dian told me."

They were now walking side by side in this secluded, thickly-wooded
avenue, just wide enough for two, running in a straight line from wall
to wall the whole length of the property, in the part most remote from
the house.

"Nothing disastrous has happened to you?" she asked. "I have had
miserable forebodings."

"No; I am living a most commonplace life, quite uneventful."

"But why, why does the Archbishop of Mayence delay the Election?"

"I did not know he was doing so."

"Oh, my guardian is very anxious about it. Such postponement, I
understand, never happened before. The State is without a head."

"Has your guardian spoken to Mayence about it?"

"Yes; and has been met by the most icy politeness. Mayence wishes this
Election to take place with a full conclave of the seven Electors, three
of whom have not yet arrived. But my guardian says they never arrive,
and take no interest in Imperial matters. He pointed out to Mayence that
a quorum of the Court is already in Frankfort, but his Lordship of the
Upper Rhine merely protests that they must not force an Election, all of
which my guardian thinks is a mere hiding of some design on the part of
Mayence."

Prince Roland meditated on this for a few moments, then, as if shaking
off his doubts, he said:

"It never occurs to one Archbishop that either of the others may be
speaking the truth. There is so much mistrust among them that they
nullify all united action, which accounts for the prostrate state of
this city, the capital of one of the most prosperous countries under the
sun. So far as I can see, taken individually, they are upright,
trustworthy men. Now, to give you an instance. Your guardian last night
was simply panic-stricken at my audacity in visiting him. He said I must
not come again, refusing me permission to see you; he told you nothing
of my conference with him: he felt certain I was being tracked by spies,
and could not be made to understand that my presence here was of no
consequence one way or another."

"Then why are you here now?"

"I am just coming to that. I asked your guardian to invite my mother as
his guest. Have you met her yet?"

"No; they told me the Empress was too tired to receive any one. I am to
be introduced at dinner to-night."

"Well, this morning I wrote to the Archbishop of Mayence, telling him of
my interview with your guardian, the reason for it, and the results. His
reply came promptly by return." Roland p