letto. How young Florette looked in them! When she glanced into the
mirror, she was astonished at herself.

Two beautiful riding-horses for ladies' use and elegant trappings had
been found in the baron's stable. Ulrich had told her of it, and the
desire to ride with him instantly arose in her mind. She had always
accompanied Grandgagnage, and when she now went out, attired in a long
velvet riding-habit, with floating plumes in her dainty little hat,
beside her son, she soon noticed how admiringly even the hostile
citizens and their wives looked after them. It was a pretty sight to
behold the handsome soldier, full of pride and power, galloping on the
most spirited stallion, beside the beautiful, white-haired woman, whose
eyes sparkled with vivacious light.

Zorrillo often met them, when they passed the guildhall, and Florette
always gave him a friendly greeting with her whip, but he intentionally
averted his eyes or if he could not avoid it, coldly returned her
recognition.

This wounded her deeply, and when alone, it often happened that she sunk
into gloomy reverie and, with an aged, weary face, gazed fixedly at the
floor. But Ulrich's approach quickly cheered and rejuvenated her.

Florette now knew what her son had experienced in life, what had moved
his heart, his soul, and could not contradict him, when he told her that
power was the highest prize of existence.

The Eletto's ambitious mind could not be satisfied with little Aalst.
The mutineers had been outlawed by an edict from Brussels, but the king
had nothing to do with this measure; the shameful proclamation was only
intended to stop the wailing of the Netherlanders. They would have to
pay dearly for it! There was a great scheme in view.

The Antwerp of those days was called "as rich as the Indies;" the
project under consideration was the possibility of manoeuvring this
abode of wealth into the hands of the mutineers; the whole Spanish army
in the Netherlands being about to follow the example of the regiments in
Aalst.

The mother was the friend and counsellor of the son. At every step he
took he heard her opinion, and often yielded his own in its favor. This
interest in the direction of great events occupied the sibyl's versatile
mind. When, on many occasions, pros and tons were equal in weight, she
brought out the cards, and this oracle generally turned the scale.

No high aim, no desire to accomplish good and great things in wider
spheres, influence