He, who had cherished the proud feeling of uniting in himself, his own imperial power, the temporal and ecclesiastical sovereignty over all Christendom, would now willingly have changed places with the bronzed, sinewy halberdiers who were presenting arms to him along the sides of the staircase.  Yet he waved back Luis Quijada with an angry glance and the sharp query, “Who summoned you?” when, in an attitude of humble entreaty, he ventured to offer him the support of his strong arm.  Still, pain. compelled him to pause at every third step, and ever and anon to lean upon the strong hip of his royal sister.

Queen Mary gladly rendered him the service, and, as she gazed into his face, wan with anxiety and suffering, and thought of the beautiful surprise which she had in store, she waved back, unnoticed by her royal brother, the pages and courtiers who were following close behind.  Then looking up at him, she murmured: 

“How you must suffer, Carlos!  But happiness will surely follow the martyrdom.  Only a few steps, a few minutes more, and you will again look life in the face with joyous courage.  You will not believe it?  Yet it is true.  I would even be inclined to wager my own salvation upon it.”

The Emperor shook his head dejectedly, and answered bitterly: 

“Such things should not be trifled with; besides, you would lose your wager.  Joyous courage, Querida, was buried long ago, and too many cares insure its having no resurrection.  The good gifts which Heaven formerly permitted me to enjoy have lost their zest; instead of bread, it now gives me stones.  The best enjoyment it still grants me—­I am honest and not ungrateful in saying so—­is a well-prepared meal.  Laugh, if you choose!  If moralists and philosophers heard me, they would frown.  But the consumption of good things affords them pleasure too.  It’s a pity that satiety so speedily ends it.”

While speaking, he again descended a few steps, but the Queen, supporting him with the utmost solicitude, answered cheerily: 

“The baser senses, with taste at their head, and the higher ones of sight and hearing, I know, are all placed by your Majesty in the same regiment, with equal rank; your obedient servant, on the contrary, bestows the commissions of officers only on the higher ones.  That seems to me the correct way, and I don’t relinquish the hope of winning for it the approval of the greatest general and most tasteful connoisseur of life.”

“If the new cook keeps his promise, certainly not,” replied Charles, entering into his sister’s tone.  “De Rye asserts that he is peerless.  We shall see.  As to the senses, they all have an equal share in enabling us to receive our impressions and form an opinion from them.  Why should the tongue and the palate—­But stay!  Who the devil can philosophize with such twinges in the foot?”

“Besides, that can be done much better,” replied the Queen, patting the sufferer’s arm affectionately, “while the five unequal brothers are performing the duties of their offices.  The saints be praised!  Here we are at the bottom.  No, Carlos, no!  Not through the chapel!  The stone flags there are so hard and cold.”