cted that his
relationship with Barbarossa would be a poor recommendation in the eyes
of the young Lombard.

"I fear that our journey will be unpleasantly interrupted," said
Bonello, who, for some time, had been watching a gray speck on the
summit of the mountain.

"In what way, sir knight?"

"Do you see that castle? It is the dwelling of the Emperor's prefect,
Herman, who is in charge of yonder bridge. He is a cruel, bad man, and
levies tolls to suit his own pleasure, particularly when the travellers
are wealthy or of high rank. He has on several occasions seized upon
persons and held them prisoners until a high ransom has been paid for
their release."

"But this is a crying injustice," said the Count, "and should be
reported to His Majesty, who would punish Herman severely for his abuse
of power." Bonello shook his head, with a smile.

"Herman merely executes the Emperor's orders," said he. Rechberg looked
at the speaker with astonishment. He was loth to believe that such an
insult to his sovereign were possible. Bonello resumed,--

"Barbarossa knows perfectly well all about his deputy here, but there
are other exactions of which I believe him still ignorant. He has
reduced several families to utter beggary, and when he can squeeze
nothing more out of them himself, he sells them to the Jews. This is
what he calls 'balancing his accounts.' I have known instances where he
has stretched the poor wretches on the rack to extort from them their
last pennies. In short, this Herman, the terror of the country, is a
disgrace to humanity. But there are other deputies of the Emperor in
some of the cities, who are equally merciless in their exactions."

"I can scarcely credit your statements," replied the young Count; "but
I feel sure that upon the first complaint of such enormities Frederic
would interfere."

"You make a grave mistake," said Bonello. "I have personally
represented the facts to the Emperor, but in vain; his invariable
answer has been, that it was the duty of his agents to collect the
taxes and imposts, and if they were obliged to resort to extreme
measures, that it was doubtless the fault of the inhabitants who
refused to pay their dues."

They rode on in silence. The young Count was dejected, for he began to
perceive that it was natural for men like Bonello to resist such an
arbitrary exercise of tyranny.

_CHAPTER XII_.

_THE TOLL_.