These
three men were present at the banquet, which they had fixed upon as the
occasion for carrying out their plot.
The feast over, the three men rose and walked with the boy monarch to a
window of the palace that overlooked the Rhine. On the waters before
them rode at anchor a handsome vessel, which the child looked upon with
eyes of delight.
[Illustration: SCENE OF MONASTIC LIFE.]
"Would you like to see it closer?" asked Hanno. "I will take you on
board, if you wish."
"Oh, will you?" pleaded the boy. "I shall be so glad."
The three conspirators walked with him to the stream, and rowed out to
the vessel, the empress viewing them without suspicion of their design.
But her doubts were aroused when she saw that the anchor had been raised
and that the sails of the vessel were being set. Filled with sudden
alarm she left the palace and hastened to the shore, just as the
kidnapping craft began to move down the waters of the stream.
At the same moment young Henry, who had until now been absorbed in
gazing delightedly about the vessel, saw what was being done, and heard
his mother's cries.
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