ld heart, and it afforded her
special pleasure to deal her a heavy blow in the warfare they were
waging, which perhaps might aid another purpose.

The surprise and bewilderment which the countess's answer had aroused in
Eva heightened the spell of her beauty.

Had she heard aright? Could Heinz really have sued for the countess's
hand and been accepted? Surely, surely not! Neither was capable of such
perfidy, such breach of faith. Spite of the testimony of her own ears,
she would not believe it. But when she at last saw the Emperor's tall
figure before her, and he gazed down at her with a kind, fatherly glance,
she answered it with her large blue eyes uplifted beseechingly, and
withal as trustilly, as if she sought to remind him that, if he only
chose to do so, his power made it possible to convert everything which
troubled and oppressed her to good.

The tearful yet bright gaze of those resistless eyes pierced the
Emperor's very soul, and he imagined how this lovely vision of purity and
innocence, this rare creature, of whom he had heard such marvellous
things from Herr Pfinzing during their ride through the forest, would
have fired the heart of his eighteen-year-old son, so sensitive to every
impression, whom death had snatched from him so suddenly. And whilst
remembering Hartmann, he also thought of his dead son's most loyal and
dearest friend, Heinz Schorlin, who was again showing such prowess in his
service, and had earned a right to recognition and reward.

He did not know his young favourite's present state of mind concerning
his desire for a monastic life, but he had probably become aware that his
swiftly kindled, ardent love for yonder lovely child had led him into an
act of culpable imprudence. Besides, that very day many things had
reached his ears concerning these two who suited each other as perfectly
as Heinz Schorlin seemed--even to the Hapsburg, who was loyally devoted
to the Holy Church--unfit for a religious life.

The Emperor could do much to further the union of this pair, yet he too
was obliged to exercise caution. If he joined them in wedlock as though
they were his own children he might be sure of causing loud complaints
from the priesthood, and especially the Dominicans, who were very
influential at the court of Rome--nay, he must be prepared for opposition
directed against himself as well as the young pair. The prior of the
order had already complained to the nuncio of the lukewarmness of the