will
it be when I thoroughly turn your head like all the rest with my
singing?"

"I've heard you already!" he answered quickly; "magical, bewildering,
magnificent! Who in the world wrought this miracle with your voice?"

"There we have it!" she cried, laughing merrily and clapping her hands.
"To make you speak, one need only allude distantly to music. That, too,
has remained unchanged, and I am glad, for I have much to ask you in
relation to it. I can learn many things from you still. But what have you
there in your hand? Is it anything pretty from Brabant?" This question
flowed from her lips with coaxing tenderness, and she passed her soft
hand swiftly over his cheek.

How happy it made him!

Hitherto he had been the receiver--nay, an unfair taker--but now he was
to become the giver and she would be pleased with his present.

As if relieved from a nightmare, he now told her that he had gone from
Rome, through the Papal Legate Contarini, whom he had accompanied to
Italy as a secretary skilled in German and music--to the imperial court,
where he now enjoyed the special favour of the Regent of the Netherlands,
the widowed Queen of Hungary; that the royal lady, the sister of the
Emperor Charles, had chosen him to be director of her lessons in singing,
and also permitted him to write German letters for her; and what
assistance worthy of all gratitude he had enjoyed through the director of
the imperial musicians, Gombert, the composer and leader of the royal
orchestra, and his colleague Appenzelder, who directed the Queen's boy
choir.

At the mention of these names, Barbara listened intently. She had sung
several of Gombert's compositions, and was familiar with one of
Appenzelder's works.

When she learned that both must have arrived in Ratisbon several hours
before, she anxiously asked Wolf if he would venture to make her
acquainted with these great masters.

Wolf assented with joyous eagerness, while Barbara's cheeks crimsoned
with pleasure at so valuable a promise.

Yet this subject speedily came to a close, for while talking Wolf had
ripped the linen cover in which the roll of velvet was sewed, and, as
soon as he unfolded the rich wine-coloured material, Barbara forgot
everything else, and burst into loud exclamations of pleasure and
admiration. Then, when Wolf hastened out and with hurrying fingers opened
the little package he had brought and gave her the costly fur which was
to serve as trimming for the vel