to prepare for my journey; may God preserve your Majesty."

"Do not leave me thus; give me your blessing, father," said the King,
kneeling as he spoke.

The Archbishop, without manifesting the least emotion, raised his eyes
and hands to Heaven, prayed for a few moments in a low tone, then
stretching out his right hand, he said with a loud voice, "_Benedictio
Dei omnipotentis descendat super te et maneat semper_."

"_Amen_!" responded the King, who rose and accompanied the prelate to
the door of the apartment.

_CHAPTER XXXIX_.

_UNDER THE OAKS_.

On the day appointed for the interview between the two sovereigns,
Frederic ordered several magnificent tents to be pitched along the bank
of the river which was occupied by the German troops, while on the
French side, Louis and his suite merely sheltered themselves under a
clump of oak-trees.

The King wore a green hunting-dress, a plumed hat, and a short sword.
He had left the city under the pretext of hunting in a neighboring
forest; for he was anxious that the meeting should seem purely
accidental, at least, to the French people, who had a profound contempt
for the Antipope Victor, and were displeased with the alliance between
Louis VII. and the schismatic Barbarossa.

The annoyance caused him by this forced interview, was apparent on the
King's face, and his uneasiness increased as he gazed at the rows of
tents stretching far into the distance. Barbarossa, indeed, had come at
the head of a numerous army, in order the better to enforce his policy,
and all the princes of the Empire were ordered to rendezvous at Laon,
with their several contingents on a war-footing.

The King was accompanied by the Duke of Burgundy and the Counts of
Champagne and Nevers, the latter of whom was a bold and arrogant noble,
bitterly opposed to the papacy. A violent enemy of Alexander, he was
none the less so as regarded Victor, and if he favored an alliance
between Louis and the German Emperor, it was merely through a hope that
this would better enable him to enjoy the fruits of his robberies.

A little later the Primate of France, Peter of Tarantasia and Galdini
Sala, appeared near the bridge. The latter, since the fall of Milan,
had been residing at Alexander's court, and had now come with the
Archbishop of Tarantasia from Cluny, and had apparently been delegated
on some secret mission.

Louis breathed more freely as th