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 ponents of the situation before him. “Rudolph,” he reflected, “entertains especial designs against Bohemia. He has married his daughter to Otakar’s son, and his son to Otakar’s daughter to make the succession certain in his family. He has deprived Wenzel even of the most ordinary education, and surrounded him with agents that work only on his sensibilities, rendered unusually keen by religious terrorism. He is now advanced in life; and I judge troubled at finding impediments where he least expected them. The national mind of Bohemia, represented by Zawis, must be utterly crushed before it can wholly substitute Habsburg for Premysl.

“These subjects, I doubt not, occupy much of his thoughts; and as the occasion creates excitement he is certainly preparing to subdue any commotion in Moravia. Wenzel’s advisers on their part certainly are at work to secure the emperor’s co-operation in their plans to perfect the result of their conspiracy. Assuredly I shall find direct messengers from Prague at the imperial court. Rudolph must assist the completion of a design evidently his own.

“Wenzel would never venture on a step so dangerous and imperial, without the sanction of his father-in-law plainly intimated beforehand.

“I must regard the fate of Zawis as already decided. Therefore no delicacy or tenderness must impede my action, or embarrass my speech.”

Boppo and his attendant experienced no difficulty in discovering that a deputation from Prague was then at court, and only awaited the assembling of a