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diff --git a/old/g121v10.txt b/old/g121v10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..86534cd --- /dev/null +++ b/old/g121v10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,14795 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook Margery, [Gred], by Georg Ebers, Complete +#121 in our series by Georg Ebers + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**EBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These EBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers***** + + +Title: Margery, [Gred],Complete + +Author: Georg Ebers + +Release Date: April, 2004 [EBook #5560] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on August 2, 2002] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + + + + + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARGERY, BY GEORG EBERS, ENTIRE *** + + + +This eBook was produced by David Widger <widger@cecomet.net> + + + +[NOTE: There is a short list of bookmarks, or pointers, at the end of the +file for those who may wish to sample the author's ideas before making an +entire meal of them. D.W.] + + + + + +MARGERY, Complete + +(GRED) + +A TALE OF OLD NUREMBERG + +By Georg Ebers + + +Translated from the German by Clara Bell + + + +Volume 1. + + + +TRANSLATOR'S NOTE: + +In translating what is supposed to be a transcript into modern German of +the language of Nuremberg in the fifteenth century, I have made no +attempt to imitate English phraseology of the same date. The difficulty +would in fact be insuperable to the writer and the annoyance to the +reader almost equally great. + +I have merely endeavored to avoid essentially modern words and forms of +speech. + + + + +INTRODUCTION: + +"PIETRO GIUSTINIANI, merchant, of Venice." This was the signature +affixed to his receipt by the little antiquary in the city of St. Mark, +from whom I purchased a few stitched sheets of manuscript. What a name +and title! + +As I remarked on the splendor of his ancestry he slapped his pocket, and +exclaimed, half in pride and half in lamentation: + +"Yes, they had plenty of money; but what has become of it?" + +"And have you no record of their deeds?" I asked the little man, who +himself wore a moustache with stiff military points to it. + +"Their deeds!" he echoed scornfully. "I wish they had been less zealous +in their pursuit of fame and had managed their money matters better!-- +Poor child!" + +And he pointed to little Marietta who was playing among the old books, +and with whom I had already struck up a friendship. She this day +displayed some strange appendage in the lobes of her ears, which on +closer examination I found to be a twist of thread. + +The child's pretty dark head was lying confidentially against my arm and +as, with my fingers, I felt this singular ornament, I heard, from behind +the little desk at the end of the counter, her mother's shrill voice in +complaining accents: "Aye, Sir, it is a shame in a family which has given +three saints to the Church--Saint Nicholas, Saint Anna, and Saint +Eufemia, all three Giustinianis as you know--in a family whose sons have +more than once worn a cardinal's hat--that a mother, Sir, should be +compelled to let her own child--But you are fond of the little one, Sir, +as every one is hereabout. Heh, Marietta! What would you say if the +gentleman were to give you a pair of ear-rings, now; real gold ear-rings +I mean? Thread for ear-rings, Sir, in the ears of a Giustiniani! It is +absurd, preposterous, monstrous; and a right-thinking gentleman like you, +Sir, will never deny that." + +How could I neglect such a hint; and when I had gratified the antiquary's +wife, I could reflect with some pride that I might esteem myself a +benefactor to a family which boasted of its descent from the Emperor +Justinian, which had been called the 'Fabia gens' of Venice, and, in its +day had given to the Republic great generals, far-seeing statesmen, and +admirable scholars. + +When, at length, I had to quit the city and took leave of the curiosity- +dealer, he pressed my hand with heartfelt regret; and though the Signora +Giustiniani, as she pocketed a tolerably thick bundle of paper money, +looked at me with that kindly pity which a good woman is always ready to +bestow on the inexperienced, especially when they are young, that, no +doubt, was because the manuscript I had acquired bore such a dilapidated +appearance. The margins of the thick old Nuremberg paper were eaten into +by mice and insects, in many places black patches like tinder dropped +away from the yellow pages; indeed, many passages of the once clear +writing had so utterly faded that I scarcely hoped to see them made +legible again by the chemist's art. However, the contents of the +document were so interesting and remarkable, so unique in relation to the +time when it was written, that they irresistibly riveted my attention, +and in studying them I turned half the night into day. There were nine +separate parts. All, except the very last one, were in the same hand, +and they seemed to have formed a single book before they were torn +asunder. The cover and title-page were lost, but at the head of the +first page these words were written in large letters: "The Book of my +Life." Then followed a long passage in crude verse, very much to this +effect. + + "What we behold with waking Eye + Can, to our judgment, never lie, + And what through Sense and Sight we gain. + Becometh part of Soul and Brain. + Look round the World in which you dwell + Nor, Snail-like, live within your Shell; + And if you see His World aright + The Lord shall grant you double Sight. + For, though your Mind and Soul be small, + If you but open them to all + The great wide World, they will expand + Those glorious Things to understand. + When Heart and Brain are great with Love + Man is most like the Lord above. + Look up to Him with patient Eye + Not on your own Infirmity. + In pious Trust yourself forget + For others only toil and fret, + Since all we do for fellow Men + With right good Will, shall be our Gain. + What if the Folk should call you Fool + Care not, but act by Virtue's Rule, + Contempt and Curses let them fling, + God's Blessing shields you from their Sting. + Grey is my Head but young my Heart; + In Nuremberg, ere I depart, + Children and Grandchildren, for you + I write this Book, and it is true." + + MARGERY SCHOPPER. + + +Below the verses the text of the narrative began with these words: "In +the yere of our Lord M/CCCC/lx/VI dyd I begynne to wrtre in thys lytel +Boke thys storie of my lyf, as I haue lyued it." + +It was in her sixty-second year that the writer had first begun to note +down her reminiscences. This becomes clear as we go on, but it may be +gathered from the first lines on the second page which begins thus: + + "I, Margery Schopper, was borne in the yere of our Lord M/CCCC/IV on + a Twesday after 'Palmarum' Sonday, at foure houris after mydnyght. + Myn uncle Kristan Pfinzing was god sib to me in my chrystening. My + fader, God assoyle his soul, was Franz Schopper, iclyped the Singer. + He dyed on a Monday after 'Laetare'--[The fourth Sunday in Lent.]-- + Sonday M/CCCC/IV. And he hadde to wyf Kristine Peheym whyche was my + moder. Also she bare to hym my brethren Herdegen and Kunz Schopper. + My moder dyed in the vigil of Seint Kateryn M/CCCC/V. Thus was I + refte of my moder whyle yet a babe; also the Lord broughte sorwe + upon me in that of hys grace He callyd my fader out of thys worlde + before that ever I sawe the lyght of dai." + +These few lines, which I read in the little antiquary's shop, betrayed me +to my ruin; for, in my delight at finding the daily journal of a German +housewife of the beginning of the fifteenth century my heart overflowed; +forgetting all prudence I laughed aloud, exclaiming "splendid," +"wonderful," "what a treasure!" But it would have been beyond all human +power to stand speechless, for, as I read on, I found things which far +exceeded my fondest expectations. The writer of these pages had not been +content, like the other chroniclers of her time and of her native town- +such as Ulman Stromer, Andres Tucher and their fellows--to register +notable facts without any connection, the family affairs, items of +expenditure and mercantile measures of her day; she had plainly and +candidly recorded everything that had happened to her from her childhood +to the close of her life. This Margery had inherited some of her +father's artistic gifts; he is mentioned in Ulman Stromer's famous +chronicle, where he is spoken of as "the Singer." It was to her mother, +however, that she owed her bold spirit, for she was a Behaim, cousin to +the famous traveller Behaim of Schwarzbach, whose mother is known to have +been one of the Schopper family, daughter to Herdegen Schopper. + +In the course of a week I had not merely read the manuscript, but had +copied a great deal of what seemed to me best worth preservation, +including the verses. I subsequently had good reason to be glad that I +had taken so much pains, though travelling about at the time; for a cruel +disaster befel the trunk in which the manuscript was packed, with other +books and a few treasures, and which I had sent home by sea. The ship +conveying them was stranded at the mouth of the Elbe and my precious +manuscript perished miserably in the wreck. + +The nine stitched sheets, of which the last was written by the hand of +Margery Schopper's younger brother, had found their way to Venice--as was +recorded on the last page--in the possession of Margery's great-grandson, +who represented the great mercantile house of Im Hoff on the Fondaco, and +who ultimately died in the City of St. Mark. When that famous firm was +broken up the papers were separated from their cover and had finally +fallen into the hands of the curiosity dealer of whom I bought them. And +after surviving travels on land, risk of fire, the ravages of worms and +the ruthlessness of man for four centuries, they finally fell a prey to +the destructive fury of the waves; but my memory served me well as to the +contents, and at my bidding was at once ready to aid me in restoring the +narrative I had read. The copied portions were a valuable aid, and +imagination was able to fill the gaps; and though it failed, no doubt, to +reproduce Margery Schopper's memoirs phrase for phrase and word for word, +I have on the whole succeeded in transcribing with considerable +exactitude all that she herself had thought worthy to be rescued from +oblivion. Moreover I have avoided the repetition of the mode of talk in +the fifteenth century, when German was barely commencing to be used as a +written language, since scholars, writers, and men of letters always +chose the Latin tongue for any great or elegant intellectual work. The +narrator's expressions would only be intelligible to a select few, and, +I should have done my Margery injustice, had I left the ideas and +descriptions, whose meaning I thoroughly understood, in the clumsy form +she had given them. The language of her day is a mirror whose uneven +surface might easily reflect the fairest picture in blurred or distorted +out lines to modern eyes. Much, indeed which most attracted me in her +descriptions will have lost its peculiar charm in mine; as to whether I +have always supplemented her correctly, that must remain an open +question. + +I have endeavored to throw myself into the mind and spirit of my Margery +and repeat her tale with occasional amplification, in a familiar style, +yet with such a choice of words as seems suitable to the date of her +narrative. Thus I have perpetuated all that she strove to record for her +descendants out of her warm heart and eager brain; though often in mere +outline and broken sentences, still, in the language of her time and of +her native province. + + + + +MARGERY + +CHAPTER I. + +I, MARGERY SCHOPPER, was born in the year of our Lord 1404, on the +Tuesday after Palm Sunday. My uncle Christan Pfinzing of the Burg, a +widower whose wife had been a Schopper, held me at the font. My father, +God have his soul, was Franz Schopper, known as Franz the Singer. He +died in the night of the Monday after Laetare Sunday in 1404, and his +wife my mother, God rest her, whose name was Christine, was born a +Behaim; she had brought him my two brothers Herdegen and Kunz, and she +died on the eve of Saint Catharine's day 1404; so that I lost my mother +while I was but a babe, and God dealt hardly with me also in taking my +father to Himself in His mercy, before I ever saw the light. + +Instead of a loving father, such as other children have, I had only a +grave in the churchyard, and the good report of him given by such as had +known him; and by their account he must have been a right merry and +lovable soul, and a good man of business both in his own affairs and in +those pertaining to the city. He was called "the Singer" because, even +when he was a member of the town-council, he could sing sweetly and +worthily to the lute. This art he learned in Lombardy, where he had been +living at Padua to study the law there; and they say that among those +outlandish folk his music brought him a rich reward in the love of the +Italian ladies and damsels. He was a well-favored man, of goodly stature +and pleasing to look upon, as my brother Herdegen his oldest son bears +witness, since it is commonly said that he is the living image of his +blessed father; and I, who am now an old woman, may freely confess that +I have seldom seen a man whose blue eyes shone more brightly beneath his +brow, or whose golden hair curled thicker over his neck and shoulders +than my brother's in the high day of his happy youth. + +He was born at Eastertide, and the Almighty blessed him with a happy +temper such as he bestows only on a Sunday-child. He, too, was skilled +in the art of singing, and as my other brother, my playmate Kunz, had +also a liking for music and song, there was ever a piping and playing in +our orphaned and motherless house, as if it were a nest of mirthful +grasshoppers, and more childlike gladness and happy merriment reigned +there than in many another house that rejoices in the presence of father +and mother. And I have ever been truly thankful to the Almighty that +it was so; for as I have often seen, the life of children who lack a +mother's love is like a day when the sun is hidden by storm-clouds. +But the merciful God, who laid his hand on our mother's heart, filled +that of another woman with a treasure of love towards me and my brothers. + +Our cousin Maud, a childless widow, took upon herself to care for us. +As a maid, and before she had married her departed husband, she had been +in love with my father, and then had looked up to my mother as a saint +from Heaven, so she could have no greater joy than to tell us tales about +our parents; and when she did so her eyes would be full of tears, and as +every word came straight from her heart it found its way straight to +ours; and as we three sat round, listening to her, besides her own two +eyes there were soon six more wet enough to need a handkerchief. + +Her gait was heavy and awkward, and her face seemed as though it had been +hewn out of coarse wood, so that it was a proper face to frighten +children; even when she was young they said that her appearance was too +like a man and devoid of charms, and for that reason my father never +heeded her love for him; but her eyes were like open windows, and out of +them looked everything that was good and kind and loving and true, like +angels within. For the sake of those eyes you forgot all else; all that +was rough in her, and her wide nose with the deep dent just in the +middle, and such hair on her lip as many a young stripling might envy +her. + +And Sebald Kresz knew very well what he was about when he took to wife +Maud Im Hoff when he was between sixty and seventy years of age; and she +had nothing to look forward to in life as she stood at the altar with +him, but to play the part of nurse to a sickly perverse old man. But to +Maud it seemed as fair a lot to take care of a fellow-creature as it is +to many another to be nursed and cherished; and it was the reward of her +faithful care that she could keep the old man from the clutch of Death +for full ten years longer. After his decease she was left a well-to-do +widow; but instead of taking thought for herself she at once entered on a +life of fresh care, for she undertook the duty of filling the place of +mother to us three orphans. + +As I grew up she would often instruct me in her kind voice, which was as +deep as the bass pipe of an organ, that she had set three aims before her +in bringing us up, namely: to make us good and Godfearing; to teach us to +agree among ourselves so that each should be ready to give everything up +to the others; and to make our young days as happy as possible. How far +she succeeded in the first I leave to others to judge; but a more united +family than we ever were I should like any man to show me, and because it +was evident from a hundred small tokens how closely we clung together +folks used to speak of us as "the three links," especially as the arms +borne by the Schoppers display three rings linked to form a chain. + +As for myself, I was the youngest and smallest of the three links, and +yet I was the middle one; for if ever it fell that Herdegen and Kunz had +done one thing or another which led them to disagree and avoid or defy +each other, they always came together again by seeking me and through my +means. But though I thus sometimes acted as peacemaker it is no credit +to me, since I did not bring them together out of any virtue or +praiseworthy intent, but simply because I could not bear to stand alone, +or with only one ring linked to me. + +Alas! how far behind me lies the bright, happy youth of which I now +write! I have reached the top of life's hill, nay, I have long since +overstepped the ridge; and, as I look back and think of all I have seen +and known, it is not to the end that I may get wisdom for myself whereby +to do better as I live longer. My old bones are stiff and set; it would +be vain now to try to bend them. No, I write this little book for my own +pleasure, and to be of use and comfort to my children and grandchildren. +May they avoid the rocks on which I have bruised my feet, and where I +have walked firmly on may they take example by an old woman's brave +spirit, though I have learned in a thousand ways that no man gains profit +by any experience other than his own. + +So I will begin at the beginning. + +I could find much to tell of my happy childhood, for then everything +seems new; but it profits not to tell of what every one has known in his +own life, and what more can a Nuremberg child have to say of her early +growth and school life than ever another. The blades in one field and +the trees in one wood share the same lot without any favour. It is true +that in many ways I was unlike other children; for my cousin Maud would +often say that I would not abide rule as beseems a maid, and Herdegen's +lament that I was not born a boy still sounds in my ears when I call to +mind our wild games. Any one who knows the window on the first floor, +at the back of our house, from which I would jump into the courtyard to +do as my brothers did, would be fairly frightened, and think it a wonder +that I came out of it with whole bones; but yet I was not always minded +to riot with the boys, and from my tenderest years I was a very +thoughtful little maid. But there were things; in my young life very apt +to sharpen my wits. + +We Schoppers are nearly allied with every worshipful family in the town, +or of a rank to sit in the council and bear a coat of arms; these being, +in fact, in Nuremberg, the class answering to the families of the +Signoria in Venice, whose names are enrolled in the Libro d'Oro. What +the Barberighi, the Foscari, the Grimaldi, the Giustiniani and the like, +are there, the families of Stromer, Behaim, Im Hoff, Tucher, Kresz, +Baumgartner, Pfinzing, Pukheimer, Holzschuher, and so forth, are with us; +and the Schoppers certainly do not rank lowest on the list. We who hold +ourselves entitled to bear arms, to ride in tournaments, and take office +in the Church, and who have a right to call ourselves nobles and +patricians, are all more or less kith and kin. Wherever in Nuremberg +there was a fine house we could find there an uncle and aunt, cousins +and kinsmen, or at least godparents, and good friends of our deceased +parents. Wherever one of them might chance to meet us, even if it were +in the street, he would say: "Poor little orphans! God be good to the +fatherless!" and tears would sparkle in the eyes of many a kindhearted +woman. Even the gentlemen of the Council--for most of the elders of our +friends were members of it--would stroke my fair hair and look at me as +pitifully as though I were some poor sinner for whom there could be no +mercy in the eyes of the judges of a court of justice. + +Why was it that men deemed me so unfortunate when I knew no sorrow and my +heart was as gay as a singing bird? I could not ask cousin Maud, for she +was sorely troubled if I had but a finger-ache, and how could I tell her +that I was such a miserable creature in the eyes of other folks? But I +presently found out for myself why and wherefore they pitied me; for +seven who called me fatherless, seventy would speak of me as motherless +when they addressed me with pity. Our misfortune was that we had no +mother. But was there not Cousin Maud, and was not she as good as any +mother? To be sure she was only a cousin, and she must lack something of +what a real mother feels. + +And though I was but a heedless, foolish child I kept my eyes open and +began to look about me. I took no one into the secret but my brothers, +and though my elder brother chid me, and bid me only be thankful to our +cousin for all her goodness, I nevertheless began to watch and learn. + +There were a number of children at the Stromers' house--the Golden Rose +was its name--and they were still happy in having their mother. She was +a very cheerful young woman, as plump as a cherry, and pink and white +like blood on snow; and she never fixed her gaze on me as others did, +but would frolic with me or scold me sharply when I did any wrong. +At the Muffels, on the contrary, the mistress was dead, and the master +had not long after brought home another mother to his little ones, a +stepmother, Susan, who was my maid, was wont to call her; and such a +mother was no more a real mother than our good cousin--I knew that much +from the fairy tales to which I was ever ready to hearken. But I saw +this very stepmother wash and dress little Elsie, her husband's youngest +babe and not her own, and lull her till she fell asleep; and she did it +right tenderly, and quite as she ought. And then, when the child was +asleep she kissed it, too, on its brow and cheeks. + +And yet Mistress Stromer, of the Golden-Rose House, did differently; for +when she took little Clare that was her own babe out of the water, and +laid it on warm clouts on the swaddling board, she buried her face in the +sweet, soft flesh, and kissed the whole of its little body all over, +before and behind, from head to foot, as if it were all one sweet, rosy +mouth; and they both laughed with hearty, loving merriment, as the mother +pressed her lips against the babe's white, clean skin and trumpeted till +the room rang, or clasped it, wrapped in napkins to her warm breast, as +if she could hug it to death. And she broke into a loud, strange laugh, +and cried as she fondled it: "My treasure, my darling, my God-sent jewel! +My own, my own--I could eat thee!" + +No, Mistress Muffel never behaved so to Elsie, her husband's babe. +Notwithstanding I knew right well that Cousin Maud had been just as fond +of me as Dame Stromer of her own babes, and so far our cousin was no way +different from a real mother. And I said as much to myself, when I laid +me down to sleep in my little white bed at night, and my cousin came and +folded her hands as I folded mine and, after we had said the prayers for +the Angelus together, as we did every evening, she laid her head by the +side of mine, and pressed my baby face to her own big face. I liked this +well enough, and I whispered in her ear: "Tell me, Cousin Maud, are you +not my real, true mother?" + +And she hastily replied, "In my heart I am, most truly; and you are a +very lucky maid, my Margery, for instead of only one mother you have two: +me, here below, to care for you and foster you, and the other up among +the angels above, looking down on you and beseeching the all-gracious +Virgin who is so nigh to her, to keep your little heart pure, and to +preserve you from all ill; nay, perhaps she herself is wearing a glory +and a heavenly crown. Look at her face." And Cousin Maud held up the +lamp so that the light fell on a large picture. My eyes beheld the +lovely portrait in front of me, and meseemed it looked at me with a deep +gaze and stretched out loving arms to me. I sat up in my bed; the +feelings which filled my little heart overflowed my lips, and I said in a +whisper: "Oh, Cousin Maud! Surely my mammy might kiss me for once, and +fondle me as Mistress Stromer does her little Clare." + +Cousin Maud set the lamp on the table, and without a word she lifted me +out of bed and held me up quite close to the face of the picture; and I +understood. My lips softly touched the red lips on the canvas; and, as I +was all the happier, I fancied that my mother in Heaven must be glad too. + +Then my cousin sighed: "Well, well!" and murmured other words to +herself; she laid me in the bed again, tucked the coverlet tightly round +me as I loved to have it, gave me another kiss, waited till I had settled +my head on the pillow, and whispered: "Now go to sleep and dream of your +sainted mother." + +She quitted the room; but she had left the lamp, and as soon as I was +alone I looked once more at the picture, which showed me my mother in +right goodly array. She had a rose on her breast, her golden fillet +looked like the crown of the Queen of Heaven, and in her robe of rich, +stiff brocade she was like some great Saint. But what seemed to me more +heavenly than all the rest was her rose and white young face, and the +sweet mouth which I had touched with my lips. Oh if I had but once had +the happiness of kissing that mouth in life! A sudden feeling glowed +in my heart, and an inward voice told me that a thousand kisses +from Cousin Maud would never be worth one single kiss from that lovely +young mother, and that I had indeed lost almost as much as my pitying +friends had said. And I could not help sorrowing, weeping for a long +time; I felt as though I had lost just what was best and dearest, and +for the first time I saw that my good cousin was right ugly as other +folks said, and my silly little head conceived that a real mother must be +fair to look upon, and that however kind any one else might be she could +never be so gracious and lovable. + +And so I fell asleep; and in my dreams the picture came towards me out of +the frame and took me in her arms as Madonna takes her Holy Child, and +looked at me with a gaze as if all the love on earth had met in those +eyes. I threw my arms round her neck and waited for her to fondle and +play with me like Mistress Stromer with her little Clare; but she gently +and sadly shook her head with the golden crownlet, and went up to Cousin +Maud and set me in her lap. + +"I have never forgot that dream, and often in my prayers have I lifted up +my heart to my sainted mother, and cried to her as to the blessed Virgin +and Saint Margaret, my name-saint; and how often she has heard me and +rescued me in need and jeopardy! As to my cousin, she was ever dearer to +me from that night; for had not my own mother given me to her, and when +folks looked at me pitifully and bewailed my lot, I could laugh in my +heart and think: 'If only you knew! Your children have only one mother, +but we have two; and our own real mother is prettier than any one's, +while the other, for all that she is so ugly, is the best.'" + +It was the compassion of folks that first led me to such thoughts, and as +I grew older I began to deem that their pity had done little good to my +young soul. Friends are ever at hand to comfort every job; but few are +they who come to share his heaviness, all the more so because all men +take pleasure in comparing their own fair lot with the evil lot of +others. Compassion--and I am the last to deny it--is a noble and right +healing grace; but those who are so ready to extend it should be cautious +how they do so, especially in the case of a child, for a child is like a +sapling which needs light, and those who darken the sun that shines on it +sin against it, and hinder its growth. Instead of bewailing it, make it +glad; that is the comfort that befits it. + +I felt I had discovered a great and important secret and I was eager to +make our sainted mother known to my brothers; but they had found her +already without any aid from their little sister. I told first one and +then the other all that stirred within me, and when I spoke to Herdegen, +the elder, I saw at once that it was nothing new to him. Kunz, the +younger, I found in the swing; he flew so high that I thought he would +fling himself out, and I cried to him to stop a minute; but, as he +clutched the rope tighter and pulled himself together to stand firm on +the board, he cried: "Leave me now, Margery; I want to go up, up; up to +Heaven--up to where mother is!" + +That was enough for me; and from that hour we often spoke together of our +sainted mother, and Cousin Maud took care that we should likewise keep +our father in mind. She had his portrait--as she had had my mother's-- +brought from the great dining-room, where it had hung, into the large +children's room where she slept with me. And this picture, too, left +its mark on my after-life; for when I had the measles, and Master Paul +Rieter, the town physician and our doctor, came to see me, he stayed a +long time, as though he could not bear to depart, standing in front of +the portrait; and when he turned to me again, his face was quite red with +sorrowful feeling--for he had been a favorite friend of my father, at +Padua--and he exclaimed: "What a fortunate child art thou, little +Margery!" + +I must have looked at him puzzled enough, for no one had ever esteemed me +fortunate, unless it were Cousin Maud or the Waldstromers in the forest; +and Master Paul must have observed my amazement, for he went on. "Yea, +a happy child art thou; for so are all babes, maids or boys, who come +into the world after their father's death." As I gazed into his face, +no less astonished than before, he laid the gold knob of his cane against +his nose and said: "Remember, little simpleton, the good God would not be +what he is, would not be a man of honor--God forgive the words--if he did +not take a babe whom He had robbed of its father before it had seen the +light or had one proof of his love under His own special care. Mark what +I say, child. Is it a small thing to be the ward of a guardian who is +not only Almighty but true above all truth?" And those words have +followed me through all my life till this very hour. