“By the Three Kings!” cried the Count Palatine, bringing his huge fist down on the table like the blow of a sledge hammer, “you are a man, and I glory that it is my privilege to vote for you.”

“I agree with my brother of Cologne,” said Treves, speaking for the first time, “that this young man does not properly weigh the inevitable result of his terrible words.  I vote, of course, with my Lord of Mayence, but such a vote will be most reluctantly given for a self-confessed burglar and incendiary.”

“Be not too hasty, gentlemen,” counseled Mayence.  “We are not met here to cast votes.  Your Highness, I complained a moment ago of lack of interest in your recital; I beg to withdraw that plea.  After having heard you I agree that the Countess was unjustly imprisoned.  She was accurate in her estimate of your character.”

“I think not, my Lord, I do not regard myself as burglar, incendiary, thief, or robber.  I call myself rather a restorer of stolen property.  I shed no blood, which in itself is a remarkable feature of action so drastic as mine.  The incendiarism was merely incidental, forced upon me by the fact that the Red Margrave tied up eighteen of my men, whom he proposed presently to hang.  I diverted his attention from this execution by the first method that occurred to me, namely, the firing of his Castle.  In my letter to you yesterday, my Lord, I promised to clear away certain obstacles from your path.  I therefore remove one, by saying that an object of this conference is my own renunciation of the Emperorship, thus while I thank my Lord Count for his proffered franchise, I quiet the mind of my Lord of Treves by assuring him his defection has no terror for me.  And now, my Lord of Mayence, will you listen carefully to my suggestion?”

“Prince Roland,” replied his Lordship, almost with geniality, “I have never heard so graphic a narrator in my life.  Proceed, I beg of you.”

“When our band of cut-purses set out from Frankfort, they supposed the gold was to be shared equally among us.  Mutiny taught me to use the arts of diplomacy, which I despise.  I hoped to attain such influence over them that they would agree to abjure wealth for the benefit of Frankfort.  I am happy to say that I accomplished my object, so that yesterday and to-day you have witnessed the results of my efforts; the relief of a starving city.  I merely removed the wealth of robbers to benefit those whom they robbed.  Knowing the dangerous feeling actuating this town against your Lordships, I caused proclamation to be made crediting this relief to the Archbishops.

“My Lord of Mayence, when yesterday I saw you appear on your own balcony, the most stern, the most dignified figure I ever beheld; when I heard the ringing cheers that greeted you; when I realized, as never before, the majesty of your genius, I cursed the stupid decree of Fate that denied me your friendship.  What could we not have accomplished together for the Fatherland?  I, with my youth and energy, under the tutelage of your wisdom and experience.  You tasted there, probably for the first time in your life, the intoxicating cup of popularity, yet it affected you no more than if you had drunk of the fountain in the Romerberg.