On the Night of the Seventh Moon

Fritz was rarely seen without his hat although Dagobert had long grown tired of telling people whether it was going to rain or shine and one leg of Liesel’s doll had come off.

I should have given them all hats.

Through the next day the Duke lingered on. In the streets there was a hushed silence; people stood about on corners talking in whispers.

He had been a good ruler, they said, but ailing for a long time. It was a mercy they had a strong Prince to follow, with the country and the surrounding states in such a turmoil.

Those days of anxiety over the Duke were not allowed to interfere with the life of the schloss.

In the courtyard twice a week the children practised archery when other boys of noble families came in to join them, and very often there were as many as ten or eleven taking lessons. It had been considered that there would be greater competition for the boys if others were there; and there was always a great deal of activity and noise in the courtyard where they practised.

I was in my room when Fritz came running in. He was carrying his hat and protruding from it was an arrow.

“It hit me on the head,” he said, ‘but it went into my hat. It’ll have to be pulled out carefully or it might tear. Herr Gronken said I could bring it to you when I told him you would know how to get it out. Oh, Miss, do be careful with my magic hat. “

I took it in my hands: the thought immediately came to me that if he had not been wearing a hat, the arrow would have struck him in the head.

I withdrew the arrow very carefully and laid it on the table.

We examined the hat together. It had made a hole in the fabric.

“Never mind,” I said to Fritz, ‘that makes it more interesting, more your very own. Battle scars are signs of honour. “

That pleased him. He put the hat on again and went off to finish his lesson.

I picked up the arrow. The point was sharp. It had to be, of course, to hit the target. What struck me was that there was a faint discoloration at the tip. I wondered what it was.

I thought no more about it then, for a few hours later news came that the Duke was dead.

All the flags in the town were flying at half mast.

“Of course it had to come,” said Frau Graben.

“This will make a difference to our Prince. My goodness, he’ll be busy for a few days.

And then of course there’ll be the funeral. That will be an occasion for sure. “

A disturbing incident happened. The following afternoon Dagobert went into the forest on his new mount. We were unperturbed during the first hour or so when he didn’`t return, but when it grew dark and he had still not come back we grew alarmed.

Frau Graben sent the servants out to look for him. Herr Prinzstein, the coachman, formed a party which he divided into two and they went off in separate ways.

We sat together in Frau Graben’s little sitting-room and anxiously talked of what could have happened to him.

Fritz came in and said: “My hat’s gone. My magic hat. I’ve looked everywhere.”

“You can’t fret about a hat when your brother’s lost,” said Frau Graben.

“I can,” said Fritz.

“I think he’s taken it.”

“Oh, Fritz, why do you say that?” I asked.

“He’s always trying to take it.”

“Never mind about that hat,” I said.

“Let’s think of Dagobert. Have you any idea where he’s gone?”

“He likes to ride out to the Island of Graves.”

While we were worrying over the mystery of what had happened to Dagobert there was a shout from outside.

“He’s here.”

We rushed out and there was Dagobert, hatless and sheepish. He had a wild story to tell. He had been kidnapped.

Frau Graben said: “Never mind about that now. You’re damp.”

“It was misty,” said Dagobert.

“So we’ll get those clothes off and you’ll get in a hot bath with mustard. That’s it. You can’t beat mustard. And some of my soup and cordial.”

Dagobert was bursting to tell of his adventures but he was shivering with cold so he allowed himself to be immersed in the mustard bath, and it was later when wrapped in a warm dressing-gown after having drunk hot soup that he told us what had happened.

“I was in the forest,” he said, ‘when two men came up to me. They had masks on their faces. One of them came on either side of me and they got hold of my horse’s bridle. I wasn’`t frightened. I said: “Who are you? I’ll kill you if you touch me.” So I drew my sword . “

“Now, Dagobert,” said Frau Graben, ‘no stories please. We want to know what really happened. “

“It was a sort of sword.

“You know it was nothing of the sort. Now tell us what really happened.”

“They made me get off my horse and I lost my hat, and I said I must find my hat.

“Your father will’ want to know what really happened,” said Frau Graben, ‘so you’d better try to remember. And no stories about swords because you haven’t got one. “

Dagobert regarded us soberly.

“They led my horse away right into the forest where the trees were thick it was near the lake and I think they were going to kill me, honestly, Miss, honestly, Frau Graben. And I was frightened because I’d lost the hat and the magic wouldn’`t be there without it ..”

I said: “You were wearing Fritz’s hat?”

“Well, I thought he wouldn’`t mind just once and I said, ” I’ve lost Fritz’s hat. Miss bought it for him. I must find it because it’s not mine. I only borrowed it. ” And they said:

“You are Fritz and it’s your hat.” And I said “No, I’m Dagobert ..”

Then they whispered together and after a long while let me go. “

“My goodness,” said Frau Graben, ‘it must have been someone playing a sort of game. There are people who think that kind of thing funny. I’d flay them alive. Frightening the life out of people. “

“Oh, I wasn’`t frightened,” said Dagobert.

“I would have killed them both. I soon escaped. It was only because I lost my way in the mist that I was late.”

We let him go on boasting of what he would have done. I was silent, so was Frau Graben.

A sudden fear had taken possession of me.

When the children were in bed I went down to Frau Graben’s sitting-room.

She was sitting thoughtfully staring into the fire.

“Oh, Miss Trant,” she said, with that little smirk which always appeared when she used my name, “I was just thinking of coming up to you.”

“What do you make of it?” I asked.

“You never know with Dagobert. He might have decided not to come in, have forgotten the time and then try to make excuses about masked men.”

“Oh, I don’t think so.”

“You believe two masked men really took him away. For what purpose?”

“Because they thought he was Fritz.”

She stared at me in blank amazement.

“But why Fritz?”

“I don’t know. But he was wearing Fritz’s hat. Now Fritz has rarely been seen without that hat since I gave it to him. It’s possible that, seeing Dagobert riding in the forest wearing it, these men thought he was Fritz.”

That’s very likely true, but why should they want to take Fritz away?

“

“I don’t understand it. Frau Graben, will you come to my room. I want to show you something.”

When we were there I took the arrow out of a drawer and laid it on the bed.

“What’s this, dear?”

“It’s an arrow which was aimed at Fritz. The hat I bought for him stopped its penetrating his skin.”

“It’s one of the arrows they use for their practice.”

“Yes, and it was aimed at Fritz while they were doing their practice in the courtyard.”

“Who aimed it?”

“I don’t know. I wish I did.”