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +Thus passed our childhood, as I have already said, in very great +happiness; and by the time that my brothers had left the leading strings +far behind them, and were studying their 'Donatus', Cousin Maud was +teaching me to read and write, and that with much mirth and the most +frolicsome ways. For instance, she would stamp four copies of each +letter out of sweet honey-cakes, and when I knew them well she gave me +these tiny little A. B. C. cakes, and one I ate myself, and gave the +others to my brothers, or Susan, or my cousin. Often I put them in my +satchel to carry them into the woods with me, and give them to my Cousin +Gotz's favorite hound or his cross-beak; for he himself did not care for +sweets. I shall have many things to tell of him and the forest; even +when I was very small it was my greatest joy to be told that we were +going to the woods, for there dwelt the dearest and most faithful of all +our kinsmen: my uncle Waldstromer and his family. The stately hunting- +lodge in which he dwelt as head forester of the Lorenzerwald in the +service of the Emperor and of our town, had greater joys for me than any +other, since not only were there the woods with all their delights and +wonders, but also, besides many hounds, a number of strange beasts, and +other pastimes such as a town child knows little of. + +But what I most loved was the only son of my uncle and aunt Waldstromer, +for whose dog I kept my cake letters; for though Cousin Gotz was older +than I by eleven years, he nevertheless did not scorn me, but whenever I +asked him to show me this or that, or teach me some light woodland craft, +he would leave his elders to please me. + +When I was six years old I went to the forest one day in a scarlet velvet +hood, and after that he ever called me his little "Red riding-hood," and +I liked to be called so; and of all the boys and lads I ever met among my +brothers' friends or others I deemed none could compare with Gotz; my +guileless heart was so wholly his that I always mentioned his name in my +little prayers. + +Till I was nine we had gone out into the forest three or four times in +each year to pass some weeks; but after this I was sent to school, and +as Cousin Maud took it much to heart, because she knew that my father had +set great store by good learning, we paid such visits more rarely; and +indeed, the strict mistress who ruled my teaching would never have +allowed me to break through my learning for pastime's sake. + +Sister Margaret, commonly called the Carthusian nun, was the name of the +singular woman who was chosen to be my teacher. She was at once the most +pious and learned soul living; she was Prioress of a Carthusian nunnery +and had written ten large choirbooks, besides others. Though the rule of +her order forbade discourse, she was permitted to teach. + +Oh, how I trembled when Cousin Maud first took me to the convent. + +As a rule my tongue was never still, unless it were when Herdegen sang to +me, or thought aloud, telling me his dreams of what he would do when he +had risen to be chancellor, or captain-in chief of the Imperial army, and +had found a count's or a prince's daughter to carry home to his grand +castle. Besides, the wild wood was a second home to me, and now I was +shut up in a convent where the silence about me crushed me like a too +tight bodice. The walls of the vast antechamber, where I was left to +wait, were covered with various texts in Latin, and several times +repeated were these words under a skull. + +"Bitter as it is to live a Carthusian, it is right sweet to die one." + +There was a crucifix in a shrine, and so much bright red blood flowed +from the Crown of Thorns and the Wounds that the Sacred Body was half +covered with it, and I was sore afraid at the sight--oh I can find no +words for it! And all the while one nun after another glided through the +chamber in silence, and with bowed head, her arms folded, and never so +much as lifting an eye to look at me. + +It was in May; the day was fine and pleasant, but I began to shiver, +and I felt as if the Spring had bloomed and gone, and I had suddenly +forgotten how to laugh and be glad. Presently a cat stole in, leapt on +to the bench where I sat, and arched her back to rub up against me; but I +drew away, albeit I commonly laved to play with animals; for it glared at +me strangely with its green eyes, and I had a sudden fear that it would +turn into a werewolf and do me a hurt. + +At length the door opened, and a woman in nun's weeds came in with my +cousin; she was the taller by a head. I had never seen so tall a woman, +but the nun was very thin, too, and her shoulders scarce broader than my +own. Ere long, indeed, she stooped a good deal, and as time went on I +saw her ever with her back bent and her head bowed. They said she had +some hurt of the back-bone, and that she had taken this bent shape from +writing, which she always did at night. + +At first I dared not look up in her face, for my cousin had told me that +with her I must be very diligent, that idleness never escaped her keen +eyes; and Gotz Waldstromer knew the meaning of the Latin motto with which +she began all her writings: "Beware lest Satan find thee idle!" These +words flashed through my mind at this moment; I felt her eye fixed upon +me, and I started as she laid her cold, thin fingers on my brow and +firmly, but not ungently, made me lift my drooping head. I raised my +eyes, and how glad I was when in her pale, thin face I saw nothing but +true, sweet good will. + +She asked me in a low, clear voice, though hardly above a whisper, how +old I was, what was my name, and what I had learnt already. She spoke in +brief sentences, not a word too little or too many; and she ever set me +my tasks in the same manner; for though, by a dispensation, she might +speak, she ever bore in mind that at the Last Day we shall be called to +account for every word we utter. + +At last she spoke of my sainted parents, but she only said: "Thy father +and mother behold thee ever; therefore be diligent in school that they +may rejoice in thee.--To-morrow and every morning at seven." Then she +kissed me gently on my head, bowed to my cousin without a word, and +turned her back upon us. But afterwards, as I walked on in the open air +glad to be moving, and saw the blue sky and the green meadows once more, +and heard the birds sing and the children at play, I felt as it were a +load lifted from my breast; but I likewise felt the tall, silent nun's +kiss, and as if she had given me something which did me honor. + +Next morning I went to school for the first time; and whereas it is +commonly the part of a child's godparents only to send it parcels of +sweetmeats when it goes to school, I had many from various kinsfolks and +other of our friends, because they pitied me as a hapless orphan. + +I thought more of my riches, and how to dispense them, than of school and +tasks; and as my cousin would only put one parcel into my little satchel +I stuffed another--quite a little one, sent me by rich mistress Grosz, +with a better kind of sweeties--into the wallet which hung from my +girdle. + +On the way I looked about at the folks to see if they observed how I had +got on, and my little heart beat fast as I met my cousin Gotz in front of +Master Pernhart's brass-smithy. He had come from the forest to live in +the town, that he might learn book-keeping under the tax-gatherers. We +greeted each other merrily, and he pulled my plait of hair and went on +his way, while I felt as if this meeting had brought me good luck indeed. + +In school of course I had to forget such follies at once; for among +Sister Margaret's sixteen scholars I was far below most of them, not, +indeed in stature, for I was well-grown for my years, but in age and +learning and this I was to discover before the first hour was past. + +Fifteen of us were of the great city families, and this day, being the +first day of the school-term, we were all neatly clad in fine woollen +stuffs of Florence or of Flanders make, and colored knitted hose. We all +had fine lace ruffs round the cuffs of our tight sleeves and the square +cut fronts of our bodices; each little maid wore a silken ribbon to tie +her plaits, and almost all had gold rings in her ears and a gold pin at +her breast or in her girdle. Only one was in a simple garb, unlike the +others, and she, notwithstanding her weed was clean and fitting, was +arrayed in poor, grey home spun. As I looked on her I could not but mind +me of Cinderella; and when I looked in her face, and then at her feet to +see whether they were as neat and as little as in the tale, I saw that +she had small ankles and sweet little shoes; and as for her face, I +deemed I had never seen one so lovely and at the same time so strange to +me. Yea, she seemed to have come from another world than this that I and +the others lived in; for we were light or brown haired, with blue or grey +eyes, and healthy red and white faces; while Cinderella had a low +forehead and with big dark eyes strange, long, fine silky lashes; and +heavy plaits of black hair hung down her back. + +Ursula Tetzel was accounted by the lads the comeliest maiden of us all; +and I knew full well that the flower she wore in her bodice had been +given to her by my brother Herdegen early that morning, because he had +chosen her for his "Lady," and said she was the fairest; but as I looked +at her beside this stranger I deemed that she was of poorer stuff. + +Moreover Cinderella was a stranger to me, and all the others I knew well, +but I had to take patience for a whole hour ere I could ask who this fair +Cinderella was, for Sister Margaret kept her eye on us, and so long as I +was taught by her, no one at any time made so bold as to speak during +lessons or venture on any pastime. + +At last, in a few minutes for rest, I asked Ursula Tetzel, who had come +to the convent school for a year past. She put out her red nether-lip +with a look of scorn and said the new scholar had been thrust among us +but did not belong to the like of us. Sister Margaret, though of a noble +house herself, had forgot what was due to us and our families, and had +taken in this grey bat out of pity. Her father was a simple clerk in the +Chancery office and was accountant to the convent for some small wage. +His name was Veit Spiesz, and she had heard her father say that the +scribe was the son of a simple lute-player and could hardly earn enough +to live. He had formerly served in a merchant's house at Venice. There +he had wed an Italian woman, and all his children, which were many, had, +like her, hair and eyes as black as the devil. For the sake of a "God +repay thee!" this maid, named Ann, had been brought to mix with us +daughters of noble houses. "But we will harry her out," said Ursula, +"you will see!" + +This shocked me sorely, and I said that would be cruel and I would have +no part in such a matter; but Ursula laughed and said I was yet but a +green thing, and turned away to the window-shelf where all the new-comers +had laid out their sweetmeats at the behest of the eldest or first of the +class; for, by old custom, all the sweetmeats brought by the novices on +the first day were in common. + +All the party crowded round the heap of sweetmeats, which waxed greater +and greater, and I was standing among the others when I saw that the +scribe's daughter Ann, Cinderella, was standing lonely and hanging her +head by the tiled stove at the end of the room. I forthwith hastened to +her, pressed the little packet which Mistress Grosz had given me into her +hand--for I had it still hidden in my poke--and, whispered to her: "I had +two of them, little Ann; make haste and pour them on the heap." + +She gave me a questioning look with her great eyes, and when she saw that +I meant it truly she nodded, and there was something in her tearful look +which I never can forget; and I mind, too, that when I passed the little +packet into her hand it seemed that I, and not she, had received the +favor. + +She gave the sweetmeats she had taken from me to the eldest, and +spoke not a word, and did not seem to mark that they all mocked at the +smallness of the packet. But soon enough their scorn was turned to glee +and praises; for out of Cinderella's parcel such fine sweetmeats fell on +to the heap as never another one had brought with her, and among them was +a little phial of attar of roses from the Levant. + +At first Ann had cast an anxious look at me, then she seemed as though +she cared not; but when the oil of roses came to light she took it firmly +in her hand to give to me. But Ursula cried out: "Nay. Whatsoever the +new-comers bring is for all to share in common!" Notwithstanding, Ann +laid her hand on mine, which already held the phial, and said boldly: "I +give this to Margery, and I renounce all the rest." + +And there was not one to say her nay, or hinder her; and when she refused +to eat with them, each one strove to press upon her so much as fell to +her share. + +When Sister Margaret came back into the room she looked to find us in +good order and holding our peace; and while we awaited her Ann whispered +to me, as though to put herself right in my eyes: "I had a packet of +sweetmeats; but there are four little ones at home." + +Cousin Maud was waiting at the convent gate to take me home. As I was +setting forth at good speed, hand in hand with my new friend, she looked +at the little maid's plain garb from top to toe, and not kindly. And she +made me leave hold, but yet as though it were by chance, for she came +between us to put my hood straight. Then she busied herself with my +neckkerchief and whispered in my ear: "Who is that?" + +So I replied: "Little Ann;" and when she went on to ask who her father +might be, I told her she was a scrivener's daughter, and was about to +speak of her with hearty good will, when my cousin stopped me by saying +to Ann: "God save you child; Margery and I must hurry." And she strove +to get me on and away; but I struggled to be free from her, and cried out +with the wilful pride which at that time I was wont to show when I +thought folks would hinder that which seemed good and right in my eyes: +"Little Ann shall come with us." + +But the little maid had her pride likewise, and said firmly: "Be dutiful, +Margery; I can go alone." At this Cousin Maud looked at her more +closely, and thereupon her eyes had the soft light of good will which I +loved so well, and she herself began to question Ann about her kinsfolk. +The little maid answered readily but modestly, and when my Cousin +understood that her father was a certain writer in the Chancery of whom +she had heard a good report, she was softer and more gentle, so that when +I took hold again of Ann's little hand she let it pass, and presently, at +parting, kissed her on the brow and bid her carry a greeting to her +worthy father. + +Now, when I was alone with Cousin Maud and gave her to understand that +I loved the scribe's little daughter and wished for no dearer friend, +she answered gravely; "Little maids can hold no conversation with any +but those whose mothers meet in each other's houses. Take patience till +I can speak to Sister Margaret." So when my Cousin went out in the +afternoon I tarried in the most anxious expectation; but she came home +with famous good tidings, and thenceforward Ann was a friend to whom I +clung almost as closely as to my brothers. And which of us was the chief +gainer it would be hard to say, for whereas I found in her a trusted +companion to whom I might impart every thing which was scarce worthy of +my brothers' or my Cousin's ears, and foremost of all things my childish +good-will for my Cousin Gotz and love of the Forest, to her the place in +my heart and in our house were as a haven of peace when she craved rest +after the heavy duties which, for all she was so young, she had already +taken upon herself. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +True it is that the class I learnt in at the convent was under the +strictest rule, and that my teacher was a Carthusian nun; and yet I take +pleasure in calling to mind the years when my spirit enjoyed the benefit +of schooling with friendly companions and by the side of my best friend. +Nay, even in the midst of the silent dwelling of the speechless Sisters, +right merry laughter might be heard during the hours of rest, and in +spite of the thick walls of the class-room it reached the nuns' ears. +Albeit at first I was stricken with awe, and shy in their presence, +I soon became familiar with their strange manner of life, and there was +many an one whom I learnt truly to love: with some, too, we could talk +and jest right merrily, for they, to be sure, had good ears, and we, +were not slow in learning the language of their eyes and fingers. + +As concerning the rule of silence no one, to my knowledge, ever broke it +in the presence of us little ones, save only Sister Renata, and she was +dismissed from the convent; yet, as I waxed older, I could see that the +nuns were as fain to hear any tidings of the outer life that might find a +way into the cloister as though there was nothing they held more dear +than the world which they had withdrawn from by their own free choice. + +For my part, I have ever been, and remain to the end, one of those least +fitted for the Carthusian habit, notwithstanding that Sister Margaret +would paint the beatitudes and the purifying power of her Order in fair +and tempting colors. In the hours given up to sacred teaching, when she +would shed out upon us the overflowing wealth and abundant grace of her +loving spirit--insomuch that she won not less than four souls of our +small number to the sisterhood--she was wont and glad to speak of this +matter, and would say that there was a heavenly spirit living and moving +in every human breast. That it told us, with the clear and holy voice +of angels, what was divine and true, but that the noise of the world and +our own vain imaginings sounded louder and would not suffer us to hear. +But that they who took upon them the Carthusian rule and hearkened to +it speechless, in a silent home, lending no ear to distant outer voices, +but only to those within, would ere long learn to mark the heavenly voice +with the inward ear and know its warning. That voice would declare to +them the glory and the will of the Most High God, and reveal the things +that are hidden in such wise as that even here below he should take part +in the joys of paradise. + +But, for all that I never was a Carthusian nun, and that my tongue was +ever apt to run too freely, I conceive that I have found the Heavenly +Spirit in the depths of my own soul and heard its voice; but in truth +this has befallen me most clearly, and with most joy, when my heart has +been most filled with that worldly love which the Carthusian Sisters shut +out with a hundred doors. And again, when I have been moved by that love +towards my neighbor which is called Charity, and wearied myself out for +him, sparing nothing that was my own, I have felt those divine emotions +plainly enough in my breast. + +The Sister bid us to question her at all times without fear, and I was +ever the foremost of us all to plague her with communings. Of a +certainty she could not at all times satisfy my soul, which thirsted for +knowledge, though she never failed to calm it; for I stood firm in the +faith, and all she could tell me of God's revelation to man I accepted +gladly, without doubt or cavil. She had taught us that faith and +knowledge are things apart, and I felt that there could be no more peace +for my soul if I suffered knowledge to meddle with faith. + +Led by her, I saw the Saviour as love incarnate; and that the love which +He brought into the world was still and ever a living thing working after +His will, I strove to confess with my thinking mind. But I beheld even +the Archbishops and Bishops go forth to battle, and shed the blood of +their fellow men with vengeful rage; I saw Pope excommunicate Pope--for +the great Schism only came to an end while I was yet at school; peaceful +cities in their sore need bound themselves by treaties, under our eyes, +for defence against Christian knights and lords. The robber bands of the +great nobles plundered merchants on the Emperor's highway, though they +were of the same creed, while the citizens strove to seize the +strongholds of the knights. We heard of many more letters of defiance +than of peacemaking and friendship. Even the burgesses of our good +Christian town--could not the love taught by the Redeemer prevail even +among them? And as with the great so with the simple; for was it love +alone that reigned among us maidens in a Christian school? Nay, verily; +for never shall I forget how that Ursula Tetzel, and in fellowship with +her a good half of the others, pursued my sweet, sage Ann, the most +diligent and best of us all, to drive her out of our midst; but in vain, +thanks to Sister Margaret's upright justice. Nay, the shrewish plotters +were fain at last to see the scrivener's daughter uplifted to be our +head, and this compelled them to bend their pride before her. + +All this and much more I would say to the good Sister; nay, and I made so +bold as to ask her whether Christ's behest that we should love our enemy +were not too high for attainment by the spirit of man. This made her +grave and thoughtful; yet she found no lack of comforting words, and said +that the Lord had only showed the way and the end. That men had turned +sadly from both; but that many a stream wandered through divers windings +from the path to its goal, the sea, before it reached it; and that +mankind was wondrous like the stream, for, albeit they even now rend each +other in bloody fights, the day will come when foe shall offer to foe the +palm of peace, and when there shall be but one fold on earth and one +Shepherd. + +But my anxious questioning, albeit I was but a child, had without doubt +troubled her pure and truthful spirit. It was in Passion week, of the +fifth year of my school-life--and ever through those years she had become +more bent and her voice had sunk lower, so that many a time we found it +hard to hear her--that it fell that she could no longer quit her cell; +and she sent me a bidding to go to her bedside, and with me only two of +us all: to wit my Ann, and Elsa Ebner, a right good child and a diligent +bee in her work. + +And it befell that as Sister Margaret on her deathbed bid us farewell for +ever, with many a God speed and much good council for the rest likewise, +her heart waxed soft and she went on to speak of the love each Christian +soul oweth to his neighbor and eke to his enemy. She fixed her eye in +especial on me, and confessed with her pale lips that she herself had +ofttimes found it hard to love evil-minded adversaries and those whose +ways had been contrary to hers, as the law of the Saviour bid her. +To those young ones among us who had made their minds up to take the veil +she had, ere this, more especially shown what was needful; for their way +lay plain before them, to walk as followers of Christ how bitter soever +it might be to their human nature; but we were bound to live in the +world, and she could but counsel us to flee from hate as the soul's worst +foe and the most cunning of all the devils. But an if it should befall +that our heart could not be subdued after a brave struggle to love such +or such an one, then ought we to strive at least to respect all that was +good and praiseworthy in him, inasmuch as we should ever find something +worthy of honor even in the most froward and least pleasing to ourselves. +And these words I have ever kept in mind, and many times have they given +me pause, when the hot blood of the Schoppers has bid me stoop and pick +up a stone to fling at my neighbor. + +No longer than three days after she had thus bidden us to her side, +Sister Margaret entered into her rest; she had been our strait but gentle +teacher, and her learning was as far above that of most women of her time +as the heavens are high; and as her mortal body lay, no longer bent, but +at full length in the coffin, the saintly lady, who before she took the +vows had been a Countess of Lupfen, belonged, meseemed, to a race taller +than ours by a head. A calm, queenlike dignity was on her noble thin +face; and, this corpse being the first, as it fell, that I had ever +looked on, it so worked on my mind that death, of which I had heretofore +been in terror, took the image in my young soul of a great Master to whom +we must indeed bow, but who is not our foe. + +I never could earn such praise as Ann, who was by good right at our head; +notwithstanding I ever stood high. And the vouchers I carried home were +enough to content Cousin Maud, for her great wish that her foster- +children should out-do others was amply fulfilled by Herdegen, the +eldest. He was indeed filled with sleeping learning, as it were, and I +often conceived that he needed only fitting instruction and a fair start +to wake it up. For even he did not attain his learning without pains, +and they who deem that it flew into his mouth agape are sorely mistaken. +Many a time have I sat by his side while he pored over his books, and I +could see how he set to work in right earnest when once he had cast away +sports and pastime. Thus with three mighty blows he would smite the nail +home, which a weaker hand could not do with twenty. For whole weeks he +might be idle and about divers matters which had no concern with +schooling; and then, of a sudden, set to work; and it would so wholly +possess his soul that he would not have seen a stone drop close at his +feet. + +My second brother, Kunz, was not at all on this wise. Not that he was +soft-witted; far from it. His head was as clear as ever another's for +all matters of daily life; but he found it hard to learn scholarship, and +what Herdegen could master in one hour, it took him a whole livelong day +to get. Notwithstanding he was not one of the dunces, for he strove hard +with all diligence, and rather would he have lost a night's sleep than +have left what he deemed a duty only half done. Thus there were sore +half-hours for him in school-time; but he was not therefor to be pitied, +for he had a right merry soul and was easily content, and loved many +things. Good temper and a high spirit looked out of his great blue eyes; +aye, and when he had played some prank which was like to bring him into +trouble he had a look in his eyes--a look that might have melted a stone +to pity, much more good Cousin Maud. + +But this did not altogether profit him, for after that Herdegen