Christina would fain have slipped out unperceived, but the king was
already removing his cap from his fair curling locks, and bending his
head as he said, "The Frau Freiherrinn von Adlerstein? Fair lady, I
greet you well, and thank you in the Kaisar's name and mine for
having bred up for us two true and loyal subjects."
"May they so prove themselves, my liege!" said Christina, bending
low.
"And not only loyal-hearted," added Maximilian, smiling, "but ready-
brained, which is less frequent among our youth. What is thy book,
young knight? Virgilius Maro? Dost thou read the Latin?" he added,
in that tongue.
"Not as well as we wish, your kingly highness," readily answered
Ebbo, in Latin, "having learnt solely of our mother till we came
hither."
"Never fear for that, my young blade," laughed the king. "Knowst not
that the wiseacres thought me too dull for teaching till I was past
ten years? And what is thy double about? Drawing on wood? How now!
An able draughtsman, my young knight?"
"My nephew Sir Friedmund is good to the old man," said Gottfried,
himself almost regretting the lad's avocation.
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