for her the love she had won.

So she yielded to his desire without resistance. However his destiny
might turn, he should be obliged to admit that his mother had omitted
nothing in her power to open to him the path which, according to his own
opinion, might lead to the height for which he longed.

She made use of his affectionate readiness to serve her only so far as to
beg him to take charge of her son Conrad. He did so willingly, and
endeavoured to induce the young man to enter the priesthood. He wished to
spare him the disappointments which had marred his own life, but Conrad
preferred the army.

His mother did not forget him, and did everything in her power for him.
He remained on terms of affectionate union with her, but he did not see
her again until the gold of her hair was changed to silver, and he
himself had risen to the rank of colonel.

This was to happen in Spain. Barbara had gone there by way of Genoa under
the escort of Count Faconvergue, commander of the German mercenaries, and
while doing so had been treated with the respect and distinguished
consideration which was her due as the mother of Don John of Austria, who
had now acknowledged her.

Like every other wish of her son, Barbara had fulfilled with quiet
indulgence his desire that she would not again enter the Netherlands and
Ghent.

From Luxemburg she directed what should be done with her house, her
servants, and the recipients of her alms. Hannibal Melas relieved her of
the care of Maestro Feys, which she had undertaken, and under his
faithful nursing the old musician was granted many more years of life.
The Maltese also distributed among her poor the large sums which the sale
of Barbara's property produced.

In Spain she was received with the utmost consideration by the Marquis de
la Mota, Dona Magdalena de Ulloa's brother, and later by the lady
herself. But at first there was no real bond of affection between these
women, and this was Barbara's fault, for Dona Magdalena's experience was
the same as Don John's. She perceived with shame how greatly she had
undervalued Don John's mother--nay, how much she had wronged her--but her
sedulous efforts to make amends for the error produced an effect upon
Barbara different from her expectations; for the great lady's manner
seemed like a confession of guilt, and kept alive the memory of the
anguish of soul which Dona Magdalena had so often inflicted upon her.

The early death of the young hero who