Her son Conrad had no cause to complain of lack of affection from his
mother, but the victor of Lepanto was to her the all-animating sun, the
former only a friendly little star. Besides, she rarely saw him now, as
he was studying in Lowen.

As she had modelled her housekeeping after that of the Castilian nobles,
and her guests almost exclusively belonged to the royal party, she also
sought Spanish houses or those of the city magistrates who were partisans
of the King.

News of her son would be most fully supplied there, and many an officer
whom she met had served under her John, and willingly told the mother
what he admired and had learned from him. The young Duke of
Ferdinandina, a Spanish colonel, who had studied with John in Alcala,
and then fought by his side at the conquest of Tunis, stirred her heart
most deeply by his enthusiastic admiration for the comrade who was his
superior in every respect.

All the pictures of Don John, the young officer who had shared his tent
declared, gave a very faint idea of his wonderful beauty and bewitching
chivalrous grace. Not only women's hearts rushed to him; his frank,
lovable nature also won men. As a rider in the tournament, in games of
ball and quarter staff, he had no peer; for his magnificently formed body
was like steel, and he himself had seen Don John share in playing racket
for six hours in succession with the utmost eagerness, and then show no
more fatigue than a fish does in water. But he was also sure of success
where proof of intellect must be given. He did not understand where Don
John had found time to learn to speak French, German, and Italian.
Moreover, he was thoroughly the great noble. On the pilgrimage which he