Zigzag Journeys in Northern Lands Part 36

"Haste, haste, good men, all, good women, all. The hour is near.

Good men, all, good women, all, hurry!"

[Ill.u.s.tration: OLD PEASANT COSTUMES.]

It was night now; but the full moon rose over the long line of hills, and behind it appeared a black cloud, from which darted tongues of red flame, followed by mutterings of thunder.

The moon ascended the clear sky like a chariot, and the cloud seemed to follow her like an army,--an awful spectacle that riveted Lek's gaze and made him apprehensive.

"A storm is coming," he said. "I must stay here. Tell me, good maiden, where can I find food and shelter?"

"Have you a true heart?"

"I have a true heart. I have always been true to myself; and he who is true to himself is never unfaithful to G.o.d or his fellow-men."

"Then you will be saved when the hour comes. They only go down with us who are untrue. All true hearts have to-morrows."

The moon ascended higher, and her light, more resplendent, heightened the effect of the blackness of the rising cloud. The lightnings became more vivid, the thunder more distinct.

"You are sure that your heart is true?" said the maiden.

"By the Cross, it is true."

"Then I have a duty to do. Follow me."

She rose and walked towards the hill from which Lek had come. Lek followed her. As he pa.s.sed out of the town the bell sounded: it was the hour of eleven.

The people stopped in the streets as before, waving their hands, and crying,--

"Good men, all, good women, all, hurry! The hour is near. Good men, all, good women, all, hurry!"

[Ill.u.s.tration: CITY GATE.]

The maiden ascended the hill to the very rock from which the student had first seen the town, and under which he had rested.

"Sit you here," she said, "and do not leave the place until the c.o.c.ks crow for morning. A true heart never perished with the untrue.

My duty is done. Farewell!"

"But the tempest?" said the student. "This is no place of shelter.

Let me return with you, only until to-morrow."

There burst upon the hill a terrific thunder-gust. The maiden was gone, the black cloud swept over the moon, and Lek could no longer discern the town in the valley. Everything around him grew dark. The air seemed to turn into a thick inky darkness.

Fearful flashes of lightning and terrific thunder followed. The wind bent the forest before it; but not a drop of rain fell.

There was a moment's silence. The bell in the mysterious steeple smote upon the air. It was midnight.

Another hush, as though Nature had ceased to breathe. Then a thunder-crash shook the hills, and seemed to cleave open the very earth.

Lek crossed himself and fell upon his knees. The cloud pa.s.sed swiftly. The moon came out again, revealing the lovely valley. _The village was gone._

In the morning a cowherd came up the hill at the rising of the sun.

"Good morrow," said Lek. "That was a fearful tempest that we had at midnight."

"I never heard such thunder," said the cowherd. "I almost thought that the final day had come. You may well say it was a fearful night, my boy."

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE NECKAR.]

"But what has become of the village that was in the valley yesterday?" asked Lek.

"There is no village in the valley," said the cowherd. "There never was but one. That was sunk hundreds of years ago; if you saw any village there yesterday it was that: it comes up only once in a hundred years, and then it remains for only a single day. Woe betide the traveller that stops there _that_ day. Unless he have a true heart, he goes down with the town at midnight. The town was cursed because it waxed rich, and became so wicked that there was found in it but one heart that was true."

"Tell me about this strange village," said Lek, in fear and awe, recalling his adventure. "I never before heard of a thing so mysterious."

"It is a sorry story. I will tell it as I have heard it.

"The hills of Reichmanndorf used to abound with gold, and the people of the old town all became rich; but their riches did not make them happy and contented. It made them untrue.

"The more their wealth increased, the more unfaithful they became, until the men met in the market-place daily to defraud each other, and the women's only purpose in life was to display their vanity.

"At the inn were nightly carousals. The young men thought only of their gains and dissipations. Men were untrue to their families, and lovers to their vows.

"The Sabbath was not kept. The old priest, Van Ness, said ma.s.ses to the empty aisles.

"In those evil days lived one Frederic Wollin. He was a brave man, and his soul was true.

"It was the custom of this good man to instruct the people in the market-place. But at last none came to hear him.

"One day, near Christmas, the council met. Wine flowed; rude jests went round. The question was discussed as to how these days of selfish delights might be made perpetual.

"A great cry arose:--

"'Banish the holy days: then all our to-morrows will be as to-day!'

"Then Wollin arose and faced the people. His appearance was met by a tumult, and his words increased the hatred long felt against him.

"'The days of evil have no to-morrows.' he said. 'He that liveth to himself is dead.'

"'Give him a holy day once in a hundred years!' cried one.

"The voice was hailed with cheers. The council voted that all future days should be as that day, except that Wollin and the old priest, Van Ness, should have a holy day once in a hundred years.

"Christmas came. No bell was rung; no chant was heard. Easter brought flowers to the woods, but none to the altar. Purple Pentecost filled the forest villages with joy; but here no one cared to recall the descent of the celestial fire except the old priest and Wollin.

"It was such a night as last night when Van Ness and Wollin came out of the church for the last time. The people were drinking at the inn, and dancing upon the green. Spring was changing into deep summer; the land was filled with blooms.

"A party of young men who had been carousing, on seeing Wollin come from the church, set upon him, and compelled him to leave the town.

He came up this hill. When he had reached the top, he paused and lifted his face towards heaven, and stretched out his hand. As he did so, a sharp sound rent the valley, and caused the hills to tremble. He looked down. The village had disappeared. Only Van Ness was standing by his side.