on my
meditations."

"Oh, my poor Guardian, I knew you had not slept, and all because of a
worthless creature like myself, and a wicked creature, too, for I did
not see the hand of Providence so visible to you."

"Surely, my dear, a moment's thought would reveal it to you. Remember
how we came almost to the door of the prison, when a temporary reprieve
was handed to us by that coarse reprobate, the Pfalzgraf. Your suite of
rooms was not yet ready, and thus we found bestowed upon us another free
day; a day of untrammeled liberty, quite unlooked for. Now, much may be
done in a day. An Empire has been lost and won within a few hours. With
this gift came a revelation. That wine-blotched Pfalzgraf would have
shown no consideration for you: to him a prisoner is a prisoner, to be
cast anywhere, lock the door, and have done, but a wholesome fear had
been instilled into him by his overlord. The Archbishop of Mayence had
taken thought for your comfort, ordering that the best rooms in the
Castle should be placed at your disposal. Hence, after all that had
passed, his Lordship felt no malignancy against you, and I dare say
would have been glad to rescind the order for your imprisonment, were it
not that he would never admit defeat."

"Oh, Guardian, what an imagination is yours! I am sure his Lordship of
Mayence will never forgive me."

"His Lordship of Mayence, my dear, is in a dilemma from which no one
except yourself can extricate him."

"His own cleverness will extricate him."

"Perhaps. Still, I'm not troubling about him. My thoughts are much too
selfish for that. I wish you to lift me from _my_ uncertainty."

"You mean about Prince Roland? I shall do whatever you ask of me."

"I place no command, but I proffer a suggestion."

"It shall be a command, nevertheless."

"We have left your own prison far behind, and are approaching that of
Prince Roland. To the door of that detaining Castle I propose to lead
you. I am forbidden by my compact with the other Electors to see Prince
Roland or to hold any communication with him. The custodian of the
Castle, who knows me well, will not refuse any request I make, even if I
ask to see the young man himself. He will therefore not hesitate to
admit you when I require him to do so. To take away any taint of
surreptitiousness about my action, interfering, as one might say, with
another man's house, I shall this evening write to the Archbishop of
Mayence, tell him exactly what I have