is, but those who surrounded him were made to feel his ill-humour
plainly enough. Only he admitted to the Bishop of Arras that the radiant
light which was shining into his window was disagreeable. It made too
strong a contrast to his gloomy soul, and it even seemed as though the
course of the sun, in its beaming, unattainably lofty path, mocked the
hapless, painful obstruction to his own motion.

At noon he enjoyed very little of the meal, prepared for a fast day,
which the new cook had made tempting enough.

In reply to the Count of Nassau's inquiry whether he wished to hear any
music, he had answered rudely that the musicians and the boy choir could
play and sing in the chapel for aught he cared. Whether he would listen
to the performance was doubtful.

Single tones had reached his ears, but he did not feel in the mood to
descend the stairs.

He went to rest earlier than usual. The next morning, after mass, he
himself asked for Josquin's "Ecce tu pulchra es." It was to be sung
during the noonday meal. But when, instead of the Queen and Quijada,
a little note came from his sister, requesting, in a jesting tone, an
extension of the leave of absence because she trusted to the healing
power of the sun and the medicine "music" upon her distinguished
brother, and the chase bound her by a really magic spell to the green
May woods, he flung the sheet indignantly away, and, just before the
beginning of the meal, ordered the singing to be omitted.

Either in consequence of the fasting or the warm sunshine, the pangs of
the gout began to lessen; but, nevertheless, his mood grew still more
melancholy, for he had believed in the sincere affection of two human
beings, and Queen Mary left him alone in his misery, while his faithful
Luis, to please the female Nimrod, did the same.

CHAPTER XII.

During the singing in the chapel on the fast day Barbara had waited
vainly for a word of appreciation from the Emperor. The Queen of Hungary
had gone to the chase, and the monarch had remained in his apartments,
while she had done her best below. A few lords and ladies of the court,
several priests, knights, and pages had been the only listeners.

This had sorely irritated her easily wounded sensitiveness, but she had
appeared at the rehearsal in the New Scales on the following morning.
Again she reaped lavish praise, but several times she met Appenzelder's
well-founded criticisms with opposition.

The radiant cheerfulness whi