accompanied his
inquiry with the assurance that what he intrusted to him would remain
buried in his soul, and be used only for Wolf's advantage.

This promise loosed the cautious valet's tongue. He knew his man, and,
when Don Luis also desired to learn whether the knight had already
discovered that Barbara was now the Emperor's love, he thought he could
answer in the negative.

What he had heard of Wolf's relation to Barbara was only that the two
had spent their early youth in the same house, that the knight loved the
singer, but that she had rejected his suit.

This avowal appeared to satisfy Quijada, and it really did calm him.
He now believed that Wolf had misjudged him, and, supposing that he
was coming from a meeting with the girl he loved, had drawn his sword
against him. The manner in which he had attempted to rid himself of
the rival seemed criminal enough, yet the nocturnal attack had scarcely
concerned him personally, and he would not condemn the man who was
usually so calm and sensible without having heard him.

If Wolf lived--and he desired it from his heart--this act, which he
appeared to have committed in a fit of blind jealousy, should do him no
injury.

With a warm clasp of the hand, which united these two men more firmly
than a long period of mutual intercourse, each went his way in quiet
content.

In the afternoon Master Adrian was sent out to Prebrunn to announce to
Barbara a visit from the Emperor after vespers.

Wolf, it is true, had told her many things about Adrian Dubois, and
informed her how much pleasure he had had at Brussels in visiting him
and his sensible, cheerful wife, how implicitly the Emperor trusted him,
how faithfully he served him, how highly the ambassadors and the most
aristocratic gentlemen esteemed him, and how great an advantage it had
been to him, Wolf, to possess his friendship; yet she thought proper
to treat the valet with the haughty reserve which beseemed her as the
Emperor's favourite, and which yesterday evening had won the approval of
the Wittenberg theologian and of Wolf.

But Master Adrian appeared to take no notice of her manner, and
performed his errand with businesslike composure.

The Emperor Charles wished to know how she liked her new home.

In reality she had found its beauty and comfort far beyond her
expectations, had clapped her hands in surprise when she was conducted
by the marquise through the new abode, and, under the guidance of the
house