Erastus, thou wilt thyself swear, that thou at
some time must have written this letter." After weighting down the
paper near the window with a stone he took his lamp and sought his bed,
saying: "The instruction in writing as given in Venice is worthy of all
commendation. Now we have in black upon white, that Erastus is an Arian
and therefore do not first require to turn white into black, as piped
this fledgeling."

CHAPTER IV.

The following morning the sun shone brightly on the small bow-window of
the room in the castle, in which Felice Laurenzano now dwelt. The Otto
Heinrich building stood before him in the bluish mist of the early
morning, and behind in vague outlines the Koenigsstuhl. The balmy air of
the park surrounding the castle poured in through the open window, and
the full notes of numerous birds sent forth an invitation to come out
and enjoy the freshness of the morning. In a cheery mood the young man
dressed himself, keeping ever before him the facade which was about to
become the future work of his life. But to-day his first duty must be
to seek out his brother whom he had not seen for so long, and who now
occupied an official dwelling in the Convent (Stift) at Neuburg.

The appointment of the young Jesuit to the Convent Neuburg, at that
time protestant, had a history. The Convent situated within half an
hour of Heidelberg was so rich and lay so immediately under the eyes of
the Kurfuerst, that it was impossible for it to escape "reform." Even
Frederic II. had stretched out his hand in that direction, whilst Otto
Heinrich had insisted on processions and clausure being done away with,
and granted the nuns permission to secede from their vows. Over those
that remained a counsellor of the Palatinate had been appointed as
Inspector, who confiscated the church property for the benefit of the
Palatinate treasury leaving to the ladies a meagre annuity. Thus far
the "reforms" had not been very serious. When however the Inspector
endeavored to alter the mode of life of these old ladies, he learnt to
know a power of resistance in these obstinate and headstrong females
against which he could not cope. As everywhere else, the nuns here
clung with greater tenacity to the old ways than did the monks or
priests. The female mind took no pleasure in the dogmatic discussions
of the reformers, and the reformation deprived these pious ladies of
everything for the which their hearts year