her youthful appearance, and also at the obstinacy
of her throat ailment; but he encouraged her, for he had recently seen
marvellous effects produced by the old Roman baths at Ems, which were
not difficult to reach, and advised her to use them as soon as possible.
She must inform him of the result, if he was permitted to visit the
Netherlands again.

Then Barbara asked if he intended to leave the master whose life was
preserved by his skill; but he only shook his big head, smiling, and
said that the Emperor and he belonged together, like the soul and the
body, but whether his Majesty would remain in Brabant much longer was an
open question.

Barbara now remembered Wolf's communication, and when the rumour spread
that the Emperor Charles was inclined to give up his rulership and
commit the sceptre and crown to his son Philip, she knew that this time
also Charles would execute the plan which he had matured after years of
consideration.

Through her friend she knew the motives which urged him to renounce
power and grandeur and retire to solitude; but to her it seemed certain
that, above all other reasons, longing for the fair, curly-headed boy,
his son and hers, had induced him to take this great and admirable step.

Gradually her maternal heart attributed to her John alone the desire of
the world-weary earthly pilgrim to lay aside the purple and return to
Spain.

Though Barbara at this time rarely left her own fireside, her husband
might often have wished that she would return to the conduct of the
previous winter, for he perceived the torturing anxiety which was
consuming her.

She could gaze for hours into vacancy, absorbed in profound meditation
and reveries, or play on the harp and lute, softly humming old songs to
herself. If at such times Pyramus asked, lovingly and modestly, that
he might not expose himself to an angry rebuff, what was burdening her
soul, his wife gave evasive answers or told him about the physician's
advice, and described how different the lives of both would be if she
could regain the lost melody of her voice. But when he, who did not
grudge the woman he loved the very best of everything, joyfully offered
from his savings the sum necessary to send her and Frau Lamperi to Ems,
in order, if possible, to commence the cure at once, she asserted that,
for many reasons, she could not begin this summer the treatment which
promised so much. True, the bare thought that if might once again be
allot