had +discovered one day how easily Kunz got off chastisement he would pray him +to take upon himself many a misdeed which the elder had done; and Kunz, +who was soft-hearted, was fain rather to suffer the penalty than to see +it laid on his well-beloved brother. Add to this that Kunz was a well- +favored, slender youth; but as compared with Herdegen's splendid looks +and stalwart frame he looked no more than common. For this cause he had +no ill-wishers while our eldest's uncommon beauty in all respects, and +his hasty temper, ever ready to boil over for good or evil, brought upon +him much ill-will and misliking. + +When Cousin Maud beheld how little good Kunz got out of his learning, in +spite of his zeal, she was minded to get him a private governor to teach +him; and this she did by the advice of a learned doctor of Church-law, +Albrecht Fleischmann, the vicar and provost of Saint Sebald's and member +of the Imperial council, because we Schoppers were of the parish of Saint +Sebald's, to which church Albrecht and Friedrich Schopper, God rest their +souls, had attached a rich prebendary endowment. + +His Reverence the prebendary Fleischmann, having attended the Council at +Costnitz, whither he was sent by the town elders with divers errands to +the Emperor Sigismund, who was engaged in a disputation with John Huss +the Bohemian schismatic, brought to my cousin's knowledge a governor +whose name was Peter Pihringer, a native of Nuremberg. He it was who +brought the Greek tongue, which was not yet taught in the Latin schools +of our city, not in our house alone, but likewise into others; he was not +indeed at all like the high-souled men and heroes of whom his Plutarch +wrote; nay, he was a right pitiable little man, who had learnt nothing of +life, though all the more out of books. He had journeyed long in Italy, +from one great humanistic doctor to another, and while he had sat at +their feet, feeding his soul with learning, his money had melted away in +his hands--all that he had inherited from his father, a worthy tavern- +keeper and master baker. Much of his substance he had lent to false +friends never to see it more, and it would scarce be believed how many +times knavish rogues had beguiled this learned man of his goods. At +length he came home to Nuremberg, a needy traveller, entering the city by +the same gate as that by which Huss had that same day departed, having +tarried in Nuremberg on his way to Costnitz and won over divers of our +learned scholars to his doctrine. Now, after Magister Peter had written +a very learned homily against the said Hans Huss, full of much Greek-- +of which, indeed, it was reported that it had brought a smile to the +dauntless Bohemian's lips in the midst of his sorrow--he found a patron +in Doctor Fleischmann, who was well pleased with this tractate, and he +thenceforth made a living by teaching divers matters. But he sped but +ill, dwelling alone, inasmuch as he would forget to eat and drink and +mislay or lose his hardly won wage. Once the town watch had to see him +home because, instead of a book, he was carrying a ham which a gossip had +given him; and another day he was seen speeding down the streets with his +nightcap on, to the great mirth of the lads and lasses. + +Notwithstanding he showed himself no whit unworthy of the high praise +wherewith his Reverence the Prebendary had commended him, inasmuch as he +was not only a right learned, but likewise a faithful and longsuffering +teacher. But his wisdom profited Herdegen and Ann and me rather than +Kunz, though it was for his sake that he had come to us; and as, touching +this strange man's person, my cousin told me later that when she saw him +for the first time she took such a horror of his wretched looks that she +was ready to bid him depart and desire the Reverend doctor to send us +another governor. But out of pity she would nevertheless give him a +trial, and considering that I should ere long be fully grown, and that a +young maid's heart is a strange thing, she deemed that a younger teacher +might lead it into peril. + +At the time when Master Pihringer came to dwell with us, Herdegen was +already high enough to pass into the upper school, for he was first in +his 'ordo'; but our guardian, the old knight Hans Im Hoff, of whom I +shall have much to tell, held that he was yet too young for the risks of +a free scholar's life in a high school away from home, and he kept him +two years more in Nuremberg at the school of the Brethren of the Holy +Ghost, albeit the teaching there was not of the best. At any rate Master +Pihringer avowed that in all matters of learning we were out of all +measure behind the Italians; and how rough and barbarous was the Latin +spoken by the reverend Fathers and taught by them in the schools, I +myself had later the means of judging. + +Their way of imparting that tongue was in truth a strange thing; for to +fix the quantity of the syllables in the learners' mind, they were made +to sing verses in chorus, while one of them, on whose head Father +Hieronymus would set a paper cap to mark his office, beat the measure +with a wooden sword; but what pranks of mischief the unruly rout would be +playing all the time Kunz could describe better than I can. + +The great and famous works of the Roman chroniclers and poets, which our +Master had come to know well in Italy--having besides fine copies of +them--were never heard of in the Fathers' school, by reason, that those +writers had all been mere blind heathen; but, verily, the common school +catechisms which were given to the lads for their instruction, contained +such foolish and ill-conceived matters, that any sage heathen would have +been ashamed of them. The highest exercise consisted of disputations on +all manner of subtle and captious questions, and the Latin verses which +the scholars hammered out under the rule of Father Jodocus were so vile +as to rouse Magister Peter to great and righteous wrath. Each morning, +before the day's tasks began, the fine old hymn Salve Regina was chanted, +and this was much better done in the Brothers' school than in ever +another, for those Monks gave especial heed to the practice of good +music. My Herdegen profited much thereby, and he was the foremost of all +the singing scholars. He likewise gladly and of his own free will took +part in the exercises of the Alumni, of whom twelve, called the Pueri, +had to sing at holy mass, and at burials and festivals, as well as in the +streets before the houses of the great city families and other worthy +citizens. The money they thus earned served to help maintain the poorer +scholars, and to be sure, my brother was ready to forego his share; nay, +and a great part of his own pocket-money went to those twelve, for among +them were comrades he truly loved. + +There was something lordly in my elder brother, and his fellows were ever +subject to his will. Even at the shooting matches in sport he was ever +chosen captain, and the singing pueri soon would do his every behest. +Cousin Maud would give them free commons on many a Sunday and holy-day, +and when they had well filled their hungry young crops at our table for +the coming week of lean fare, they went out with us into the garden, and +it presently rang with mirthful songs, Herdegen beating the measure, +while we young maids joined in with a will. + +For the most part we three: Ann, Elsa Ebner, and I--were the only maids +with the lads, but Ursula Tetzel was sometimes with us, for she was ever +fain to be where Herdegen was. And he had been diligent enough in +waiting upon her ere ever I went to school. There was a giving and +taking of flowers and nosegays, for he had chosen her for his Lady, and +she called him her knight; and if I saw him with a red knot on his cap I +knew right well it was to wear her color; and I liked all this child's- +play myself right well, inasmuch as I likewise had my chosen color: +green, as pertaining to my cousin in the forest. + +But when I went to the convent-school all this was at an end, and I had +no choice but to forego my childish love matters, not only for my tasks' +sake, but forasmuch as I discerned that Gotz had a graver love matter on +hand, and that such an one as moved his parents to great sorrow. + +The wench to whom he plighted his love was the daughter of a common +craftsman, Pernhart the coppersmith, and when this came to my ears it +angered me greatly; nay, and cost me bitter tears, as I told it to Ann. +But ere long we were playing with our dollies again right happily. + +I took this matter to heart nevertheless, more than many another of my +years might have done; and when we went again to the Forest Lodge and I +missed Gotz from his place, and once, as it fell, heard my aunt lamenting +to Cousin Maud bitterly indeed of the sorrows brought upon her by her +only son--for he was fully bent on taking the working wench to wife in +holy wedlock--in my heart I took my aunt's part. And I deemed it a +shameful and grievous thing that so fine a young gentleman could abase +himself to bring heaviness on the best of parents for the sake of a +lowborn maid. + +After this, one Sunday, it fell by chance that I went to mass with Ann to +the church of St. Laurence, instead of St. Sebald's to which we belonged. +Having said my prayer, looking about me I beheld Gotz, and saw how, as he +leaned against a pillar, he held his gaze fixed on one certain spot. My +eyes followed his, and at once I saw whither they were drawn, for I saw a +young maid of the citizen class in goodly, nay--in rich array, and she +was herself of such rare and wonderful beauty that I myself could not +take my eyes off her. And I remembered that I had met the wench erewhile +on the feast-day of St. John, and that uncle Christian Pfinzing, my +worshipful godfather, had pointed her out to Cousin Maud, and had said +that she was the fairest maid in Nuremberg whom they called, and rightly, +Fair Gertrude. + +Now the longer I gazed at her the fairer I deemed her, and when Ann +discovered to me, what I had at once divined, that this sweet maid was +the daughter of Pernhart the coppersmith, my child's heart was glad, for +if my cousin was without dispute the finest figure of a man in the whole +assembly Fair Gertrude was the sweetest maid, I thought, in the whole +wide world. + +If it had been possible that she could be of yet greater beauty it would +but have added to my joy. And henceforth I would go as often as I might +to St. Laurence's, and past the coppersmith's house to behold Fair +Gertrude; and my heart beat high with gladness when she one day saw me +pass and graciously bowed to my silent greeting, and looked in my face +with friendly inquiry. + +After this when Gotz came to our house I welcomed him gladly as +heretofore; and one day, when I made bold to whisper in his ear that I +had seen his fair Gertrude, and for certain no saint in heaven could have +a sweeter face than hers, he thanked me with a bright look and it was +from the bottom of his soul that he said: "If you could but know her +faithful heart of gold!" + +For all this Gotz was dearer to me than of old, and it uplifted me in my +own conceit that he should put such trust in a foolish young thing as I +was. But in later days it made me sad to see his frank and noble face +grow ever more sorrowful, nay, and full of gloom; and I knew full well +what pained him, for a child can often see much more than its elders +deem. Matters had come to a sharp quarrel betwixt the son and the +parents, and I knew my cousin well, and his iron will which was a by-word +with us. And my aunt in the Forest was of the same temper; albeit her +body was sickly, she was one of those women who will not bear to be +withstood, and my heart hung heavy with fear when I conceived of the +outcome of this matter. + +Hence it was a boon indeed to me that I had my Ann for a friend, and +could pour out to her all that filled my young soul with fears. How our +cheeks would burn when many a time we spoke of the love which was the +bond between Gotz and his fair Gertrude. To us, indeed, it was as yet +a mystery, but that it was sweet and full of joy we deemed a certainty. +We would have been fain to cry out to the Emperor and the world to take +arms against the ruthless parents who were minded to tread so holy a +blossom in the dust; but since this was not in our power we had dreams of +essaying to touch the heart of my forest aunt, for she had but that one +son and no daughter to make her glad, and I had ever been her favorite. + +Thus passed many weeks, and one morning, when I came forth from school, +I found Gotz with Cousin Maud who had been speaking with him, and her +eyes were wet with tears; and I heard him cry out: + +"It is in my mother's power to drive me to misery and ruin; but no power +in heaven or on earth can drive me to break the oath and forswear the +faith I have sworn!" + +And his cheeks were red, and I had never seen him look so great and tall. + +Then, when he saw me, he held out both hands to me in his frank, loving +way, and I took them with all my heart. At this he looked into my eyes +which were full of tears, and he drew me hastily to him and kissed me on +my brow for the first time in all his life, with strange passion; and +without another word he ran out of the house-door into the street. My +cousin gazed after him, shaking her head sadly and wiping her eyes; but +when I asked her what was wrong with my cousin she would give me no +tidings of the matter. + +The next day we should have gone out to the forest, but we remained at +home; Aunt Jacoba would see no one. Her son had turned his back on his +parents' dwelling, and had gone out as a stranger among strangers. And +this was the first sore grief sent by Heaven on my young heart. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +Many of the fairest memories of my childhood are linked with the house +where Ann's parents dwelt. It was indeed but a simple home and not to be +named with ours--the Schopperhof--for greatness or for riches; but it was +a snug nest, and in divers ways so unlike ever another that it was full +of pleasures for a child. + +Master Spiesz, Ann's father, had been bidden from Venice, where he had +been in the service of the Mendel's merchant house, to become head clerk +in Nuremberg, first in the Chamber of Taxes, and then in the Chancery, +a respectable post of much trust. His father was, as Ursula Tetzel had +said in the school, a luteplayer; but he had long been held the head and +chief of teachers of the noble art of music, and was so greatly respected +by the clergy and laity that he was made master and leader of the church +choir, and even in the houses of the city nobles his teaching of the lute +and of singing was deemed the best. He was a right well-disposed and +cheerful old man, of a rare good heart and temper, and of wondrous good +devices. When the worshipful town council bid his son Veit Spiesz come +back to Nuremberg, the old man must need fit up a proper house for him, +since he himself was content with a small chamber, and the scribe was by +this time married to the fair Giovanna, the daughter of one of the +Sensali or brokers of the German Fondaco, and must have a home and hearth +of his own. + + [Sensali--Agents who conducted all matters of business between the + German and Venetian merchants. Not even the smallest affair was + settled without their intervention, on account of the duties + demanded by the Republic. The Fondaco was the name of the great + exchange established by the Republic itself for the German trade.] + +The musician, who had as a student dwelt in Venice, hit on the fancy that +he would give his daughter-in-law a home in Nuremberg like her father's +house, which stood on one of the canals in Venice; so he found a house +with windows looking to the river, and which he therefore deemed fit to +ease her homesickness. And verily the Venetian lady was pleased with the +placing of her house, and yet more with the old man's loving care for +her; although the house was over tall, and so narrow that there were but +two windows on each floor. Thus there was no manner of going to and fro +in the Spiesz's house, but only up and down. Notwithstanding, the +Venetian lady loved it, and I have heard her say that there was no spot +so sweet in all Nuremberg as the window seat on the second story of her +house. There stood her spinning-wheel and sewing-box; and a bright +Venice mirror, which, in jest, she would call "Dame Inquisitive," showed +her all that passed on the river and the Fleisch-brucke, for her house +was not far from those which stood facing the Franciscan Friars. There +she ruled in peace and good order, in love and all sweetness, and her +children throve even as the flowers did under her hand: roses, auriculas, +pinks and pansies; and whosoever went past the house in a boat could hear +mirth within and the voice of song. For the Spiesz children had a fine +ear for music, both from their grandsire and their mother, and sweet, +clear, bell-like voices. My Ann was the queen of them all, and her +nightingale's throat drew even Herdegen to her with great power. + +Only one of the scribe's children, little Mario, was shut out from the +world of sound, for he was a deaf-mute born; and when Ann tarried under +our roof, rarely indeed and for but a short while, her stay was brief for +his sake; for she tended him with such care and love as though she had +been his own mother. Albeit she thereby was put to much pains, these +were as nothing to the heartfelt joys which the love and good speed of +this child brought her; for notwithstanding he was thus born to sorrow, +by his sister's faithful care he grew a happy and thankful creature. +Ofttimes my Cousin Maud was witness to her teaching of her little +brother, and all Ann did for the child seemed to her so pious and so +wonderful, that it broke down the last bar that stood in the way of our +close fellowship. And Ann's well-favored mother likewise won my cousin's +good graces, albeit she was swift to mark that the Italian lady could +fall in but ill with German ways, and in especial with those of +Nuremberg, and was ever ready to let Ann bear the burthen of the +household. + +All our closest friends, and foremost of these my worshipful godfather +Uncle Christian Pfinzing, ere long truly loved my little Ann; and of all +our fellows I knew of only one who was ill-disposed towards her, and that +was Ursula Tetzel, who marked, with ill-cloaked wrath, that my brother +Herdegen cared less and less for her, and did Ann many a little courtesy +wherewith he had formerly favored her. She could not dissemble her +anger, and when my eldest brother waited on Ann on her name day with the +'pueri' to give her a 'serenata' on the water, whereas, a year agone, he +had done Ursula the like honor, she fell upon my friend in our garden +with such fierce and cruel words that my cousin had to come betwixt them, +and then to temper my great wrath by saying that Ursula was a motherless +child, whose hasty ways had never been bridled by a loving hand. + +As I mind me now of those days I do so with heartfelt thankfulness and +joy. To be sure it but ill-pleased our grand-uncle and guardian, the +knight Im Hoff, that Cousin Maud should suffer me, the daughter of a +noble house, to mix with the low born race of a simple scrivener; but +in sooth Ann was more like by far to get harm in our house, among my +brethren and their fellows, than I in the peaceful home by the river, +where none but seemly speech was ever heard and sweet singing, nor ever +seen but labor and good order and content. + +Right glad was I to tarry there; but yet how good it was when Ann got +leave to come to us for the whole of Sunday from noon till eventide; when +we would first sit and chatter and play alone together, and talk over all +we had done in school; thereafter we had my brothers with us, and would +go out to take the air under the care of my cousin or of Magister Peter, +or abide at home to sing or have merry pastime. + +After the Ave Maria, the old organist, Adam Heyden, Ann's grand uncle, +would come to seek her, and many sweet memories dwell in my mind of that +worthy and gifted man, which I might set down were it not that I am Ann's +debtor for so many things that made my childhood happy. It was she, for +a certainty, who first taught me truly to play; for whereas my dolls, and +men-at-arms and shop games, albeit they were small, were in all points +like the true great ones, she had but a staff of wood wrapped round with +a kerchief which she rocked in her arms for a babe; and when she played a +shop game with the little ones, she marked stones and leaves to be their +wares and their money, and so found far greater pastime than we when we +played with figs and almonds and cloves out of little wooden chests and +linen-cloth sacks, and weighed them with brass weights on little scales +with a tongue and string. It was she who brought imagination to bear on +my pastimes, and many a time has she borne my fancy far enough from the +Pegnitz, over seas and rivers to groves of palm and golden fairy lands. + +Our fellowship with my brethren was grateful to her as it was to me; but +meseems it was a different thing in those early years from what it was in +later days. While I write a certain summer day from that long past time +comes back to my mind strangely clear. We had played long enough in our +chamber, and we found it too hot in the loft under the roof, where we had +climbed on to the beams, which were great, so we went down into the +garden. Herdegen had quitted us in haste after noon, and we found none +but Kunz, who was shaping arrows for his cross-bow. But he ere long +threw away his knife and came to be with us, and as he was well-disposed +to Ann as being my friend, he did his best to make himself pleasing, or +at least noteworthy in her sight. He stood on his head and then climbed +to the top of the tallest fruit-tree and flung down pears, but they smote +her head so that she cried out; then he turned a wheel on his hands and +feet, and a little more and his shoe would hit her in the face; and when +he marked that he was but troubling us, he went away sorrowful, but only +to hide behind a bush, and as we went past, to rush out on a sudden and +put us in fear by wild shouting. + +My eldest brother well-nigh affrighted us more when he presently joined +us, for his hair was all unkempt and his looks wild. He was now of an +age when men-children deem maids to be weak and unfit for true sport, but +nevertheless strive their utmost to be marked and chosen by them. Hence +Ursula's good graces, which she had shown right openly, had for a long +while greatly pleased him, but by this time he was weary of her and began +to conceive that good little Ann, with her nightingale's voice, was more +to his liking. + +After hastily greeting us, he forthwith made us privy to an evil matter. +One of his fellowship, Laurence Abenberger, the son of an apothecary, who +was diligent in school, and of a wondrous pious spirit, gave up all his +spare time to all manner of magic arts, and albeit he was but seventeen +years of age, he had already cast nativities for many folks and for us +maids, and had told us of divers ill-omens for the future. This +Abenberger, a little fellow of no note, had found in some ancient papers +a recipe for discovering treasure, and had told the secret to Herdegen +and some other few. To begin, they went at his bidding to the graveyard +with him, and there, at the full moon, they poured hot lead into the left +eye-hole of a skull and made it into arrow-heads. Yesternight they had +journeyed forth as far as Sinterspuhel, and there, at midnight, had stood +at the cross-roads and shot with these same arrow-heads to the four +quarters, to the end that they might dig for treasure wheresoever the +shafts might fall. But they found no treasure, but a newly-buried body, +and on this had taken to their heels in all haste. Herdegen only had +tarried behind with Abenberger, and when he saw that there were deep +wounds on the head of the dead man his intent was to carry the tidings to +the justices in council; nevertheless he would delay a while, because +Abenberger had besought him to keep silence and not to bring him to an +evil end. But as he had gone past the school of arms he had learnt that +an apprentice was missing, and that it was feared lest he had been +waylaid by pillagers, or had fallen into evil hands; so he now deemed it +his plain duty to keep no longer silence concerning the finding of the +body, and desired to be advised by me and Ann. While I, for my part, +shortly and clearly declared that information must at once be laid +before his worship the Mayor, a strange trembling fell on Ann, and +notwithstanding she could not say me nay, she was in such fear that grave +mischief might overtake Herdegen by reason of his thoughtless deed, that +tears ran in streams down her cheeks, and it cost me great pains or ever +I could comfort her, so brave and reasonable as she commonly was. But +Herdegen was greatly pleased by her too great terrors; and albeit he +laughed at her, he called her his faithful, fearful little hare, and +stuck the pink he wore in his jerkin into her hair. At this she was soon +herself again; she counselled him forthwith to do that it was his duty to +do; and when thereafter the authorities had made inquisition, it came to +light that our lads had in truth come upon the body of the slain +apprentice. And though Herdegen did his best to keep silence as touching +Abenberger's evildoings, they nevertheless came out through other ways, +and the poor wight was dismissed from the school. + +By the end of two years after this, matters had changed in our household. + +The twelve 'pueri' had been our guests at dinner, and were in the garden +singing merry rounds well known to us, and I joined in, with Ann and +Ursula Tetzel. Now, while Herdegen beat the time, his ear was intent on +Ann's singing, as though there were revelation on her lips; and his well- +beloved companion, Heinrich Trardorf, who erewhile had, with due modesty, +preferred me, Margery, seemed likewise well affected to her singing; and +when we ceased he fell into eager talk with her, for he had bewailed to +her that, albeit he loved me well, as being the son of simple folk he +might never lift up his eyes so high. + +Herdegen's eyes rested on the twain with some little wrath; then he +hastily got up! He snatched the last of Cousin Maud's precious roses +from her favorite bush and gave them to Ursula, and then waited on her as +though she were the only maid there present. But ere long her father +came to fetch her, and so soon as she had departed, beaming, with her +roses, Herdegen hastily came to me and, without deeming Ann worthy to be +looked at even, bid me good even. I held his hand and called to her to +come to me, to help me hinder him from departing, inasmuch as one of the +pueri was about to play the lute for the rest to dance. She came forward +as an honest maid should, looked up at him with her great eyes, and +besought him full sweetly to tarry with us. + +He pointed with his hand to Trardorf and answered roughly: "I care not to +go halves!" And he turned to go to the gate. + +Ann took him by the hand, and without a word of his ways with Ursula, +not in chiding but as in deep grief, she said: "If you depart, you do me +a hurt. I have no pleasure but when you are by, and what do I care for +Heinrich?" + +This was all he needed; his eye again met hers with bright looks, and +from that hour of our childhood she knew no will but his. + +From that hour likewise Ann held off from all other lads, and when he was +by it seemed as though she had no eyes nor ears save for him and me +alone. To Kunz she paid little heed; yet he never failed to wait on her +and watch to do her service, as though she were the daughter of some +great lord, and he no more than her page. + +Ann freely owned to me that she held Herdegen to be the noblest youth +on earth, nor could I marvel, when I was myself of the same mind. What +should I know, when I was still but fourteen and fifteen years old, of +love and its dangers? I had felt such love for Gotz as Ann for my elder +brother, and as I had then been glad that my dear Cousin had won the love +of so fair a maid as Gertrude, I likewise believed that Ann would some +day be glad if Herdegen should plight his troth to a fair damsel of high +degree. Hence I did all that in me lay to bring them together whenever +it might be, and in truth this befell often enough without my aid; for +not music alone was a bond between them, nor yet that Herdegen and I +taught her to ride on a horse, on the sandy way behind our horse-stalls +--the Greek lessons for which Magister Peter had come into the household +were a plea on which they passed many an hour together. + +I was slow to learn that tongue; but Ann's head was not less apt than my +brother's, and he was eager and diligent to keep