlements, to cast down upon the
heads of any of the assailants who might venture to approach the
walls; and several of the men, more dexterous than the rest, were
set to provide stores of arrows and bolts, lest the provision already
made should be exhausted. At the same time considerable quantities
of wine were distributed amongst the men, to keep up their spirits;
and as a warning to the rest, one of the soldiers, who ventured to
hint that it might be better for the Baron to accommodate matters
with the two Counts, had the lobes of his ears slit with a short
dagger: his lord declaring that he was only fit to wear earrings.

Nevertheless, there was something in the calm immobility of the


enemy, which created very unpleasant sensations in the bosom of
the Baron of Eppenfeld. It was evident that they were waiting for
farther assistance, and the perfect tranquillity of their aspect led him
to believe that they felt confident that assistance would be complete
and overpowering. Though not a very imaginative man, he tortured
his fancy during the whole day, to divine whence and of what kind
the expected succour would be. But about half an hour before
nightfall, all doubts upon the subject were brought to an end, by the
appearance, first, of a large body of pikemen on foot, in whom he
instantly recognised, by their banners, the commons of several
neighbouring towns, who had suffered by his spirit of appropriation,
and, secondly, of a considerable force of horse bearing the
cognizance of the House of Hardenberg. Worse than all, however,
were seen, in the midst, two long wagons, dragged slowly forward
by eight or ten bullocks, each displaying a large, clumsy-looking
implement, somewhat like the lopped trunk of a tree, which he had
little doubt were neither more nor less than the two great cannon of
Landau, against which, if once brought to bear upon the gates, the
castle could not stand an hour. His only hope was, that their bulk
and weight would render them unserviceable; but Count Frederick of
Leiningen was seen to ride down instantly to meet his advancing
allies, and by the time that night fell, two of the wheels had been
detached from the wagons, together with the axle, and the larger
cannon had been swung between them so dexterously, and with
such an even balance, that it was moved without difficulty at least
two or three hundred yards on the road to Eppenfeld.

The fall of night prevented it from being used immediately; but


there it remained just before the gates, at the distance of perhaps
two bowshots, haunting the imagination of the Baron with the
thought of its fire on the succeeding day. Still he strove to make the
evening meal pass cheerfully, and plenty of his best wine was
poured forth to raise the courage of the soldiery; but, alas, without
effect. The great gun of Landau was a sort of nightmare, which sat
upon the stomachs of the stout men-at-arms; and a better means
could not have been devised of sparing the provisions of the
garrison, than by bringing it before the gates.

Some of the garrison drank deep indeed, either from pure


recklessness, or a keen sense of danger, which they wished to get
rid of by the pleasantest process at hand; but the wine seemed all to
be poured into the great gun of Landau; for it certainly produced no
greater effect upon those who imbibed it than it would have done
upon that huge mass of wood and iron. The watch fires that were
now seen blazing around the castle on every side, showed that the
Leaguer was strict, and that no path of escape was unguarded; and
though the Baron affected to be jovial, and to laugh at the Counts
and their men, who were forced to sleep under the canopy of
heaven, yet there was a wandering and uncertain look in his eye,
and an anxious glance every now and then to the countenance of his
friend Fritz, which told that the mind within was anything but easy.

At length, as if he could bear it no longer, the Baron rose, and


beckoned his lieutenant into a little chamber in the neighbouring
tower, where the propriety of a surrender, on conditions, was
formally discussed, without any consideration of the ears that had
been slit a few hours before.

"You had better send some one out, my lord," said Fritz, "to say
that you will give up the prisoners and the treasure. I would not
offer more at first; for, depend upon it, they'll demand more, and
you can but grant at last."

"But who can I send?" said the Baron. "If I choose one of our
own men, he will either get drunk amongst the enemy, or go over to
their party."

"That's very likely," answered Fritz; "shall I go?"

"Humph! I can't spare you," said the Baron.

"Well, then, send one of the prisoners," rejoined Fritz. "If he


stays, it can't be helped; and we can offer him reward if he comes
back. We had better not let the men know anything about it."

This course was accordingly adopted. One of the men of


Ehrenstein, who seemed the most sagacious of the party, was led by
Fritz to a postern opposite to that which had been blocked up, and
despatched with a message to the two Counts. Fritz remained to
watch for his return upon the battlements above; and the Baron
himself went back to the flask, to console expectation as well as he
could.

