same unfettered ease that the little
maestro had displayed in former days. Willing or not, she was obliged to
follow his lead, and she did so, carried away by the demands of her
excited blood and the pleasure of dancing, so long denied, yet with the
grace and perfect ear for time which were her special characteristics.

Neither the Ratisbon citizens nor Charles, who had been a good dancer
himself, had ever seen the gagliarde danced in this way by either the
gentleman or the lady. A better-matched couple could scarcely be imagined
than the tall, powerful, chivalrous young prince and the beautiful,
superbly formed, golden-haired girl who seemed, as it were, carried away
by the music.

But Charles did not appear to share the pleasure which the sight of this
rare couple and their dancing awakened even in the most envious and
austere of the Ratisbon spectators, for when, in a pause, Barbara, with
sparkling eyes, glanced first into the duke's face and then, with a merry
look of inquiry, at her lover, she found his features no longer distorted
by anger, but disgusted, as though he were witnessing an unpleasant
spectacle.

Nevertheless she danced a short time longer without looking at him, until
suddenly the remembrance of his reproving glance spoiled her pleasure in
this rare enjoyment.

She whispered to the duke that she was satisfied.

A wave of his hand stopped the music but, ere returning the bow of her
distinguished partner, Barbara looked for the Emperor.

Her eyes sought him in vain-he had left the turf under the lindens before
the close of the dance. The Bishop of Arras, Malfalconnet, and several of
the ladies and gentlemen who had left the tent in no small number and
gone to the scene of the dancing after learning what was taking place
there, had remained after the monarch's departure. Most of them joined in
the applause which the younger Granvelle eagerly commenced when the city
pipers lowered their instruments.

Barbara heard it, and saw that Bernhard Trainer and other young citizens
of Ratisbon were following the courtiers' example, but she seemed
scarcely to notice the demonstration.

The doubt whether Charles had merely not waited till the end of the
dance, or had already left the festival, made her forget everything else.
Through the Bishop of Arras she learned that his Majesty had gone home.

No one, not even the baron and Quijada, had received a message for her.

This fresh humiliation pierced her