lines on his perplexed brow showing that he was endeavouring to adjust
the real and the ideal in his slow brain.

"A Countess, Herbert, who will joyfully exchange the privileges of her
station for the dear preference shown to the serving-maid."

A smile came to the lips of Von Schonburg as he held out his hands, in
which the Countess placed her own.

"My Lady Beatrix," he said, "how can I refuse my pardon for the first
encroachment on my liberty, now that you have made me your prisoner for
life?"

"Indeed, my captured lord," cried the girl, "you are but now coming to
a true sense of your predicament. I marvelled that you felt so
resentful about the first offence, when the second was so much more
serious. Am I then forgiven for both?"

It seemed that she was, and the Count insisted on returning to his
captivity, and coming forth the next day, freed by her commands,
whereupon, in the presence of all her vassals, he swore allegiance to
her with such deference that her advisers said to her that she must now
see they had been right in counselling his imprisonment. Prison, they
said, had a wonderfully quieting effect upon even the most truculent,
the Count being quickly subdued when he saw his sword-play had but
little effect on the chain. The Countess graciously acknowledged that
events had indeed proved the wisdom of their course, and said it was
not to be wondered at that men should know the disposition of a
turbulent man, better than an inexperienced woman could know it.