"He will be here in a couple of hours, I dare say," said the Baron;
but his enemies did not make him wait so long. At the end of an
hour, Fritz appeared with the messenger, who bore a scrap of written
paper in his hand.

"What the devil is this?" said the Baron, looking at it askance, as


the man handed it to him. "Does he think we've clerks and
shavelings here in Eppenfeld? Could he not speak plain German, and
send message for message?"

Fritz gazed at it with the same hopeless look; but the messenger
relieved them from their difficulty by saying, "He read it over to me
twice; so I can tell you what it means. Let me look at the marks,
however, to bring it in my mind. Thus it runs: 'Count Frederick of
Leiningen,'--ay, that's his name there 'and the Count of Ehrenstein to
the Baron of Eppenfeld.' He requires the immediate surrender of the
castle, the restoration of the treasure taken from the Venetian
merchants, compensation from the goods of the Baron for the wrong
done and the trouble given. 'Upon these conditions his life shall be
spared; but the castle shall be levelled with the ground, and never
rebuilt.'"

The man paused; and the Baron of Eppenfeld swore an oath,


such as probably no mouth but that of one of the robber chivalry of
those days ever contained or gave vent to. It terminated, however,
with a vow, that he would die under the ruins of his stronghold,
sooner than submit to such conditions; and his worthy lieutenant
was quite sure he would keep his word. Neither, it must be
confessed, did Fritz himself greatly differ in opinion from his lord.
The castle of Eppenfeld was, in fact, his principal means of
subsistence; and, although he might perhaps have found some
other, if it were taken away, yet there was none on the face of the
earth that he thought worth living for; and a gallant defence and
death, sword in hand, were things too frequently in the
contemplation of persons in his station, to cause him much emotion
at the prospect of their being realized.
Fritz, however, was somewhat shrewder in his observations than
the Baron; and as soon as the latter had done blaspheming, the
lieutenant inquired, addressing their messenger, "Whom did you see,
fellow? You bring a letter from both the Counts; yet, when you speak
of them, you say always, 'He,' as if only one had had a hand in it."

"I saw Count Frederick of Leiningen," answered the messenger;


"but he said he had power to write for both, as my own lord was
sleeping: and now I pray you send me back as you promised. It may
go worse with you, if you do not."

"You shall go--you shall go," replied Fritz, "for you will have a
message to take back;" and then drawing the Baron aside for a
moment or two, he spoke to him eagerly in a whisper.

"By the eleven thousand virgins thou art right," cried the Lord of
Eppenfeld at length; "so shall it be. Go back, rascal," he continued,
addressing the messenger, "and tell Count Frederick that he shall rot
before Eppenfeld, and I will eat the stones thereof, before I take
such conditions. Tell him I care not for his bombards; the walls are
proof against them, and he will find this hold a harder morsel than
he thinks. That for Count Frederick!--But now mark me--seek out
your own lord privately, and say to him that I love him better than
his comrade, that I served him well in former times, and that if he
will withdraw his people, and leave me to deal with Count Frederick
alone, he shall have the treasure; but if not, I will send a message
by nine of the clock to-morrow morning to him and his friend, just to
remind him of how I did serve him many years ago. Mark me well,
say every word just as I say it;" and he repeated the whole with
great accuracy.

The man promised to obey, and, again conducted by Fritz, was


led out of the castle.

"That will diminish them by one-half," said the Baron, as soon as


his lieutenant returned to him, "and then for one bold stroke and
victory."

Numerous discussions subsequently took place between the Lord


of Eppenfeld and his friend, in regard to preparations for the
morrow; numerous precautions were also taken; strict watch was
enjoined; but then, alas! the Baron and Fritz also returned to the
flask, and many others in the castle followed their example. The
lieutenant, at a late hour, betook himself to the walls, where he
found all in order, and paced up and down some time in a sort of
dreamy state, where thought and wine contended for the mastery;
but the hour of three found him sound asleep upon the battlements,
with his head pillowed on a stone.

