On the Night of the Seventh Moon

Now the hall began to fill with people. Tall men each carrying a rifle were then led in by a man in a green doublet. Dagobert whispered to me that he was the Schutzenkonig. He was elected each year for his skill with his rifle and for the whole year he was king; and the medals he wore on his green doublet were given to him by the kings of other years. Into the hall began to file representatives from the surrounding villages, all come to see the shooting contest. Although the men and women in their colourful costumes kept crowding in, the centre of the hall and the space at one end opposite the dais were kept clear. In this space was a pole on which what appeared to be a bird was set up.

Fritz whispered that it was not a real bird; it was made of wood and the feathers had been stuck on. There was a new bird every year for the Schiltzenfest.

Now there was a great fanfare of trumpets because the ducal party was about to arrive. I was very excited. I should see the Count, the children’s father, who, through them, had, become a legendary figure to me. I noticed the effect the sound of the trumpets had on them.

They sat in awed silence beside me.

Then a door which I had not noticed before was flung open. Two heralds came in-boys of about fourteen in the blue and gold which I knew to be the colours of the ducal livery. As they blew a fanfare on their trumpets all the people in the hall rose to their feet. The Duke entered. I recognized him at once as the man whose picture I had seen all those years ago. Even the cloak about him was the same as in the picture. It was of blue velvet lined with miniver. Immediately behind him were a man and two women. I felt my heart begin to hammer; the room swung round me, and for a moment I was afraid that I would faint.

I had thought in that moment that I had found Maximilian. The man was like him . the same height, the same build. But it was not he. I had been mistaken. I had known him so well during those three days that every detail of his face was familiar to me, engraved on my memory for ever. I should never, never forget . nor could I mistake anyone else for him for more than a second or two. What I had seen was only a resemblance. But it was undoubtedly there. And one of the women who was with him reminded me of Ilse, though as I looked closer I saw that the similarity was by no means as marked as that between the Count and Maximilian.

This was like one of my dreams, I was going to wake up in a moment. The hall had suddenly become unbearably hot but I was shivering; I felt Fritz gripping my hand. I returned the pressure and took comfort. I was not dreaming.

I looked at the boys; their eyes were fixed on the man whom I had momentarily mistaken for Maximilian. I had realized at once that he was the Duke’s nephew and their father.

I thought then: I’m just imagining this. There is a slight resemblance nothing more, and because above all things I want to see Maximilian again, I see him in this man because he has the same haughty demeanour and is of similar height and build.

The ducal group had taken their seats on the dais. I kept staring at the Count. Now I could see the differences; he was a little darker than Maximilian; his complexion was more ruddy; his expression was different; there was a touch of cruelty in his expression which I had never seen in Maximilian’s. Had it been there, though? And had I refused to see it? This man had not the humorous expression which I had found so charming in Maximilian. His nose was longer; his mouth thinner. No, there was a strong resemblance but it was growing less the more I saw of him. And the woman who was with him-faintly like Ilse, yes, but that was all.

Dagobert gave me a fleeting look. I knew he wanted me to admire his father. I whispered: “Who is the lady now sitting beside the Duke?”

“The Prince’s wife. Princess Wilhelmina.”

“Where is the Prince?”

“He is not here. My father’s his cousin and he’s taking his place while he is away.”

I nodded.

The ceremony started, the object being to find the best shot of the year. The Schiitzenkonig of last year led the competitors in and presented them to the duke; they then began to shoot at the wooden bird, the object being to bring it off the perch.

The shots rang out as one by one of the attempts were made. Only two of the contestants succeeded in bringing it off its perch and loud applause followed these efforts; then the two had to undergo a further test and the bird was replaced. In a short time one of them was proved the victor and proclaimed the Schiltzenkonig for the next year. Up on the dais the Family congratulated him and the Schiltzenfest was over, but this was apparently only the beginning of the entertainment. The best was yet to come, Dagobert told me. The ducal party left the hall. As they came near us the Count looked in the boys’ direction and his glance swept over me in a manner which disturbed me and aroused my indignation. I was in a strange mood. For a few moments I had believed I had found that which I now knew I had come a long way to seek, and a bitter frustration swept over me. Perhaps that was why I felt this indignation and imagined that there was something insulting about the manner in which he gave me that cursory glance.

“We’re going out into the forest now for the real hunt,” said Dagobert.

“I don’t feel well,” said Fritz.

I looked at him anxiously.

“Perhaps, we had better all go home.”

“No!” cried Dagobert.

“Our father would be angry. You daren’t, Fritz.

You know it. “

“Yes,” agreed Fritz.

“I do.”

“If you are not well we should go back to Klocksburg,” I, said.

“I will go with you and take the responsibility. “

“I won’t go,” said Dagobert.

“I won’t go either,” said Fritz.

But I could see that he wanted to.

We went to the inn where the horses had been watered and then set out from there. Many people were making their way into the forest. About half a mile in we came to a spot where a crowd had gathered and our horses were taken from us by one of the foresters. The boys seemed to be well known and the crowds parted to let us go through. Then I saw what looked like a large tent. There were four sides of canvas round an enclosed space which was open to the sky and as we approached a man who seemed to be standing on guard lifted a flap in the canvas and we went inside the enclosure. In the centre of this was a kind of pavilion which was beautifully decorated with flowers and leaves; some of these were made into garlands and wreaths and the effect was delightful.

There were seats in the pavilion and we were assigned to three of these.

“What is going to happen?” I whispered.

Dagobert put his fingers to his lips but I saw that Fritz had grown pale. I knew that something was about to take place which he knew would upset him.

I turned to speak to him but as I did so I heard the fanfare again and now others were coming into the enclosure. The Duke was not with them this time but the boys’ father and the two women-one of whom had reminded me of Ilse-were there. They led the party. Again I received that quick appraising look and instinctively I knew that that was the manner in which he looked at every woman. I thought of the mothers of these two boys and little Liesel who had most certainly been assessed in the same way, and instinctively I disliked this man who had dared raise my hopes and filled me with great joy, only to let me discover that he was not the man I sought.

Fritz had moved a little nearer to me. I reached for his hand and pressed it. Dagobert’s shining eyes were fixed on his father. All the seats in the pavilion were now occupied and the Count clapped his hands. Everyone stood up and I saw that they all had guns in their hands. Some of them standing near the canvas then let out bloodcurdling cries; the flap was lifted and numbers of stags and hinds dashed into the enclosure. I heard the rifles crack and I saw the beautiful t-nimals stretched out on the grass; I could not bear to look. I glanced at Fritz whose eyes were tightly shut; he was swaying slightly.