"But before proceeding farther in this matter, he asked the Countess if
she were prepared to swear that the copy forwarded to him was a full and
faithful rendition of the original. Did it contain every word the late
Archbishop had written in that letter?
"To this the Countess made no reply, and allowed to lapse any title she
might have to the town of Linz."
"I think," cried the girl indignantly, "that my ancestress was in the
right, refusing further communication with this ignoble Churchman who
dared to impugn her good faith."
The Archbishop smiled at her vehemence.
"I shall make no attempt to defend my astute predecessor. A
money-lender's soul tenanted his austere body, but what would you say if
his implication of the Countess Matilda's good faith was justified?"
"You mean that the copy which she sent of the Archbishop's letter was
fraudulent? I cannot believe it."
"Not fraudulent. So far as it went her copy was word perfect. She
neglected to add, however, a final sentence, and rather than make it
public forfeited her rightful claim to great possessions.
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