behind you. And as an emperor's word cannot have
as much added or subtracted as a fly carries off on its tail, if it
has one, you, little brother, are obliged and bound to have the strange
monster, which is at once a wolf and a bird, immediately released and
summoned hither."

"Not amiss," laughed the Emperor, "if the boundaries of Nuremberg saw
our back for even so brief a space as it needs to make a wise man a
fool.

"We will follow your counsel, Eyebolt.--Herr Pfinzing, tell young
Eysvogel that the Emperor's pardon has ended his punishment. The breach
of the country's peace may be forgiven the man who so heroically aided
the battle for peace."

Then turning to Meister Gottlieb, the protonotary, he whispered so low
that he alone could hear the command, that he should commit to paper a
form of words which would give the bond between Heinz Schorlin and Eva
Ortlieb sufficient legal power to resist both secular authority and that
of the Dominicans and Sisters of St. Clare.

During this conference court etiquette had prevented the company from
exchanging any remarks. Whatever one person might desire to say to
another he was forced to entrust to the mute language of the eyes, and
a sportive impulse induced Emperor Rudolph to maintain the spell which
held apart those who were most strongly attracted to each other.

Meantime, whilst he was talking with the protonotary, the bolder guests
ventured to move about more freely, and of them all Cordula imposed the
least restraint upon herself.

Ere Heinz had found time to address a word to Eva or to greet his mother
she glided swiftly to his side and, with an angry expression on her
face, whispered: "If Heaven bestowed the greatest happiness upon the
most deserving, you must be the most favoured of mortals, for a more
exquisite masterpiece than your future wife--I know her--was never
created. But now open your ears and follow my advice: Do not reveal the
state of your heart until you have left the castle so far behind that
you are out of sight of the Bohemian princess, or your ship of happiness
may be wrecked within sight of port."

Then, with a well-assumed air of indignation, she abruptly turned her
back upon him.

After moving away, she intentionally remained standing near the duchess,
with drooping head. The latter hastily approached her, saying with
admirably simulated earnestness: "You, Countess, will probably be the
last to refuse your approval of my interference ag