Zawis and Kunigunde/Chapter 15
CHAPTER XV.
PLOTS AND COUNTERPLOTS.
The death of the queen mother produced almost a revolution in Bohemia. Immediately the national party gave way to the court and clerical party. Not, however, until nearly two years after did Zawis retire to his estate, still retaining the avowed leadership of the opposition to the encroachments of the Habsburg dynasty. The years 1285 and 1286 found Zawis and the young king employed in reducing refractory barons, especially in Moravia. Here Wenzel received his first practical lessons in actual military operations. The great minister supplied every opportunity to his royal pupil to acquire the full education of a ruler.
At once started into prominence a host of enemies, each of whom preferred some grievance. One had suffered imprisonment for brigandage; another had been compelled to surrender a portion of the royal domains; a third had been refused an official place, and had seen it bestowed on arival neighbor. The court resounded with clamors. The truth of these complaints demonstrated the justness of the suffering in each case. But the remonstrants well knew that their partisanship would find welcome, however their denunciations might be despised. Such persons fail to remember that party will exact tenfold slavery by the very confessions that intensify its new-found zeal. Rudolph smiled at these demonstrations, and directly refused to adopt any measure against the lord of Fürstenberg. He felt more than content to discover palpable evidences of hot dissensions in Bohemia in the near future. To the clerical party the retirement of Zawis caused only mild gratification. They dreaded to create antagonism between Bohemia and Albert, already openly attempting to render the imperial throne hereditary. The quiet character of Tobias, the bishop, precluded demonstrations from that quarter; and he prudently awaited developments, before declaring to which side he perceived the victory would incline.
A bishop from the Witkowici, Dietrich of Neuhaus, now governed Olmütz as successor to Bruno; and that strong family alliance still remained unbroken.
A state council necessarily assembled for the purpose of enabling the new administration to present to the king a full statement of public affairs. At this council were present Wenzel, Duke Nicolas, Tobias, Burkhard of Janowic, Zdislas of Lowenberg, and Benes of Wartenberg.
The notarius employed by Lord Zawis, Nicolas Jaroslav, also attended to make explanations if necessary. The king had already become familiar with the military administration and knew its condition.
At length Nicolas arose. “I must call the attention,” he said, “of my lords, to a deficiency in the revenues from Gratz in the dukedom of Troppau, which I have the honor to represent in this council. I observe a payment of fifty thousand marks to the late autocrat—”
“Do you refer to my father?” sharply interposed Wenzel.
“I allude, your highness, to the usurper whose long control of our affairs seems to have been not unaccompanied by personal enrichment at the expense of the kingdom. The sum of fifty thousand marks has been set down as paid to that person, in the public record; but no authority for such payment seems producible.”
“How say you, Mr. Notarius?” asked Benes.
“I know that the records contain the entry,” replied Jaroslav; “and my recollection is that the order setting apart that sum for the late queen was duly enrolled and registered under orders from King Otakar.”
“Can you produce that document?” tauntingly inquired Nicolas.
“I can only repeat that it was duly deposited with the others in the chest devoted to such papers. Only this morning I placed it before me in readiness for this council; but being suddenly called away by a messenger from your highness. I did not restore the document to its place, and on my return, to my distraction, it was missing.”
“What other evidence have you, if any, of the proper payment of that sum to the Queen Kunigunde?”
“I respectfully present to the council,” replied Jaroslav, “the marriage contract between the Queen Kunigunde and the Lord Zawis. It is signed by the queen’s hand, and duly authenticated by noble lords not now present.”
“The signature,” observed Wenzel, with some embarrassment, “may be that of my honored mother. The document seems regular; it has been within the reach of noble lords for examination; and I cannot permit my respected parent’s word to be questioned.”
“The marriage contract as such,” observed Benes, “is good as between the parties. But as a state document, it should be accompanied with the authority duly registered.” On consultation, the council decided to exclude Jaroslav and place him under guard until final action could be taken. But he was permitted to make further search. His first efforts proving fruitless, he appealed to Agaphia, the other witness to the marriage contract then present in the palace.