her good speed at the +like mark with his own, as she was so quick to apprehend. Thus both were +at last forward enough to put Greek into German, and then Magister Peter +was bidden to lend them his aid. Now, the change in the worthy man, +after eating for four years at our table, was such that many an one would +have said it was a miracle. At his first coming to us he himself said he +weened he was a doomed son of ill-luck, and he scarce dared look man or +woman in the face; and what a good figure he made now, notwithstanding +the divers pranks played on his simplicity by my brothers and their +fellows, nay, and some whiles by me. + +Many an one before this has marked that the god Amor is the best +schoolmaster; and when our Magister had learnt to stoop less, nay almost +to hold himself straight, when as now, he wore his good new coat with +wide hanging sleeves, tight-fitting hose, a well-stiffened, snow-white +collar, and even a smart black feather in his beretta, when he not alone +smoothed his hair but anointed it, all this, in its beginnings, was by +reason of his great and true love for my Ann, while she was yet but a +child. + +My cautious Cousin Maud had, it is true, done the blind god of Love good +service; for many a time she would, with her own hand, set some matter +straight which the Magister had put on all askew, and on divers occasions +would give him a piece of fine cloth, and with it the cost of the +tailor's work, in bright new coin wrapped in colored paper. She brought +him to order and to keep his hours, and when grave speech availed not she +could laugh at him with friendly mockery, such as hurts no man, inasmuch +as it is the outcome of a good heart. Thus it was, that, by the time +when Herdegen was to go to the high school at Erfurt, Magister Peter was +not strangely unlike other learned men of his standing; and when it fell +that he had to discourse of the great masters of learning in Italy, or of +the glorious Greek writers, I have seen his eye light up like that of a +youth. + +Our guardian kept watch over my brothers' speed in learning. The old +knight Im Hoff was a somewhat stern man and shy of his kind, but scarce +another had such great wealth, or was so highly respected in our town. +He was our grand-uncle, as old Adam Heyden was Ann's, and two men less +alike it would be hard to find. + +When we were bid to pay our devoir to my guardian it was seldom done but +with much complaining and churlishness; whereas it was ever a festival to +be suffered to go with Ann to the organist's house. He dwelt in a fine +lodging high up in the tower above the city, and he could look down from +his windows, as God Almighty looks down on the earth from the bright +heavens, over Nuremberg, and the fortress on the hill, the wide ring of +forest which guards it on the north and east and south, the meadows and +villages stretching between the woods, and the walls and turrets of our +good city, and the windings of the river Pegnitz. He loved to boast that +he was the first to bid the sun welcome and the last to bid it good- +night; and perchance it was to the light, of which he had so goodly a +share, that his spirit owed its ever gay good-cheer. He was ever ready +with a jest and some little gift for us children; and, albeit these were +of little money's worth, they brought us much joy. And indeed there was +never another man in Nuremberg who had given away so many tokens and made +so many glad hearts and faces thereby as Adam Heyden. True, indeed, +after a short but blessed wedded life he had been left a widower and +childless, and had no care to save for his heirs; and yet Gottfried +Spiesz, Ann's grandfather, was in the right when he said that he had more +children than ever another in Nuremberg, inasmuch as that he was like a +father to every lad and maid in the town. + +When he walked down the street all the little ones were as glad though +they had met Christ the Lord or Saint Nicholas; and as they hung on to +his long gown with the left hand, with the right they crammed their +mouths with the apples or cakes whereof his pockets seemed never to be +empty. + +But Master Adam had his weak side, and there were many to blame him for +that he was over fond of good liquor. Albeit he did his drinking after a +manner of his own, in no unseemly wise. To wit, on certain year-days he +would tarry alone in his tower, and his lamp might be seen gleaming till +midnight. There he would sit alone, with his wine jar and cup, and he +would drink the first and second and third in silence, to the good speed +of Elsa, his late departed wife. After that he began to sing in a low +voice, and before each fresh cup as he raised it he cried aloud "Prosit, +Adam!" and when it was empty: "I Heartily thank you, Heyden!" + +Thus would he go on till he had drunk out divers jugs, and the tower +seemed to be spinning round him. Then to his bed, where he would dream +of his Elsa and the good old days, the folks he had loved, his youthful +courtships, and all the fine and wondrous things which his lonely +drinking bout had brought to his inward eye. Next morning he was +faithfully at his duty. Common evenings, which were of no mark to him, +he spent with the Spiesz folks in the little house by the river, or else +in the Gentlemen's tavern in the Frohnwage; for albeit none met there but +such as belonged to the noble families of the town, and learned men, and +artists of mark, Adam Heyden the organist was held as their equal and a +right welcome guest. + +And now as touching our grand-uncle and guardian the Knight Sir Sebald +Im Hoff. + +Many an one will understand how that my fear of him grew greater after +that I one evening by mishap chanced to go into his bed chamber, and +there saw a black coffin wherein he was wont to sleep each night, as it +were in a bed. It was easy to see in the man himself that some deep +sorrow or heavy sin gnawed at his heart, and nevertheless he was one of +the stateliest old gentlemen I have met in a long life. His face seemed +as though cast in metal, and was of wondrous fine mould, but deadly and +unchangefully pale. His snowy hair fell in long locks over his collar of +sable fur, and his short beard, cut in a point, was likewise of a silver +whiteness. When he stood up he was much taller than common, and he +walked with princelike dignity. For many years he had ceased to go to +other folks' houses, nevertheless many others sought him out. In every +family of rank, excepting in his own, the Im Hoff family, wherever there +was a manchild or a maid growing up they were brought to him; but of them +all there were but two who dare come nigh him without fear. These were +my brother Herdegen and Ursula Tetzel; and throughout my young days she +was the one soul whom mine altogether shut out. + +Notwithstanding I must for justice sake confess that she grew up to be a +well-favored damsel. Besides this, she was the only offspring of a rich +and noble house. She went from school a year before Ann and I did, and +after that her father, a haughty and eke a surly man, who had long since +lost his wife, her mother, prided himself on giving her such attires as +might have beseemed the daughter of a Count or a Prince-Elector. And the +brocades and fine furs and costly chains and clasps she wore graced her +lofty, round shape exceeding well, and she lorded it so haughtily in them +that the worshipful town-council were moved to put forth an order against +over much splendor in women's weed. + +She was, verily and indeed, the last damsel I could have wished to see +brought home as mistress of the "Schopperhof," and nevertheless I knew +full well, before my brother went away to the high school, that our grand +uncle was counting on giving her and him to each other in marriage. +Master Tetzel likewise would point to them when they stood side by side, +so high and goodly, as though they were a pair; and this old man, whose +face was as grey and cold and hueless as all about his daughter was +bright and gay, would demean himself with utter humbleness and homage to +the lad who scarce showed the first down on his lip and chin, by reason +that he looked upon him, who was his granduncle's heir, as his own son- +in-law. + +It was, to be sure, known to many that rich old Im Hoff was minded to +leave great endowments to the Holy Church, and meseemed that it was +praiseworthy and wise that he should do all that in him lay to gain the +prayers of the Blessed Virgin and the dear Saints; for the evil deed +which had turned him from a dashing knight into a lonely penitent might +well weigh in torment on his poor soul. I will here shortly rehearse all +I myself knew of that matter. + +In his young days my grand uncle had carried his head high indeed, and +deemed so greatly of his scutcheon and his knightly forbears that be +scorned all civic dignities as but a small matter. Then, whereas in the +middle of the past century all towns were forbid by imperial law to hold +tournaments, he went to Court, and had been dubbed knight by the Emperor +Charles, and won fame and honor by many a shrewd lance-thrust. His more +than common manly beauty gained him favor with the ladies, and since he +preferred what was noble and knightly to all other graces he would wed no +daughter of Nuremberg but the penniless child of Baron von Frauentrift. +But my grand-uncle had made an evil choice; his wife was high-tempered +and filled full of conceits. When princes and great lords came into our +city, they were ever ready to find lodging in the great and wealthy house +of the Im Hoffs; but then she would suffer them to pay court to her, and +grant them greater freedom than becomes the decent honor of a Nuremberg +citizen's hearth. Once, then, when my lord the duke of Bavaria lay at +their house with a numerous fellowship, a fine young count, who had +courted my grand uncle's wife while she was yet a maid, fanned his +jealousy to a flame; and, one evening, at a late hour, while his wife was +yet not come home from seeing some friends, as it fell he heard a noise +and whispering of voices, beneath their lodging, in the courtyard wherein +all these folks' chests and bales were bestowed. He rushed forth, beside +himself; and whereas he shouted out to the courtyard and got no reply, he +thrust right and left at haphazard with his naked sword among the chests +whence he had heard the voices, and a pitiful cry warned him that he had +struck home. Then there came the wailing of a woman; and when the +squires and yeomen came forth with torches and lanterns, he could see +that he had slain Ludwig Tetzel, Ursula's uncle, a young unwedded man. +He had stolen into the courtyard to hold a tryst with the fair daughter +of the master-weigher in the Im Hoffs' house of trade, and the loving +pair, in their fear of the master, had not answered his call, but had +crept behind the baggage. Thus, by ill guidance, had my grand-uncle +become a murderer, and the judges broke their staff over him; albeit, +since he freely confessed the deed of death, and had done it with no evil +intent, they were content to make him pay a fine in money. But some said +that they likewise commanded the hangman to nail up a gallows-cord behind +his house door; others, rather, that he had taken upon himself the +penance of ever wearing such a cord about his neck day and night. + +As touching the Tetzels themselves, they made no claim for blood; and for +this he was so thankful to them, all his life through, that he gave them +his word that he would name Ursula in his testament; whereas he ever +hated the Im Hoffs to the end, after that they, on whom he had brought so +much vexation by his wilful and haughty temper, took counsel after the +judgment as to whether it behooved them not to strip him of their good +old name and thrust him forth from their kinship. Four only, as against +three, spoke in his favor, and this his haughty spirit could so ill +endure that never an Im Hoff dared cross his threshold, though one and +another often strove to win back his favor. + +He had little comfort from his wife in his grief, for when he was found +guilty of manslaughter she quitted him to return to the Emperor's court +at Prague, and there she died after a wild hunt which she had followed in +King Wenzel's train, while she was not yet past her youth. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +Three years were past since Herdegen had first gone to the High School, +and we had never seen him but for a few weeks at the end of the first +year, when he was on his way from Erfurt to Padua. In the letters he +wrote from thence there was ever a greeting for Mistress Anna, and often +there would be a few words in Greek for her and me; yet, as he knew full +well that she alone could crack such nuts, he bid me to the feast only as +the fox bid the stork. While he was with us he ever demeaned himself +both to me and to her as a true and loving brother, when he was not at +the school of arms proving to the amazement of the knights and nobles his +wondrous skill in the handling of the sword, which he had got in the High +School. And during this same brief while be at divers times had speech +of Ursula, but he showed plainly enough that he had lost all delight in +her. + +He had found but half of what he sought at Erfurt, but deemed that he was +ripe to go to Padua; for there, alone, he thought--and Magister Peter +said likewise--could he find the true grist for his mill. And when he +told us of what he hoped to gain at that place we could but account his +judgment good, and wish him good speed and that he might come home from +that famous Italian school a luminary of learning. When, at his +departing, I saw that Ann was in no better heart than I was, but looked +right doleful, I thought it was by reason of the sickness which for some +while past had now and again fallen on her good father. Kunz likewise +had quitted school, and be could not complain that learning weighed too +heavily on his light heart and merry spirit. He was now serving his +apprenticeship in our grand uncle's business, and whereas the traffic was +mainly with Venice he was to learn the Italian tongue with all diligence. +Our Magister, who was well-skilled in it, taught him therein, and was, as +heretofore, well content to be with us. Cousin Maud would never suffer +him to depart, for it had grown to be a habit with her to care for him; +albeit many an one can less easily suffer the presence of a man who needs +help, than of one who is himself of use and service. + +Master Peter himself, under pretence of exercising himself in the Italian +tongue, would often wait upon Dame Giovanna. We on our part would +remember the fable of the Sack and the Ass and laugh; while Ann slipped +off to her garret chamber when the Magister was coming; and she could +never fail to know of it, for no son of man ever smote so feebly as he +with the knocker on the door plate. + +Thus the years in which we grew from children into maidens ran past in +sheer peace and gladness. Cousin Maud allowed us to have every pastime +and delight; and if at times her face was less content, it was only by +reason that I craved to wear a longer kirtle than she deemed fitting for +my tender years, or that I proved myself over-rash in riding in the +riding school or the open country. + +My close friendship with Ann brought me to mark and enjoy many other and +better things; and in this I differed from the maidens of some noble +families, who, to this day, sit in stalls of their own in church, apart +from such as have no scutcheon of arms. But indeed Ann was an honored +guest in many a lordly house wherein our school and playmates dwelt. + +In summer days we would sometimes go forth to the farm belonging to us +Schoppers outside the town, or else to Jorg Stromer our worthy cousin at +the mill where paper is made; and at holy Whitsuntide we would ride forth +to the farm at Laub, which his sister Dame Anna Borchtlin had by +inheritance of her father. Nevertheless, and for all that there was to +see and learn at the paper-mill, and much as I relished the good fresh +butter and the black home-bread and the lard cakes with which Dame +Borchtlin made cheer for us, my heart best loved the green forest where +dwelt our uncle Conrad Waldstromer, father to my cousin Gotz, who still +was far abroad. + +Now, since I shall have much to tell of this well-beloved kinsman and of +his kith and kin, I will here take leave to make mention that all the +Stromers were descended from a certain knight, Conrad von Reichenbach, +who erewhile had come from his castle of Kammerstein, hard by Schwabach, +as far forth as Nuremberg. There had he married a daughter of the +Waldstromers, and the children and grandchildren, issue of this marriage, +were all named Stromer or Waldstromer. And the style Wald--or wood-- +Stromer is to be set down to the fact that this branch had, from a long +past time, heretofore held the dignity of Rangers of the great forest +which is the pride of Nuremberg to this very day. But at the end of the +last century the municipality had bought the offices and dignities which +were theirs by inheritance, both from Waldstromer and eke from Koler the +second ranger; albeit the worshipful council entrusted none others than a +Waldstromer or a Koler with the care of its woods; and in my young days +our Uncle Conrad Waldstromer was chief Forester, and a right bold hunter. + +Whensoever he crossed our threshold meseemed as though the fresh and +wholesome breath of pine-woods was in the air; and when he gave me his +hand it hurt mine, so firm and strong and loving withal was his grip, and +that his heart was the same all men might see. His thick, red-gold hair +and beard, streaked with snowy white, his light, flax-blue eyes and his +green forester's garb, with high tan boots and a cap of otter fur +garnished with the feather of some bird he had slain--all this gave him a +strange, gladsome, and gaudy look. And as the stalwart man stepped forth +with his hanger and hunting-knife at his girdle, followed by his hounds +and badger-dogs, other children might have been affrighted, but to me, +betimes, there was no dearer sight than this of the terrible-looking +forester, who was besides Cousin Gotz's father. + +Well, on the second Sunday after Whitsunday, when the apple blossoms were +all shed, my uncle came in to town to bid me and Cousin Maud to the +forest lodge once more; for he ever dwelt there from one Springtide till +the next, albeit he was under a bond to the Council to keep a house in +the city. I was nigh upon seventeen years old; Ann was past seventeen +already, and I would have expressed my joy as freely as heretofore but +that somewhat lay at my heart, and that was concerning my Ann. She was +not as she was wont to be; she was apt to suffer pains in her head, and +the blood had fled from her fresh cheeks. Nay, at her worst she was all +pale, and the sight of her thus cut me to the heart, so I gladly agreed +when Cousin Maud said that the little house by the river was doing her a +mischief, and the grievous care of her deaf-mute brother and the other +little ones, and that she lacked fresh air. And indeed her own parents +did not fail to mark it; but they lacked the means to obey the leech's +orders and to give Ann the good chance of a change to fresh forest air. + +When my uncle had given his bidding, I made so bold as to beseech him +with coaxing words that he would bid her go with me. And if any should +deem that it was but a light matter to ask of a good-hearted old man that +he should harbor a fair young maid for a while, in a large and wealthy +house, he will be mistaken, inasmuch as my uncle was wont, at all times +and in all places, to have regard first to his wife's goodwill and +pleasure. + +This lady was a Behaim, of the same noble race as my mother, whom God +keep; and what great pride she set on her ancient and noble blood she had +plainly proven in the matter of her son's love-match. This matter had in +truth no less heavily stricken his father's soul, but he had held his +peace, inasmuch as he could never bring himself to play the lord over his +wife; albeit he was in other matters a strict and thorough man; nay a +right stern master, who ruled the host of foresters and hewers, warders +and beaters, bee-keepers and woodmen who were under him with prudence and +straitness. And yet my aunt Jacoba was a feeble, sickly woman, who +rarely went forth to drink in God's fresh air in the lordly forest, +having lost the use of her feet, so that she must be borne from her couch +to her bed. + +My uncle knew her full well, and he knew that she had a good and pitiful +heart and was minded to do good to her kind; nevertheless he said his +power over her would not stretch to the point of making her take a +scrivener's child into her noble house, and entertaining her as an equal. +Thus he withstood my fondest prayers, till he granted so much as that Ann +should come and speak for herself or ever he should leave the house. + +When she had hastily greeted my cousin and me, and Cousin Maud had told +her who my uncle was, she went up to him in her decent way, made him a +curtsey, and held out her hand, no whit abashed, while her great eyes +looked up at him lovingly, inasmuch as she had heard all that was good of +him from me. + +Thereupon I saw in the old forester's face that he was "on the scent" of +my Ann--to use his own words--so I took heart again and said: "Well, +little uncle?" + +"Well," said he slowly and doubtingly. But he presently uplifted Ann's +chin, gazed her in the face, and said: "To be sure, to be sure! Peaches +get they red cheeks better where we dwell than here among stone walls." +And he pulled down his belt and went on quickly, as though he weened that +he might have to rue his hasty words: "Margery is to be our welcome guest +out in the forest; and if she should bring thee with her, child, thou'lt +be welcome." + +Nor need I here set down how gladly the bidding was received; and Ann's +parents were more than content to let her go. Thenceforth had Cousin +Maud, and our house maids, and Beata the tailor-wife, enough on their +hands; for they deemed it a pleasure to take care to outfit Ann as well +as me, since there were many noble guests at the forest lodge, especially +about St. Hubert's day, when there was ever a grand hunt. + +Dame Giovanna, Ann's mother, was in truth at all times choicely clad, +and she ever kept Ann in more seemly and richer habit than others of her +standing; yet she was greatly content with the summer holiday raiment +which Cousin Maud had made for us. Likewise, for each of us, a green +riding habit, fit for the forest, was made of good Florence cloth; and if +ever two young maids rode out with glad and thankful hearts into the +fair, sunny world, we were those maids when, on Saint Margaret's day in +the morning--[The 13th July, old style.]--we bid adieu and, mounted on +our saddles, followed Balzer, the old forester, whom my uncle had sent +with four men at arms on horseback to attend us, and two beasts of +burthen to carry Susan and the "woman's gear." + +As we rode forth at this early hour, across the fields, and saw the lark +mount singing, we likewise lifted up our voices, and did not stop singing +till we entered the wood. Then in the dewy silence our minds were turned +to devotion and a Sabbath mood, and we spoke not of what was in our +minds; only once--and it seems as I could hear her now--these simple +words rose from Ann's heart to her lips: "I am so thankful!" + +And I was thankful at that hour, with my whole heart; and as the great +hills of the Alps cover their heads with pure snow as they get nearer to +heaven, so should every good man or woman, when in some happy hour he +feels God's mercy nigh him, deck his heart with pure and joyful +thanksgiving. + +At last we drew up on a plot shut in by tall trees, in front of a bee- +keeper's hut, and while we were there, refreshing on some new milk and +the store Cousin Maud had put into our saddle bags, we heard the barking +of hounds and a noise of hoofs, and ere long Uncle Conrad was giving us a +welcome. + +He was right glad to let us wait upon him and fell to with a will; but +he made us set forth again sooner than was our pleasure, and as we fared +farther the old forest rang with many a merry jest and much laughter. +To Ann it seemed that my uncle was but now opening her eyes and ears to +the mystery of the forest, which Gotz had shown me long years ago. How +many a bird's pipe did he teach her to know which till now she had never +marked! And each had its special significance, for my uncle named them +all by their names and described them; whereas his son could copy them so +as to deceive the ear, twittering, singing, whistling and calling, each +after his kind. To the end that Ann and my uncle should learn to come +together closely I put no word into his teaching. + +Not till we came to the skirts of the clearing, where the forest lodge +came in sight against the screen of trees, was my uncle silent; then, +while he lifted me from the saddle, he asked me in a low tone if I had +already warned Ann of my aunt's strange demeanor. This I could tell him +I had indeed done; nevertheless I saw by his face that he was not easy +till he could lead Ann to his wife, and had learnt that the maid had +found such favor in her eyes as, in truth, nor he nor I were so bold as +to hope. But with what sweet dignity did the clerk's daughter kiss the +somewhat stern lady's hand--as I had bidden her, and how modestly, though +with due self-respect, did she go through Dame Jacoba's inquisition. For +my part I should have lost patience all too soon, if I had thus been +questioned touching matters concerning myself alone; but Ann kept calm +till the end, and at the same time she spoke as openly as though the +inquisitor had been her own mother. This, in truth, somewhat moved me to +fear; for, albeit I likewise cling to the truth, meseemed it showed it a +lack of prudence and foresight to discover so freely and frankly all that +was poor or lacking in her home; inasmuch as there was much, even there, +which could not be better or more seemly in the richest man's dwelling. +In truth, to my knowledge there was not the smallest thing in the little +house by the river of which a virtuous damsel need feel ashamed. But at +night, in our bed-chamber, Ann confessed to me that she had taken it as a +favor of fortune that she should be allowed, at once, to lay bare to the +great lady who had been so unwilling to open her doors to her, exactly +what she was and to whom she belonged. + +"To be deemed unworthy of heed by my lady hostess," said she, "would have +been hard to bear; but whereas she truly cared to question me, a simple +maid, and I have nothing hid, all is clear and plain betwixt us." + +My aunt doubtless thought in like manner; for she was a truthful woman, +and Ann's honest, firm, and withal gentle way had won her heart. And +yet, since she was strait in her opinions, and must deem it unseemly in +me and my kinsfolk to receive a maid of lower birth as one of ourselves, +she stoutly avowed that Ann's worthy father, as being chief clerk in the +Chancery, might claim to be accounted one of the Council. Never, as she +said to my uncle, would she have suffered a workingman's daughter to +cross her threshold, whereas she had a large place, not alone at her +table but in her heart, for this gentle daughter of a worthy member of +the worshipful Council. + +And such speech was good to my ears and to my uncle Conrad's; but the +best of all was that already, by the end of a week or two, Ann seemed +likely to supplant me wholly in the love my aunt had erewhile shown to +me; Ann thenceforth was diligent in waiting on the sick lady, and such +loving duty won her more and more of my uncle's love, who found his +weakly, suffering wife much on his hands, and that in the plainest sense +of the words, since, whenever he might be at home, she would allow no +other creature to lift her from one spot to another. + +Now, whereas Uncle Conrad had taught Ann to mark the divers voices of the +forest, so did she open my eyes to the many virtues of my aunt, which, +heretofore, I had been wont to veil from my own sight out of wrath at her +hardness to my cousin Gotz. + +Ann, in her compassion and thankfulness, had truly learnt to love her, +and she now led me to perceive that she was in many ways a right wise and +good woman. Her low, sheltered couch in the peaceful chimney-corner was, +as it were, the centre of a wide net, and she herself the spider-wife who +had spun it, for in truth her good counsel stretched forth over the whole +range of forest, and over all her husband's rough henchmen. She knew the +name of every child in the furthest warders' huts, and never did she +suffer one of the forest folks to die unholpen. She was, indeed, forced +to see with other eyes and give with other hands than her own, and +notwithstanding this she ever gave help where it was most needed, since +she chose her messengers well and lent an ear to all who sought her. + +She soon found work for us, making us do many a Samaritan-task; and many +a time have we marvelled to mark the skill with which she wove her web, +and the wisdom coupled with her open-handed bounty. + +No one else could have found a place in the great books which she filled +with her records; but to her they were so clear that the craft of the +most cunning was put to shame when she looked into them. Never a soul, +whether master or man, said her nay in the lightest thing, to my +knowledge, and this was a plea for the one fault which had hitherto set +me against her. + +Everything here was new to Ann; and what could be more delightful, what +could give me greater joy than to be able to show all that was noteworthy +and pleasant, and to me well-known, to a well-beloved friend, and to tell +her the use and end of each thing. In this two men were ever ready to +help me: Uncle Conrad and the young Baron von Kalenbach, a Swabian who +had come to be my uncle's disciple and to learn forestry. + +This same young Baron was a slender stripling, well-grown and not ill- +favored; but it seemed as though his lips were locked, and if a man was +fain to hear the sound of his voice and get from him a "yea" or "nay" +there was no way but by asking him a plain question. His eye, on the +other hand, was full of speech, and by the time I had been no more than +three weeks at the Lodge it told me, as often as it might, that he was +deeply in love with me; nay, he told the reverend chaplain in so many +words that his first desire was that he might take me home as his wife +to Swabia, where he had rich estates. + +Never would I have said him yea, albeit I liked him well; nor did I hide +it from him; nay indeed, now and again I may have lent him courage, +though truly with no evil intent, since I was not ill pleased with the +tale his eyes told me. And I was but a young thing then, and wist not as +yet that a maid who gives hope to a suitor though she has no mind to hear +him, is guilty of a sin grievous enough to bring forth much sorrow and +heart-ache. It was not till I had had a lesson which came upon me all +too soon, that I took heed in such matters; and the time was at hand when +men folks thought more about me than I deemed convenient. + +As I have gone so far as to put this down on paper, I, an old woman now, +will put aside bashfulness and freely confess that both Ann and I were at +that time well-favored and good to look upon. + +I was of the greater height and stouter build, while she was more slender +and supple; and for gentle sweetness I have never seen her like. I was +rose and white, and my golden hair was no whit less fine than Ursula +Tetzel's; but whoso would care to know what we were to look upon in our +youth, let him gaze on our portraits, before which each one of you has +stood many a time. But I will leave speaking of such foolish things and +come now to the point. + +Though for most days common wear was good enough at the Forest Lodge, +we sometimes had occasion to wear our bravery, for now and again we went +forth to hunt with my uncle or with the Junker, on foot or on horseback, +or hawking with a falcon on the wrist. There was no lack of these noble +birds, and the bravest of them all, a falcon from Iceland beyond seas, +had been brought thence by Seyfried Kubbeling of Brunswick. That same +strange man, who was my right good friend, had ere now taught me to +handle a falcon, and I could help my uncle to teach my friend the art. + +I went out shooting but seldom, by reason that Ann loved it not ever +after she had hit one of the best hounds in the pack with her arrow; +and my uncle must have been well affected to her to forgive such a shot, +inasmuch as the dogs were only less near his heart than his closest kin. +They had to make up to him for much that he lacked, and when he stood in +their midst he saw round him, yelping and barking on four legs, well nigh +all that he had thought most noteworthy from his childhood up. They bore +names, indeed, of no more than one or two syllables, but each had its +sense. They were for the most part the beginning of some word which +reminded him of a thing he cared to remember. First he had, in sport, +named some of them after the metrical feet of Latin verse, which had been +but ill friends of his in his school days, and in his kennel there was a +Troch, Iamb, Spond and Dact, whose full names were Trochee, Iambus, +Spondee and Dactyl. Now Spond was the greatest and heaviest of the +wolfhounds; Anap, rightly Anapaest, was a slender and swift greyhound; +and whereas he found this pastime of names good sport he carried it +further. Thus it came to pass that the witless creatures who shared his +loneliness were reminders of many pleasant things. One of a pair of +fleet bloodhounds which were ever leashed together was named Nich, and +the other Syn, in memory that he had been betrothed on the festival of +Saint Nicodemus and wedded on Saint Synesius' day. A noble hound called +Salve, or as we should say Welcome, spoke to him of the birth of his +first born, and every dog in like manner had a name of some +signification; thus Ann took it not at all amiss that he should call a +fine young setter after her name. There had long been a Gred, short for +Margaret. + +Nevertheless we spent much more time in seeing the sick to whom my aunt +sent us on her errands, than we did in shooting or heron-hawking. She +ever packed the little basket we were to carry with her own hands, and +there was never a physic which she did not mingle, nor a garment she had +not made choice of, nor a victual she had not judged fit for each one it +was sent to. + +Thus many a time our souls ached to see want and pain lying in darksome +chambers on wretched straw, though we earned thanks and true joy when we +saw that healing and ease followed in our steps. And whatever seemed to +me the most praiseworthy grace in my Aunt Jacoba, was, that albeit she +could never hear the hearty thanksgiving of those she had comforted and +healed, she nevertheless, to the end of her days, ceased not from caring +for the poor folks in the forest like a very mother. + +My Ann was never made for such work, inasmuch as she could never endure +to see blood or wounds; yet was it in this tending of the sick that I had +reason to mark and understand how strong was the spirit of this frail, +slender flower. + +Since a certain army surgeon, by name Haberlein, had departed this life, +there was no leech at the Forest lodge, but my aunt and the chaplain, a +man of few words but well trained in good works and a right pious servant +of the Lord, were disciples of Galen, and the leech from Nuremberg came +forth once a week, on each Tuesday; and since the death of Doctor Paul +Rieter, of whom I have made mention, it was his successor Master +Ulsenius. His duty it was to attend on the sick mistress, and on any +other sick folks if they needed it; and then it was our part to wait on +the leech, and my aunt would diligently instruct us in the right way to +use healing drugs, or bandages. + +The first time we were bidden to a woman who gathered berries, who had +been stung in the toe by an adder; and when I set to work to wash the +wound, as my aunt had taught me, Ann turned as white as a linen cloth. +And whereas I saw that she was nigh swooning I would not have her help; +but she gave her help nevertheless, though she held her breath and half +turned away her face. And thus she ever did with sores; but she ever +paid the penalty of the violence she did herself. As it fell Master +Ulsenius came to the Forest one day when my aunt's waiting-woman had +fared forth on a pilgrimage to Vierzelmheiligen, and my uncle likewise +being out of the way, the leech called us to him to lend him a helping +hand. Then I came to know that a fall unawares with her horse had been +the beginning of my aunt's long sickness. She had at that time done her +backbone a mischief, and some few months later a wound had broken forth +which was part of her hurt. + +Now when all was made ready Aunt Jacoba begged of Ann that she should +hold the sore closed while Master Ulsenius made the linen bands wet. I +remembered my friend's weakness and came close to her, to take her place +unmarked; but she whispered: "Nay, leave me," in a commanding voice, so +that I saw full well she meant it in earnest, and withdrew without a +word. And then I beheld a noble sight; for though she was pale she did +as she was bidden, nor did she turn her eyes off the wound. But her +bosom rose and fell fast, as if some danger threatened her, and her +nostrils quivered, and I was minded to hold out my arms to save her from +falling. But she stood firm till all was done, and none but I was aware +of her having defied the base foe with such true valor. + +Thenceforth she ever did me good service without shrinking; and +whensoever thereafter I had some hateful duty to do which meseemed I +might never bring myself to fulfil, I would remember Ann holding my +aunt's wound. And out of all this grew the good saying, "They who will, +can"--which the children are wont to call my motto. + + + + +ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: + +As every word came straight from her heart +Be cautious how they are compassionate +Beware lest Satan find thee idle! +Brought imagination to bear on my pastimes +Comparing their own fair lot with the evil lot of others +Faith and knowledge are things apart +Flee from hate as the soul's worst foe +For the sake of those eyes you forgot all else +Her eyes were like open windows +Last Day we shall be called to account for every word we utter +Laugh at him with friendly mockery, such as hurts no man +Maid who gives hope to a suitor though she has no mind to hear +May they avoid the rocks on which I have bruised my feet +Men folks thought more about me than I deemed convenient +No man gains profit by any experience other than his own +One of those women who will not bear to be withstood +The god Amor is the best schoolmaster +They who will, can +When men-children deem maids to be weak and unfit for true sport + + + + + + +MARGERY + +By Georg Ebers + +Volume 2. + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +Summer wore away; the oats in the forest were garnered and the vintage +had begun in the vine-lands. It was a right glorious sunny day; and if +you ask me at which time of the year forest life is the sweeter, whether +in Springtide or in Autumn, I could scarce say. + +Aye, it is fair indeed in the woods when Spring comes gaily in. Spring +is the very Saviour, as it were, of all the numberless folk, great and +small, which grow green and blossom there, wherefore the forest holds +festival for his birthday and cradle feast as is but fitting! The fir- +tree lights up brighter tips to its boughs, as children do with tapers at +Christmastide. Then comes the largesse. It lasts much more than one +evening, and the gifts bestowed on all are without number, and bright and +various indeed to behold. As a father's tinkling bell brings the +children together, so the snowdrop bells call forth all the other +flowers. First and foremost comes the primrose, and cowslips--Heaven's +keys as we call them--open the gates to all the other children of the +Spring. "Come forth, come forth!" the returning birds shout from out +the bushes, and silver-grey catkins sprout on every twig. Beech leaves +burst off their sharp, brown sheaths and open to the light, as soft as +taffety and as green as emeralds. + +The other trees follow the example, and so teach their boughs to make a +leafy shade against the sun as it mounts higher. Every creature that +loves its kind finds a voice under the blossoming May, and the dumb +forest is full of the call and answer of thankful and gladsome loving +things which have met together, and of sweet tunefulness and songs of +bridal joy. + +Round nests have come into being in a thousand secret places--in the +tree-tops, in the thick greenwood of the bushes, in the reeds of the +marsh; ere long young living things are twittering there, the father and +mother-birds call each other, singing to be of good cheer, and taking joy +in caring for their young. At that season of love, of growth, of +unfolding life, meseems, as I walk through the woods, that the loving- +kindness of the Most High is more than ever nigh unto me; for the forest +is as a church, a glorious cathedral at highest festival, all filled with +light and song, and decked in every nook and corner with gay fresh +flowers and leafy garlands. + +Then all is suddenly hushed. It is summer. + +But in Autumn the forest is a banqueting-hall where men must say +farewell, but with good cheer, in hope of a happy meeting. All that has +lived is hasting to the grave. Nevertheless on some fair days everything +wears as it were the face of a friend who holds forth a hand at parting. +The wide vaults of the woods are finely bedecked with red and yellow +splendor, and albeit the voices of birds are few, albeit the cry of the +jay, and the song of the nightingale, and the pipe of the bull-finch must +be mute, the greenwood is not more dumb than in the Spring; the hunter's +horn rings through the trees and away far over their tops, with the +baying of the hounds, the clapping of the drivers, and the huntsmen +shouting the view halloo. Every bright, strong, healthful child of man, +then feels himself lord of all that creeps or flies, and his soul is +ready to soar from his breast. How pure is the air, how spicy is the +scent from the fallen leaves on such an autumn day! In Spring, truly, +white and rose-red, blue and yellow chequer the green turf; but now gold +and crimson are bright in the tree tops, and on the service trees. The +distance is clearer than before, and fine silver threads wave in the air +as if to catch us, and keep us in the woods whose beauty is so fast +fading. + +The sunny autumn air was right full of these threads when on St. +Maurice's day--[September 22nd]--Ann and I went forth to our duty of +fetching in the birds which had been caught in the springes set for them. + + When birds are early to flock and flee + Hard and cold will winter be, + +saith the woodman's saw; and they had gathered early this year--thrushes +and field-fares; many a time the take was so plentiful that our little +wallets could scarce hold them, and among them it was a pity to see many +a merry, tuneful red-breast. + +The springes were set at short spaces apart on either side of two forest +paths. I went down one and Ann down the other. They met again nigh to +the road leading to the town. Balzer set the snares, and we prided +ourselves on which should carry home the greater booty; and when we had +done our task as we sat on a grassy seat which the Junker had made for +me, we told the tale of birds and thought it right good sport. Nor did +we need a squire, inasmuch as Spond, the great hound, would ever follow +us. + +This day I was certain I had the greater number of birds in my wallet, +and I walked in good heart toward the end of the path. + +Methought already I had heard the noise of hoofs on the highway, and now +the hound sniffed the air, so, being inquisitive, I moved my feet +somewhat faster till I caught sight of a horseman, who sprang from his +saddle, and leaving his steed, hurried toward the clearing whither Ann +must presently come from her side. Thereupon I forced my way through the +underwood which hindered me from seeing, and when I presently saw Ann +coming and had opened my lips to call, something, meseemed, took me by +the throat, and I was fain to stand still as though I had taken root +there, and could only lend eye and ear, gasping for breath, to what was +doing yonder by the highroad. And verily I knew not whether to rejoice +from the bottom of my heart, or to lament and be wroth, and fly forth to +put an end to it all. + +Nevertheless I stirred not a limb, and my tongue was spell-bound. The +heart in my bosom and the veins in my head beat as though hammers were +smiting within; mine eyes were dazed, albeit they could see as well as +ever they did, and I espied first, on one side of the clearing, the +horseman, who was none other than Herdegen, my well-beloved elder +brother, and on the other side thereof Ann carrying her wallet in her +hand, and numbering the birds she had taken from the snares, with a +contented smile. + +But ere I had time to hail the returned traveller a voice rang through +the wood--it was my brother's voice, and yet, meseemed it was not; it +spoke but one word "Ann!" And in the long drawn cry there was a ring of +heart's delight and lovesick longing such as I had never heard save from +the nightingale lover when in the still May nights he courts his beloved. +This cry pierced to my heart, even mine; and it brought the color to +Ann's face, which had long ceased to be pale. Like a doe which comes +forth from a thicket and finds her young grazing in the glade, she lifted +her head and looked with brightest eyes away to the high road whence the +call had come. Then, though they were yet far asunder, his eyes met +hers, and hers met his, and they uplifted their arms, as though some +invisible power had moved them both, and flew to meet each other. There +was no doubt nor pause; and I plainly perceived that they were borne +along as flowers are in a raging torrent; albeit she, or ever she reached +him; was overcome by maiden shamefacedness, and her arms fell and her +head was bent. But the little bird had ventured too far into the +springe, and the fowler was not the man to let it escape; before Ann +could foresee such a deed he had both his arms round her, and she did not +hinder him, nay, for she could not. So she clung to him and let him lift +up her head and kiss her eyes and then her mouth, and that not once, no, +but many a time and again, and so long that I, a sixteen-year-old maid, +was in truth affrighted. + +There stood I; my knees quaked, and I weened that this which was doing +was a thing that beseemed not a pious maid, and that must ill-please the +heart of a virtuous daughter's mother; yea, it was a grief to me that it +should have been done, and that I knew that of my Ann which she would +fain hide from the light. Nevertheless I could not but find a joy in it, +and meseemed it was a cruel act to fetch her away so soon from such sweet +bliss. + +When presently their lips were free, and at last he spoke a few words to +her, methought it was now time for me to greet my brother. I called up +all my strength and while I walked toward them my spirit's sense came +back to me, for indeed it had altogether left me, and a voice within +asked: "What shall come of this?" + +He put forth his arm to hold her to him again, and forasmuch as I was +abashed to think of coming in to their secret, before I stepped forth, +from the thicket, I hailed Herdegen by name. And soon I was in his arms; +but although that he kissed me lovingly, meseemed that something strange +was on his lips which pleased me not, and I yet remember that I put my +kerchief to my mouth to wipe that from it. + +And then we walked homeward. Herdegen led his horse by the bridle, and +Ann went between him and me and gazed up into his face with shining eyes, +for in these two years he had grown in stature and in manhood. She +listened wide-eared to all his tidings, but once, when his horse grew +restive, so that he turned away from us women-kind she kissed my cheek, +but in great haste, as though she would not have him see it. We were +gladly welcomed at the forest lodge. How truly my uncle and aunt +rejoiced at my brother's home-coming could be seen in their eyes, though +the mother, who had banished her own son, was cut to the heart by the +sight of such another well-grown youth. + +The evening before guests had come to the lodge his excellency the Lord +Justice Wigelois von Wolfstein, and Master Besserer of Ulm. Now we had +to make ready in all haste for dinner, and never had Ann made such +careful and diligent use of our little mirror. As it fell, we could be +alone together for a few minutes only, and had no chance of speaking to +each other privily. This was likewise the case at table, and then, as my +uncle had prepared for a hunt in the afternoon, in honor of his guests, +and as the supper afterwards lasted until midnight, the not over-strong +thread of my good patience was not seldom in danger of giving way. But +many things were going forward which gave me matter for thought, and +increased the distress I already felt. Ann threw herself into the sport +with all her heart, and on the way back fell behind with Herdegen in such +wise that they did not reach home till long after the door closed on the +last of us. + +At supper she nodded to me many times with much contentment; except for +that I might have been buried for aught she noted, for she hearkened only +to Herdegen's tales as though they were a revelation from above. For his +part, he now and again stole a hasty, fiery glance at her; otherwise he +of set purpose made a show of having little to do with her. He often lay +back as though he were weary; and yet, when their Excellencies questioned +him of any matter, he was ever ready with a swift and discreet answer. +He had lost nothing of his wonderfully clear and shrewd wit; +nevertheless, I was not so much at my ease with him as of old time. +When my uncle said in jest that the wise owl from Padua seemed to wear +a motley of gay feathers, his intent was plain as soon as one looked at +my brother; and in the fine clothes he had chosen to wear at supper the +noble lad was less to my mind than in the hunting weed which he had +journeyed in, inasmuch as the too great length of the sleeves of his +mantle was in his way when eating, and the over-long points to his shoes +hindered him in walking. + +When, presently, my Aunt Jacoba left the hall that the men might the +better enjoy the heady wine and freer speech, we maidens were bound to +follow her duteously; but Herdegen signed to me to come apart with him, +and now I hoped he would open his heart to me and treat me as he had been +wont, as my true and dear brother, whose heart had ever been on the tip +of his tongue. Far from it; he spoke nought but flattery, as "how fair +I had grown," and then desired news of Cousin Maud, and Kunz, and our +grand-uncle, and at last of Ursula Tetzel, which made me wroth. + +I answered him shortly, and asked him whether he had no more than that to +say to me. He gazed down at the ground and said to himself: "To be sure, +to be sure." But in a minute he went back to his first manner, and when +I bid him good-night in anger he put his arm round me and turned me about +as if to dance. + +I got myself free and went away, up to our chamber, hanging my head. +There I found my old Sue, taking off Ann's fine gown; and whereas Ann +nodded to me right sweetly and, as I thought, with a secret air, +I guessed that it was the waiting-woman who stayed her speech and I sent +my nurse away. + +Now I should sooner have looked for the skies to fall than for Ann, +my heart's closest friend, to keep the secret of what had befallen +that very morning; and yet she kept silence. + +We were commonly wont to chirp like a pair of crickets while we braided +our hair and got into our beds; but this night there was not a sound in +the chamber. Commonly we laid us down with a simple "Good night, +Margery," "Sleep well, Ann," after we had said our prayers before the +image of the Blessed Virgin; but this night my friend held me close in +her arms, and as I was about to get into bed she ran to me again and +kissed me with much warmth. Whether I was so loving to her I cannot, +at this day, tell; but I remember well that I remained dumb, and my heart +seemed to ache with sorrow and pain. I thought myself defrauded, and my +true love scorned. Was it possible? Did my Ann trust me no longer, or +had she never trusted me? + +Nay more. Was she at all such as I had believed, if she could carry on +an underhand and forbidden love-making with Herdegen behind my back; and +this, Merciful Virgin, peradventure, for years past! + +The taper had burnt out. We lay side by side striving to sleep, while +distress of mind and a wounded heart brought the tears into my eyes. + +Then I heard a strange noise from her bed, and was aware that Ann +likewise was weeping, more bitterly and deeply every minute. This +pierced the very depths of my soul. Yet I tried to harden my heart till +I heard her voice saying: "Margery!" + +That was an end of our silence, and I answered: "Ann." + +Then she sobbed out: "As we came home from the hunt he made me promise +never to reveal it, but it is bursting my heart. Oh! Margery, Margery, +I ought to hide and bury it in my soul; so he bid me, and +nevertheless......" + +I sat up on the pillow as if new life had come to me, and cried: "Oh Ann, +you can tell me nothing that I know not already, for I saw him dismount +and how he embraced you." + +And then, before I was aware of her, she leaped up and was kneeling on +her knees by the head of my bed, and her lips were kissing mine, and her +cheeks were against my face and her tears running down my cheeks and neck +and bosom while she confessed all. In our peaceful little chamber there +was a wild outpouring of vows of love and words of fear, of plans for the +future, and long tales of how it all had come to pass. + +I had with mine own eyes seen it in the bud and, unwittingly indeed, had +fostered its growth. How then could I be dismayed when now I beheld the +flower? + +Their meeting this morning had been as the striking of flint and steel, +and if sparks had come of it how could they help it? And I took Ann's +word when she said that she would have flown into the arms of her +beloved, if father and mother and a hundred more had been standing round +to warn her. + +All she said that night was full of perfect and joyful assurance, and it +took hold of my young soul; and albeit I could not blind myself, but saw +that great and sore hindrances stood in the way of my brother's choice, +I vowed to myself that I would smooth their path so far as in me lay. + +All was now forgotten that I had taken amiss that evening in the returned +wanderer; and when I gave Ann a last kiss that night how well I loved her +again! + + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +The cocks had already crowed before I fell asleep, and when I awoke Ann +was sitting in front of the mirror, plaiting her hair. I knew full well +what had led her to quit her bed so early, and, as she met her lover at +breakfast, her form and face meseemed had gained in beauty, so that I +could not take my eyes off from her. My aunt and his Excellency marked +the wonderful change which had taken effect in her that night, and the +gentleman thenceforth waited closely on Ann and sued for her favor like a +young man, in spite of his grey hair, while worthy Master Besserer +followed his ensample. + +At the first favorable chance I drew Herdegen apart. Ann had already +told him that I had been witness to their first meeting again; this +indeed pleased him ill, and when I asked him as to how he purposed to +demean himself henceforth towards his betrothed, he answered that matters +had not gone so far with them; and that until he had taken his Doctor's +hood we must keep the secret I had by chance discovered closely hidden +from all the good people of Nuremberg; that much water would flow into +the sea or ere he could bid me wag my tongue, if our grand-uncle should +continue to bear the weight of his years so bravely. For the present he +was one of the happiest of men on earth, and if I loved him I must help +him to enjoy his heart's desire, and often see the lovely violet which +had bloomed so sweetly for him here in the deep heart of the forest. + +His bright young spirit smiled upon my soul once more as it had done long +ago. Only his unloving mention of our grand-uncle, who had been as a +second father to him, struck to my heart, and this I said to him; adding +likewise, that it must be a point of honor with him to give and take +rings with Ann, even though it should be in secret. + +This he was ready and glad to do; I gave him the gold ring, with a hearty +good will, which Cousin Maud had given me for my confirmation, and he put +it on his sweetheart's finger that very day, albeit her silver ring was +too small for his little finger. So he bid her wear it, and solemnly +promised to keep his troth, even without a ring, till the next home- +coming; and Ann put her trust in her lover as surely as in rock and iron. + +Many were the guests who came to the forest that fair autumn tide; there +was no end of hunting and sport of all kinds, and Ann was ever ready and +well content to share her lover's fearless delight in the chase; when she +came home from the forest the joy of her heart shone more clearly than +ever in her eyes; and seeing her then and thus, no man could doubt that +she was at the crown and top of