ch, the day before yesterday, had invested
her nature with an irresistible charm had vanished.

When the tablatures were at last laid aside, and the invitation to
sing in the Golden Cross did not yet arrive, her features and her whole
manner became so sullen that even some of the choir boys noticed it.

Since the day before a profound anxiety had filled her whole soul, and
she herself wondered that it had been possible for her to conquer it
just now during the singing.

How totally different an effect she had expected her voice--which even
the greatest connoisseurs deemed worthy of admiration--to produce upon
the music-loving Emperor!

What did she care if the evening of the day before yesterday the Queen
of Hungary had paid her fine compliments and assured her of the high
approval of her imperial brother, since Appenzelder had informed her
yesterday that it was necessary to conceal from his Majesty the fact
that a woman was occupying the place of the lad from Cologne, Johannes.
The awkward giant had been unfriendly to women ever since, many years
before, his young wife had abandoned him for a Neapolitan officer, and
his bad opinion of the fairer sex had been by no means lessened when
Barbara, at this communication, showed with pitiless frankness the anger
and mortification which it aroused in her mind. A foul fiend, he assured
Gombert, was hidden in that golden-haired delight of the eyes with the
siren voice; but the leader of the orchestra had interceded for her, and
thought that her complaint was just. So great an artist was too good to
fill the place of substitute for a sick boy who sang for low wages.
She had obliged him merely to win the applause of the Emperor and his
illustrious sister, and to have the regent turn her back upon Ratisbon
just at this time, and without having informed his Majesty whose voice
had with reason aroused his delight, would be felt even by a gentler
woman as an injury.

Appenzelder could not help admitting this, and then dejectedly promised
Barbara to make amends as soon as possible for the wrong which the
regent, much against his will, had committed.

He was compelled to use all the power of persuasion at his command to
keep her in the boy choir, at least until the poisoned members could
be employed again, for she threatened seriously to withdraw her aid in
future.

Wolf, too, had a difficult position with the girl whom his persuasion
had induced to enter the choir. What Appenze