“Never you yield, Nicolas,” exclaimed Agaphia. “It is a conspiracy. I served my adorable queen during all her sojourn here, during her first marriage, and her second. I transacted all her business in the purchase of robes, in the expenses of her household, and of her children; I distributed her bounty to those who now defame her. I have often clothed the children of spendthrift lords and ladies, of gamblers and profligates, who squandered their living, and decked themselves in finery from the queen’s wardrobe generously bestowed; and a more truthful, honorable, and devoted wife and mother never lived. To question her word, and her signature, indeed, poor dead lady!”
“That is all very well. Agaphia,” replied Nicolas, “but did you happen to observe any person enter my writing apartment this forenoon?”
“A woman went through here,” observed the guard.
“Give me her description,” said Nicolas.
“Dressed in black, much stooped, or seeming to be so; about fifty years of age,and carrying, I noticed, a small golden key from a silver string around her neck. The key shook out from her dress as she hurried away.”
“Nicolas, dear,” said Agaphia solemnly, “never you give in. This is a conspiracy.” Nicolas seemed depressed.
“There, my dear,” said Agaphia, putting her hands to his face and kissing him, “there, you have asked for that; now take heart; and as sure as one woman’s wit can match another woman’s, we will discover the thief.”
“Do you know such a woman?” asked Nicolas in great confusion.
“Whether I know such a woman or not, makes no difference now,” answered Agaphia. “Be true to my dead mistress, poor dear; and as I once heard a strange man say, ‘A little wit is more than a match—’” but here a summons from the council called Nicolas and his guard before that body.
“You are committed to prison during the king’s pleasure,” exclaimed Duke Nicolas.
Hereupon Nicolas Jaroslav retired, and forthwith marched to a cell in the White Tower of the Burgate.
On his return the guard addressed Agaphia with great friendliness, mingled with forwardness. “I fear that young man has made a permanent investment in a dwelling,” he said. “Now, like all you women, I suppose you will seek the best chance you can get.” Agaphia, who had waited for the guard’s return to obtain what tidings she could, at once perceived her opportunity. Casting down her eyes and seeming to busy herself with a besom of the period, that consisted of a bundle of birch rods tied around a stick, she said archly, “Oh, I suppose one man may be as good as another; and if he is made away with—” here she turned away an instant to hide an involuntary sob, “well, I presume there are fish in the sea.”
“You need not travel so far,” answered the guard; “you might succeed as well much nearer home.”
“Yes, perhaps,” answered Agaphia, “but I don’t know when is a good time for fishing; perhaps you will tell me when the fish can be taken.”
“All right,” answered the yeoman.
“Now,” said Agaphia, “how did you dispose of him?”
“Oh, he said ‘That woman made a fool of me, kissing me in that way.’ Now he said too, ‘She once gave me this clasp; but I have no use for it now.’” Hereupon the guard handed the article to Agaphia. “Take it from me.” Agaphia received the clasp with great politeness and cordiality. She knew that she had never given any such thing to Nicolas; and she concluded that he had not really sent it to her by the hand of his yeoman messenger. Like all fabricators, the latter had overreached himself. On further examination, however, she observed that the clasp had formerly belonged to Queen Kunigunde, and had been given to her by Lord Zawis. But it had disappeared. Clearly the source whence the soldier had obtained it probably corresponded with the origin of the disappearance of the missing state document. On further reflection Agaphia concluded that the soldier well knew the woman whom he had, in an unwitting moment, described. For these reasons and others she determined to watch that soldier during his turn of guard in the palace, and avoid all visit to the White Tower during his duty there. Her presence during the yeoman’s watch in the palace encouraged him; and he gradually confided to her many items of importance. Among other disclosures he incidentally alluded to his knowledge of a strong chest securely deposited in the palace. He also handed to her one day a scrap of parchment containing a compliment from himself; but on the other side were easily legible the letters, ‘Kar,’ in a bold, dignified chirography. This scrap Agaphia carefully preserved.
During the year 1287 the young Queen Judith threatened to retire to a private station, and took formal steps to carry her threat into execution. This proceeding created consternation in the palace. During the confusion the adherents of Zawis momentarily assumed the mastery. Agaphia made careful search for the strong chest; and succeeded in discovering Teresa in the act of closing and locking precisely such an inclosure. The woman retired, supposing herself unobserved; and soon afterwards departed on one of her mysterious errands to Moravia.