How long he remained thus Fritz did not know; but the first thing
that woke him was a tremendous explosion just below. The whole
castle shook; some of the loose stones fell from the watch-tower
above, and well it was for Fritz, at that moment, that he had his
steel morion on his head. He was hardly roused, however, his whole
senses were in confusion and disarray, when loud shouts and cries
from the court rose up, and conveyed him better intelligence of the
event which had taken place than even the explosion; there were
sounds of blows, and clashing steel, and of heavy axes falling upon
wood-work, and exclamations of "Place taken! Place taken! Yield or
die!" with many a similar speech, which showed clearly enough that
the garrison was not alone in Eppenfeld.

The want of brute courage, however, was not the defect of Fritz's
character, and the next instant he dashed down, sword in hand, to
the court, collecting one or two of his comrades as he went, and
exclaiming, "It is now for life! they will give no quarter! fight like
devils! we may yet drive them back!" But the scene that presented
itself in the court might have proved to any one willing to be
convinced, that, fight how they would, the garrison of Eppenfeld had
no chance of successful resistance. The gate had been partly blown
in by the bombard, which had been quietly drawn close up to the
walls, and was every moment presenting a wider aperture under the
blows of the axe; an overpowering number of adverse soldiery was
already in the court; others were rushing in through the gap in the
gate; torches could be seen coming up the slope, and displaying a
stream of human heads cased in iron pouring on. Everything proved
that defence was hopeless, but the Baron of Eppenfeld was already
below, and with fierce efforts, aided by some thirty of his men, was
striving to drive back the assailants and recover possession of the
gateway. Fritz and those who were with him hurried on to his
assistance, and soon were hand to hand with the enemy. Their
arrival gave some new vigour to the resistance, and the men of
Leiningen and the citizens who were joined with them, gave way a
little; but fresh numbers poured in behind; the Baron went down
with a thundering blow upon his steel cap; and Fritz received a
wound in the throat which covered his cuirass with gore.

With great difficulty the Lord of Eppenfeld was raised in the press,
and borne somewhat back; but as soon as he could stand he rushed
upon the enemy again, and aimed his blows around with the fury of
despair. His men gradually gave way, however, a number fell never
to rise again; but beaten back, step by step, they were, at length,
forced against the wall of the donjon, with nothing but the narrow
doorway behind them left as a means of escape. The man who was
nearest it felt his courage yield, turned, and ran towards the postern
on the east. Some cried, "I yield, I yield! good quarter, good
quarter!" Others fled after the first, and the Baron of Eppenfeld,
seeing that all was lost, looked round with glaring eyes, doubtful
whether he should seek safety in flight by the postern into the open
country, or die in arms where he stood.

At that very moment, however, a loud voice cried, "Take him alive!
take him alive! The man with the wivern on his head!" and half a
dozen of the soldiers of Leiningen rushed towards him. One instantly
went down under a blow of his sword, but before it could fall again
upon the head of another, the rest were upon him, and the weapon
was wrenched from his grasp.
A scene of wild confusion followed, which cannot be adequately
described. There was chasing through passages and chambers,
hunting out fugitives in remote places, driving them along the walls,
seeking them in vaults and towers; and many a deep groan and
shrill cry of the death agony attested that all the barbarous cruelties
of a storming were perpetrated in the halls of Eppenfeld. Some were
taken alive, but a greater number escaped by the postern into the
country. There, however, they were almost instantly captured; for
the bands of the Count of Ehrenstein had been left to keep guard
without, and only two or three of the fugitives found their way to the
woods.

In the mean time Count Frederick as soon as all resistance was


over, strode on to the hall, with a small number of his attendants
who had never left his side. There seating himself in the Baron's
great chair, he ordered the room to be cleared of all persons but
two, while a party remained to guard the door. His selection of his
two councillors was somewhat strange, for, though one was indeed a
person in whom he might be supposed to place confidence, being an
old and faithful knight who had accompanied him through all his
wars while serving with the knights of St. John, the other was no
greater a personage than the jester, who, however, took his seat
beside the Count with great gravity.

The next moment, according to orders previously given, the Baron


of Eppenfeld was brought in between two men, with all his offensive
arms taken from him, and his head uncovered. The two soldiers who
guarded him there were instantly ordered to withdraw, and what
followed between the victor and the vanquished was only known to
the four who remained. The conversation was not long, however, for
in less than five minutes the soldiers were recalled, and ordered to
remove the Baron to his own chamber, treating him with courtesy.

