endly and yielding to those about him. The
trivial sin which this sweet love secret contained had been pardoned
in the case of the man bound by no older obligation, after a slight
penance, and now for the first time he fully enjoyed the wealth of the
unexpected new happiness. It must also be acceptable to Heaven, for this
was distinctly shown by the more and more favourable turn of politics,
and he held the return gift.

That it was the right one was proved by the nature of the gratifying
news brought by the very last despatches. They urged him directly toward
the war which hitherto, from the most serious motives, he had avoided,
and, as his royal sister correctly saw, would destroy a slowly matured,
earnest purpose; for it forced him to renounce the hope of effecting
at Trent a reformation of the Church according to his own ideas, and a
restoration of the unity of religion in a peaceful manner by yielding
on one side and reasonable concessions on the other. He had long
since perceived that many things in the old form of religion needed
reformation. If war was declared, he would be compelled to resign the
hope that these would be undertaken by Rome, and the opposition, the
defiance, the bold rebellion of the Protestant princes destroyed every
hope of propitiation on their part. They were forcing him to draw the
sword, and he might venture to do so at this time, for he need now feel
no fear of serious opposition from any of the great powers around
him. Maurice of Saxony, too, was on the point of withdrawing from the
Smalkalds and becoming his ally; so, with the assistance of Heaven, he
might hope to win the victory for the cause of the Church, and with it
also that of the crown.

With regard to the probability of this war, he had much to expect
from the activity of his sister in the Netherlands, and though she now
advocated peace, in the twelfth hour, which must soon strike, he could
rely upon her. Yet she was a woman, and it was necessary to bind her to
him by every tie of the heart and intellect.

He loved Barbara as warmly as he was capable of loving; but had Mary
that evening required his separation from the singer as the price of her
assistance in promoting his plans, the desire of the heart would perhaps
have yielded to the wishes of the statesman.

But the regent did not impose this choice; she did not grudge him his
late happiness, and gratefully appreciated the transformation which
Barbara's rare gifts had w