rnoon Wolf sought Barbara again, and now for the first
time succeeded in relating regularly and clearly what, constantly
interrupted by her impatience, he had told in a confused medley the day
before. Pyramus, as usual, was away, and Barbara had taken care that no
one should interrupt them.

Deep silence pervaded the comfortable room, and Wolf had seated himself
in the arm-chair opposite to the young wife when, at her entreaty, he
began to tell the story again. She had informed him of Dona Magdalena's
letter, and that it took her to the Emperor's residence in San Yuste. At
that point her friend's fresh tidings began.

In the spring of the previous year Wolf had again been summoned from
Valladolid, where in the winter he directed the church singing as prinnen
of the religious music, to Cuacos, near San Yuste, where Quijada's wife
lived with her foster-son Geronimo. From there he had often gone with
Dona Magdalena and the boy to the Emperor's residence, and frequently saw
him.

The account given in the letter written by Quijada's wife also applied to
the last months of the imperial recluse's existence. Doubtless he
sometimes devoted himself to pious exercises and quiet meditation, but he
was usually busied with political affairs and the reading and dictating
of despatches. Even at that time he received many visitors. When Geronimo
came from Cuacos, he was permitted to go in and out of his apartments
freely, and the Emperor even seemed to prefer him to Don Carlos, his
grandson, King Philip's only son, who was destined to become the head of
his house; at least, Charles's conduct favoured this opinion.

On his return to Spain he had made his grandson's acquaintance in
Valladolid.

He was a boy who had well-formed, somewhat sickly features, and a fragile
body. Of course the grandfather felt the deepest interest in him, and the
influence of the famous victor in so many battles upon the
twelve-year-old lad was a most beneficial one.

But Charles had scarcely left Valladolid when the passionate boy's
extremely dangerous tastes burst forth with renewed violence. The recluse
student of human nature had probably perceived them, for when his tutor,
and especially the young evildoer's aunt, Juana, the Emperor Charles's
daughter, earnestly entreated him to let the grandson, whose presence
would disturb him very little, come to San Yuste, because his influence
over Don Carlos would be of priceless value, the grandfather most
pos