The man named Fritz was next called for, and while the Count's
followers were seeking for him, one of Count Frederick's knights
brought him the keys of the treasure room, and a roll of papers.
Several minutes elapsed before Fritz could be found, and just as he
was discovered at length, lying severely wounded amongst the dead
in the court, the Count of Ehrenstein, entered the castle with some
of his attendants, and after inquiring where Count Frederick was,
made his way to the hall, which he seemed to know well.

"Is the Baron living or dead?" he asked, as soon as he entered.

"Living, living, my noble friend," replied Count Frederick, in his


usual gay tone. "Caught like a badger; dug out of his hole, and
biting at all who came near him."

"He might as well have died," said the Count of Ehrenstein, with a
cloudy brow; "we shall be troubled to know what to do with him."

"Nay, if he would not be killed, we cannot help it," cried Count


Frederick; "though he seems a venomous snake indeed.--Ah! here
comes his worthy comrade, Herr Fritz!--Cannot he stand? He seems
badly hurt.--Well, noble Sir, I shall not trouble you with many
questions, You, it seems, led the party who plundered our Italian
merchants; whence got you tidings of their coming?"

"From one of your own people; Count," replied the wounded man.
"I know not his name; but the Baron can tell you."

"Where is the Baron?" demanded the Count of Ehrenstein. "I will


go and ask him."

"Nay, he is caged,--he is caged," answered Count Frederick. "We


shall have time enough to question him hereafter."

His noble companion did not seem very well satisfied with his
answer, but bent his eyes moodily on the ground; while the man
Fritz took up the conversation, in a sullen tone, saying, "I hope you
will not question me farther, my lord the Count; for I am faint from
loss of blood, and it is high time that you should either have me
tended, or end me at once."
"Nay, Heaven forfend, Herr Fritz!" exclaimed Count Frederick; "we
shall want you hereafter, since you say it was one of my men who
helped you to your rich booty. Take him away, and try and stanch
the bleeding of his wounds. Give him some wine, if they have not
drunk it all; and then bring me water, that I may wash my hands.
Nay, why so grave, my noble fellow-soldier?" he continued, turning
to the Count of Ehrenstein; "but it is true you have lived long in
peace, and are not so much accustomed as myself to see scenes of
slaughter and destruction; and yet we must leave no part of the
work here undone. I will not quit Eppenfeld while there is one beam
of timber spanning from wall to wall. Nevertheless, it is not needful
that you should stay."

"Oh, I will bear you company," said he of Ehrenstein. "It is true I


love not to see such things, yet still--"

"Nay, but it is needless," interrupted Count Frederick. "You shall


guard the prisoners and the treasure back to Ehrenstein; while I will
remain and see the nest of plunderers destroyed."

"And the Baron?" asked his friend, with a hesitating look. "He
goes with you, of course," replied Count Frederick; "only keep him
safe, for he is a wily fox."

"Oh, that I will," replied the other, with a countenance which


suddenly brightened; "yet if I could aid you here, I am quite willing
to stay."

"No need,--no need," answered Count Frederick. "I have men and
means enough."

"Well, then, I will go and prepare for departure," said the Count
of Ehrenstein, "and will give you a victor's banquet when you arrive."

Thus saying, he moved towards the door; and as he quitted the


hall, Count Frederick of Leiningen gave a meaning glance, half sad,
half sarcastic, first to the jester, and then to the old knight.
CHAPTER XX.

