bull about the length of
the hair; soon, I suppose, he will give directions about the prelates'
houses, their retinues, and their style of dress."

"Ah! I begin to understand: Alexander is too severe with the jovial
prelates," said the Count, with a smile.

"Yes," replied Manases, "and he will punish also the noble lords and
counts who profit by every opportunity to get an award of some fragment
of Church property! But enough on this subject.--As we have already
agreed, the King must know nothing more than he knows already. Above
all, conceal your personal arrangements with Barbarossa; that of itself
would suffice to enrage him."

"Must he then not be informed of the determination which has been taken
to bring Alexander before the Council, whether he will or not?"

"That must depend on circumstances. Let me act first; I will give
you notice in due time. I will go to work at once. Come to the Court
to-morrow."

"Why not to-day?" the Count asked.

"Because I must first prepare the King's mind. But be perfectly easy;
you are wearied by this long journey and need rest.--Louis, you know,
is very sympathetic in all bodily ailments."

"Very well, we understand each other perfectly. Farewell."

The Count accompanied the Chancellor to the courtyard, where the latter
mounted his horse and rode over to meet the King.

_CHAPTER XXXVI_.

_KNAVERY_.

At sunrise, Antonio was prowling about the vicinity of the Count of
Champagne's castle. He passed the park-gates, and, cautious as a fox in
search of his prey, concealed himself behind a clump of bushes near the
court-yard, whence he could perceive what was going on in the building.

"Rechberg likes early walks," he said to himself. "I shall not have
long to wait. If he only knew that Bonello's daughter is at an hour's
distance from here, nothing could prevent him going to her at once.
But as this interview would upset all my calculations, I must be
prudent.--Good, there he is at last, with his head down, as if he were
counting the pebbles on the road.--He is coming towards me as though I
had called him!--Oh! your servant, my lord Count."

"Ah! is that you, Antonio? I imagined you were still in Pavia."

"It is my duty to be wherever the master of the world is."

"I do not understand your meaning."

"You have not heard then that Barbarossa, with all his troops, entered
Dole yesterday?"

"Indeed!"

"