g. Prince Roland, you accompany us, I
hope?"

"Of a surety," replied the young man confidently.

"No," quietly said the Archbishop.

"Why not?"

"Because I say no."

The young man almost an Emperor drew himself up proudly, and his lips
pressed together into a firm line of determination.

"Does your Highness so quickly forget your promise?"

"What promise?" asked the Prince, scowling.

"In consideration of my keeping silence touching your recent outrageous
career of fire and slaughter, and the enslavement of Heinrich, you
promised to obey me until you became Emperor."

"I intend to obey all reasonable requests, but I very much desire to
accompany the Countess from her Castle to the capital, I have never seen
Limburg, or taken that route to Frankfort."

"It is a charming old city," replied the Archbishop dryly, "which you
can visit any time at the expense of a day's ride. Meanwhile, I shall
escort the Countess thither, and endeavor to entertain her with pleasing
and instructive conversation during the journey."

The Prince continued to frown, yet bit his lip and repressed an angry
retort.

"But," protested the girl, "would it not be much safer for his Highness
to enter the city of Frankfort protected by your army?"

The Archbishop laughed a little.

"My dear Hildegunde, the presence of Prince Roland causes you to
overlook a vast difference in the status of you both, but surely the
exercise of a little imagination should present to you the true aspect
of affairs. You are a free woman, and I hold the document by which you
regained your liberty. Do not be deluded, therefore, by the apparent
fact that his Highness can raise a clenched fist aloft and defy the
heavens. It is not so. He wears fetters on his ankles, and manacles
round his wrists. Roland is a prisoner, and must straightway immure
himself. Your Highness, before us stands the stately Castle of Sayn,
where presently you shall refresh yourself, and be furnished with an
untired charger, on which to ride all night, that you may reach the
gates of Ehrenfels early to-morrow morning. Once there, place the
wine-loving Heinrich out of harm in the deepest dungeon, and take his
place as prisoner. It is arranged that the three Archbishops personally
escort you to Frankfort in the barge of Mayence, which will land you at
the water-steps of the Royal Palace. If it were known that I had been
even an hour in your company your chances of reaching the throne would