The whole castle of Ehrenstein was still as the grave. There are
times when distant murmurs of busy life, when the hum of insects in
the air, when the scarce heard voice of the distant nightingale, when
the whisper of a passing breeze, that speaks as if but to make the
stillness felt, seem to increase the sensation of the silence. But there
is a deeper, deader silence than that, when all is so profoundly
tranquil that it seems as if no sound would ever wake again, when
death itself seems powerful over all; and the absence of all activity
makes us feel as if our own being was the only living principle left
existent upon earth. But it brings with it no idea of annihilation. It
seems but the utter exclusion of all mortal things, as if the animation
of clay were over, and the noiseless reign of spirit were begun. The
soul, no longer jostled by the life of flesh, seems to walk forth at
large, and to have freer communication with things as immaterial as
itself. The essence within us feels as if a thick and misty veil were
withdrawn, and things unseen in the dull glare of the animal day
were apparent to the kindred spirit in the hour of temporary death.
But this is only felt when entire silence pervades all things; when
there is no voice of bird or insect, no whispered breeze, no distant
sound of those that watch at night; when all is still, and, to the
ignorance of individual being, it seems that the one who feels is the
only one who lives. Then is the hour of expectation; for if, according
to the old philosophy, nature abhors a vacuum, the void she most
abhors is the absence of all action. The heart of every living thing is
ever asking, "What next?" and the deepest conviction implanted in
the mind of man is, that want of activity is extinction. Even sleep
itself has its sensation and its dream; and to him who wakes while
all the rest are buried in forgetfulness, there is a constant looking for
something assimilating in solemnity with the hour, and the darkness,
and the silence, to break the unnatural lack of busy life that seems
around. Oh! how fancy then wanders through the wide unoccupied
extent, and seeks for something active like itself, and, debarred all
communion with beings of earth, ventures into the unsubstantial
world, and perchance finds a responding voice to answer her cry for
companionship.

It would seem that there is almost a contradiction in terms under


the philosophy that admits the existence of a world of spirits, and
yet denies that there can be any means of communication between
that world and the spirits still clothed in flesh; but, even in the most
sceptical, there are misdoubtings of their own unbelief; and to every
one who thinks, there come moments when there arise such
questions as these: Where lies the barrier between us and those
above us--between us and those who have gone before? Can we
speak across the gulf? Is it bridged over by any path? Is there a gulf
indeed?--or, in this instance, as in all others through the universal
scheme, is the partition but thin and incomplete that separates us
from the order next above?

Such are at least questions with all but the most purely worldly
even in a most purely worldly age; but, in the times I write of,
doubts on such subjects were precluded by faith and by tradition.
Activity, indeed, and thought, occupied continually by matters the
least spiritual, banished reflections upon such subjects during the
great part of each man's time. But reflection was needless where
conviction was ever present; and if speculation indulged itself in
times of solitude and silence, it was only in regard to what our
relations could be with the immaterial world, not whether there were
any relations at all.

Everything was still and motionless as the grave when Ferdinand


descended slowly from his chamber in the castle of Ehrenstein, and
entered the broad corridor which stretched across the great mass of
the building. It was very dark, for no moon was up; and, though the
stars were bright and many in the sky, the light they afforded
through the dim casements was but small. The night was still, too;
for no wind moved the trees; not a cloud crossed the sky; and, as it
was colder than it had been, the insects ceased for a time from their
activity, too early begun, and the song of the minstrel of the night
was not heard. Everyone in the castle itself seemed sound asleep;
no doors creaked on the hinges, no voice of guest or serving-man
was heard from below, the very sentinel was keeping guard still and
silently, like the starry watchers in the sky overhead.

Ferdinand's heart beat quick, but it was not with the thought of all
the strange and fearful sights he had seen in the place which he was
now about to revisit--though he did think of them; it was not with
that vague mysterious awe inspired by any near approach in mind to
things beyond this world of warm and sunny life. He was going, for
the first time, at night and in darkness, to the chamber of her he
loved, to guide her through strange scenes, alone and unwatched
for many an hour to come, upon an errand of which he knew
nothing but that it was promised a happy end; and his whole frame
thrilled with the emotions so sweet, so joyful, that are only known to
early, pure, and ardent love.

With the unlighted lamp in his hand, he approached the door, and
quietly raised the latch. All was silent in the little anteroom, but
there was a light burning there, and Bertha sitting sleeping soundly
in a chair, with some woman's work fallen at her feet. Ferdinand did
not wake her; for Adelaide had told him to come when it was
needful, even to her own chamber; and, approaching the door of
that room, he opened it quietly, and went in. Adelaide slept not, for
in her heart, too, were busy emotions that defy slumber. As she saw
him, she sprang to meet him, with all the joy and confidence of love;
but yet it was with a glow in her cheek, and a slight agitated
trembling of her limbs, which she could not overcome, though she

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