I had a dream and saw a knight, telling me to continue this story. So my story continues as Bismark was in love with Lawrencia and it would not do for the two men to love the same woman. Guggisberg told Bismark that he was mistaken. He loved Lawrencia as a woman, but Bismark’s profession of love was only spiritual not physical, and therefore of no consequence. He would like to remind Bismark of the saying “Whoever bound a lover by law, has made a big mistake. Love is a law unto itself.” As far as he was concerned, he was in love with Lawrencia. It did not matter to him if Bismark too loved her. A heated argument took place between these two prisoners about who was Lawrencia’s lover.
One day a great duke called Sampson and a friend of Jackson came to the castle. He had been a friend to Jackson since childhood and has come to spend few days with him. Sampson new Guggisberg and liked him very much. He therefore entreated Jackson to release Guggisberg without ransom. This was a lot to ask but Jackson agreed on one condition. On no occasion should Guggisberg set foot on any land or country belonging to him. If he is caught, he will be beheaded. On this condition Guggisberg was set free.
But he was a miserable man because he no longer had the opportunity to see Lawrencia again. Bismark meanwhile was languishing in prison and felt sorry for himself. So while Guggisberg grieved for losing the sight of Lawrencia, Bismark wept for being kept in prison. What worried Bismark more was the thought that Guggisberg could raise an army, defeat Jackson and marry Lawrencia, while he became wasted in confinement? Naturally, he became jealous.
So Guggisberg went to Gonja in great pain for having lost the lady he dearly loved. Two years passed. One night as he slept, a god appeared and spoke to him saying, “You will go to Ashanti and there will be an end to your misery”. Guggisberg had a start and woke up. He decided to go at once to Ashanti land. He was determined to see Lawrencia even if that would mean death. He dressed carefully disguised as a laborer looking for a job and in this manner, stole into Ashanti land to the court of the duke. Guggisberg was a very good servant, strong, tall and hardworking. For two years he worked for Lawrencia as her page-of- state under the name of Kenneth. All this he was able to do because he had changed in appearance as a result of excessive grief. He had a burning love for Lawrencia whom he thought he had forever lost. Everybody in the court liked him, for his behavior was that of a born gentleman. Jackson promoted him and made him his chamber squire and paid him a lot of money. In addition, Guggisberg own people brought him money secretly. This was the revenue due to him as the prince of Gonja. He
spent the money carefully and for the next three years he was an extremely happy man. Seven years passed Bismark was still in prison. But in the seventh year, he managed to escape. By the help of a friend, he got some opium. He put it into wine and gave it to the guard. The opium was narcotic and soon the guards slept deeply. Bismark was able therefore to get the key and unlock the door and escape. It was almost day when he fled from Kumasi, so he had to hide in a bush near the city so that during the night he could escape to Gonja. He planned to raise an army when he got back and attack Jackson, defeat him and marry Lawrencia.
Guggisberg was now the principal squire to Jackson and had freedom to do many things. It was his habit to ride into the outlying fields for pleasure and exercise. It happened that on this day, for no apparent reason, he rode straight to the bush where Bismark was. He was so happy that he was singing aloud by himself. Bismark heard someone coming and singing, he was frightened and crouched in the bush. Guggisberg suddenly stopped singing and was soon lost in thoughts of Lawrencia. After some time, he started talking audibly lamenting his lot. Finally, he spoke about Lawrencia saying among other things:
“You kill me with your looks, Lawrencia. You are the cause of all my misery!” After saying this he fainted but recovered a short while after.
When Bismark heard these words, he shook with anger and forgot that he was a prisoner on the run. He crawled under the bush to go and challenge whoever had spoken those words; and there was Guggisberg who was speaking of Lawrencia. Bismark recognized him immediately and he tried to challenge him because he knew him very well. There was a bitter argument and Guggisberg drew his sword to finish Bismark off. But like a true knight, he realized that it was not fair to kill Bismark when he was not
armed, so he said, “Tomorrow, on my word of honor as a knight, you will surely find me here. I swear that I will come here with arms and armor for both of us, and you will have the privilege to choose first the best arms and leave me with the worst. I shall also bring you enough food and drinks as well as clothes with which to make bed. And should you be fortunate to kill me in this forest, you may have my lady.” So back to the town he went to find the arms for the tournament. He returned the next morning, and without ado, the two engaged in a desperate fight after helping to arm each other.
That very morning, the duke had gone out to hunt with his nobles followed by a long retinue. He was accompanied by Emily, his lovely queen, and Lawrencia who was dressed in lovely green. It was indeed a royal sight to behold. As they rode across the field they saw a bush into which the barking dogs had entered. The duke followed the dogs and suddenly the hunting group came upon Bismark and Guggisberg in the midst of the bloody fight. He immediately ordered them to stop the fight. “Whoever strikes again will be put to death immediately!” He asked them to disclose who they were; for he could
hardly recognize them because of the state in which they were. Bismark spoke first. He said, his enemy was no other than Guggisberg the man the duke had ordered not to enter his realm on pain of death. It was Guggisberg who had treacherously returned and presented himself as Kenneth. This was the man he had made his most trusted servant. And this was the man who had dared to love Lawrencia. He continued, “I know you have caught me too and I know that the penalty is death. I’m therefore prepared to confess who I am. I am your enemy Bismark, who broke out of your prison. I am in love with
Lawrencia. I have spoken the truth and I am prepared to die. The duke replied, “This is interesting. Your confession is enough to send you to the gallows and you shall both surely die!”
TO BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT EDITION.
Golden Brain 