"Well, my excellent young friend," said Master Petrus, pressing his hand, "I will look on you as spiritually healed. It is a true and precious feeling--it is the earnest of a noble and mighty life of action which stirs in your somewhat enthusiastic and visionary soul. I would send you forth from this much too quiet and trying position, which only fosters your visionary turn of mind. I will not hesitate to enlist your whole strength in the service of king and country. Look! here is a private letter from the king." He reached a sealed packet to the Drost. Aage hastily broke the seal. "Ha! what means this? Of course you know the contents?" "I wrote the letter myself in the chancellor's absence. It is come to a breach with Junker Christopher; he must be disarmed and brought to subjection ere two more suns have set. You or Sir Ribolt are to beleaguer Holbek castle, and join the king before Kallundborg with a hundred lancers." Drost Aage gazed in dismay,--now on the letter,--now on Master Petrus. "Great God!" he exclaimed; "is it come to this? Civil war and bloody feud between the brothers!" "Be calm, noble Drost! That is precisely what you must prevent, but quietly,--cautiously. I have, besides, a question to put to you, by word of mouth, from the king." So saying, Master Petrus drew Aage further from the door, and continued in a low tone,--"Hath the junker caused any paper to be fetched from hence lately? Of the noble Sir Ribolt there is no suspicion; but is the castle chaplain to be counted on?" "For the commandant's loyalty I will answer," replied Aage; "the chaplain I know not. But what mean you?" "The letters Junker Christopher took from the chest in Lund sacristy he affirms that he deposited here, but they have been lately sought for in vain. They might now be of the greatest importance in the king's affair with Master Grand. The learned scholars I have brought hither with me are again to search the archives. I must myself haste to Sweden, to tranquillise the spirits there. You know the ambassadors left us in haste. We are on doubtful terms with their court; the negotiations are broken off. The king went too far in his anger at Grand's flight. He now wants to carry every thing through by force. It is come to a breach also with the Dukes of Sleswig--the cardinal hath left the court, he menaces to use his fearful authority." "Misfortune upon misfortune!" exclaimed Aage. "Great Heaven! what will be the end of all this?"