"Did you imprison Father Ambrose?"
"Yes; in the lowest wine cellar, but only for a day or two. I am very
sorry, Madam, but it was a stern necessity of war. He was meddling with
affairs he knew nothing of, and there was no time for explanations. He,
a man of peace, would not have sanctioned what there was to do even if I
had explained."
"He says," continued the girl, "that he saw you rob a merchant of a bag
of gold."
"That is untrue!" cried the Prince.
"My dear Hildegunde, what is the robbing of a bag of gold from a
merchant when he admits having stolen gold by the castle full?"
"I robbed no merchant," protested the Prince. "How could Father Ambrose
make such a statement?"
"He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted
windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at
the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."
Roland, whose brow had been knitted into an angry frown, now threw back
his head and laughed joyously.
"Oh, that was a mere frolic," he alleged.
Pages:
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485