en she had once looked this thought in the
face it attracted her, as with the gaze of a basilisk, more and more
strongly.

The afternoon of the following day, with the marquise, she entered the
scene of festivity under the lindens.

To punish Barbara for not returning her greeting, the gray-haired lady in
waiting had at first been inclined to excuse herself on the plea of
illness; but the taste for amusement with which her nature was still
pervaded, as well as curiosity to see the much-discussed Duke Maurice,
and the desire to watch Barbara's conduct, drew her to the place where
the festival was held.

Ratisbon had done her best to receive this guest, whom she especially
desired to honour, with all possible magnificence. Flags and streamers
bearing the colours of the empire, with the Burgundian red and gold of
the Emperor, the silver-crossed keys on a red field of the city of
Ratisbon, and with the Saxon coats of arms, rose amid the leafy tops of
the lindens, and floated from tall poles in the sunny May air. The blue
and yellow Saxon flag, with the black and yellow chevron in the field and
a lozenged chaplet from the left corner to the top, was more frequently
seen than any other banner.

Even though this festival was held for Duke Maurice, no one could fail to
notice how much more space was given to his escutcheon than to the
Emperor's.

The entertainment had opened at noon with a tournament and riding at the
ring. The duke had participated in the sport a short time, and carried
off several rings on his sword while in full career.

The Emperor had held aloof from this game, in which he had formerly
joined gladly and with much skill, but, on the other hand, he had
promised to appear at the festival under the lindens, which was to last
until night. The Council had had a magnificent tent erected for him, Duke
Maurice, and the court, and in order to ornament the interior suitably
had allowed the use of the beautiful tapestries in the town hall. These
represented familiar incidents from famous love tales: Tristan and Isolde
seeing the face of King Mark in the mirror of the spring, Frau Venus as,
surrounded by her court, she receives Tannhauser in the Horselberg, and
similar scenes. Other art textiles showed incidents in the lives of
forest people--little men and women in striped linen garments, wonderful
trees and birds such as no human eye ever beheld--but above the hangings
a row of coats of arms again appeared, in