mentations!" said Barbarossa; "let some one lead
this woman hence!"

The Bishop Gero hastened to comply with the Emperor's wishes, whilst
the latter explained to those present the crime of which Bonello had
been guilty.

"If you consider our sentence unjust, speak, and the criminal shall be
released," said he.

"Bonello is a valiant soldier, although he has drawn his sword in a bad
cause," replied Otho. "Still, I implore you to pardon him for his
daughter's sake."

"Pardon him, Sire. I fear your sentence may cause the death of two
persons," said Henry, pointing to the pale and trembling Hermengarde.

"This time justice must take its course," answered Barbarossa.

"The sentence is perfectly just," added Werner, of Minden. "Who would
deserve death, if traitors were allowed to go unpunished?"

The two other bishops nodded in token of approval; they never dissented
from any apparent desire of Barbarossa.

"You perceive, my lord Abbot, that it is impossible for us to
pardon----"

He interrupted himself abruptly at the sight of Hermengarde, who fell
fainting upon a chair.

"Enough of this, my lord Conrad, you may withdraw," and he motioned
that they should take away the girl.

At this moment Erwin advanced, already deeply interested in
Hermengarde's suffering; his godfather's stern refusal to her appeals
affected him painfully. Bowing to the Emperor, with a bright flush upon
his face, he said,--

"Pardon, Sire, if I venture to recall to Your Majesty's memory the
recent battle, and the promise then made to grant me a favor."

"Ah! I trust that you will not make an improper use of my promise,
Erwin?"

"An improper use--no, upon my honor. The favor which I now solicit,
Sire, is the life and liberty of Bonello, this young girl's father."

"Is this petition serious, Count?" said Barbarossa, turning to him,
angrily.

"It cannot be more so, Sire," answered the young man, promptly.

"Reflect well, boy, on what you ask," said the Emperor, fiercely. "Do
not play with our promise--it is sacred; but----"

And he raised his right hand menacingly.

"If my petition were dictated by egotism, it might be considered an
abuse of your Imperial promise; but I merely solicit the life and
liberty of a man whose protection is necessary to his daughter's
happiness. In this I merely perform an act of humanity, and perhaps of
chivalry."

"Well," said Barbarossa, after a moment of angry silence, "since you
persist in a demand