gave her peculiar, unusual traits of character, which were
distasteful to the ways of German burghers. Whatever did not fit the
usual forms, whatever surpassed ordinary models, was regarded with
distrust. He himself had scarcely been able to understand how a girl so
free and independent in her feelings, and probably also in her actions,
such a mistress of the art of singing, whose performances fulfilled the
highest demands, could have bloomed and matured in this environment.

Old Ursel's evasion had wounded and troubled him; the thoughts
associated with the double escutcheon on the bow-window, however,
revived the clouded feeling of happiness, and, with head erect, he
passed the guards at the entrance and went into the corridor, which was
again crowded with lords and ladies of the court, priests of all ranks,
knights, pages, and servants.

His position gave him access to the Queen of Hungary's apartments
without delay--nay, he might hope to be received by her Majesty sooner
than many of the knights, lords and ladies, ecclesiastical and secular
dignitaries who were waiting there; the stewards, chamberlains and
heralds, the ladies of the court, pages, and lackeys knew that the royal
lady not only summoned Sir Wolf Hartschwert frequently, but welcomed his
presence.

Nearly all were Spaniards or natives of the Netherlands, and it was
fortunate for Wolf, on the one hand, that he had learned their language
quickly and well in Italy and Brussels, and, on the other, that his
birth entitled him to a place with nobles who had the rank of knights.

How formal and stiffly precise everything was here! How many backs bowed
low, how softly bombastic, high-sounding words were murmured! It seemed
as if every free, warm impulse would lapse into stiffness and coldness;
moreover, those assembled here were not the poor petitioners of other
antechambers, but lords and ladies who belonged to the most illustrious
and aristocratic families, while among the waiting ecclesiastics there
was many a prelate with the dignified bearing of a bishop.

Some of the Netherlanders alone frequently threw off the constraint
which fettered all, and one even turned with the gayest ease from one
person to another. This was Baron Malfalconnet, one of the Emperor's
major-domos. He was permitted to do what no one else ventured, for his
cheerfulness and wit, his gift of story-telling, and sharp tongue often
succeeded in dispelling the clouds of melancholy from t