1820.]
The Field of Terror, a Tale.
again, and thou wouldst easily terrify my children to madness. Our con- tract, therefore, is at an end." " My half-year is not at an end," said Wald- mann, in defiance, " therefore I shall return into thy house," " Not a step, not even to the threshold," said Conrad, " thou hast irrevocably broken our bargain by thy cursed hobgoblinry. All that I can do for thee is to pay thy full wages There it is, and get thee gone." " Full wages !" said the spirit, laughing in scorn, " knowest thou not my inexhaustible treasures in the caverns of the mountain ?" " It is not for thy sake, but for my own, that I pay thee, said Conrad ; for I am re- solved not to remain in debt neither to man nor devil." With these words, he thrust the money with violence in- to Waldmann's pocket. " What 'shall nowbecome of the FIELD OF TERROR?" said the demon, half angrily. " What- ever God pleases !" said Conrad, " Six- teen FIELDS OF TERROR were to me nothing when weighed against one hair on the head of either of my chil- dren. Therefore be gone, I say, un- less you first wish to receive a hearty beating, that you will remember !" " Softly !" said the spirit, " When a being of my class assumes the form of a man, he never fails to choose a stout one. In the beating that you de- sign for me, you might chance to meet with the worst, and then God be mer- ciful to you !" " That He has ever been," said Conrad, " and his provi- dence has endowed me with a stout frame also. To thy mountains, there- fore, begone, thou hateful monster I warn thee for the last time !"
Then, Waldmann being at these last words violently provoked, fell upon Conrad, and a tough and ob- stinate battle raged between them. They struggled backwards and for- wards, and twined their arms round each other, victory remaining for a long while uncertain, till at last Con- rad, by a master-stroke in wrestling, brought his opponent to the ground, kneeled upon his breast, and, continu- ing to pommel him heartily as he lay, cried aloud : " Now shall thou learn what it is to lift thine arm against thy liege master, thou treacherous fiend of the mountains !"
The prostrate Waldmann, however, laughed so heartily at all this, that Conrad, believing that he made game of him, redoubled his blows with greater violence, till at last his victim
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I do not laugh at thee, but at myself, and I now humbly beg pardon !" " That is another affair," said the generous Conrad, who now immedi- ately rose up, and assisted his con- quered adversary to get upon his legs. " I have tried this way of life long enough, in all conscience," said Rube- zahl, still laughing, " I dare swear it never happened to any one of my rank before to carry his education so far ! But, listen, friend, you must at least confess that I have dealt honourably by you, for you well know that I could have, in one moment, brought a whole troop of mountain spirits to my assistance. However, to say the truth, I could not have called on them for laughing."
Conrad looked thoughtfully at Rube- zahl, who continued his mirth, and at last said, " I must acknowledge that thou hast reason now to bear me a grudge, and of this I shall probably feel the consequences, not only on the FIELD OF TERROR, but elsewhere. But, Sir, I cannot repent of what I have done. I used only the right of an honest householder, and all for the sake of my beloved children. Truly, if it were yet to do, I should act heart- ily in the very same manner."
" No, No !" said the laughing Rubezahl, " Give yourself no trouble. I have for one time had quite enough. But of this much, however, be as- sured henceforward, from year to year, you may labour on the FIELD OF TERROR, and not one spectre, while the giant mountain stands, shall be visible there. Now, farewell, mine honourable yet severe master !"
With these words, and with a fami- liar and confidential nod, he vanished, nor did Conrad ever behold him again. Rubezahl, however, failed not to re- member his promise, which, indeed, was much more than fulfilled. An extraordinary blessing attended all the labours of Conrad, and he was in a short time the richest farmer in the village. When his children played upon the FIELD OF TERROR, which both they and Sabina now visited with- out apprehension, they told sometimes how the good Waldmann had come, and with what pretty stories he had entertained them. At such times, the little ones were agreeably surprised to find their pockets stored with sweet- meats or glittering toys, among which a valuable gold coin was frequently discovered.
