"Your Highness will surely of grace accord us a day's journey through your dominions, and such little provender as we pay for. It is a peaceful errand so far as your Highness is concerned."
"Then you should have stayed at the frontier till my guards had asked my will."
"I crave pardon, your Highness. I was told in Fulda that your Highness had set out on a journey; and I might have waited an ill-convenient time."
"It is possible, colonel. You might have gone other ways."
"The Emperor would doubtless be surprised to hear that the Landgrave of Hesse Cassel was unwilling to give his men passage. But if it be denied to them, I have no instructions to make war."
"'Tis just as well!" said the Landgrave with a grim smile on his thick lips. "We have that about us that would stop you. You will go hence, if you so choose, across the river into Thüringia, and make what way you can. I am not ruler there. But further passage through Hesse you cannot have."
Nigel showed no outward perturbation. He took one level, leisurely survey of the officers of the Landgrave, saluted, and said—
"Adieu, your Highness! It will please the Emperor to know that the hospitality, which is denied to him, is accorded to the Duke of Friedland."
The point of this remark lay in this, that Count von Teschen was seated on horseback among the suite of the Landgrave.
"One does not inquire into the quality of the merchant, but into the goodness of his wares!" was the quick reply. For all his sternness the Landgrave looked into Nigel's eyes with a half smile, and made a little motion of farewell with gauntleted hand. He was a man and knew a man.