s; now
priests entered the smaller building at the left of the courtyard. The
balcony on one of these buildings was adorned with flowers, and the
singers of St. Martin's Church in Landshut gradually filled it. Now--but
here Barbara's quiet observation suddenly ended; the air was shaken by
the roar of cannon from the bastions of the citadel, and the signals of
the warders' horns blended with the thunder of the artillery. At the same
time the banners and streamers on every flagpole, stirred by a light
breeze from the east, began to wave in the sunny August air. Then the
blare of trumpets echoed, and a few minutes later from the Turnitz and
the covered staircase between the main building and the right win; of the
citadel the most brilliant body of men that Barbara had ever seen poured
into the courtyard. They were the Knights of the Golden Fleece and the
princes, counts, barons and knights, generals and colonels whom the
Emperor Charles had invited to the Trausnitz citadel to attend the
approaching solemn ceremonial.

What did she care for these dignitaries in gold, silver, and steel,
velvet and silk, gems and plumes, when the enthusiastic cheers of this
illustrious assemblage, the blare of trumpets, the thunder of cannon, and
the ringing of bells loudly proclaimed the approach of him who, as their
lord and master, stood far above them all? Would he appear on horseback,
or had he dismounted at the gate and was advancing on foot? Neither. He
was borne in a sedan chair. It was covered with gilding, and the top of
the arched roof and each of the four corners were adorned with bunches of
red and gold plumes, the colours of Philip of Burgundy, who more than a
hundred years before had founded the order of the Golden Fleece.

Instead of lackeys, strong sergeants, chosen from the different
regiments, bore the sedan chair. The gentlemen of the court--Prince Henry
of Nassau, Baron Malfalconnet, and Don Luis Quijada, with Generals
Furstenberg and Mannsfeld, Count Hildebrand Madrucci, the Master of the
Teutonic Order, the Marchese Marignano, and others--were preceded by the
stiff, grave, soldierly figure of the Duke of Alba, and, by the side of
the platform, grandees and military commanders, Netherland lords,
Italian, German, and Austrian princes, counts, barons, and knights had
taken their places.

When the sedan chair was at last set on the ground in front of the lowest
step of the platform, Barbara thought that her heart would bu