“I have bestowed that task upon one less impulsive.  Father Ambrose is the searcher, and he and I will put our wise old heads together in consultation over them before entrusting them to the perusal of that impetuous young noblewoman, the present Countess von Sayn.”

The impetuous person referred to brought down her hand with a peremptory impact upon the table, and exclaimed emphatically: 

“My Lord Archbishop, I shall read those letters to-morrow.”

Once more the Archbishop placed his hand on hers, this time, however, clasping it firmly in his own.  There was no smile on his face as he said gravely: 

“My lady, to-morrow you will face three living Archbishops, more difficult, perhaps, to deal with than one who is dust.”

“Three!” she cried, startled, a gleam of apprehension troubling her fine eyes.  “My Lords of Mayence, Treves, and yourself?  Are they coming here?”

“The conclave of the Archbishops will be held at Castle Stolzenfels, the Rhine residence of my brother of Treves.”

“Why is this Court convened?”

“That will be explained to you, Hildegunde, by his Highness of Mayence.  I did not intend to speak to you about this until later, so I will merely say that there is nothing to fear.  I, being your guardian, am sent to escort you to Stolzenfels, and as we ride there together I wish to place before you some suggestions which you may find useful when the meeting takes place.”

“I shall faithfully follow any advice you give me, my Lord.”

“I am sure of it, Hildegunde, and you will remember that I speak as guardian, not as Councilor of State.  My observations will be requests and not commands.  You see, we have reversed the positions of my predecessor and the Countess Matilda.  It was always she who tendered advice, which he invariably accepted.  Now I must take the role of advice-giver; thus you and I transpose the parts of the former Archbishop of Cologne, and the former Countess of Sayn, who, I am sorry to note, have been completely banished from your thoughts by my premature announcement regarding the three living Archbishops.”

“Oh, not at all, not at all!  I am still thinking of those two.  Have you told me all you know about them?”

“Far from it.  Although I was handicapped in my reconstitution of their friendship by lack of the Archbishop’s letters, he had nevertheless made a note here and there upon the communications he received from the Countess.  Throughout the letters certain paragraphs are marked with a cross, as if for reperusal, these paragraphs being invariably most delicately and charmingly written.  But now I come to the last very important document, the only one of which a copy has been kept, written in the Archbishop’s own hand.