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Castleman's words concerning Yolanda's residence under his roof came back and convinced me that my absurd theory concerning her identity was the dream of a madman. "She happened to be near the bridge?" I asked, with significant emphasis. "Perhaps I should not have used the word 'happened," returned Max. "I thought as much. What did she have to say for herself, Max?"
Since it was on the opposite side of the river, one could reach the Postern, from Castleman's house, only by going up to the town bridge and back to the castle by the street that followed the north side of the Cologne. We all walked to the upper end of the garden, and stood leaning against the low stone wall at the river's edge.
True to his promise, Hymbercourt went to Castleman's that evening, but he had learned nothing and had thought out no plan of action. Two days passed and there was another consultation. Still the mystery was as far from solution as on the day of its birth. Yolanda was in tribulation, and declared that she would take the matter into her own hands.
We meant to give our Italian friends a hot welcome if they attacked us, though we had, in truth, little fear of an open assault. We dreaded more a dagger thrust in the back, or trouble from court through the machinations of Campo-Basso. The next morning Max sent one of our Irishmen to Castleman's house with a verbal message to Fräulein Castleman.
A kind providence had led us a half-hundred leagues out of our road, through wounds and hardships, to Basel; but that quiet city might after all prove to be the open doorway to Max's fortune. My air-castle was of this architecture: Max would win old Castleman's favor an easy task.
I, however, kept my eyes and ears open to what occurred between them. "Yes," returned the princess, haughtily, "I remember you so addressed me. I have heard of the person to whom you refer. She is, I believe, a niece of one Castleman, a burgher of Peronne. I know Castleman's daughter a simple creature, with no pretence of being else. It has been said that what do they call her?
Even with Castleman's words always ringing in my ears, I was constantly in doubt. "There is no reason why one should deliberately hasten the day of one's thralldom," said Yolanda, softly. "If one may be free and happy for an hour without breaking those terrible chains of God's welding, is he not foolish to refuse the small benediction? The memory of it may sweeten the years to come."
With all my knowledge of the girl I did not know her strength. We reached Peronne during the afternoon and, of course, went early the same evening to Castleman's. We were greeted heartily by the good burgher, his wife, and his daughter. Twonette courtesied to Max, but when she came to me, this serene young goddess of pink and white offered me her cheek to kiss.
These knights have been arrested to gratify revenge for personal injury received and deserved by this traitorous Count Calli." "It is false," cried Campo-Basso. "It is true pitifully true, my lord," returned Hymbercourt. "This young knight was at the moat bridge near Castleman's House under the Wall talking with a burgher maid, Fräulein Castleman.
When we came up to them, we recognized the duchess and the princess. The duchess bowed smilingly, but the princess did not speak, though she looked in our direction. The cavalcade turned to the left, and went up a narrow street toward Cambrai Gate, evidently bound for the marshes. Max and I walked straight ahead toward the Cologne bridge, intending, as we had promised, to go back to Castleman's.
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