Anselmo, the chief of the Milanese artillery, an old man, still vigorous, with bold features and a quick eye, examined the tower carefully, as it neared the walls. The troops, watchful of the least movement of their leader Oberto, were ready to act; but if Anselmo's skill did not succeed in destroying the tower, they felt that the city would be taken.

"Let go the catapults!" cried Anselmo, his eyes always fixed upon the machine.

The order was immediately executed, and the old man stepped back to judge of the effect. There was a deep silence, and all gazed anxiously upon the stern visage of their leader, as he touched the spring of the engine. There was a violent shock and a cloud of stones dashed full upon the front of the tower; but the hay and brushwood, with which it was bordered, broke the force of the concussion. A second discharge was attended with a like result.

"By my holy patron saint!" cried Anselmo, shaking his head, "the jade is solid. If four hundred weight of stone have no more effect than a shower of snow-b.a.l.l.s, we have little chance of escaping Barbarossa's companions. However, let us try again."

A larger stone was brought forward and put into the catapult; a moment after it whistled through the air and struck heavily against the tower, but without producing any impression.

"It is useless to try," said Anselmo; "the devil himself must have built that tower!"

"Would it not be advisable," said Nigri, "to arrange the smaller machines for the reception of the stormers, as we cannot prevent the a.s.sault?"

"Let go the catapults!" interrupted Anselmo.

But it was all in vain, the advance of the machine could not be checked; and the garrison turned their attention to the smaller engines, which were filled with missiles of every kind, and to the pitch and boiling oil, which was to be poured upon the enemy as he clambered up the walls.

"Attention! hold everything in readiness!" said Anselmo; "mix well the tow with the oil and pitch. Be lively, boys! take care that your casks be filled."

Already, severe fighting was going on, in the open s.p.a.ce between the tower and the walls. On both sides bolts and arrows flew unceasingly, and wherever a head appeared at a loophole it became a target for the archers. Germans and Milanese had both suffered severely, for the arrows and stones penetrated through every opening.

"Those Milanese fight very gallantly," said Henry the Lion, as an arrow struck his helmet. "We have already lost fifty men in the tower."

"The foul fiend seize this style of battle!" said Otho of Wittelsbach, who awaited, with impatience, the moment when the tower should close upon the walls.

"We shall encounter worthy adversaries, Count," replied Henry. "They are loading their engines in our honor!--I only trust that the fire may not ruin the tower! The Milanese are skilful artificers."

"Upon my honor, as soon as we are on their walls, they may burn it and welcome," said Otho.

The scene soon began to change; the Milanese had covered their ramparts with boiling pitch, and had lighted a fire at the spot where Henry designed to halt the tower, while barrels filled with burning tow were rolled over on the heads of the a.s.sailants.

"Forward now!" cried Anselmo. "Get ready the fireb.a.l.l.s!" and he rushed to where the smaller machines were raining a cloud of projectiles upon the drawbridges.

The battle now raged fiercely. The burning tow b.a.l.l.s had communicated their fire to the machine, the top of which was in flames; the Germans worked diligently to keep the conflagration in check, until they should be close enough to sally out upon the bridges, while the Milanese with locked shields and drawn swords awaited the attack.

For a moment there was a deathlike silence, and then the bridges fell, and Henry of Saxony and Otho de Wittelsbach, followed by their troops in good order, sprang upon the ramparts. They were resolutely met. Otho had one foot upon the wall, but he was driven back; and though his blows made large gaps in the ranks of the enemy in this fierce hand-to-hand encounter, their places were filled at once with new combatants. The Lion raged, and although a foeman went down at every thrust of his heavy sword, he was still upon the bridge, and could not advance a step upon the rampart. The tower was now in flames, and a cloud of projectiles darkened the air already black with smoke from the burning resin. Still the struggle went on, and many a German knight and Lombard n.o.ble fell to rise no more.

Henry and Otho fought on; but in vain: their efforts were powerless to break the wall of steel which the brave Milanese opposed to their a.s.sailants. So far, the combat had continued without any decided advantage; for, although they could hold their enemy in check, the citizens were unable to drive him from his position. The image of their patron saint waved proudly above them, and the cry of "Saint Ambrose to the rescue!" rang through the air.

