urse, with my Lord of
Mayence, but such a vote will be most reluctantly given for a
self-confessed burglar and incendiary."

"Be not too hasty, gentlemen," counseled Mayence. "We are not met here
to cast votes. Your Highness, I complained a moment ago of lack of
interest in your recital; I beg to withdraw that plea. After having
heard you I agree that the Countess was unjustly imprisoned. She was
accurate in her estimate of your character."

"I think not, my Lord, I do not regard myself as burglar, incendiary,
thief, or robber. I call myself rather a restorer of stolen property. I
shed no blood, which in itself is a remarkable feature of action so
drastic as mine. The incendiarism was merely incidental, forced upon me
by the fact that the Red Margrave tied up eighteen of my men, whom he
proposed presently to hang. I diverted his attention from this execution
by the first method that occurred to me, namely, the firing of his
Castle. In my letter to you yesterday, my Lord, I promised to clear away
certain obstacles from your path. I therefore remove one, by saying that
an object of this conference is my own renunciation of the Emperorship,
thus while I thank my Lord Count for his proffered franchise, I quiet
the mind of my Lord of Treves by assuring him his defection has no
terror for me. And now, my Lord of Mayence, will you listen carefully to
my suggestion?"

"Prince Roland," replied his Lordship, almost with geniality, "I have
never heard so graphic a narrator in my life. Proceed, I beg of you."

"When our band of cut-purses set out from Frankfort, they supposed the
gold was to be shared equally among us. Mutiny taught me to use the arts
of diplomacy, which I despise. I hoped to attain such influence over
them that they would agree to abjure wealth for the benefit of
Frankfort. I am happy to say that I accomplished my object, so that
yesterday and to-day you have witnessed the results of my efforts; the
relief of a starving city. I merely removed the wealth of robbers to
benefit those whom they robbed. Knowing the dangerous feeling actuating
this town against your Lordships, I caused proclamation to be made
crediting this relief to the Archbishops.

"My Lord of Mayence, when yesterday I saw you appear on your own
balcony, the most stern, the most dignified figure I ever beheld; when I
heard the ringing cheers that greeted you; when I realized, as never
before, the majesty of your genius, I cursed the stupid decre