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 assured 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 assurance 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.”