This eBook was produced by David Widger <widger@cecomet.net>
[NOTE: There is a short list of bookmarks, or pointers, at the end of thefile for those who may wish to sample the author's ideas before making anentire meal of them. D.W.]
By Georg Ebers
After this conversation the two men who, in different positions, stoodnearest to the Emperor Charles, placed no obstacle in Barbara's way.
The third—the Bishop of Arras—also showed a friendly spirit toward theEmperor's love affair. True, he had not been taken into his confidence,but he rarely failed to be present when Barbara sang with the boy choir,or alone, in the Golden Cross, before the monarch or distinguishedguests.
Charles summoned her there almost daily, and always at different hours.
This was done to strengthen the courtiers and the citizens of Ratisbon inthe belief that Barbara owed his favour solely to her singing.
Granvelle, who appreciated and was interested in music as well as inpainting and sculpture, found real pleasure in listening to Barbara,yet while doing so he did not forget that she might be of service to him.If she only remained on good terms with him she would, he was sure ofthat, whether willing or not, be used as his tool.
Spite of his nine-and-twenty years, he forbade himself to cherish anyother wishes, because he would have regarded it treachery to the royalmaster whom he served with faithful devotion. But, as he acceptedgreat gifts without ever allowing himself to be tempted to treason orforgetfulness of duty, so he did not reject little tokens of friendlinessfrom Barbara, and of these she showed no lack. The young Bishop of Arraswas also an extremely fine-looking man, whose clever brain and bright,penetrating glance harmonized with his great intellect and his position.Wolf had already told her how much the monarch regarded the opinion ofthis counsellor.
The fourth person whose good will had been represented to her as valuablewas the almoner, Pedro de Soto; but he, who usually understood how to payhomage to beautiful women in the most delicate manner, kept rigidlyaloof.
True, he had placed no obstacle in the way of the late kindling of theheart of his imperial master, but since his servant's report, from whichit appeared that Barbara was on friendly terms with heretics, andtherefore cherished but a lukewarm devotion to her own faith, she was nolonger the same to him. In Spain this would have been enough to deliverher to the Holy Inquisition. Here, however, matters were different.Everywhere he saw the lambs associating with the wolves, and the largernumber of the relatives of the Emperor's love had become converts toheresy. Therefore indulgence was demanded, and De Soto would have gladlybeen convinced of Barbara's orthodoxy under such difficult circumstances.But if it proved that the girl not only associated with heretics, butinclined to their error, then gentle inaction must be transformed intoinexorable sternness, even though the rejuvenating power which sheexerted upon the monarch were tenfold stronger than it doubtless was;for what danger might threaten the Emperor and Christianity from thebewitching woman who seemed to love Charles, if she undertook toinfluence him in favour of the new doctrines, which, in the eyesof every earnest Dominican, the Emperor treated far too leniently!
He, the confessor, even knew that Charles considered several demands ofthe Protestants to which the Church could never consent, en