"'Not only prevent his communication with others, but do not listen to
him yourself. He will endeavor to persuade you that his name is Father
Ambrose, and that he is a monk in good standing with the Benedictine
Order. If he finds you care little for that, he may indeed pretend he is
of noble origin himself; that he is Henry von Sayn, and thus endeavor to
work on whatever sympathy you may feel for the aristocrats. But I assure
you he is no more a Sayn than I am Prince Roland.'

"'Indeed, Captain,' replied the host, 'I have as little liking for an
aristocrat as for a monk, so you may depend that I will keep him safe
enough until you order his release.'

"Now, my dear Hildegunde, you see there was no mistake on my part. This
young man asserted he knew nothing of me, and indeed, I believed he had
forgotten the time of my chaplaincy at the Court, often as he listened
to my discourses, yet all the time he knew me, and now, with an
effrontery that seems incredible, he showed no hesitation in proving me
right when I accosted him as son of the Emperor. I must in justice,
however, admit that he instructed the landlord when he paid him, to
treat me with gentleness, and to see that I had plenty to eat and drink.
When three days had expired, I was to be allowed my liberty.

"'He can do no harm then,' concluded the Prince, in his talk with the
landlord, 'for by that time I shall have succeeded or failed.'

"I was led down a narrow, broken stairway by the proprietor, and thrust
into a dark and damp cellar, partially filled with casks of wine, and
there I remained until set at liberty a few days ago.