on he scarcely knows what he is doing as
I hold the stirrup for him. But when, once in his saddle, his divine
companion descends to him, he dashes upon the foe like a whirlwind and,
wherever he strikes, how the chips fly! The strongest succumb to his
blows. 'Victory! victory!' men shout exultingly wherever he goes. Even
in the last accursed Algerian defeat his helper was at his side; for,
Adrian"--here he, too, lowered his voice--"without him and his wonderful
power every living soul of us, down to the last boat and camp follower,
would have been destroyed."

CHAPTER XXV.

After this conversation the two men who, in different positions, stood
nearest to the Emperor Charles, placed no obstacle in Barbara's way.

The third--the Bishop of Arras--also showed a friendly spirit toward the
Emperor's love affair. True, he had not been taken into his confidence,
but he rarely failed to be present when Barbara sang with the boy choir,
or alone, in the Golden Cross, before the monarch or distinguished
guests.

Charles summoned her there almost daily, and always at different hours.

This was done to strengthen the courtiers and the citizens of Ratisbon
in the belief that Barbara owed his favour solely to her singing.

Granvelle, who appreciated and was interested in music as well as in
painting and sculpture, found real pleasure in listening to Barbara, yet
while doing so he did not forget that she might be of service to him. If
she only remained on good terms with him she would, he was sure of that,
whether willing or not, be used as his tool.

Spite of his nine-and-twenty years, he forbade himself to cherish any
other wishes, because he would have regarded it treachery to the royal
master whom he served with faithful devotion. But, as he accepted
great gifts without ever allowing himself to be tempted to treason
or forgetfulness of duty, so he did not reject little tokens of
friendliness from Barbara, and of these she showed no lack. The young
Bishop of Arras was also an extremely fine-looking man, whose clever
brain and bright, penetrating glance harmonized with his great intellect
and his position. Wolf had already told her how much the monarch
regarded the opinion of this counsellor.

The fourth person whose good will had been represented to her as
valuable was the almoner, Pedro de Soto; but he, who usually understood
how to pay homage to beautiful women in the most delicate manner, kept
rigidly aloof.

True,