s gently, 'why did
you hide from me beneath the hangings? Why had you a poignard in your
hand?'

'I had no poignard! By the Mother of God! I had no poignard,' he whined.

'It is in his girdle, your Highness,' said the trooper, drawing forth the
dagger from the man's belt.

'I had a poignard in my girdle, but I meant no harm! I meant no harm!
Madame, you cannot think I would have hurt you? Oh, mercy! mercy!' Once
more he threw himself at the Duchess's feet. 'I hid indeed. O Madame! I
feared your displeasure. Have mercy on me! I only wished to see your
beautiful black rooms before I went back to Italy. When your Highness
spoke of fetching the book----' The Duchess started. Of course the man
was an Italian, and he understood French; that was how her plan had not
miscarried, as she feared it had, when she thought her adversary was some
local cut-throat--'when your Highness spoke, I thought I might escape
while your Highness was away, and then the doors were bolted and the
guard came. Oh, mercy!'

'Poor soul, let him go,' said Johanna Elizabetha gently.

'Your Highness, he shall go--to prison, till he is hanged. My man here
tells me he is the person who gave poison to Kitchenmaster Glaser to
sprinkle in your Highness's food,' the captain answered.

'Alas! how evil are men's hearts,' sighed the Duchess. 'Take him, then,
but treat him gently. He says he meant no harm.'

CHAPTER XIV

THE SECOND MARRIAGE

THE news of the discovery of Ferrari in her Highness's apartments spread
through Stuttgart during the evening, and there arose a wave of intense
indignation. The Graevenitz was loudly denounced as the instigator of the
attempted crime, and a mob gathered before the Jaegerhaus, clamouring in
their fierce, blind rage to destroy the house where the hated woman had
resided. The riot grew so serious that it was necessary to call out the
town guard, and though the knot of violent rioters was easily dispersed
by the soldiers, still during the whole night Stuttgart continued in an
uproar, and fears of a dangerous disturbance were entertained.

Messengers sped away to Urach, carrying the news of Ferrari's attempt and
exaggerated reports of the unquiet state of the town.

Early on the following morning Forstner, who resided for the most part at
Stuttgart, finding the Graevenitz court little to his liking, arrived at
Urach, and pleading urgent private business was immediately admitted to
his Highness's audience-chambe