human happiness. Albeit, up on that +height meseemed a keen wind was blowing, which she did battle with so +hardly that through many a still night I could hear her sighs. Withal +she showed a strange selfishness such as I had never before marked in +her, which, however, only concerned her lover, with constant unrest when +apart from others whom she loved; and all this grieved me, though indeed +I could not remedy it. + +Strangest of all, as it seemed to me, was it that these twain who +erewhile had never spent an hour together without singing, would now pass +day after day without a song. But then I remembered how that the maiden +nightingale likewise pipes her sweetest only so long as her bosom is full +of pining love; but so soon as she has given her heart wholly to her +mate, her song grows shorter and less tender. + +Not that this pair had as yet gone so far as this; and once, when I gave +them warning that they should not forget how to sing, they marvelled at +their own neglect, and as thereupon they began to sing it sounded sweeter +and stronger than in former days. + +Among the youths who at that time enjoyed the hospitality of the +Waldstromers, Herdegen's friend, Franz von Welemisl, held the foremost +place. He was the son of a Bohemian baron, and his mother, who was dead, +had been of one of the noblest families of Hungary. And whereas his name +was somewhat hard to the German tongue, we one and all called him simply +Ritter Franz or Sir Franz. He was a well made and well favored youth in +face and limb, who had found such pleasure in my brother's company at +Erfurt that he had gone with him to Padua. His father's sudden death +had taken him home from college sooner than Herdegen, and he was now +in mourning weed. He ever held his head a little bowed, and whereas +Herdegen, with his brave, splendid manners and his long golden locks, +put some folks in mind of the sun, a poet might have likened his friend +to the moon, inasmuch as he had the same gentle mien and pale +countenance, which seemed all the more colorless for his thick, sheeny +black hair which framed it, with out a wave or a curl. His voice had a +sorrowful note, and it went to my heart to see how loving was his +devotion to my brother. He, for his part, was well pleased to find in +the young knight the companionship he had erewhile had in the pueri. + +After the young Bohemian's father had departed this life, the Emperor +himself had dubbed his sorrowing son Knight, and nevertheless he was +devoid alike of pride and scornfulness. When, with his sad black eyes, +he looked into mine, humbly and as though craving comfort, I might easily +have lulled my soul with the glad thought that I likewise had opened the +door to Love; but then I cared not if I saw him, and I thought of him but +coldly, and this gave the lie to such hopes; what I felt was no more than +the compassion due to a young man who was alone in the world, without +parents or brethren or near kin. + +One morning I went to seek Herdegen in the armory and there found him +stripped of his jerkin, with sleeves turned up; and with him was the +Bohemian, striving with an iron file to remove from my brother's arm a +gold bracelet which was not merely fastened but soldered round his arm. +So soon as he saw that I had at once descried the band, though he +attempted to hide it with his sleeve, he sought to put off my +questioning, at first with a jest and then with wrathful impatience flung +on his jerkin and turned his back on me. Forthwith I examined Ritter +Franz, and he was led to confess to me that a fair Italian Marchesa had +prevailed on Herdegen to have this armlet riveted on to his arm in token +of his ever true service. + +On learning this I was moved to great dread both for my brother's sake +and for Ann's; and when I presently upbraided him for his breach of faith +he threw his arms round me with his wonted outrageous humor and +boisterous spirit, and said: What more would I have, since that I had +seen with my own eyes that he was trying to be quit of that bond? To get +at the Marchesa he would need to cross a score of rivers and streams; and +even in our virtuous town of Nuremberg it was the rule that a man might +be on with a new love when he had left the third bridge behind him. + +I liked not this fashion of speech, and when he saw that I was ill- +pleased and grieved, instead of falling in with his merry mood, he took +up a more earnest vein and said: "Never mind, Margery. Only one tall +tree of love grows in my breast, and the name of it is Ann; the little +flowers that may have come up round it when I was far away have but a +short and starved life, and in no case can they do the great tree a +mischief." + +Then with all my heart I besought him that, as he had now bound up the +life and happiness of the sweetest and most loving maid on earth with his +own, he would ever keep his faith and be to her a true man. Seeing, +however, that he was but little moved by this counsel, the hot blood of +the Schoppers mounted to my head and thereupon I railed at his sayings +and doings as sinful and cruel, and he likewise flared out and bid me +beware how I spoke ill of my own father; for that like as he, Herdegen, +had carried the image of Ann in his heart, so had father carried that of +our dear mother beyond the Alps, and nevertheless at Padua he had played +the lute under the balcony of many a blackeyed dame, and won the name of +"the Singer" there. A living fire, quoth he, waxed not the colder +because more than one warmed herself thereat; all the matter was only to +keep the place of honor for the right owner, and of that Ann was ever +certain. + +Sir Franz was witness to these words, and when presently Herdegen had +quitted the room, he strove to appease and to comfort me, saying that his +greatly gifted friend, who was full of every great and good quality, had +but this one weakness: namely, that he could not make a manful stand +against the temptations that came of his beauty and his gifts. He, Franz +himself was of different mould. + +And he went on to confess that he loved me, and that, if I would but +consent to be his, he would ever cherish and serve me, with more humility +and faithfulness even than his well-beloved Lord and King, who had dubbed +him knight while he was yet so young. + +And his speech sounded so warm and true, so full of deep and tender +desires, that at any other time I might have yielded. But at that hour I +was minded to trust no man; for, if Herdegen's love were not the truth, +whereas it had grown up with him and was given to one above me in so many +ways, what man's mind could I dare to build on? Yea, and I was too full +of care for the happiness of my brother and of my friend to be ready to +think of my own; so I could only speak him fair, but say him nay. Hardly +had I said the words when a strange change came over him; his calm, sad +face suddenly put on a furious aspect, and in his eyes, which hitherto +had ever been gentle, there was a fire which affrighted me. Nay and even +his voice, as he spoke, had a sharp ring in it, as though the bells had +cracked which erewhile had tolled so sweet a peal. And all he had to say +was a furious charge against me who had, said he, led him on by eye and +speech, only to play a cruel trick upon him, with words of dreadful +purpose against the silent knave who had come between him and me to +defraud him; and by this he meant the Swabian, Junker von Kalenbach. + +I was about to upbraid him for his rude and discourteous manners when we +heard, outside, a loud outcry, and Ann ran in to fetch me. All in the +Lodge who had legs came running together; all the hounds barked and +howled as though the Wild Huntsman were riding by, and mingling therewith +lo! a strange, outlandish piping and drumming. + +A bear-leader, such as I had before now seen at the town-fair, had made +his way to the Lodge, and the swarthy master, with his two companions, as +it might be his brothers, were like all the men of their tribe. A thick +growth of hair covered the mouth below an eaglenose, and on their shaggy +heads they wore soft red bonnets. One was followed by a tall camel, +slowly marching along with an ape perched on his hump; the other led a +brown bear with a muzzle on his snout. + +The master's wife, and a dark-faced young wench, were walking by the side +of a little wagon having two wheels, to which an over-worked mule was +harnessed. A youth, of may-be twelve years of age, blew upon a pipe for +the bear to dance, and inasmuch as he had no clothes but a ragged little +coat, and a sharp east wind was blowing, he quaked with cold and shivered +as he piped. Notwithstanding he was a fine lad, well-grown, and with a +countenance of outlandish but well nigh perfect beauty. He had come, for +certain, from some distant land; yet was he not of the same race as the +others. + +When we had seen enough of the show, my uncle commanded that meat should +be brought for the wanderers; and when pease-pottage and other messes had +been given them, they fetched, from under the wagon-tilt, a swarthy babe, +which, meseemed was a sweet little maid albeit she was so dark-colored. + +Ann and I gazed at these folks while they ate, and it seemed strange to +us to see that the well-favored lad put away from him with horror the +bacon which the old bear-leader set before him; and for this the man +dealt him a rude blow. + +After their meal the master went on his way; and when we likewise had +eaten our dinner, my dear godfather and uncle, Christian Pfinzing, came +from the town, bringing a troop of mercenaries to the camp where they +were to be trained that they might fight against the Hussites. He, like +the other guests, made friends with the strangers, and in his merry +fashion he bid the older bear leader tell our fortunes by our hands, +while the young ones should dance. + +The man then read the future for each of us; my fortune was sheer folly, +whereof no single word ever came true. He promised my brother a Count's +coronet and a wife from a race of princes; and when Ann heard it, and +held up her finger at Herdegen for shame, he whispered in her ear that +she was of the race of the Sovereign Queen of all queens--of Venus, ruler +of the universe. All this she heard gladly; yet could no one persuade +her to let her hand be read. + +At last it was the woman's turn to dance; before she began she had +smoothed her hair and tied it with small gold pieces; and indeed she was +a well grown maid and slender, well-favored in face and shape, with a +right devilish flame in her black eyes. It was a strange but truly a +pleasing thing to see her; first she laid a dozen of eggs in a circle on +the grass, and then she beat her tambourine to the piping of the lad and +the drumming of one of the men who had remained with her, and rattled it +over her head with wanton lightness till the bells in the hoop rang out, +while she turned and bent her supple body in a mad, swift whirl, bowing +and rising again. Her falcon eyes never gazed at the ground, but were +ever fixed upwards or on the bystanders, and nevertheless her slender +bare feet never went nigh the eggs in the wildest spinning of her dance. + +The gentlemen, and we likewise, clapped our hands; then, while she stayed +to take breath, she snatched Herdegen's hat from his head--and she had +long had her eye on him--and gathered all the eggs into it with much +bowing and bending to the measure of the music. When she had put all the +eggs into the hat she offered it to my brother kneeling on one knee, and +she touched the rim of her tambourine with her lips. The froward fellow +put his fingers to his lips, as the little children do to blow a kiss, +and when his eyes fell on that wench's, meseemed that this was not the +first time they had met. + +It was now a warm and windless autumn day, and after dinner my aunt was +carried out into the courtyard. When the dancing was at an end, she, as +was her wont, questioned the men and the elder woman as to all she +desired to know; and, learning from them that the men were likewise +tinkers, she bid Ann hie to the kitchen and command that the house-keeper +should bring together all broken pots and pans. But now, near by the +wagon, was a noise heard of furious barking, and the pitiful cry of a +child. + +The Junker, who had set forth early in the day to scour the woods, had +but now come home; the hounds with him had scented strangers, and had +rushed on the brown babe, which was playing in the sand behind the wagon, +making cakes and pasties. The dogs were indeed called off in all haste, +but one of them, a spiteful badger-hound, had bitten deep into the little +one's shoulder. + +I ran forthwith to the spot, and picked up the babe in my arms, seeing +its red blood flow; but the elder woman rushed at me, beside her wits +with rage, to snatch it from me; and whereas she was doubtless its mother +or grand-dame, I might have yielded up the child, but that Ritter Franz +came to me in haste to bid me, from my Aunt Jacoba, carry it to her. + +Who better than she knew the whole art and secret of healing the wounds +of a hound's making? And so I told the old dame, to comfort her, albeit +she struggled furiously to get the babe from me. Nay and she might have +done so if the little thing had not clung round my neck with its right +arm that had no hurt, as lovingly as though it had been mine own and no +kin to the shrieking old woman. + +But ere long a clear and strange light was cast on the matter; for when +we had loosened the child's little shirt, and my aunt had duly washed the +blood from the wounds, under the dark hue of its skin behold it was +tender white, and so it was plain that here was a stolen child, needing +to be rescued. + +Then the house-stewardess, the widow of a forester whose husband had been +slain by poachers, and who labored bravely to bring up her five orphan +children, with my aunt's help--this woman, I say, now remembered that +when she had made her pilgrimage, but lately, to Vierzehnheiligen, the +Knight von Hirschhorn, treasurer to the Lord Bishop of Bamberg at +Schesslitz, not far from the place of pilgrimage, had lost a babe, stolen +away by vagabond knaves. Then Aunt Jacoba bethought herself that +restitution and benevolence might be made one; and, quoth she, this +matter might greatly profit the housekeeper and her little ones, inasmuch +as that the sorrowing father had promised a ransom of thirty Hungarian +ducats to him who should bring back his little daughter living; and +forthwith the whole tribe of the bear-leaders were to be bound. The old +beldame gave our men a hard job, for she tried to make off to the forest, +and called aloud: "Hind--Hind!" which was the young wench's name, with +outlandish words which doubtless were to warn her to flee; but the +serving men gained their end and made the wild hag fast. + +Ann was pale and in pain with her head aching, but she helped my aunt to +tend the child; and I was glad, inasmuch as I conceived that I knew where +to find Herdegen and the young dancing wench, and I cared only to save +his poor betrayed sweetheart from shame and sorrow. I crept away, +unmarked, through the garden of herbs behind the lodge, to a moss but +which my banished cousin had built up for me, in a covert spot between +two mighty beech-trees, while I was yet but a school maid. + +Verily my imagination was not belied, for whereas I passed round the +pine-grove I heard my brother cry out: "Ah--wild cat!" and the hussy's +loathsome laugh. And thereupon they both came forth, only in the doorway +he held her back to kiss her. At this she showed her white teeth, and +meseemed she would fain bite him; she thrust him away and laughed as she +said: "To-night; not too much at once." Howbeit he snatched her to him, +and thereupon I called him by name and went forward. + +He let her go soon enough then, but he stamped with his foot for sheer +rage. This, indeed, moved me not; with a calm demeanor I bid the wench +follow me, and to that faithless knave I cried: "Fie!" in a tone of +scorn which must have made his ears burn a good while. Before we entered +the garden I bid him go round about the house and come upon the others +from the right hand; she was to come with me and round by the left side. + +I now saw that there were shreds of moss and dry leaves in the young +woman's hair and bid her brush them out. This she did with a mocking +smile, and said in scorn: "Your lover?" + +"Nay," said I, "far from it. But yet one whom I would fain shield from +evil." She shrugged her shoulders; I only said: "Come on." + +As we went round to the front of the house the elder woman was being led +away with her hands bound, and no sooner did the young one descry her +than she picked up her skirts and with one wild rush tried to be off and +away. I called Spond, my trusty guard, and bid him stay her; and the +noble hound dogged her steps till the men could catch her and lead her to +my aunt. The lady questioned her closely, deeming that so young and +comely a creature might be less stubborn that the old hag who had grown +grey in sins; but Hind stood dumb and made as though she knew not our +language. As to Herdegen, he meanwhile had greeted Ann with great +courtesy; nevertheless he had kept close to the dancing wench, and took +upon himself to tie her bonds and lead her to the dungeon cell. He sped +well, inasmuch as he got away with her alone, as he desired; for Sir +Franz delayed me again, and such a suit as he now pleaded can but seldom +have found a match, for I was bent only on following my brother, to +rescue him from the vagabond woman's snares; and while the knight held +me fast by the hand, and swore he loved me, I was only striving to be +free, and gazing after Herdegen and Hind, heeding him not. At length +he hurt my hand, which I could not get away from him; and whereas he was +beginning to look wildly and to seem crazed, I besought him to leave me +free henceforth and try his fortune elsewhere. But still he would never +have set me free so hastily if an evil star had not brought the Swabian +Junker to the spot. + +Sir Franz, without a word of greeting or warning, went up to him and +upbraided him for having caused a mischief to a helpless babe through his +heedless conduct. But if Sir Franz knew not already that he, to whom he +spoke as roughly as though he were a froward serving man, was in truth +son and heir of a right noble house, he learnt it now. His last words +were: "And for the future have your savage hounds in better governance!" +Whereupon the other coolly answered: "And you, your tongue." + +On this the other shrugged his shoulders and replied in scorn that to be +sure his tongue was for use and not for silence like some folks'. And I +marvelled where the Swabian, who was so slow of speech, found the words +for retort and answer, till at length it was too much for him and he laid +his hand on his hanger as a second and a sharper tongue. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +The dancing-wench was locked into the cell with the rest of the +wanderers, and as I looked in through the window at the fine young +creature, squatting in a corner, I had pity on her, and for my part I +would fain have sent her forth and away never to see her more. + +I could nowhere find Herdegen; I had no mind for Uncle Christian's jests; +and when, at last, I betook me to my own chamber, meseemed that some +horrible doom was in the air, from which there was no escape. And +matters were no better when Ann, who of late had been free from her bad +headache, came up to bed, to hide her increasing pain among the pillows. +So I sat dumb and thoughtful by her side, till Aunt Jacoba sent for me to +lay cold water on the arm of the little kidnapped maid. The child had +been well washed, and lay clean and fresh between the sheets, and the +swarthy dirty little changeling was now a sweet, fair-haired darling. I +tended it gladly; all the more when I thought of the joy it would bring +to its father and mother; notwithstanding the evil nightmare would not be +cast off, not even when the clatter of wine cups and Uncle Christian's +big laugh fell on my ear. + +Seldom had I so keenly missed Herdegen's mirthful voice. The housekeeper +told me that he had gone on horseback into the town at about the hour of +Ave Maria. My grand-uncle had bidden him to go to him. The vagabond +knaves had already been put to the torture in my brother's presence, but +they had confessed nothing of their guilt; inasmuch, indeed, as in our +dungeon there were none other instruments of torture than the rack, the +thumbscrew, and scourges needful for the Bamberg torture, and a +Pomeranian cap, made to crush the head somewhat; but in Nuremberg there +was a store, less mild and of more active effect. + +The air was hot and heavy, the sun had set behind black clouds, yellow +and dim, like a blind eye. A strange languor came over me, though I was +wont to be so brisk, and with it a long train of dismal and hideous +images. First I saw the Junker and Sir Franz, who had fallen out about +me, a foolish maid; then it was my Ann, pining with grief, paler than +ever with a nun's veil on her; or standing by the Pegnitz, on the very +spot where, erewhile, in the sweet Springtide, a forsaken maid had cast +herself in. + +The first lightning rent the sky and the storm came up in haste, bursting +above our heads, and as the thunder roared closer and closer after the +flash I was more and more frightened. Moreover the sick child wept +piteously and waxed restless with fever and pain. By this time all was +still in the dining-hall; but when my aunt bid me let the housekeeper +take my place by the little one's bed and go to my rest, I would not; +for indeed I could in no wise have slept. + +They let me have my way, and soon after midnight, seized with fresh dread +anent Herdegen, I was at the open window to let the rough wind fan my hot +head, when suddenly the hounds set up a furious barking, as though the +Forest lodge were beset on all sides by robbers. And at the same time I +saw, by the glare of the lightning, that the old lime-tree in the midst +of my aunt's herb garden was lying on the earth. This cut me to the +heart, inasmuch as this tree was dear to my uncle, having been planted by +his grandfather; and there was never a spot where his ailing wife was so +fain to be in the hot summer days as under its shadow. Aye, and all my +young life's happiness, meseemed, was like that tree-torn up by the +roots, and I gazed spellbound at the blasted lime-tree till I was +affrighted by a new horror; on the furthest rim of the sky, on the side +where the town lay, I beheld a line of light which waxed broader and +brighter till it was rose and blood-red. + +A wild uproar came up from the kennels and foresters' huts, and I heard a +medley of many voices; and whereas the distant flare began to soar more +brightly heavenward I believed those who were saying below that all +Nuremberg was in flames. + +Even Aunt Jacoba had quitted her bed, and every soul under that roof +looked forth at the fire and gave an opinion as to whether it were waxing +or waning. And, thanks be to the Blessed Virgin, the latter were in the +right; some few granaries, or stores of goods it might be, had been burnt +out, and I, among other fainting hearts, was beginning to breathe more +easily, when the watchman's cry was heard once more and what next befell +showed that my fears had not been groundless. + +It was the vigil of Saint Simon and Saint Jude's day--[October 28th]--in +the year of our Lord 1420, and never shall I forget it. The great things +which befell that night are they not written in the Chronicles of the +town, and still fresh in many minds? but peradventure in none are they +more deeply printed than in mine; and while I move my pen I can, as it +were, see the great hall of the hunting lodge with my very eyes. Many +folks are astir, and all in scant attire and full of eager thirst for +tidings. The alarm of fire has brought them from their pillows in all +haste, and they press close and gaze through the door, which stands wide +open, at the light spot in the sky. Not one dares go forth in the wild +wind, and many a one draws his garment or cloak or coverlet closer round +him; the gale sweeps in with such fury that the pitch torches against the +wall are well nigh blown out, and the red and yellow glare casts a weird +light in the hall. + +Then the watchman's call is silent, and the growling and wailing of the +forest folk comes nigher and nigher. + +Presently a man totters across the threshold, upheld with sore difficulty +by the gate-keeper Endres inasmuch as his own knees quake; and he who +comes home thus, as he might be drunken or grievously hurt, is none other +than my brother Herdegen. The torchlight falls on his face, and whereas +my eyes descry him I cry aloud, and my soul has no thought of him but +sheer pity and true love. + +I haste to take Endres' place while Eppelein, his faithful serving-man, +whom he had not taken with him as is his wont, holds him up on the other +hand. + +But touch him where we may he feels a hurt; and while Uncle Conrad and +the rest press him with questions, he can only point to his head and +lips, which are too weak for thinking or speaking. + +Alas! that poor fellow, meseems, bears but little likeness to my noble +Herdegen, on whose arm the Italian Marchesa riveted her golden fetter. +His face is swollen and bloodshot in one part, and cruelly torn in +others. Where are the lovelocks that graced him so well? His left arm +is helpless, his rich attire hangs about him in rags. He might be a +battered, wretched beggar picked up in the high-road, and I rejoice truly +to think that Ann is within the shelter of her bed and escapes the sight. + +My aunt, who had long ere this been carried down to the hall, felt all +his limbs and joints, and found that no bones were broken, while my uncle +questioned him; and he told us in broken words that his horse had taken +fright in the forest at a flash of lightning, had thrown him, and then +dragged him through the brushwood; it was his man's nag which, as it +fell, he had taken out that evening, and it was roaming now about the +woods. + +He had scarce ended his tale, when one of the warders of the dungeon and +the gate-keeper rushed in with the tidings that one of the prisoners, and +that the young wench, had escaped, although the door of the keep was +locked and the window barred. She was clearly a witch, and only one +thing was possible; namely that she had flown through the barred window, +after the manner of witches on a broomstick, or in the shape of a bird, +a bat, or an owl; nay, this was as good as certain, inasmuch as that the +watchman had seen a wraith in the woods at about the hour of midnight, +and the same face had appeared to the kennel-keeper. Both swore they had +crossed themselves thereat, and said many paternosters. The other +captives bore witness to the same, declaring that the wench had never +been one of them, but had joined herself unawares to their company last +midsummer eve, without saying whence, or whither she would go. She had +flown off some hours since in the form of a monstrous vampire, but had +fallen upon them first with tooth and nail; and albeit they were an evil- +disposed crew their tale seemed truthful, whereas they were covered with +many scratches which were not caused by the torture. + +At these tidings my brother lost all heart, and fell back in the arm- +chair as pale as ashes. I was presently left alone with him; but he +answered nothing to my questions, and meseemed he slept. As day dawned +I was chilled with the cold, so, inasmuch I could do nothing to help him, +I went down stairs. There I found our gentlemen taking leave, for one +was off to the city to make inquisition as to the fire, and the other +would fain seek his warm bed. + +Hot elecampane wine had been served to give them comfort, when again we +heard horses' hoofs and the watchman's call. Everybody came out in +haste, only Uncle Christian Pfinzing did not move, for, so long as the +wine jug was not empty, it would have needed more than this to stir him. +He was a mighty fat man, with a short brick-red neck, cropped grey hair, +and a round, well-favored countenance, with shrewd little eyes which +stood out from his head. + +We young Schoppers loved this jolly, warm-hearted uncle, who was +childless, with all our hearts; but I clung to him most of all, since he +was my dear godfather; likewise had he for many years shown an especial +and truly fatherly care for Ann. + +Well, Uncle Christian had peacefully gone on drinking the fiery liquor, +waiting for the others; but when they came to tell him what tidings the +horseman had brought, the cup fell from his hand, clattering down on the +paved floor and spilling the wine; and at the same time his kind, +faithful head dropped to one side, and for a few minutes his senses had +left him. Albeit we were able ere long to bring him back