brought it was her husband. His Majesty, he
said, rejoiced at Barbara's decision, and had commissioned him to take
her at once to Ratisbon and lodge her in the Golden Cross. The imperial
apartments were still at the monarch's disposal, and the owner of the
house, whom Barbara did not wish to meet, had gone to Italy to spend the
winter.

Herr Adrian did not mention what a favour the sovereign was showing
Barbara by parting with his trusted servant for several days, but she
told herself so with joyful pride, for she had learned how greatly
Charles needed this man.

The Emperor had dismissed Quijada from attendance on his person. He knew
the Castilian's value as a soldier, and would have deemed himself
forgetful of duty had he withheld so able an assistant from the great
cause which he was leading.

At the end of the first week in November Barbara again entered the Golden
Cross in Ratisbon. The great house seemed dead, but Adrian, in his royal
master's name, provided for the comfort of the women, who had been joined
by Sister Hyacinthe.

In the name of Frau Dubois, to whom his Majesty gave it up, Adrian took
possession of the Golden Cross, and as such Barbara was presented to the
newly engaged servants, while his wife was known by them as a Frau Traut
from the Netherlands.

No inhabitant of Ratisbon was informed of the return of their young
fellow-citizen, and Barbara only went out of doors with her companion
early in the morning or in the twilight, and always closely veiled. But
few persons had seen her after her illness, and on returning home she
often mentioned the old acquaintances whom she had met without being
recognised by them. The apartments she occupied were warm and
comfortable. The harp and lute had been sent from Prebrunn with the rest
of her property, and though she would not have ventured to sing even a
single note, she resolved to touch their chords again. Playing on the
harp afforded her special pleasure, and Frau Traut fancied she could
understand her thoughts while doing so. The tones often sounded as gentle
as lullabies, often as resonant and impetuous as battle songs. In reply
to a question from her companion, Barbara confessed that while playing
she sometimes imagined that she beheld a lovely girl, sometimes a young
hero clad in glittering armour, with the Golden Fleece on his neck,
rushing to battle against the infidels.

When the women were sitting together in the evening, Barbara urged her