"God bless thee, lady!" said the officer, little used to deal with such
spirits, and touched by the mild resignation and piety of the speaker,
whose simple but winning manner moved him nearly to tears; "all of my
family, old as well as young, shall bethink them of thee and thine."

Adelheid's cheek resumed its paleness, and she quietly accompanied her
father, as he slowly proceeded towards the bark. A scene of this nature
did not fail to shake the pertinacity of those who stood at watch near the
gate. Of course they had nothing to say to any of the rank of Melchior de
Willading, who went into the bark without a question. The influence of
beauty and station united to so much simple grace as that shown by the
fair actor in the little incident we have just related, was much too
strong for the ill-trained feelings of the Neapolitan and his companions.
They not only let all the menials pass unquestioned also, but it was some
little time before their vigilance resumed its former truculence. The two
or three travellers that succeeded had the benefit of this fortunate
change of disposition.

The next who came to the gate was the young soldier, whom the Baron de
Willading had so often addressed as Monsieur Sigismund. His papers were
regular, and no obstacle was offered to his departure. It may be doubted
how far this young man would have been disposed to submit to these
extra-official inquiries of the three deputies of the crowd, had there
been a desire to urge them, for he went towards the quay, with an eye that
expressed any other sensation than that of amity or compliance. Respect,
or a more equivocal feeling, proved his protection; for none but the
pilgrim, who displayed ultra-zeal in the pursuit of his object, ventured
so far as to hazard even a smothered remark as he passed.