to life again, +I found, to my great distress, that his tongue seemed to have waxed +heavy. Howbeit, by the help of the Blessed Virgin, he afterwards was so +far recovered that when he sat over his cups his loud voice and deep +laugh could be heard ringing through the room. + +The tidings delivered by the messenger and which brought on this +sickness--of which the leech Ulsenius had ere this warned him--might have +shaken the heart of a sterner man; for my Uncle Christian lodged in the +Imperial Fort as its warder, and his duty it was to guard it. Near it, +likewise, on the same hill-crag, stood the old castle belonging to the +High Constable, or Burgrave Friedrich. Now the Burgrave had come to high +words with Duke Ludwig the Bearded, of Bayern-Ingolstadt, so that the +Duke's High Steward, the noble Christoph von Laymingen, who dwelt at +Lauf, had made so bold, with his lord at his back, as to break the peace +with Friedrich, although he had lately become a powerful prince as +Elector of the Mark of Brandenburg. + +The said Christoph von Laymingen, so the horsemen told us, had ridden +forth to Nuremberg this dark night and had seized the castle--not indeed +the Imperial castle, which stood unharmed, but the stronghold of the old +Zollern family which had stood by its side--and bad burnt it to the +ground. This, indeed, was no mighty offence in the eyes of the town- +council, inasmuch as it bore no great friendship to his Lordship the +Constable and Elector, and had had many quarrels with him-nay, long after +this the council was able to gain possession of the land and ruins by +purchases--till, uncle Christian bitterly rued having sent his men-at- +arms, whose duty it was to defend the castle, out into the country, +though it were for so good a purpose as fighting against the Hussites. + +It might have brought him into bad favor with the Elector; however, it +did him no further mischief. One thing was certainly proven beyond +doubt: that knavish treason had been at work in this matter; at +Nuremberg, under the torture, it came out that the bear-master had been a +spy and tell-tale bribed by Laymingen to discover whither Pfinzing and +his men had removed. + +And lest any one should conceive that here was an end to the woes that +had fallen on the forest lodge in that short time from midnight to +daybreak, I must record one more; for the new day, which dawned with no +hue of rose, grey and dismal over the tawny woods, brought us fresh +sorrow and evil. + +Behind the moss-hut, wherein I had found my Herdegen with the dancing +hussy, the Swabian Junker and Ritter Franz had fought, without any heed +of the law and order of such combat--fought for life or death, and for my +sake. And as though in this cruel time I were doomed to go through all +that should worst wound my poor heart, I must need go forth to see the +stricken limetree at that very moment when the Junker had dealt his enemy +a deadly stroke and came rushing away with his hair all abroad like a mad +man. It was indeed a merciful chance that my Uncle Conrad and the +chaplain likewise had come forth to the garden, so that I might go with +them to see the wounded knight. + +The youth was lying on the wet grass, now much paler than ever, and his +lips trembling with pain. A faded leaf had fallen on his brow and was +strange to behold against his ashen skin; but I bent me down and took it +off. By him was lying the uprooted limetree, from which that leaf had +fallen, and whereas the rain was dropping from it fast, meseemed it was +weeping. + +And my heart was knit as it never had been before, to this young knight +who had shed his blood in my behalf; but while I gazed down right +lovingly into his face the Swabian came close up to him with ruthful +eyes, and from those of the wounded man there shot at me a glance so full +of hate and malice that I shuddered before it. This was an end, then, to +all pity and tenderness. And yet, as I looked on his cold, set face, as +pale and white as dull chalk, I could not forbear tears; for it is ever +pitiful to see when death overtakes one who is not ripe for dying, as we +bewail the green corn which is smitten by the hail, and hold festival +when the reaper cuts the golden ears. + +Thus were there three sick and wounded in the forest-lodge, besides my +aunt; for Uncle Christian must have some few days of rest and nursing. +Howbeit there was no lack of us to tend them; Ann was recovered to-day +and Cousin Maud had come in all haste so soon as she knew of what had +befallen Herdegen; for, of us all, he held the largest room in her heart; +and even when he was at school, albeit he had money and to spare of his +own, she had given him so freely of hers that he was no whit behind the +sons of wealthy Counts. + +Biding the time till my cousin should come--and she could not until the +evening--it was my part to stay with my brother; but whereas Ann would +fain have helped me, this Aunt Jacoba conceived to be in no way fitting +for a young maid; much less then would she grant my earnest desire that I +might devote me to the care of Sir Franz; though she had it less in mind +to consider its fitness, than to conceive that it would be of small +benefit to the wounded man, at the height of his fever, to know that the +maid for whose love he had vainly sued was at his side. + +Thus I was forbidden to see Ann in my brother's chamber; nevertheless I +had much on my heart and I could guess that she likewise was eager to +speak with me; but when at last I was alone with her in our bed chamber, +she had matter for speech of which I had not dreamed. When I asked her +what message she might desire me to give Herdegen from her, she besought +me as I loved her not to name her at all in his presence. This, indeed, +amazed me not a little, inasmuch as I weened not that she knew of all the +grief I had suffered yestereve. But this was not so; I learnt now that +she had marked everything, and had heard the men's light talk about the +dashing youth whom the dark-eyed hussy had been so swift to choose from +among them all. I, indeed, tried to make the best of the matter, but she +gave me to understand that, if her lover had not done himself a mischief, +it had been her intent to question him that very day as to whether he was +in earnest with his love-pledges, or would rather that she should give +him back his ring and his word. All this she spoke without a tear or a +sigh, with steadfast purpose; and already I began, for my part, to doubt +of the truth of her love; and I told her this plainly. Thereupon she +clasped me to her, and while the tears gathered and sparkled in her great +eyes, expounded to me all the matter; and in truth it was all I should +myself have said in her place. She, of simple birth, would enter the +circle of her betters on sufferance, and her new friends would, of a +certainty, not do her more honor than her own husband. On his manner of +treating her therefore would depend what measure of respect she might +look for as his wife. And so long as their promise to marry was a +secret, she would have him show, whether to her alone or before all the +world, that he held her consent as of no less worth than that of the +wealthiest and highest born heiress. + +All this she spoke in hot haste while her cheeks glowed red. I saw the +blue veins swell on her pure brow, and can never forget the image of her +as she raised her tearful eyes to Heaven and pressing her hands on her +panting bosom cried: "To go forth with him to want or death is as +nothing! But never will I be led into shame, not even by him." + +When presently I left her, after speaking many loving words to her, and +holding her long in my arms, she was ready to forgive him; but she held +to this: "Not a word, not a glance, not a kiss, until Herdegen had vowed +that yesterday's offence should be the first and last she should ever +suffer." + +How clearly she had apprehended the matter! + +Albeit she little knew how deeply her beloved had sinned against the +truth he owed her. They say that Love is blind, and so he may be at +first. But when once his trust is shaken the bandage falls, and the +purblind boy is turned into a many-eyed, sharp-sighted Argus. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +Every one was ready to nurse the little maid who called herself "little +Katie." But as to Herdegen, I was compelled for the time to say nothing +to him of what Ann required of him, for he lay sick of a fever. He was +faithfully tended by Eppelein, the son of a good servant of our father's +who had lost his life in waiting on his master when stricken with the +plague. Eppelein had indeed grown up in our household, among the horses; +even as a lad he had by turns helped Herdegen in his sports, and rendered +him good service, and had ever shown him a warmer love than that of a +hireling. + +It fell out one day that my brother's best horse came to harm by this +youth's fault, and when Herdegen, for many days, would vouchsafe no word +to him the lad took it so bitterly to heart that he stole away from the +house, and whereas no one could find him, we feared for a long time that +he had done himself a mischief. Nevertheless he was alive and of good +heart. He had passed the months in a various life; first as a crier to a +wandering quack, and afterwards, inasmuch as he was a nimble and likely +lad, he had waited on the guests at one of the best frequented inns at +Wurzberg. It came then to pass that his eminence Cardinal Branda, Nuncio +from his Holiness the Pope, took up his quarters there, and he carried +the lad away with him as his body-servant to Italy, and treated him well +till the restless wight suddenly fell into a languor of home-sickness, +and ran away from this good master, as erewhile he had run away from our +house. Perchance some love-matter drove him to fly. Certain it is that +in his wandering among strangers he had come to be a mighty handy, wide- +awake fellow, with much that was good in him, inasmuch as with all his +subtlety he had kept his true Nuremberger's heart. + +When he had journeyed safely home again he one day stole unmarked into +our courtyard, where his old mother lived in an out-building on the +charity of the Schoppers; he went up to her and stood before her, albeit +she knew him not, and laid the gold pieces he had saved one by one on the +work-table before her. The little old woman scarce knew where she was +for sheer amazement, nor wist she who he was till he broke out into his +old loud laugh at the sight of her dismay. Verily, as she afterwards +said, that laugh brought more gladness to her heart and had rung sweeter +in her ears than the gold pieces. + +Then Susan had called us down to the courtyard, and when a smart young +stripling came forth to meet us, clad in half Italian and half German +guise, none knew who he might be till he looked Herdegen straight in the +face, and my brother cried out: "It is our Eppelein!" Then the tears +flowed fast down his cheeks, but Herdegen clasped him to him and kissed +him right heartily on both cheeks. + +All this did I bring to mind as I saw this said Eppelein carefully and +sorrowfully laying a wet cloth, at my aunt's bidding, on his master's +head where it was so sorely cut; and methought how well it would have +been if Herdegen were still so ready to follow the prompting of his +heart. + +Understanding anon that I was not needed by this bed, where Eppelein kept +faithful watch and ward, and that Sir Franz's chamber was closed to me, +I went down stairs again, for I had heard a rumor that the swarthy lad-- +who had yesterday played on the pipe--was to be put to the torture. This +I would fain have hindered, whereas by many tokens I was certain that the +said comely youth was not one of the vagabond crew, but, like little +Katie, might well be a child knavishly kidnapped from some noble house. +Whereas I reached the hall, Balzer, the keeper, was about bringing the +lad in. Outside indeed it was dim and wet, but within it was no less +comfortable, for a mighty fire was blazing in the wide chimney-place. +My aunt was warming her thereat, and Ann likewise was of the company, +with Uncle Conrad, Jost Tetzel, my godfather Christian Pfinzing, and the +several guests. + +I joined myself to them and in an under tone told them what I had noted, +saying that, more by token the youth must have a good conscience; for, +whereas he had not been cast into the cell but had been locked into a +stable to take charge of the camels and the ape, he had nevertheless not +tried to escape, although it would have been easy. + +To this opinion some inclined; and seeing that the boy spoke but a few +words of German, but knew more of Italian, I addressed him in that +tongue; and then it came to light that he was verily and indeed a stolen +child. The vagabonds had bartered for him in Italy, giving a fair girl +whom they had with them in exchange; likewise he said he was of princely +birth, but had fallen into slavery some two years since, when a fine +galley governed by his father, an Emir or prince of Egypt, had fought +with another coming from Genoa in Italy. + +When I had presently interpreted these words to the others, Jost Tetzel, +Ursula's father, declared them to be sheer lies and knavery; even Uncle +Conrad deemed them of little worth; and for this reason: that if the lad +had indeed been the son of some grand Emir of Egypt the bear-leader would +for certain have made profit of him by requiring his ransom. + +But when I told the lad of this he fixed his great eyes very modestly on +me, and in truth there was no small dignity in his mien and voice as he +asked me: + +"Could I then bring poverty on my parents, who were ever good to me, to +bestow wealth on that evil brood? Never should those knavish rogues have +learnt from me what I have gladly revealed to thee who are full of +goodness and beauty!" + +This speech went to my heart; and if it were not truth then is there no +truth in all the world! But when again I had interpreted his words, and +Tetzel still would but shrug his shoulders, this vexed me so greatly that +it was as much as I could do to refrain myself, and hold my peace. + +I had seen from the first, in Uncle Christian's eyes, that he was of the +same mind with me; yet could I not guess what purpose he had in his head, +although to judge by her face it was something passing strange, when he +muttered some behest to Ann with his poor fettered tongue. Then, when +she told me what my godfather required of me, I was not in any haste to +obey, for, indeed, maidenly bashfulness and pity hindered me. Yet, +whereas the brave old man nodded to spur me on, with his heavy head, +still covered with a cold wet cloth, I called up all my daring, and +before the lad was aware I dealt him a slap on the cheek. + +It was not a hard blow, but the lad seemed as much amazed as though the +earth had opened at his feet. His dark face turned ashen-grey and his +great eyes looked at me in tearful enquiry, but so grievously that I +already rued my unseemly deed. + +Soon, however, I had cause to be glad; the youth's demeanor won his +cause. Uncle Christian had only desired to prove him. He knew men well, +and he knew that youths of various birth take a blow in the face in +various ways; now, the Emir's son had demeaned him as one of his rank, +and had stood the ordeal! So my aunt Jacoba told him, for she had at +once seen through Uncle Christian's purpose, and presently Jost Tetzel +himself, though ill-pleased and sullen, confessed his error. Then, when +they had promised the youth that he should be spared all further ill- +usage, he opened the lining of his garment and showed us a gem which his +mother had privily hung about his neck, and which was a lump or tablet of +precious sky-blue turkis-stone, as large as a great plum, whereon was +some charm inscribed in strange, outlandish signs which the Jewish Rabbi +Hillel, when he saw it, declared to be Arabic letters. + +The bear-leader had called the lad Beppo; but his real name was a long +one and hard to utter, out of which my forest uncle picked up two +syllables for a name he could speak with ease, calling him Akusch. + +With Cousin Maud's assent the black youth was attached to my service as +Squire, inasmuch as it was I who at first had "dubbed him knight;" and +when I gave him to understand this he could not contain himself for joy, +and from that hour he ever proved my most ready servant, ever alert and +thankful; and the little benevolence it was in my power to shew the poor +lad bore fruit more than a thousand fold in after times, to me and mine. + +After noon that same day Ann confessed to me that she had it in her mind +to quit the lodge that very evening, journeying home with Master +Ulsenius; and when she withstood all my entreaties she told Cousin Maud +likewise that she had indeed already left her own kin too long without +her succor. + +Aunt Jacoba was in her chimney corner, and how she took this sudden +purpose on Ann's part, may be imagined. + +It was so gloomy a day that there was scarce a change when dusk fell. +Grey wreaths of cloud hung over the tree-tops, and fine rain dripped with +a soft, steady patter, as though it would never cease; nor was there +another sound, inasmuch as neither horn, nor watchman's cry, nor bell +might break the silence, for the sake of the wounded men; nay, even the +hounds, meseemed, understood that the daily course of life was out of +gear. + +Ann had gone to pack her little baggage with Susan's help, but she had +bid me remain with the child. It was going on finely; it would play with +the doll my Aunt had given it in happy pastime, and now I did the little +one's bidding and was right glad to be her play fellow for a while. Time +slipped on as I sat there making merry with little Katie, doing the +dolly's leather breeches and jerkin off and on, blowing on the child's +little shoulder when it smarted or giving her a sweetmeat to comfort her, +and still Ann came not, albeit she had promised to join me so soon as her +baggage was ready. + +Hereupon a sudden fear seized me, and as soon as the housekeeper came up +I went to seek Ann in our chamber. There stood all her chattel, so neat +as only she could make them; and I learnt from Susan that Ann had gone +down, some time since, into Aunt Jacoba's chamber. + +I was minded to seek her there, and went by the ante-chamber where the +sick lady's writing-table and books stood, and which led to the sitting +chamber. I trod lightly by reason that the knight's chamber was beneath; +thus no one heard me; but I could see beyond the dark ante-chamber into +the further one, where wax lights were burning in a double candlestick, +and lo! Ann was on her knees by the sick lady's couch, like to the +linden-tree which the storm had overthrown yesternight; and she hid her +face in my aunt's lap and sobbed so violently that her slender body shook +as though in a fever. And Aunt Jacoba had laid her two hands on Ann's +head, as it were in blessing. And I saw first one large tear, and then +many more, run down the face of this very woman who had cast out her own +fair son. Often had I marked on her little finger a certain ring in +which a little white thing was set; yet was this no splinter of the bone +of a Saint, but the first tooth her banished son had shed. And, when she +deemed that no man saw her, she would press her hand to her lips and kiss +the little tooth with fervent love. And now, whereas love had waked up +again in her heart, that son had his part and share in it; for albeit +none dared make mention of him in her presence she ever loved him as the +apple of her eye. + +I was no listener, yet could I not shut mine ears; I heard how the frail +old lady exhorted the love-sick maid, and bid her trust in God, and in +Herdegen's faithfulness. Also I heard her speak well indeed of my +brother's spirit and will as noble and upright; and she promised Ann to +uphold her to the best of her power. + +She bid her favorite farewell with a fond kiss, and many comforting +words; and as she did so I minded me of a wondrously fair maiden, the +daughter of Pernhart the coppersmith, known to young and old in the town +as fair Gertrude, who, each time I had beheld her of late, meseemed had +grown even sadder and paler, and whom I now knew that I should never see +more, inasmuch as that only yestereve Uncle Christian had told us, with +tears in his eyes, that this sweet maid had died of pining, and had been +buried only a day or two since with much pomp. Now my aunt had heard +these tidings, and she had shaken her head in silence and folded her +hands, as it were in prayer, fixing her eyes on the ground. + +Cousin Gotz and Herdegen--fair Gertrude and my Ann; what made them so +unlike that my aunt should bring herself to mete their bonds of love with +so various a measure? + +I quitted the room when Ann came forth, and outside the door I clasped +her in my arms; and in the last hour we spent together at the forest +lodge she bid me greet her heart's beloved from her, and gave me for him +the last October rose-bud, which my uncle had plucked for her at parting. +Yet she held to her demands. + +She left us after supper, escorted by Master Ulsemus. She had come +hither one sunny morn with the song of the larks, and now she departed in +darkness and gloom. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +"By Saint Bacchus--if there be such a saint in the calendar, there is +stuff in the lad, my boy!" cried burly Uncle Christian Pfinzing, and +he thumped the table with his fists so that all the vessels rang. His +tongue was still somewhat heavy, but he had mended much in the three +weeks since Ann had departed, and it was hard enough by this time to get +him away from the wine-jug. + +It was in the refectory of the forest lodge that he had thus delivered +himself to my Uncle Conrad and Jost Tetzel, Ursula's father; and it was +of my brother Herdegen that he spoke. + +Herdegen was healed of his bruises and his light limbs had never been +more nimble than now; still he bore his left arm in a sling, for there it +was, said he, that the horse's hoof had hit him. Whither the horse had +fled none had ever heard; nor did any man enquire, inasmuch as it was +only Eppelein's nag, and my granduncle had given him a better one. + +My silly brain, from the first, had been puzzled to think wherefor my +brother should have taken that nag to ride to see his guardian, who +thought more than other men of a good horse. And in truth I was not +far from guessing rightly, so I will forthwith set down whither indeed +my dear brother's horse had vanished, and by what chance and hap he had +fallen into so evil a plight. + +He had aforetime met the young wench on his way from Padua to Nuremberg, +not far from Dachau and had then and there begun his tricks with her, +giving her to wit that she might find him again at the forest lodge in +the Lorenzer wall. Now when matters took so ill a turn, he pledged +himself to get her safe away from the dungeon cell. To this end he +feigned that he would ride into the town, after possessing himself of the +key of the black hole and after stowing a suit of his man's apparel and a +loaf of bread into his saddle-poke. Then he wandered about the wood for +some time, and as soon as it fell dark he stole back to the house again +on foot. He had made a bold and well-devised plan, and yet he might have +come to a foul end; for, albeit the hounds, who knew him well, let him +pass into the cell, within he was so fiercely set upon that it needed all +his strength and swiftness to withstand it. The froward wretches had +plotted to fall upon him and to escape with the wench from their prison, +even if it were over his dead body. + +One of the bear-leaders had made shift to strip the cords from his hands, +and when my brother entered into the dark place where the prisoners lay, +they flew at him to fell him. But even on the threshold Herdegen saw +through their purpose, and had no sooner shut the door than he drew his +hunting knife. Then the old beldame gripped him by the throat and clawed +him tooth and nail; one of the ruffians beat him with a stave torn from +the bedstead till he weened he had broken or bruised all his limbs, while +the other, whose hands were yet bound, pressed between him and the door. +In truth he would have come to a bad end, but that the younger woman +saved him at the risk of her own life. The man who had rid himself of +his bonds had raised the heavy earthen pitcher to break Herdegen's head +withal, when the brave wench clutched the wretch by the arm and hung on +to him till Herdegen stuck him with his knife. Thus the ringleader fell, +and my brother pulled up his deliverer and dragged her to the door. As +he opened it the old woman and the other prisoner put forth their last +strength to force their way out, but with his strong arm he thrust them +back and locked the door upon them. + +Thus he led the young woman, who had come off better than he had feared +in the fray, forth to freedom, to keep his word to her. + +Out in the wood, in spite of thunder and lightning, he made her to put on +Eppelein's weed and mount the nag. Thereafter he led her horse to the +brook, which floweth through the woods down to the meadow-land, and bid +her ride along in the water so far as she might, to put the hounds off +the scent. The bread in the saddle-bag would feed her for a few days, +and now it lay with her to escape pursuit. And this good deed of my +brother's had smitten the lost creature to the heart; when he was about +to help her to mount he dropped down on the wet ground from loss of +blood, but as he opened his eyes again, behold, his head was resting on +her lap and she kissed his brow. Despite her own peril she had not left +him in such evil plight, but had done all she could to bring him to his +senses; nay, she had gathered leaves by the glare of the lightning to +staunch the blood which flowed freely from the worst of his wounds. Nor +was she to be moved to go on her way till he showed her that in truth he +could walk. + +Thus it befel that I long after thought of her with kindness; and indeed, +she was not wholly vile; and every human soul hath in it somewhat good +which spurs forth to love, inasmuch as it is love which can cast light on +all, and that full brightly; and what is bright is good; and that light +dieth not till the last spark is dead. + +As to Herdegen, verily I have never understood how he could find it in +his heart to peril his life for the sake of keeping his word to a +vagabond hussy while, at the same time, he was breaking troth with the +fairest and sweetest maid on earth. Yet I count it to him chiefly for +good that he could risk life and honor to hinder those who fell upon him +so foully from escaping the arm of justice; and it is this upholding of +the law which truly does more to lift men above us women-folk than any +other thing. + +Well, by that evening when Uncle Christian thus pledged my brother, +Herdegen was quite himself again in mind and body. At first it had +seemed as though a wall had been raised up between us; but after that I +had told him that I had concealed from Ann all that I had seen by ill-hap +at the moss-hut, he was as kind and trusting as of old, and he showed +himself more ready to give Ann the pledge she required than I had looked +to find him, stiff-necked as he ever was. And he hearkened unmoved when +I told him what Ann had said: "That she was ready to follow him to death, +but not to shame." + +"That," quoth he, "she need never fear from any true man, and with all +his wildness he might yet call himself that." Then he stretched himself +at full length on his chair, and threw his arms in the air, and cried: + +"Oh, Margery. If you could but slip for one half-hour into your mad +brother's skin. In your own, which is so purely white, you can never, +till the day of doom, understand what I am. If ever I have seemed weary +it is but to keep up a mannerly appearance; verily I could break forth +ten times a day and shoot skywards like a rocket for sheer joy in life. +When that mood comes over me there is no holding me, and I should dare +swear that the whole fair earth had been made and created for my sole and +free use, with all that therein is--and above all other creatures the +dear, sweet daughters of Eve!