them?"

"I fear not," said the Emperor with the ghost of a smile. "In their
disappointment they might break up your puppets and leave you fastened to
a tree for the wolves to devour. Such things have been done. I will give
you safe conduct and send you on with a company of merchants and soldiers,
if you will carry a message for me. Henry the Lion is delaying too long
with his answer. Tell him that the time has passed for trifling."

"Who," said Giovanni, wonderingly, "could dream of trifling with your
expressed wish?"

"Henry dreams, but he will awake," said the Emperor curtly. "Hark you--you
seem to be a clever mountebank, and I know what power fellows of your sort
have over the mob--add to your play lines to be spoken by your puppet
King. They should convey this meaning--that although he is a King he is
but a puppet incapable of independent action. Puppets that go wrong are
broken up and burned in the fire. My will is the law for my realm. Saxony
shall be taught that law as Milan was taught, if Henry dares disobey."

Writing a brief sentence or two on his tablets, the Emperor affixed his
signet and gave the missive to Giovanni. "That shall be your proof that
you come from me. Stefano tells me that you go on into Lombardy. Forget
not the meaning of your puppet-show when you reach those rebellious
states. They have been chastised once or twice before."

Giovanni was left alone. On the morrow he took his departure for Saxony
and did his errand. The Duke of Saxony remained at home, and Barbarossa
went on without his aid to meet defeat at Legnano. Giovanni met Stefano by
chance in Venice when the Emperor went there to sign the peace treaty.