Aunt Lisbeth crossed brow and breast.

Margarita had commenced fingering the cameo, as if to tear it away; but Aunt Lisbeth’s finish made her laugh outright.

‘Where I see no harm, aunty, I shall think the good God is,’ she answered; ‘and where I see there’s harm, I shall think Satan lurks.’

A simper of sour despair passed over Aunt Lisbeth.  She sighed, and was silent, being one of those very weak reeds who are easily vanquished and never overcome.

‘Let us go on with the Tapestry, child,’ said she.

Now, Margarita was ambitious of completing a certain Tapestry for presentation to Kaiser Heinrich on his entry into Cologne after his last campaign on the turbaned Danube.  The subject was again her beloved Siegfried slaying the Dragon on Drachenfels.  Whenever Aunt Lisbeth indulged in any bitter virginity, and was overmatched by Margarita’s frank maidenhood, she hung out this tapestry as a flag of truce.  They were working it in bits, not having contrivances to do it in a piece.  Margarita took Siegfried and Aunt Lisbeth the Dragon.  They shared the crag between them.  A roguish gleam of the Rhine toward Nonnenwerth could be already made out, Roland’s Corner hanging like a sentinel across the chanting island, as one top-heavy with long watch.

Aunt Lisbeth was a great proficient in the art, and had taught Margarita.  The little lady learnt it, with many other gruesome matters, in the Palatine of Bohemia’s family.  She usually talked of the spectres of Hollenbogenblitz Castle in the passing of the threads.  Those were dismal spectres in Bohemia, smelling of murder and the charnel-breath of midnight.  They uttered noises that wintered the blood, and revealed sights that stiffened hair three feet long; ay, and kept it stiff!

Margarita placed herself on a settle by the low-arched window, and Aunt Lisbeth sat facing her.  An evening sun blazoned the buttresses of the Cathedral, and shadowed the workframes of the peaceful couple to a temperate light.  Margarita unrolled a sampler sheathed with twists of divers coloured threads, and was soon busy silver-threading Siegfried’s helm and horns.

‘I told you of the steward, poor Kraut, did I not, child?’ inquired Aunt Lisbeth, quietly clearing her throat.

‘Many times!’ said Margarita, and went on humming over her knee

’Her love was a Baron,
A Baron so bold;
She loved him for love,
He loved her for gold.’

‘He must see for himself, and be satisfied,’ continued Aunt Lisbeth; ’and Holy Thomas to warn him for an example!  Poor Kraut!’

‘Poor Kraut!’ echoed Margarita.

’The King loved wine, and the Knight loved wine,
And they loved the summer weather: 
They might have loved each other well,
But for one they loved together.’

‘You may say, poor Kraut, child!’ said Aunt Lisbeth.  ’Well! his face was before that as red as this dragon’s jaw, and ever after he went about as white as a pullet’s egg.  That was something wonderful!’ ‘That was it!’ chimed Margarita.