Majesty can scarcely deem me capable of so presumptuous an error,"
replied Quijada. "But your Majesty is Charles V, who has no superior save
our Lord in heaven. I, on the contrary, am only a Castilian nobleman, and
as such prize my honour as my highest treasure; but, above all other
things, even above the lady of my heart, stands the King."

"I might know that," cried the Emperor, holding out his hand to his
friend. "Yet I refused you the leave of absence, you faithful fellow. The
world calls this selfishness. But since it still needs me, it ought in
justice to excuse me, for never have I needed you so much as during these
decisive weeks, whether war is declared--and it will come to that--or
not. Think how many other things are also impending! Besides, my foot
aches, and my heart, this poor heart, bears a wound which a friend's
careful hand will soothe. So you understand, Luis, that the
much-tormented Charles can not do without you just now."

Quijada, with sincere emotion, bent over the monarch's hand and kissed it
tenderly, but the Emperor, for the first time, hastily stroked his
bearded cheek, and said in an agitated tone, "We know each other."

"Yes, your Majesty," cried the Spaniard. "In the first place, I will not
again annoy my master with the request for a leave of absence. Dona
Magdalena must try how she can accommodate herself to widowhood while she
has a living husband, if the Holy Virgin will only permit me to offer
your Majesty what you expect from me."

"I will answer for that," the Emperor was saying, when Adrian interrupted
him.

The messenger had returned from Prebrunn with the news that the singer
had taken cold the day before, and could not leave the house.

Charles angrily exclaimed that he knew what such illness meant, and his
under lip protruded so far that it was easy to perceive how deeply this
fresh proof of Barbara's defiance and vanity incensed him.

But when the chamberlain said that the singer had been attacked by a
violent fever, Charles changed colour, and asked quickly in a tone of
sincere anxiety: "And Dr. Mathys? Has he seen her? No? Then he must go to
her at once, and I shall expect tidings as soon as he returns. Perhaps
the fever was seething in her blood yesterday."

He had no time to make any further remarks about the sufferer, for one
visitor followed another.

Shortly before noon the Bishop of Arras ushered in Duke Maurice, who
wished to take leave of him.

Granvelle,