Chapter II

29

Canton of Berne—Village where the Swiss troops obtained a victory over
the French force in ’98—Berne—Bears in all forms—Their revenues
diminished—Their new baptism—Foundation of Berne—Rodolph of
Erlach—Laupen—Rodolph chosen guardian of orphans of the Count of
Nidau—Murdered by his own son-in-law—Cathedral—Monument to Duke
Berthhold—His wife’s execution—Charles Louis of Erlach massacred by
his own soldiers during French invasion—Treatment of Berne by the
French—Thun—Privileges—Castle of Thun—The brothers—The
banquet—The murder—The “pension”—An acquaintance—The sketcher in
haste—A Marseilles story—Spietz—The golden manor—Adrian of
Bubenberg—His saving Morat—His embassy—His return as a
minstrel—Unterseen—Unspunnen once the property of the Eschenbach
family—Walter of Eschenbach—Confidant of the parricide Duke
John—Murder of the Emperor Albert—Vengeance of Queen
Agnes—Walter’s son spared—Walter a shepherd—Lauterbrunnen—The
cascade—Grindelwald—A buried chapel in the glacier—The Harder—The
grave of an only son—Return to Thun

CHAPTER III.

74

Leave Thun—Zweizemmen—The wrong road—Château d’Œx—Gruyères—The
Préfet’s ball—Anniversary of the Virgin’s leaving school—Vevay—The
patient Griselda’s obstinacy—The exploit—Villeneuve—The Valley of
the Rhone—St. Maurice—The Theban legion—The Valais—The village
buried—The Rhone overflowed—Former inundation—The old villager
saved—St. Bernard—Story of its founder—Martigny—Riddes—Sion—The
prelate’s murder—The family of the Rarons—The Mazza—Raron
persecuted—Demands the aid of Duke Amedée—His castle burned—His
wife driven forth—His revenge—The cretins of Sierre