"She came to meet the three Archbishops."
"Really? For what purpose?"
"That they might in ecclesiastical form, and upon the highest ecclesiastical authority, announce her betrothal."
"Announce in Stolzenfels the betrothal of an English Princess, the daughter of one king and sister of another! Did she, then, marry a German?"
"Yes; she married the Emperor, Frederick II.; Frederick of Hohenstaufen."
Slowly the girl turned her head, and looked steadfastly at the Archbishop, who was gazing earnestly up the road as if to catch a glimpse of the Castle which had been the scene of the events he related.
Her face became pale, and a questioning wonder rose in her eyes. What did the Archbishop really mean by this latest historical recital? True, he was a man who had given much study to ancient lore; rather fond of exhibiting his proficiency therein when he secured patient listeners.
Could there be any secret meaning in his story of the English Princess who danced? Was there any hidden a.n.a.logy between the journey of the English Isabella, and the short trip taken that day by Hildegunde of Sayn? She was about to speak when the Archbishop made a slight signal with his right hand, and a horseman who had followed them all the way from Coblentz now spurred up alongside of his Lordship, who said sharply to the newcomer:
"How many of Treves" men are in Coblentz?"
"Eight hundred and fifty, my Lord."
"Enough to capture the town?"
"Coblentz is already in their possession, my Lord."
"They seem to be unarmed."
"Their weapons are stored under guard in the Church of St. Castor, and can be in the hands of the soldiers within a few minutes after a signal is rung by the St. Castor"s bells."
"Are there any troops in Coblentz from Mayence?"
"No, my Lord."
"How many of my men have been placed behind the Castle of Stolzenfels?"
"Three thousand are concealed in the forest near the hilltop."
"How many men has my Lord of Mayence within call?"
"Apparently only the scant half-dozen that reached Stolzenfels with him yesterday."
"Are you sure of that?"
"Scouts have been sent all through the forest to the south, and have brought us no word of an advancing company. Other scouts have gone up the river as far as Bingen, but everything is quiet, and it would have been impossible for his Lordship to march a considerable number of men from any quarter towards Stolzenfels without one or other of our hundred spies learning of the movement."
"Then doubtless Mayence depends on his henchman Treves."
"It would seem so, my Lord."
"Thank you; that will do."
The rider saluted, turned his horse towards the north, and galloped away, and a few moments later the little procession came within sight of Stolzenfels, standing grandly on its conical hill beside the Rhine, against a background of green formed by the mountainous forests to the rear.
This conversation, which she could not help but hear, had driven entirely from the mind of Hildegunde the pretty story of the English Princess.
"Why, Guardian!" she said, "we seem to be in the midst of impending civil war."
The Archbishop smiled.
"We are in the midst of an a.s.sured peace," he replied.
"What! with Coblentz practically seized, and three thousand of your men lurking in the woods above us?"
"Yes. I told you that Treves was no strategist. I suppose he and Mayence imagine that by seizing the town of Coblentz they cut off my retreat to Cologne. They know it would be useless in a crisis for me to journey up the river, as I should then be getting farther and farther from my base of supplies both in men and provisions, therefore the Archbishop of Mayence has neglected to garrison that quarter."
"But, Guardian, you are surely entrapped, with Coblentz thus held?"
"Not so, my child, while I command three thousand men to their eight hundred."
"But that means a battle!"
"A battle that will never take place, Hildegunde, because I shall seize something much more valuable than any town, namely, the persons of the two Archbishops. With their Lordships of Treves and Mayence in my custody, cut off from communication with their own troops, I have slight fear of a leaderless army. The very magnitude of the force at my command is an a.s.surance of peace."
They now arrived at the branching hill-road leading up to the gates of Stolzenfels just above them, and conversation ceased, but the Countess was fated to remember before the afternoon grew old the final words Cologne spoke so confidently.
VII
MUTINY IN THE WILDERNESS
It was a lovely morning in July when Prince Roland walked into the shadow of the handsome tower which to-day is all that survives of the Elector"s palace at Hochst, on the river Main. He found Greusel there awaiting him, but none of the others. When the two had greeted one another, the Prince said:
"Joseph, I determined several days ago to appoint you my lieutenant on this expedition."
"If you take my advice, Roland, you will do nothing of the kind."
"Why?"
"Because it may be looked upon as favoritism, and so promote jealously in the ranks, which is a thing to avoid."
"Whom would you suggest for the place?"
"Conrad Kurzbold."
"What! and run the risk of divided authority? I am determined to be commander, you know."
"Kurzbold, even if made lieutenant, would be as much under your orders as the rest of us. He is an energetic man, and you may thus direct his energy along the right path. From being a critic, he will become one of the criticised, giving him something to think about. Then your appointment of him would show that you bear no ill-feeling for what he said last night."
"You appear to think, Greusel, that it is the duty of a commander to curry favor with his following."