remembrance of her unseemly behaviour at
their last meeting, and therefore soon left her, by no means satisfied
with his visit. On the way, however, he told himself that it was unfair
to blame the bird which had just been captured for fluttering.

When the leech had retired, Barbara regretted that she had answered
him so indifferently. But the anticipation of seeing her imperial lover
again dominated every thought and feeling. Besides, she again and again
saw before her the figure of the young duke, whom she had never beheld,
but whom Charles had married to the daughter of that Johanna who was
said to have been neither more beautiful nor more aristocratic than she
herself.

Frau Traut saw compassionately that she could not remain long quietly
in any place, and that when the noon meal was served she scarcely tasted
food.

As soon as the first blast of the horns rose from the gate of the
citadel she urged departure like an impatient child, and her indulgent
companion yielded, though she knew that the stately ceremonial would not
begin for a long time.

The window which Adrian had assigned to the two women in a room
which was to be occupied by them alone afforded a view of the entire
courtyard, and from the arm-chair which Frau Traut had had brought for
her Barbara gazed down into it with strained attention.

The first sound of the horns had saluted Ottavio Farnese.

Mounted on a spirited charger, he held aloft, as gonfaloniere of the
Church, the proud banner to be whose bearer was deemed by the Dukes of
Parma one of their loftiest titles of honour.

He was greeted by the nobles present with loud acclamations, but
was still booted and attired as beseemed a horseman. The cavaliers,
officers, and pages who attended him entered the citadel in no regular
order. But as Ottavio swung himself from his magnificently formed,
cream-coloured steed, and issued orders to his train, Barbara could look
him directly in the face and, though she thought him neither handsome
nor possessed of manly vigour, she could not help admitting that she
had rarely seen a young man of equally distinguished bearing. His every
movement bore the impress of royal self-confidence, yet at the same time
was unconstrained and graceful.

Now he disappeared in the wing of the building that united the ladies'
rooms with the main structure opposite.

The Emperor Charles could not be here yet. His arrival would not have
been passed by so quietly, and the