her house, her
servants, and the recipients of her alms. Hannibal Melas relieved her
of the care of Maestro Feys, which she had undertaken, and under his
faithful nursing the old musician was granted many more years of life.
The Maltese also distributed among her poor the large sums which the
sale of Barbara's property produced.

In Spain she was received with the utmost consideration by the Marquis
de la Mota, Dona Magdalena de Ulloa's brother, and later by the lady
herself. But at first there was no real bond of affection between these
women, and this was Barbara's fault, for Dona Magdalena's experience
was the same as Don John's. She perceived with shame how greatly she had
undervalued Don John's mother--nay, how much she had wronged her--but
her sedulous efforts to make amends for the error produced an effect
upon Barbara different from her expectations; for the great lady's
manner seemed like a confession of guilt, and kept alive the memory of
the anguish of soul which Dona Magdalena had so often inflicted upon
her.

The early death of the young hero whom both loved so tenderly first drew
them together. Barbara had witnessed with very different feelings from
Dona Magdalena and her brother how the former regarded every false step
of Don John, and especially that of his expedition to England, as a
heavy misfortune, and as such bewailed it. Dona Magdalena had been
firmly convinced that the spell of fame which surrounded the victor of
Lepanto, and the irresistible lovableness characteristic of his whole
nature, would finally win the hearts of the Netherlanders, and even
induce the Prince of Orange, whose friendship Don John himself hoped to
gain, to join hands with him in the attempt to work for the welfare of
his country.

Barbara knew that this expectation deceived him.

Toleration and liberty were the blessings which the Prince of Orange
desired to win for his people, and both were hateful to her son, reared
at the Spanish court, as she herself saw in them an encroachment upon
the just demands of the Church and the claims of royalty. Fire and water
could harmonize more easily than these two men, and Barbara foresaw
which of them in this conflict would be the extinguishing flood.

She perceived how waterfall after waterfall was quenching the flames
which burned in Don John's honest soul for the supposed welfare of the
nation intrusted to him. He was reaping hatred, scorn, and humiliation
wherever he had hoped