Otto fell fainting at the porch, while Wolfgang tumbled lifeless down at
the altar-steps; and in this situation the archers, when they arrived,
found the two youths. They were resuscitated, as we scarce need say; but
when, in incoherent accents, they came to tell their wondrous tale, some
sceptics among the archers said--"Pooh! they were intoxicated!" while
others, nodding their older heads, exclaimed--"THEY HAVE SEEN THE LADY
OF WINDECK!" and recalled the stories of many other young men, who,
inveigled by her devilish arts, had not been so lucky as Wolfgang, and
had disappeared--for ever!
This adventure bound Wolfgang heart and soul to his gallant preserver;
and the archers--it being now morning, and the cocks crowing lustily
round about--pursued their way without further delay to the castle of
the noble patron of toxophilites, the gallant Duke of Cleves.
CHAPTER X.
THE BATTLE OF THE BOWMEN.
Although there lay an immense number of castles and abbeys between
Windeck and Cleves, for every one of which the guide-books have a legend
and a ghost, who might, with the commonest stretch of ingenuity, be made
to waylay our adventurers on the road; yet, as the journey would be thus
almost interminable, let us cut it short by saying that the travellers
reached Cleves without any further accident, and found the place
thronged with visitors for the meeting next day.
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