number of the relatives of the Emperor's love had become converts to
heresy. Therefore indulgence was demanded, and De Soto would have gladly
been convinced of Barbara's orthodoxy under such difficult circumstances.
But if it proved that the girl not only associated with heretics, but
inclined to their error, then gentle inaction must be transformed into
inexorable sternness, even though the rejuvenating power which she
exerted upon the monarch were tenfold stronger than it doubtless was;
for what danger might threaten the Emperor and Christianity from the
bewitching woman who seemed to love Charles, if she undertook to
influence him in favour of the new doctrines, which, in the eyes
of every earnest Dominican, the Emperor treated far too leniently!

He, the confessor, even knew that Charles considered several demands of
the Protestants to which the Church could never consent, entirely
justifiable--nay, that he deemed a reformation of the Church by the
council now in session at Trent extremely desirable.

Therefore it was a duty to withhold from him every influence which could
favour these pernicious views and wishes, and Pedro de Soto had also been
young and knew only too well what power so beautiful a woman, with such
bewitching gifts, could exert upon the man whose heart cherishes her.

So, immediately after Barbara's entrance into Prebrunn, the confessor
adopted his measures. Although the conversation to which he subjected
her had resulted in her favour, he had deemed it beneficial to place a
priest who was devoted to him among the ecclesiastics in the little
castle.

To surround her with spies chosen from the lay class was repugnant to his
lofty nature. Besides, they would have been superfluous; for a short