In the midst of the tumult were heard shouts of defiance and of cheer.

"Brothers, think of your liberty! Death to the tyrant!" shouted Pietro Nigri, who was fighting in the foremost ranks.

"For Church and Country! Death to Barbarossa!" cried another voice.

"Death to the traitors! Death to the rebels!" thundered Otho of Wittelsbach, cutting down an adversary at every blow.

The battle became more desperate, and the ground was covered with the bodies of the dead and wounded, whose blood mingled with the boiling oil. Fresh troops came up from the besiegers' camp, anxious to take part in the conflict. The tower was now burning fiercely, and to the cries of the soldiers and the clash of swords and cuira.s.ses, were added the groans of the dying and the crackling of the flames, which issued from every loophole, fit ornaments to this b.l.o.o.d.y tragedy.

"Back! back!" was heard on all sides; "the bridge is on fire!".

But, though like burning serpents the flames were twisting themselves around the frail pa.s.sage, although many of the soldiers had retreated from the _melee_, Henry of Saxony, the Count Palatine, and a few other knights still held their ground. Careless of the enemy in their rear, they gallantly fought onward towards the city. It was in vain; the courage of the besieged increased with the danger. A horrible crackling noise was heard; the tower had commenced to give way, and was sinking.

Then those who were on the bridge lost their last hope; an instant more, and all would be lost, for already it was wrapped in flames.

At this moment, the consul Oberto, a white flag in his hand, sprang forward upon the ramparts, and, as the shrill blast of a trumpet pealed out,--

"Valiant knights! n.o.ble gentlemen!" he cried; "cease this fearful strife! We value courage, even among our foes; the burning ground is giving way beneath your feet; lower your weapons, and return peacefully to your camp."

From this act of generosity there was no appeal. Henry sheathed his sword, and retired. An instant after, the bridge gave way, and then the tower shooting up one vast column of fire, tottered and fell.

The fight cost the besiegers six hundred men, and the Milanese loss was equally heavy; but it had proved one thing, at least, to Barbarossa,--that Milan could not be taken by a.s.sault.

_CHAPTER XXI_.

_THE EMPEROR'S POLICY_.

Barbarossa continued the execution of his vast projects. As it may be seen, he wished, like Augustus, to be the Emperor of the world, and that every potentate, spiritual or temporal, should acknowledge his sway. But first of all, he was striving to destroy the Papacy. The Roman Caesar was _pontifex maximus_; and to be this was the summit of Frederic's ambition. But the only chance of success for this gigantic plan lay in the overthrow of all existing inst.i.tutions. Frederic knew this well, but his energetic character never faltered an instant, for he cared little, provided his empire were founded, even were those foundations built upon the ruins of the world.

He saw clearly that mere brute force would be insufficient, and that he must employ all the resources of diplomacy. His amba.s.sadors were dispatched to the different courts of Europe, bearing to the reigning monarchs the a.s.surances of his consideration and esteem; on every occasion they were instructed to deplore the unhappy condition of the Church and the obstinacy of Alexander; for Frederic was particularly at variance with Rome, where he maintained a powerful faction, which, by its violence, had finally driven the Pope from the Eternal City.

Matters had finally a.s.sumed so dangerous an aspect that there was scarcely a city in all Christendom which dared offer an asylum to the legitimate Head of the Church. Barbarossa then convened a general council, in order to give a coloring of legality to his projects. The French and English sovereigns were represented by plenipotentiaries; for both, and particularly the b.l.o.o.d.y Henry of England, considered themselves to have been wronged by Alexander III.

The approaching Council occasioned no little movement in the Imperial camp, and the crafty statesman Rinaldo was busily engaged in arranging matters, in order that everything might proceed harmoniously.

After some days of feasting and amus.e.m.e.nt of all kinds, Barbarossa decided to give a solemn audience to the amba.s.sadors. They were invited into the _hall of the throne_, and after a brief delay, the rich silken hangings were drawn aside and the brilliant retinue of the Emperor appeared. The n.o.bles, clothed in costly robes, entered first, followed by the Emperor, wearing all the insignia of royalty. The crown alone was wanting:--he respected the vow which he had made before Milan.

