m what she had hitherto vainly desired, he referred
her unasked to his omnipotent master, who was to enter King Philip's
service, and proposed that she should come to his office early the next
morning. Thence he would try to take her to the minister, who had by
no means forgotten her superb singing. His Eminence had mentioned her
kindly very recently in a conversation with the leech.

The following morning Barbara went to the great statesman's business
offices. Hannibal was waiting for her.

It was on Saint Raphael's day, which had attracted his fellow-clerks
to a festival in the country. Granvelle had given the others leave of
absence, but wished to keep within call the industrious Maltese, on
whose zeal he could always rely.

Without stopping his diligent work at the writing-desk, the secretary
begged Barbara to wait a short time. He would soon finish the draught
of the new edict for which his Eminence and the Councillor Viglius
were waiting in the adjoining chamber. The pictures on the walls of the
fourth room were worth looking at.

Barbara followed his advice, but she paused in the third room, for
through the partly open door she heard Granvelle's familiar voice.

Curious to see what changes time had wrought, she peered through the
by no means narrow crack and overlooked the minister's spacious office,
where he was now entirely alone with the Councillor Viglius.

The Bishop of Arras had scarcely altered since their last meeting,
only his appearance had become somewhat more stately, and his clever,
handsome face was fuller.

The Councillor Viglius, whom Barbara looked directly in the face, did
not exactly profit by the contrast with Granvelle, for the small figure
of the Frieslander barely reached to the chin of the distinguished
native of tipper Burgundy, but his head presented a singular and
remarkably vivid colouring. The perfectly smooth hair and thick beard
of this no longer young man were saffron yellow, and his plump face was
still red and white as milk and blood. It was easy to perceive by his
whole extremely striking appearance that he was rightly numbered among
the Emperor's shrewdest councillors. Barbara had heard marvellous tales
of his learning, and it was really magnificent in compass and far more
important than his keen but narrow mind. This time the loquacious man
was allowing the Bishop of Arras to speak, and Barbara listened to his
words and the councillor's answers with eager attention.