"The proverb will be wrong here, your Majesty. The young girl's beauty
is still only in the bud, but we can already foresee what it will
become. When the rose shall be fully blown, I would advise no one to
come near who is not perfectly sure that she can bear the comparison."

"Enough of this nonsense! Hermengarde is betrothed to Count Rechberg,
and I wish to do everything to please him. Go and find out if Rechberg
will be here soon, for I am curious to witness their meeting. You may
invite her to the collation of which I will partake with her."

_CHAPTER XXIII_.

_THE MEETING_.

Hermengarde felt very uneasy at the Empress' silence with regard to
Erwin. Was he no longer in the Camp? Had he accompanied the Emperor to
Lodi, or perhaps returned to Germany? The doubts annoyed her, and in
her agitation she paced her room with hurried steps.

"You must be tired," said the maid who attended her. "Why in the world
do you run about in that way? I feel quite broken down, and yet you
seem as lively as if you had not ridden fourteen miles to-day."

"Youth bears fatigue easily, but I have been wrong, dear Hedwige, to
make you come such a tiresome journey."

"Wrong! and who but I should accompany you? Your father was away, and
you could not come to the Court alone."

"Oh! Hedwige, you remind me that I have been doubly wrong: first in
tiring you, and then in coming away without my father's permission."

"You could not have declined such an honor. How silly! Many a prince's
daughter would have been flattered by such an invitation! No, no; you
did quite right to accept it."

"But my father's consent?"

"Nonsense! Your father would have been proud of the honor paid you; do
not doubt it a moment."

"Still"--

"Hush!--some one is coming."

At this moment, Richilda, accompanied by several ladies of honor,
entered, bearing a most cordial invitation to visit the Empress. She
was surprised at Hermengarde's sad expression.

"I trust that you are not unwell, noble lady?" she asked, kindly.

"Oh, it is nothing," replied Hermengarde, blushing; "I am only a little
homesick: it is a malady felt by all spoilt children."

"You must forget, for a few days, your Alpine retreats, although Count
Rechberg has given such a vivid picture of their charms, that I can
scarcely wonder that you regret your castle in the midst of all this
turmoil of the camp."

"Has the Count