dent violation of his extreme sense of the dignity of majesty,
or of the confidence which he bestowed upon her, might become fatal to
it.

But, ardently as she might return his love, loyal and discreet as her
conduct might be, there were other grave perils menacing the tie which
united the Emperor to Barbara.

Charles was a man of action, of work, of fulfilment of duty. The moment
that he perceived this love bond would impede his progress toward the
lofty goals to which he aspired might easily mark the beginning of its
end.

Now, in the midst of peace, such a result was scarcely to be feared; but
if it came to fighting--and many a sign showed Adrian that war was not
far distant--a great change would take place in his master's character;
the general would assert his rights. Every other consideration would
then be pitilessly thrust aside and, if Charles still remained loyal
to his affection, he would have fallen under the spell of one of those
great passions which defy every assault of time and circumstance and
find an end only in death. But the sharp-sighted man could not believe
in such love on his master's part; in his nature the claims of reason
threw those of the heart too far into the shade. If Barbara was wise,
her daily prayer should be for the maintenance of peace.

To speak of these fears to the care-free girl would have been cruel, but
he could probably give her a useful hint as opportunity offered.

Accustomed to perform his duty silently and, where speech was necessary,
to study the utmost brevity, he had not learned the art of clothing his
thoughts in pleasing forms. So, without circumlocution, he whispered
to Barbara the advice to send away Frau Lerch, who was not fit for her
service, and as soon as possible to dismiss her entirely.

The girl flew into a rage, and no whisper or urgency from another, but
her own unbridled, independent nature, which during continual struggle
had been steeled to assert herself, in spite of her poverty, among the
rich companions of her own rank, as well as the newly awakened haughty
consciousness that now, as the object of the mightiest monarch's love,
she was exalted far above the companions of her own rank--led her to
rebuff the warning of the well-meaning man with a sharpness that it ill
beseemed one so much younger to use toward the Emperor's gray-haired
messenger.

The valet shrugged his shoulders compassionately, and his regular
features, whose expression varied o