ufficient troops of Cologne and Treves there may ensue a conflict
causing the streets of Frankfort to flow with blood."

The pious man groaned dismally.

"I have a plan which will prevent this. The day after to-morrow I shall
renounce all claim to the throne; but being selfish, like the rest, I
refuse to renounce all claim to the woman the Archbishops themselves
chose as my wife, neither shall I allow the case to be made further the
plaything of circumstance. Your kinswoman, no later ago than this
afternoon, confessed her love for me and her complete disregard of any
position I may hold in this realm. Now, Father Ambrose, I ask you
several questions. Is it in consonance with the rules of the Church that
a marriage be solemnized in this chapel?"

"Yes."

"Are you entitled to perform the ceremony?"

"Yes."

"Is it possible this ceremony can be performed to-morrow?"

"Yes."

"Will you therefore attend to the necessary preliminaries, of which I am
vastly ignorant, and say at what hour the Countess and I may present
ourselves in this chapel?"

"The Archbishop of Cologne is guardian to her ladyship. Will you bring
me his sanction?"

"Ah, Father Ambrose, there is just the point. So far as concerns himself
I doubt not that the Archbishop is the most unambitious of men, but to
the marriage of his ward with a sword maker I fear he would refuse
consent which he would gladly give to a marriage with an Emperor."

The monk hung his head, and pondered on the proposition. At last he
said:

"Why not ask my Lord the Archbishop?"

"I dare not venture. Too much is at stake. She might be carried away to
any castle in Germany. Remember that Cologne has already acquiesced in
her imprisonment, and but that the iron chain of the Pfalzgraf brought
me to her prison door--The iron chain, do I say? 'Twas the hand of God
that directed me to her, and now, with the help of Him who guided me,
not all the Archbishops in Christendom shall prevent our marriage. No,
Father Ambrose, pile on yourself all the futile penances you can adopt.
They are useless, for they do not remedy the wrong you have committed.
And now, good-night to your Reverence!"

The young man strode towards the door.

"My son," said the quiet voice of the priest, "when you were on your
knees just now did you pray for remission from anger?"

Roland whirled round.

_"Mea culpa,_ as you said just now. Father Ambrose, I ask your pardon. I
made an unfair use of your mist