d them to do it. Only in the case of a few need she
fear that jealousy and envy had taken possession of them. Yet what did
she care for them and their behaviour? She looked over their heads with
the air of a queen.

But what was the meaning of this?

As soon as the dance was over, a pretty young girl, scarcely seventeen
years old, with blue forget-me-nots in her fair hair and on her breast,
left her partner and came directly toward Barbara.

Her head drooped and she hesitated shyly as she did so, but her modest
timidity was so charming that the dissolute courtier at Barbara's side
felt a throb of sympathy, and gazed down at her like a benevolent
fatherly friend as she held out her hand to his companion.

He did not think Martina Hiltner actually beautiful as she stood close
before him, but, on the other hand, inexpressibly charming in her modest
grace.

That it was she who came to Barbara so confidingly increased his good
opinion of the self-reliant, hot-blooded girl who had won the Emperor's
love, and therefore he was deeply angered when the latter answered
Martina's greeting curtly and coldly, and, without vouchsafing her any
further words, requested him to summon one of the attendants who were
serving refreshments.

Malfalconnet glanced significantly toward Martina, and, while offering
Barbara a goblet of lemonade, said, "There is candied lemon and other
seasoning in it, so it will probably suit your taste, exacting beauty,
since you appear to dislike what is pure."

"Only when poison is mixed with it," she answered quickly, tossing her
head arrogantly. Then, controlling herself, she added in an explanatory
tone: "In this case, Baron, your far-famed penetration deceived you. It
gave me more pain than you will believe to reject the friendly advances
of this lovely child, but her father is the head of the Lutheran heresy
here, and the almoner----"

"Then that certainly alters the case," the other interrupted. "Where the
Holy Inquisition threatens, I should be capable of denying a friend
thrice ere the cock crew. But what a number of charming young faces there
are on this Lindenplatz! Here one can understand why Ratisbon, like the
French Arles, is famed for the beauty of her daughters. It was not easy
for you to earn the reputation of the greatest beauty here. You have also
gained that of the most cruel one. You make me feel it. But if you wish
to cast into oblivion the poisoned cup proffered just now, do me th