The mayor shut himself up in his tower, waiting with great dignity for the stranger to make the first visit; but the inhabitants were soon surprised to see him call twice at the Golden Gull in vain, and at evening lie in wait for a bow from the stranger, as he sat at the half-open window. From this the gossips inferred that the great man had made his high rank known to the lord mayor. They were mistaken. A messenger sent by the stranger presented himself at the mayor’s office to get his passport signed, and the mayor noticed upon the green seal two crossed hands supporting an ermine mantle, surmounted by a count’s coronet upon a shield, from which depended the collars of the Orders of the Elephant and the Dannebrog. This was enough for the mayor, who was most desirous of obtaining from the chancellor the lord mayoralty of Throndhjem. But his advances were useless, for the great man would see no one. The second day of the traveller’s stay in Loevig was drawing to its close, when the landlord entered his room, saying with a low bow that the messenger expected by his Grace had arrived. “Very well,” said his Grace; “let him come up.” A moment later the messenger entered, carefully closed the door, then bowing to the ground before the stranger, who had half turned toward him, waited in respectful silence until he should be addressed. “I expected you this morning,” said the stranger; “what detained you?” “The interests of your Grace, Count; have I another thought?” “How is Elphega? How is Frederic?” “They are well.” “Good! good!” broke in the master; “have you nothing more interesting to tell me? What is the news at Throndhjem?” “Nothing, except that Baron Thorwick arrived there yesterday.” “Yes, I know that he wanted to consult that old Mecklenburger, Levin, about his marriage. Do you know the result of his interview with the governor?” “To-day at noon, when I left, he had not yet seen the general.” “What! and he arrived last night! You surprise me, Musdœmon. And had he seen the countess?” “Still less, sir.” “Then you saw him?” “No, noble master; besides, I do not know him.” “And how, if no one has seen him, do you know that he is in Throndhjem?” “Through his servant, who was at the governor’s palace yesterday.” “But he,--did he go elsewhere?” “His servant declares that as soon as he arrived, he set off for Munkholm, after first visiting the Spladgest.” The count’s eye flashed fire. “For Munkholm! For Schumacker’s prison! Are you positive? I always suspected that honest Levin of being a traitor. For Munkholm! What can be the attraction there? Did he want to ask Schumacker’s advice also? Did he--” “Noble lord,” interrupted Musdœmon, “it is by no means certain that he went there.” “What! Then why did you say so? Are you trifling with me?” “Pardon me, your Grace! I merely repeated what the baron’s servant said. But Mr. Frederic, who was on duty yesterday at Munkholm, saw nothing of Baron Ordener.”