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V
THE COUNTESS VON SAYN AND THE ARCHBISHOP OF COLOGNE
It was high noon when that great Prince of the Church, the Archbishop of
Cologne, arrived at Castle Sayn, with a very inconsiderable following,
which seemed to indicate that he traveled on no affair of State, for on
such occasions he led a small army. The lovely young Countess awaited
him at the top of the Castle steps, and he greeted her with the courtesy
of a polished man of the world, rather than with the more austere
consideration of a great Churchman. Indeed, it seemed to the quick
apprehension of the girl that as he raised her fair hand to his lips his
obeisance was lower, more deferential, than their differing stations in
life justified.
He shook hands with Father Ambrose in the manner of old friend accosting
old friend, and nothing in his salutation indicated displeasure of any
sort in the background.
Perhaps, then, that sense of uneasiness felt by both the aged Father
Ambrose and the youthful Countess Hildegunde in the Archbishop's
presence came from their consciousness of conspiracy, resulting in the
ill-fated journey to Frankfort.
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