The Bishop Gero hastened to comply with the Emperor's wishes, whilst the latter explained to those present the crime of which Bonello had been guilty.
"If you consider our sentence unjust, speak, and the criminal shall be released," said he.
"Bonello is a valiant soldier, although he has drawn his sword in a bad cause," replied Otho. "Still, I implore you to pardon him for his daughter's sake."
"Pardon him, Sire. I fear your sentence may cause the death of two persons," said Henry, pointing to the pale and trembling Hermengarde.
"This time justice must take its course," answered Barbarossa.
"The sentence is perfectly just," added Werner, of Minden. "Who would deserve death, if traitors were allowed to go unpunished?"
The two other bishops nodded in token of approval; they never dissented from any apparent desire of Barbarossa.
"You perceive, my lord Abbot, that it is impossible for us to pardon----"
He interrupted himself abruptly at the sight of Hermengarde, who fell fainting upon a chair.
"Enough of this, my lord Conrad, you may withdraw," and he motioned that they should take away the girl.
At this moment Erwin advanced, already deeply interested in Hermengarde's suffering; his godfather's stern refusal to her appeals affected him painfully. Bowing to the Emperor, with a bright flush upon his face, he said,--
"Pardon, Sire, if I venture to recall to Your Majesty's memory the recent battle, and the promise then made to grant me a favor."
"Ah! I trust that you will not make an improper use of my promise, Erwin?"
"An improper use--no, upon my honor. The favor which I now solicit, Sire, is the life and liberty of Bonello, this young girl's father."
"Is this petition serious, Count?" said Barbarossa, turning to him, angrily.
"It cannot be more so, Sire," answered the young man, promptly.
"Reflect well, boy, on what you ask," said the Emperor, fiercely. "Do not play with our promise--it is sacred; but----"
"If my petition were dictated by egotism, it might be considered an abuse of your Imperial promise; but I merely solicit the life and liberty of a man whose protection is necessary to his daughter's happiness. In this I merely perform an act of humanity, and perhaps of chivalry."