had sound
feet.

The counsel sounded harsh, almost warning, and the already irritated
girl with difficulty restrained a sharp reply; but the Emperor was
already rising, that, leaning on Quijada's arm, he might seek the
dancing ground.

Meantime the young Saxon duke had approached Barbara, and expressed his
admiration of the successful festival, but she scarcely heard what
he said. Yet when she turned her face toward him, and his ardent gaze
rested yearningly upon her, she felt that the opportunity had now come
to carry out her half-forgotten intention of arousing the jealousy of
her royal lover.

Whatever it might cost, she must undertake the risk.

Summoning all her strength of will, she silenced the bitter resentment
which filled her heart, and a sunny glance told Duke Maurice how much
his escort pleased her. Malfalconnet had watched every look of the lady
on his arm, as well as the duke's, and as they approached the scene
of the dance he asked the latter if his Highness would condescend to
relieve him for a short time of a delightful duty. An important one in
the service of his imperial Majesty----

Here the duke's eager assent interrupted him, and the next moment
Barbara was leaning on the arm of the handsome young prince.

She had found in him the tool which she needed, and Maurice entered into
her design only too readily, for the baron had scarcely retired ere he
changed his tone of voice and began an attack upon her heart.

He had no need to respect the older rights of his imperial host, for
Charles had distrustfully concealed from him the bond which united him
to the beautiful singer. So, with glowing eloquence, he described to
Barbara how quickly and powerfully the spell of her beauty and her
wonderful art had fired his brain, and besought her to aid him not to
commence one of the most important periods of his life with a sore
heart and sick with longing; but she allowed him to speak, without
interrupting him by a single word.

She could not misunderstand what he desired, and many a glance permitted
him to interpret it in his favour; but resentment still continued to
stir in her soul, growing and deepening as the Emperor, seated on the
throne erected for him, without noticing her appearance, sometimes
listened to the chamberlain, who mentioned the names of the handsomest
dancers, sometimes addressed a question to the Bishop of Arras and the
other gentlemen who had followed him.

Her royal lover depr