ice of Saxony
was again standing beside him, while the chamberlain Andreas Wolff was
humbly, inviting the monarch to make the Ratisbon young people happy by
visiting the scene of the dancing.

After a dance of inquiry at the duke, Charles assented to this request.
But they must pardon him if he remained a shorter time than he himself
would desire, as the physician was urging his return home.

While the chamberlain was retiring, Charles saw Barbara leaning on
Malfalconnet's arm, beckoned to them, and asked her whether she had
yielded to her love for dancing.

A brief "No, your Majesty," assured him of the contrary, and led him to
make the remark that whoever exercised a noble art so admirably as she
would be wise to refrain from one which could afford nobody any higher
pleasure than the peasant and his sweetheart, if they only had sound
feet.

The counsel sounded harsh, almost warning, and the already irritated girl
with difficulty restrained a sharp reply; but the Emperor was already
rising, that, leaning on Quijada's arm, he might seek the dancing ground.

Meantime the young Saxon duke had approached Barbara, and expressed his
admiration of the successful festival, but she scarcely heard what he
said. Yet when she turned her face toward him, and his ardent gaze rested
yearningly upon her, she felt that the opportunity had now come to carry
out her half-forgotten intention of arousing the jealousy of her royal
lover.

Whatever it might cost, she must undertake the risk.

Summoning all her strength of will, she silenced the bitter resentment
which filled her heart, and a sunny glance told Duke Maurice how much his
escort pleased her. Malfalconnet had watched every look of the lady on
his arm, as well as the duke's, and as they approached the scene of the
dance he asked the latter if his Highness would condescend to relieve him
for a short time of a delightful duty. An important one in the service of
his imperial Majesty----

Here the duke's eager assent interrupted him, and the next moment Barbara
was leaning on the arm of the handsome young prince.

She had found in him the tool which she needed, and Maurice entered into
her design only too readily, for the baron had scarcely retired ere he
changed his tone of voice and began an attack upon her heart.

He had no need to respect the older rights of his imperial host, for
Charles had distrustfully concealed from him the bond which united him to
the beautiful s