no heed to the others, she sank down upon the bench near one of
the walls of the room, and while she was still talking with Don Luis
her new companion, of whose name she was still ignorant, brought several
cushions and silently placed them behind her back.

This chamber, Quijada explained, he had selected for her by his
Majesty's permission. The adjoining room would be occupied by this good
lady--he motioned to his companion--the wife of Herr Adrian Dubois, his
Majesty's valet. Being a native of Cologne, she understood German, and
had offered to bear her company. If Barbara desired, she could also
summon the garde-robiere Lamperi from Ratisbon to the Trausnitz.

Here she interrupted him with the question how long the Emperor intended
to detain her here.

"As long as it suits his imperial pleasure and the physician deems
advisable," was the reply. Barbara merely shrugged her shoulders again;
she felt utterly exhausted. But when Quijada, who perceived that she
needed rest, was about to leave her, she remembered the cause of her
drive to Landshut, and asked whether she might speak to her father's
travelling companion, who could give her information about the health of
the old man who, after the Emperor had sent him out into the world, had
fallen ill in Antwerp.

This was willingly granted, and Don Luis even undertook to send Sir
Pyramus Kogel, whom he knew by sight, to her. Then commending her to the
care of Fran Dubois, who was directed to gratify every reasonable wish,
he left the room. Meanwhile Barbara desired nothing except rest, but she
studiously refrained from addressing even a word to her new companion.
Besides, there was little time to do so, she was soon sound asleep.

When at the end of two hours she awoke, she found herself lying at full
length upon the bench, while a careful hand had removed her shoes, and
the pillows which had supported her weary back were now under her head.

During her slumber it had grown dark, and a small lamp, whose rays a
handkerchief shielded from her eyes, was standing on the stove in one
corner of the room.

Yet she was alone; but she had scarcely stirred when Frau Dubois
appeared with a maid-servant bearing a candelabrum with lighted candles.
The careful nurse asked in brief but pleasant words whether she felt
stronger, if it would be agreeable to her to have supper served in
fifteen minutes, and if she would allow her to help her.

"Willingly," replied Barbara, very pleasa