remarked: "I fear that your prior hopes too confidently to win
yonder young knight. No one walks with that bearing who is on the eve of
renouncing the world. A splendid fellow!"

"To whom armour is better suited than the cowl," observed the Bishop of
Bamberg, a middleaged prelate of aristocratic appearance, approaching the
others. "Your prior, my dear brothers, would have little pleasure, I
think, in the fish he is so eagerly trying to drag from the Minorite's
net into his own. He would leap ashore again all too quickly. He is not
fit for the monastery. He would do better for a priest, and I would bid
him welcome as a military brother in office."

"Bold enough he certainly is," added the Dominican. "I would not advise
every one to enter the Emperor's presence and this distinguished
gathering in such attire."

In fact, Heinz showed plainly that he had come directly from the
battlefield and the saddle, for a suit of stout chain armour, which
covered the greater part of his tolerably long tunic, encased his limbs,
and even the helmet which he bore on his arm, spite of the blue ribbon
that adorned it, was by no means one of the delicate, costly ones worn in
the tournament. Besides, many a bruise showed that hard blows and thrusts
had been dealt him.

CHAPTER XVIII.

At Heinz Schorlin's quarters the day before his young hostess, Frau
Barbel, had had the costly armour entrusted to her care, and the
trappings belonging to it, cleaned and put in order, but her labour was
vain; for Heinz Schorlin had ridden directly to the fortress from
Schweinau, without stopping at his lodgings in the city.

Only a short time before he had learned that his two messengers had been
captured and failed to reach their destination. He owed this information
to Sir Boemund Altrosen--and many another piece of news which Cordula had
given him.

The main portion of Heinz Schorlin's task was completed when the
countess's ambassador reached him, so he set out on his homeward way at
once, and this time his silent friend had been eloquent and told him
everything which had occurred during his absence.

He now knew that Boemund and Cordula had plighted their troth, what the
faithful Biberli had done and suffered for him, and lastly--even to the
minutest detail--the wonderful transformation in Eva.

When he had ridden forth he had hoped to learn to renounce her whom he
loved with all the might of his fervid soul, and to bring himself to
close