magnanimous Emperor, tidings have just been received of
the death of the Bishop of Limburg."

"Oh! Oh! Only now? That surprises me greatly. People are so hot after
the quarry of bishoprics that the death of a bishop is always announced
two or three days in advance. Did the deceased bishop die in the odor of
sanctity? Did he commend himself to the next world by the founding of
pious establishments, or by rich bequests to the poor?"

"August Prince, it is said that he bequeathed only two pounds of silver
to the poor."

"How light a viaticum for so long a journey!" exclaimed a voice. It
proceeded from Bernard, the poor and learned pupil whom Charles had just
appointed clerk of his own chapel, and who, agreeable to the orders of
the Emperor, had kept close to his master since they left the Palatine
school.

Charles turned abruptly towards the young man, who, crimson with
confusion, already regretted the boldness of his language and was
trembling at every limb. "Follow me!" said Charles with severity; and
observing that other dignitaries of the court took the call as if
addressed to themselves, he added: "No, only the two Bretons, Eginhard
and the young clerk. The rest of you may keep yourselves in readiness
for the hunt that we shall start upon in a few minutes."

The brilliant crowd kept itself aloof, and the Emperor regained the
gallery of the palace accompanied only by Vortigern, Amael, Eginhard and
the poor Bernard, the last more dead than alive. The clerk walked last,
fearing that he had angered the Emperor by his stinging sally on the
niggardliness of the deceased bishop. The surprise of the young clerk
was, accordingly, great when, arrived at the extremity of the gallery,
Charles half turned to him, and with beaming eyes, said:

"Draw near, draw near! Do you really think the Bishop of Limburg left
too little money for the poor?"

"Seigneur, pardon my inadvertent boldness!"

"Answer. If I bestow that bishopric upon you, would you, the day you
appear before God, have a better record for liberality than the Bishop
of Limburg?"

"August Prince," answered the clerk, his head swimming at the thought of
such unheard-of good fortune, and dropping on his knees: "It rests with
God and your will to decide my fate."

"Arise. I appoint you Bishop of Limburg. But follow me. It will be well
for you to learn, from personal observation, the greed with which
bishoprics are striven for. The riches that they entail may be j