The monarch ascended the throne; every word, every gesture indicated unmistakably that he felt his importance, and that he considered himself the most powerful sovereign of the world. The n.o.bles surrounded him, shining like brilliant planets around the Imperial sun. The Count Palatine Otho and the Counts of Andechs and Bogen, were on guard, before the doors of the hall, where, clad in complete armor, with their hands resting on their sword-hilts, they resembled so many statues of bronze.

The amba.s.sadors, followed by their suites, then approached the throne, and the Count of Guyenne, French amba.s.sador, commenced in pompous terms an harangue, in which he a.s.sured the Emperor of the friendship of his royal master. He deplored and regretted in a diplomatic manner the discord and dissension prevalent in the Church, using terms so vague and meaningless that the Count Otho became impatient and let his sword fall. The loud ring of the weapon had a calming effect upon the orator; he concluded with a brief and high-sounding phrase, bowed respectfully, and withdrew.

The English amba.s.sador, on the other hand, was stiff and sententious, his face retained a grave and stern expression, and Frederic's presence alone gave some appearance of animation to the features of this phlegmatic son of Albion. Frederic was neither excited by the flatteries of the Frenchman, nor wounded by the Englishman's a.s.sumption of importance. He knew Louis's crafty policy, as well as the ambition and cruelty of the English King. Henry possessed certain territorial rights in France which he was desirous of aggrandizing, and the constant quarrels, resulting from these pretensions, rendered each sovereign desirous of cultivating exclusively for himself the Emperor's friendship and favor. Frederic knew all this, and he meant to profit by his knowledge. The maxim, "Divide and conquer," was always present to his mind. Alexander had used every effort to reconcile the two sovereigns; Barbarossa, on the contrary, did everything in his power to widen the breach between them. An alliance between the two nations might have been fatal to his projects, and the end to which he now looked was to detach both France and England from the Holy Father, deprive him of his strongest support, and then gain over each, separately, to the recognition of his schism.

The Emperor's answer, unlike the harangue of the French envoy, was clear and decided. He expressed, delicately, the consciousness which he possessed of his own power, and the importance which he attached to it; at times, indeed, his words sounded almost like threats. Basing his rights upon the old Roman law, Barbarossa claimed that the Imperial power was supreme, and that the sovereignty of the Emperor extended despotically to all the countries immediately bordering upon it.

Perhaps even Frederic himself had not yet foreseen whither his ambition might lead him; but he knew, by heart, all the texts of the digest which could be cited in support of his prerogatives.

"We hope," said he, "that the bonds of friendship which already bind your country with the Empire, will be drawn closer. The duty of the heir of Charlemagne is to maintain law and order, to respect the laws of all men, and to a.s.sure the peace and tranquillity of Christendom. We do not make war for the sake of glory and renown; we are forced to it by necessity, for we will always direct the powerful arm of the Empire against whoever opposes our supremacy. It is important for us, the defender of the Faith, never to lose sight of this point; and to enforce our rights, we count upon the aid of both France and England.

But as this is rather a question within the jurisdiction of a council, we have requested the presence of plenipotentiaries from your respective governments; and the decisions of this ill.u.s.trious a.s.sembly shall be supported and enforced by every means at our command."

Rinaldo, who had listened with great attention to the Emperor's speech, could not conceal his surprise. Each word seemed a reproach whose bitterness he disguised with difficulty under a diplomatic smile; and the closing words produced a similar effect upon the amba.s.sadors. The French envoy looked towards the Englishman as if to ask: What has been advised?--what has been approved?--what has been promised? The Englishman remained calm and unmoved, although the expression of his countenance was that of one who had trodden upon a viper.

"As we have the pleasure of entertaining at our court the ill.u.s.trious envoys of England and France, we beg them to carry to their n.o.ble sovereigns the renewed a.s.surance of our friendship and consideration."

The Emperor rose: the amba.s.sadors made a profound obeisance, and left the hall accompanied by Otho of Wittelsbach, the Counts of Andechs and of Bogen, and their suites.

"My imperial cousin," said Henry the Lion, "knows marvellously well how to sow dissension between France and England."