ngrily, "we will not permit this
assault upon a man whose honor and veracity are known to us; we declare
him absolved from all blame; we are satisfied with his explanations!"

Rage and mortification were expressed on the faces of the knights.

"If your Majesty wishes to shield your Chancellor, we must obey," said
Conrad; "but as some amends for the outrage, we request that you will
release the consuls who were captured despite our word of honor as
gentlemen and knights."

"It cannot be!" answered Barbarossa. "These consuls are the chiefs of
the rebellion, the ringleaders of the conspiracy, which, for many
years, has been plotting against us. It would be gross folly, on our
part, to send away the promoters of the disorder. They must remain with
us as captives, until the surrender of the fortress."

"But, Sire," added the Duke of Bohemia, with difficulty restraining his
indignation, "the Milanese will say that we are _disloyal felons_, who
desire, not the reduction, but the destruction of their city!"

"As for me," said Conrad, boldly, "my honor is at stake, and I will
avoid all intercourse with the Chancellor.--To-morrow, I and my troops
will return to our homes."

"Your term of service has expired, and we have no right to detain you,"
answered Barbarossa, calmly. "However, I shall expect you next spring,
when you will return with more numerous and better disciplined troops.
If, before that time, Milan shall have fallen, there will still remain
enough to do in Italy, before we can restore the Empire to its ancient
splendor."

Although these last words were prompted by a desire to flatter the
nobles, they left his presence with a discontented and dissatisfied
air.

Meanwhile Rechberg, Bonello, and Nigri were standing in front of the
city gate, near which the consul's tent was pitched, and Erwin related
the circumstances which had induced the order for his banishment from
Italy. The sad and despondent tone of the young man moved Bonello's
sympathy.

"If my daughter could esteem you more than she does already," he said,
"this injustice would have that effect. I am confident, however, that
she will now yield to my wishes and consent to leave Italy."

"You desire then to abandon your country?" asked Rechberg, with
surprise.

"Yes, and perhaps forever!" replied Guido. "It is too painful to live
in the vicinity of a struggle which threatens one's very existence,
without being able to share in it. This, and some ot