“Whomsoever disobeys this instrument forfeits his own life, and that of his family and followers, while his possessions will be confiscated by the State.”

Roland frowned.

“Doesn’t it please you?” asked Goebel, his suspicions returning.

“Well, it seems to me rather a plebeian action, to attack a man’s castle, and then, if captured, crawl behind a drastic threat like this.”

The merchant shrugged his shoulders.

“That’s a sentimental objection, but of course you need not use the document unless you wish, though I think if you see twenty-one looped ropes dangling in the air your hesitation will vanish.  Oh, not on your own account,” cried Goebel, as a sign of dissent from his visitor, “but because of those twenty fine young fellows who doubtless wait to drink wine with you.”

“That is true,” said Roland, with a sigh, folding up the stiff parchment, opening his cloak, and thrusting it under his belt, standing up as he did this.

“Bring me that parchment, bearing the Emperor’s signature and the Great Seal, and you will find the golden coins awaiting you.”

“Very well.  At what time this evening would it please you to admit me?”

“Friends of mine are coming to-night, but they are not likely to stop long; merely a few handshakes, and a few cups of wine.  I shall be ready for you when the Cathedral clock strikes ten.”

With this the long conference ended, and the aged servitor in the hall showed Roland into the Fahrgasse.

As the young man proceeded down the Weckmarkt into the Saalgasse, he muttered to himself: 

“The penurious old scoundrel!  God keep me in future from dealing with such!  To the very last he suspects me of being a forger, and has written this with his own hand, doubtless filling it with secret marks.  Still, perhaps it is as well to possess such a safeguard.  This is my loophole out of the coming enterprise, I fear we are all cowards, noble and merchant alike.”

He walked slowly past the city front of the Palace, cogitating some means of entering without revealing his identity, but soon found that even this casual scrutiny made him an object of suspicion.  He could not risk being accosted, for, if taken to the guard-room and questioned—­searched, perhaps, and the sword found on him—­a complication would arise adding materially to the difficulties already in his way.  Quickening his pace, he passed through the Fahrthor, and so to the river-bank, where he saw that the side of the Saalhof fronting the Main was guarded merely by one or two sentries, for the mob could not gather on the surface of the waters, as it gathered on the cobble-stones of the Saalgasse and the Fahrthor.

Retracing his steps, the Prince walked rapidly until he came to the bridge, advancing to the iron Cross which commemorates the fowl sacrifice to the devil, as the first living creature venturing upon that ancient structure.  Here he leaned against the parapet, gazed at the river facade of the Palace, and studied his problem.  There were three sets of steps from the terrace to the water, a broad flight in the center for use upon state occasions, and a narrow flight at either end; the western staircase being that in ordinary use, and the eastern steps trodden by the servants carrying buckets of water from the river to the kitchen.