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their feudal chiefs, until at last scarce a soldier remained at
Merseburg.

It was about the first of November that the barons of Hers and Stramen
set out with the relics of their clans for their lordships in Suabia.
The face of Sandrit of Stramen was sterner than ever, and his son seemed
to have caught a portion of his severity. They rode along swiftly, and
whenever they spoke it was about the Lady Margaret. Father Omehr alone
preserved his equanimity, and even he was now unusually absent and
thoughtful. Nor was the retinue of Albert of Hers more cheerful. Sir
Albert's eyes were fixed on the ground in deep dejection; tears were
ever and anon springing into Humbert's eyes, and even the vassals behind
them were gloomy and dispirited. They were returning to a desolated
home, it is true; but, what was worse, they were returning without
Gilbert.

The Lady Margaret was still at Tuebingen. With scarce more fervor did
Gregory VII uphold against the world the measures he deemed essential to
the liberty, unity, and purity of the Church, than did this young girl
pursue the object to which she had consecrated herself--the extinction
of the feud. Humble as were her aim and efforts, when contrasted with
the objects and exertions of the sainted Pontiff, she could still
imitate his piety and perseverance. The reader may have remarked the
changes in the Lady Margaret's character. She was naturally haughty and
impetuous, though generous and sincere. In spite of her piety, that
pride, so difficult to curb, would still break out. But these
infirmities had been zealously combated, until religion had triumphed
over the weakness of humanity. Still, for some time, the Lady Margaret
was unhappy, and accused herself of human love in seeking the
reconciliation, imputing the revolution in her feelings to a culpable
tenderness. But she soon discovered that vanity--that an aspiration
after the _consciousness_ of perfection rather than true
piety--occasioned her uneasiness. She no longer tormented herself with
dangerous mistrusts, but gave all she had to God, begging Him to purify
the gift and supply her mind with the dispositions to render the
offering acceptable. She had learned that most difficult lesson even to
the holy--to hope rather than despond in the conviction of unworthiness.
There was one other victory which the Lady Margaret had gained over
herself: she had suppressed an inclination to return the attachment of
Gilbert de Hers, whic