As soon as the door had closed behind Maurice, Charles, turning to
Granvelle, remarked, "The Saxon cousin returned our clasp of the hand
some what coldly, but the means of rendering it warmer are ready."

"The Elector's hat," replied the Bishop of Arras. "I hope it will
prevent him from making our heads hot, as the Germans say, instead of his
own."

"If only our brains keep cool," replied the Emperor. "It is needful in
dealing with this young man."

"He knows his Machiavelli," added the statesman, "but I think the
Florentine did not write wholly in vain for us also."

"Scarcely," observed the Emperor, smiling, and then rang the little bell
to have his valet summon Dr. Mathys.

The leech had returned from his visit to Barbara, and feared that the
burning fever from which she was suffering might indicate the
commencement of inflammation of the lungs.

Charles started up and expressed the desire to be conveyed at once in the
litter to Prebrunn; but the physician declared that his Majesty's visit
would as certainly harm the feverish girl as going out in such weather
would increase the gout in his royal master's foot.

The monarch shrugged his shoulders, and seized the despatches and letters
which had arrived. The persons about him suffered severely from his
detestable mood, but the dull weather of this gloomy day appeared also
to have a bad effect upon the confessor De Soto, for his lofty brow was