--and I can tell you, Margery, the women +agree with me. I have only to open my arms and they flutter into them, +and not to close them tight--that, Margery, is too much to look for; yet +is there but one true bliss, and but one Ann, and the best of all joys is +to clasp her to my heart and kiss her lips. I will keep faith with her; +I will have nought to say to the rest. But how shall I keep them away +from me? Can I wish that those rascals had put my eyes out, had crippled +my limbs, had thrashed me to a scare-crow, to the end that the maids +should turn their backs on me? Nay, and even no rain-torrent could cool +the hot blood of the Schoppers; no oak staff nor stone pitcher could kill +the wild cravings within. There is nothing for it but to cast my body +among thorns like Saint Francis. But what would even that profit me? +You see yourself how well this skin heals of the worst wounds!" + +Hereupon I earnestly admonished him of his devoir to that lady who was so +truly his, and with whom he had exchanged rings. But he cried: "Do you +believe that I did not tell myself, every hour of the day, that she was +a thousand-fold more worth than all the rest put together? Never could +I deem any maid so sweet as she has been ever since we were children +together; nay, and if I lost her I should utterly perish, for it is from +her that I, a half-ruined wretch, get all that yet is best in me!" + +And many a time did I hear him utter the like; and when I saw his large +blue eyes flash as he spoke, while he pushed the golden curls back from +his brow, verily he was so goodly a youth to look upon that it was easy +to view that the daughters of Eve might be ready to cast themselves into +his arms. + +This evening, as it fell, Aunt Jacoba was not with her guests, but +unwillingly, inasmuch as we were to depart homewards next morning, and +the gentlemen sat late over their farewell cups. It had become Cousin +Maud's care to hinder Uncle Christian from drinking more freely than he +ought; but this evening he had made the task a hard one; nay, when she +steadfastly forbade him a third cup he got it by craft and in spite of +her, nor could she persuade him to forego the dangerous joy. When he had +cried, as has been told, that "there was stuff" in my brother, it was by +reason of his having perceived that Herdegen had already filled his cup +for the fourteenth time, and when the youth had drunk it off the old man +sang out in high glee: + + "Der Eppela Gaila von Dramaus + Reit' allezeit zu vierzeht aus!" + + [An old popular rhyme in Nuremberg. "Eppela (Apollonius) Gaila of + Dramaus--or Drameysr--could always go as far as fourteen cups." + Apollonius von Gailingen was a brigand chief who brought much damage + and vexation on the town. Drameysel, in popular form Dramaus, was + his stronghold near Muggendorf in Swiss Franconia.] + +"Now, if the boy can drink three times the mystic seven, he will do what +I could do at his age." + +And presently Herdegen did indeed drink his one and twenty cups, and when +at last he paced the whole length of the great dining hall on one seam of +the flooring the old man was greatly pleased, and rewarded him with the +gift of a noble tankard which he himself had won of yore at a drinking +bout. All this made good sport for us, save only for Jost Tetzel, who +was himself a right moderate man; indeed, in aftertimes, when at Venice +I saw how that wealthy and noble gentlemen drank but sparingly of the +juice of the grape, I marvelled wherefor we Germans are ever proud of a +man who is able to drink deep, and apt to look askance at such as fear to +see the bottom of the cup. And if I had an answer ready, that likewise I +owed to my uncle Christian; inasmuch as that very eve, when I would fain +have warned Herdegen against the good liquor, my uncle put in his word +and said it was every man's duty to follow in the ways of Saint George +the dragon-killer, and to quell and kill every fiend; be it what it +might. "Now in the wine cup, quoth he, there lurks a dragon named +drunkenness, and it beseemeth German valor and strength not merely to +vanquish it, but even to make it do good service: The fiend of the grape, +like the serpent killed by the saint, has two wide pinions, and the true +German drinker must make use of them to soar up to the seventh heaven." + +And as concerns my Herdegen, I must confess that when he had well drunk +his spirits were higher, his mind clearer, and his song more glad; and +this is not so save in those dragon-slayers who have been blessed with a +fine temper and a strong brain inherited from their parents. + +Every evening had there been the like mirthful doings over their wine; +but Sir Franz had been ever absent. He was even now forced to remain in +his chamber, albeit Master Ulsenius had declared that his life was out of +danger. The damage done to his lungs he must to be sure carry to his +grave, nor could he be able to follow us for some weeks yet. He was not +to think of making the journey to his own home in Bohemia during this +winter season, and at this farewell drinking bout we held council as to +whose roof he might find lodging under. He, for his part, would soonest +have found shelter with us; but Cousin Maud refused it, and with good +reason, inasmuch as I had freely told her that never in this world would +I hearken to his suit. + +At last it seemed plain that it was Jost Tetzel's part to offer him a +home in his great house; nor did he refuse, by reason that Sir Franz von +Welemisl was a man of birth and wealth, and his Bohemian and Hungarian +kin stood high at the Imperial court. + +Next morning, as we drank the stirrup cup, my eyes filled with tears, +and it was with a sad heart that I bid farewell to the woods, to my +uncle, and to Aunt Jacoba, whom I had during my sojourn learnt to love as +was her due. I, like Ann, rode home in a more sober mood than I had come +in; for I was no more a child and an end must ever come to wild mirth. + +My new squire Akusch rode behind me, and thus, on a fine November day, we +made our way back to Nuremberg, in good health and spirits. The camels, +the bear, and the monkeys, which had been taken from the vagabonds, were +safely cared for in the Hallergarden, and the rogues themselves had been +hanged God have mercy on their souls! + +Ann had had tidings of our home-coming, yet I found her not at our house, +and when I had waited for her till evening, and in vain, I sought her in +her own dwelling. But no sooner had I crossed the threshold of the +Venice house than I was aware that all was not well; inasmuch as that +here, where there were ever half a dozen pairs of little feet hopping up +and down, and no end of music and singing from morning till night, all +was strangely silent. I stood to hearken, and I now perceived that the +metal plate whereon the knocker fell was wrapped in felt. + +This foreboded evil, and a vision rose before me of two biers; on one lay +Ann, pale and dumb, and on the other my Cousin Gotz's sweetheart, fair +Gertrude, the copper-smith's daughter. Then I heard steps on the stair +and the vision faded; and I breathed once more, for Ann's grandfather, +the old lute-player Gottlieb Spiesz, came towards me, with deep lines of +sorrow on his kind face and a finger on his lips; and he told me that his +son was lying sick of a violent brain fever, and that Master Ulsenius had +feared the worst since yestereve. + +His voice broke with sheer grief; nevertheless his serving lad was +carrying his lute after him, and as he gave me his hand to bid me good- +day he told me that Ann was above tending her father. "And I," quoth he, +and his voice was weary but not bitter, "I must go to work--there is so +much needed here, and food drops into no man's lap! First to the Tetzels +to teach the young ones a madrigal to sing for Master Jost's fiftieth +birthday. And they count on your help and your brother's, sweet +Mistress. --Well, children, be happy while it is yet time!" + +He passed his hand across his eyes, and glanced up at the top room where +his son lay with aching head, and so went forth to teach light-hearted +young creatures to sing festal rounds and catches. + +In a minute I had Ann in my arms; yea, and she was as sweet and bright as +ever. The stern duty she had had to do had been healthful, albeit she +had good cause to fear for the future; for, with her father, the +household would lose the bread-winner. + +It was an unspeakable joy to me to be able to assure her of Herdegen's +faithful love, and to repeat to her the many kind words he had spoken +concerning her. And she was right glad to hear them; and whereas true +love is a flower which, when it droops, needs but a little drop of dew to +uplift it again, hers had already raised its head somewhat after my last +letter. + +And at this, the time of the worst sorrow she had known, another great +comfort had been vouchsafed to her: Master Ulsenius and his good wife, +having had her to lodge with them the night of her return from the +forest, had taken much fancy to her, and the goodhearted leech, a man of +great learning, had been fain to admit her to the use of his fine +library. Thus I found Ann of brave cheer notwithstanding her woe; and if +heartfelt prayers for a sick man might have availed him, it was no blame +to me when her father made a sad and painful end on the fifth day after +my home-coming. When I heard the tidings meseemed that a cold hand had +been laid on my glad faith; for it was hard indeed for a poor, short- +sighted human soul to see to what end and purpose this man should have +been snatched away in the prime of age and strength. + +To keep his large family, to free the little house from debt, and to lay +aside a small sum, he had undertaken, besides the duties of his place, +the stewardship of certain private properties; thus he had many a time +turned night into day, and finally, albeit a stalwart man, he had fallen +ill of the brain fever which had carried him off. It seemed, then, that +honest toil and brave diligence had but earned the heaviest dole that +could befall a man in his state of life; namely: to depart from those he +loved or ever he could provide for their future living. + +We all followed him to the grave, and it was by the bier of her worthy +father that Ann for the first time met my brother once more. There was a +great throng present, and he could do no more than press her hand with +silent ardor; yet, at the same time he met her eye with such a truthful +gaze that it was as a promise, a solemn pledge of faithfulness. + +The prebendary of Saint Laurence, Master von Hellfeld, spoke the funeral +sermon, and that in a right edifying manner; and whereas he took occasion +to say that our Lord and Redeemer would bid all to be his guests and hold +Himself their debtor who should show true Christian love towards these +who henceforth had no father, Herdegen privily clasped my hand tightly. + +Kunz likewise was present, and standing by the body of the man who had +ever loved him best of us three, he wept as sorely as though he had lost +his own father. + +The gentlemen of the council were all assembled to do the last honors to +one whose office had brought them closely together, and I marked that +more than one nudged his neighbor to note Ann's more than common beauty, +who in her black weed stood among her young brethren and sisters as a +consoling angel, who weepeth with them that weep and comforteth the +sorrowing. And so it came about that I heard many a father of fair +daughters confess that this maid had not her like for beauty in all +Nuremberg. And this came to Herdegen's ears, and I could see that it +uplifted his spirit and confirmed him in good purpose. + +It soon befell that he might show by deed of what mind he was. Master +Holzschuher, the notary, who was near of kin and a right good friend of +Cousin Maud's, had been named guardian of his children by the deceased +Master Spiesz, and he it was who, in our house one day, said that the +widow and orphans were in better care than he had looked for, and could +keep their little house over their heads if wealthy neighbors could be +moved to open their purses and pay off a debt that was upon it. Then my +brother sprang up and declared that the family of an upright and faithful +servant of the State, and of a friend of the Schoppers, should have some +better and more honorable means of living than beggars' pence. He was +not yet of full age, but it was his intent to demand forthwith of our +guardian Im Hoff so much of that which would be his, as might be needed +to release the house from the burden of debt; and albeit Master +Holzschuher shook his head thereat, and this was no light thing that +Herdegen had undertaken, he departed at once to seek his granduncle. + +From him indeed he met with rougher treatment than he had looked for; for +the old man made the diligent stewardship of these trust-moneys a point +of honor, to the end that when he should give an account of them before +the city council it might be seen, by the greatness of the sum, how wise +and well advised he had been in getting increase. What my brother called +"beggars' pence," he said, was a well-earned guerdon which did the dead +clerk's family an honor and was no disgrace; he was indeed minded to pay +one-third of the whole sum at his own charges. As to the moneys left to +us three by our parents, not a penny thereof would he ever part with. +Moreover, Ann's rare charm had touched even my grand-uncle's heart, and +he must have been dull-witted indeed if he had not hit on Herdegen's true +reasons; and these in his eyes would be the worst of the matter, +forasmuch as he was firmly bent on bringing Ursula Tetzel and Herdegen +together so soon as my brother should have won his doctor's hood. + +Thus it came to pass that, for the first time, our grand-uncle parted +from his favorite nephew in wrath, and when Herdegen came home with +crimson cheeks and almost beside himself, he confessed to me that for the +present he had not yet been so bold as to tell the old man how deeply he +was pledged to Ann, but in all else had told him the plain truth. + +At supper Herdegen scarce ate a morsel, for he could not bring himself to +endure that his betrothed should sink so low as to receive an alms. He +rose from table sullen and grieved, and whereas Cousin Maud could not +endure to see her favorite go to rest in so much distress of mind, she +led him aside, and inasmuch as she had already guessed how matters stood +betwixt him and Ann, not without some fears, she spoke to him kindly, and +declared herself ready to free the Spiesz household from debt without any +help of strangers. To see him and her dear Ann happy she would gladly +make far greater sacrifices, for indeed she did not at all times know +what she might do with her own money. + +No later than next morning the matter was privily settled by our notary; +and albeit Master Holzschuher did so dispose things as though the +deceased had left money to pay the debt withal, Ann saw through this, +whereas her beautiful mother did but thoughtlessly rejoice over such good +fortune. + +Henceforth it was Ann's little hand which ruled the fatherless household +with steadfast thrift, while Mistress Giovanna, as had ever been her +wont, lived only to take care of the children's garments, that they +should be neat and clean, of the flowers in the window and the beautiful +needlework, and to fondle the little ones, so soon as she had got through +her light toil in the kitchen. + +It was granted to her and hers that they should dwell henceforth forever +in the house by the Pegnitz, humbly indeed, but honorably and without the +aid of strangers. One alms to be sure was bestowed on them soon after +the first day of each month, and that right privily; for at that time +without fail a little packet in which were two Hungarian ducats was found +on the threshold of the hall. And who was the giver of this kind token +would have remained secret till doomsday had not Susan by chance, and to +his great vexation, betrayed my brother Kunz. My grand-uncle had granted +him three ducats a month since he had left school, and of these he ever +privily gave two to help the household ruled over by Ann. Our old Susan +it was who aided him in the matter, so, when he was by any means hindered +from laying the little packet on the threshold, she had to find an excuse +for going to the little house by the river. + +The worshipful council and many friends whose good-will the deceased +scribe had won, got the orphans into the best schools in the town, and +what Ann had learned as head of the school at the Carthusian convent she +now handed down to her younger sisters by diligent teaching; and, as of +yore, she gave her most loving care to her little deaf and dumb brother. + + + + + +ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: + +Be happy while it is yet time +Germans are ever proud of a man who is able to drink deep +On with a new love when he had left the third bridge behind him +The not over-strong thread of my good patience +Vagabond knaves had already been put to the torture + + + + + + +MARGERY + +By Georg Ebers + +Volume 3. + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +Herdegen was to be back in Padua before Passion week, and I shall +remember with thankfulness to the day of my death the few months after +worthy Veit Spiesz's burial and before my brother's departure. Not a day +passed without our meeting; and after my heart had moved me to tell +Cousin Maud all that had happened, and Herdegen had given his consent, we +were rid once for all of the mystery which had at first weighed on our +souls. + +Verily the worthy lady found it no light matter to look kindly on this +early and ill-matched betrothal; yet had she not the heart, nor the +power, to make any resistance. When two young folks who are dear to her +are brimfull of high happiness, the woman who would turn them out of that +Garden of Eden and spoil their present bliss with warnings of future woe +must be of another heart and mind than Cousin Maud. She indeed foresaw +grief to come in many an hour of mistrust by day and many a sleepless +night, more especially by reason of her awe and dread of my grand-uncle; +and indeed, she herself was not bereft of the old pride of race which +dwells in every Nuremberger who is born under a knight's coat of arms. +That Ann was poor she held of no account; but that she was not of noble +birth was indeed a grief and filled her with doubts. But then, when her +best-beloved Herdegen's eyes shone so brightly, and she saw Ann cling to +him with maidenly rapture, vexation and care were no more. + +If I had sung a loud hymn of praise in the woods over their spring and +autumn beauty--and verily it had welled up from my heart--I was ready to +think winter in the town no less gladsome, in especial under the shelter +of a home so warm and well built as our old Schopper-hof. + +In the last century, when, at the time of the Emperor Carolus--[Charles +IV., 1348]--coming to the throne, the guilds, under the leadership of the +Gaisbarts and Pfauentritts, had risen against the noble families and the +worshipful council, they accused the elders of keeping house not as +beseemed plain citizens but after the manner of princes; and they were +not far wrong, for indeed I have heard tell that when certain merchants +from Scandinavia came to our city, they said that the dwelling of a +Nuremberg noble was a match in every way for their king's palace. + + [Gaisbart (goat's beard) and Pfauentritt (peacock-strut), were + nicknames given to the leaders of the guilds who rebelled against + the patrician families in Nuremberg, from whom alone the aldermen or + town-council could be elected. This patrician class originated in + 1198 under the Emperor Henry IV., who ennobled 38 families of the + citizens. They were in some sort comparable with the families + belonging to the Signoria at Venice, from whom, in the same way, the + great council was chosen.] + +As touching our house, it was four stories high, and with seven windows +in every story; with well devised oriels at the corners, and pointed +turrets on the roof. The gables were on the street, in three steps; over +the great house door there was our coat of arms, the three links of the +Schopppes and the fool's head with cap and bells as a crest on the top of +the casque. The middle windows of the first and second stories were of +noble size, and there glittered therein bright and beautiful panes of +Venice glass, whereas the other windows were of small roundels set in +lead. + +And while from outside it was a fine, fair house to look upon, I never +hope to behold a warmer or more snug and comfortable dwelling than the +living-rooms within which was our home the winter through; albeit I found +the saloons and chambers in the palaces of the Signori at Venice loftier +and more airy, and greater and grander. Whenever I have been homesick +under the sunny blue sky of Italy, it was for the most part that I longed +after the rich, fresh green foliage and flowing streams of my own land; +but, next to them, after our pleasant chamber in the Schopper-house, with +its warm, green-tiled stove, with the figures of the Apostles, and the +corner window where I had spun so many a hank of fine yarn, and which was +so especially mine own--although I was ever ready and glad to yield my +right to it, when Herdegen required it to sit in and make love to his +sweetheart. + +The walls of this fine chamber were hung with Flanders tapestry, and I +can to this day see the pictures which were so skilfully woven into it. +That I loved best, from the time when I was but a small thing, was the +Birth of the Saviour, wherein might be seen the Mother and Child, oxen +and asses, the three Holy Kings from the East--the goodliest of them all +a blackamoor with a great yellow beard flowing down over his robes. On +the other hangings a tournament might be seen; and I mind me to this day +how that, when I was a young child, I would gaze up at the herald who was +blowing the trumpet in fear lest his cheeks should burst, inasmuch as +they were so greatly puffed out and he never ceased blowing so hard. +Between the top of these hangings and the ceiling was a light wood +cornice of oak-timber, on which my father, God rest him, had caused +various posies to be carved of his own devising. You might here read: + + "Like a face our life may be + To which love lendeth eyes to see." + +Or again, + + "The Lord Almighty hides his glorious face + That so we may not cease to seek his grace." + +Or else, + + "The Lord shall rule my life while I sit still, + And rule it rightly by his righteous will." + +And whereas my father had loved mirthful song he had written in another +place: + + "If life be likened to a thorny place + Song is the flowery spray that lends it grace." + +Some of these rhymes had been carved there by my grandfather, for example +these lines: + + "By horse and wain I've journeyed up and down, + Yet found no match for this my native town." + +And under our coat of arms was this posy. + + "While the chain on the scutcheon holds firm and fast + The fool on the crest will be game to the last." + +Of the goodly carved seats, and the cushions covered with motley woven +stuffs from the Levant, right pleasant to behold, of all the fine +treasures on the walls, the Venice mirrors, and the metal cage with a +grey parrot therein, which Jordan Kubbelmg, the falconer from Brunswick, +had given to my dear mother, I will say no more; but I would have it +understood that all was clean and bright, well ordered and of good +choice, and above all snug and warm. Nay, and if it had all been far +less costly and good to look at, there was, as it were, a breath of home +which must have gladdened any man's heart: inasmuch as all these goodly +things were not of yesterday nor of to-day, but had long been a joy to +many an one dear to us; so that our welfare in that dwelling was but the +continuing of the good living which our parents and grandparents had +known before us. + +Howbeit, those who will read this writing know what a patrician's house +in Nuremberg is wont to be; and he who hath lived through a like +childhood himself needs not to be told how well hide and seek may be +played in a great hall, or what various and merry pastime can be devised +in the twilight, in a dining hall where the lights hang from the huge +beams of the ceiling; and we for certain knew every game that was worthy +to be named. + +But by this time all this was past and gone; only the love of song would +never die out in the dwelling of the man who had been well-pleased to +hear himself called by his fellows "Schopper the Singer." Ah! how +marvellous well did their voices sound, Ann's and my brother's, when they +sang German songs to the lute or the mandoline, or perchance Italian +airs, as they might choose. But there was one which I could never weary +of hearing and which, meseemed, must work on Herdegen's wayward heart as +a cordial. The words were those of Master Walther von der Vogelweirde, +and were as follows: + + "True love is neither man nor maid, + No body hath nor yet a soul, + Nor any semblance here below, + Its name we hear, itself unknown. + Yet without love no man may win + The grace and favor of the Lord. + Put then thy trust in those who love; + In no false heart may Love abide." + +And when they came to the last lines Kunz would ofttimes join in, taking +the bass part or continuo to the melody. Otherwise he kept modestly in +the background, for since he had come to know that Herdegen and Ann were +of one mind he waited on her as a true and duteous squire, while he was +now more silent than in past time, and in his elder brother's presence +almost dumb. Yet at this I marvelled not, inasmuch as I many a time +marked that brethren are not wont to say much to each other, and even +between friends the one is ready enough to be silent if the other takes +the word. Moreover at Easter Kunz was likewise to quit home, and go to +Venice at my granduncle's behest. Herdegen's love for his brother had, +of a certainty, suffered no breach; but, like many another disciple of +Minerva, he was disposed to look down on the votaries of Mercury. + +Nevertheless the links of the Schopper chain, to which Ann had now been +joined as a fourth, held together right bravely, and when we sang not, +but met for friendly talk, our discourse was but seldom of worthless, +vain matters, forasmuch as Herdegen was one of those who are ready and +free of speech to impart what he had himself learned, and it was Ann's +especial gift to listen keenly and question discreetly. + +And what was there that my brother had not learned from the great +Guarino, and the not less great Humanist, his disciple Vittorino da +Feltre, at that time Magistri at Padua? And how he had found the time, +in a right gay and busy life, to study not merely the science of law but +also Greek, and that so diligently that his master was ever ready to laud +him, was to me a matter for wonder. And how gladly we hearkened while +he told us of the great Plato, and gave us to know wherefore and on what +grounds his doctrine seemed to him, Herdegen, sounder and loftier than +that of Aristotle, concerning whom he had learned much erewhile in +Nuremberg. And whereas I was moved to fear lest these works of the +heathen should tempt him to stray from the true faith, my soul found +comfort when he proved to us that so glorious a lamp of the Church as +Saint Augustine had followed them on many points. Also Herdegen had +written out many verses of Homer's great song from a precious written +book, and had learned to master them well from the teaching of the doctor +of Feltre. They were that portion in which a great hero in the fight, or +ever he goes forth to battle, takes leave of his wife and little son; and +to me and Ann it seemed so fine and withal so touching, that we could +well understand how it should be that Petrarca wrote that no more than to +behold a book of Homer made him glad, and that he longed above all things +to clasp that great man in his arms. + +Indeed, the poems and writings of Petrarca yielded us greater delights +than all the Greek and Roman heathen. Master Ulsenius had before now +lent them to Ann, and she like a bee from a flower would daily suck a +drop of honey from their store. Yet was there one testimony of +Petrarca's--who was, for sure, of all lovers the truest--which she loved +above all else. In the dreadful time of the Black Death which came as a +scourge on all the world, and chiefly on Italy, in the past century, the +lady to whom he had vowed the deepest and purest devotion, appeared to +him in a dream one fair spring morning as an angel of Heaven. And +whereas he inquired of her whether she were in life, she answered him in +these words: "See that thou know me; for I am she who led thee out of the +path of common men, inasmuch as thy young heart clung to me." And lo! +on that very sixth of April, which brought him that vision, one and +twenty years after that he had first beheld her, Laura had made a pious +end. + +With beseeching eyes Ann would repeat to her best beloved, as they sat +together in the oriel bay, how that Laura had led her Petrarca from the +ways of common men; and it went to my heart to hear her entreat him, with +timid and yet fond and heartfelt prayer, to grant to her to be his Laura +and to guide him far from the beaten path, forasmuch as it was narrow and +low for his winged spirit. And while she thus spoke her great eyes had a +marvellous clear and glorious light, and when I looked in her face +wrapped in the veil of her mourning for her father, my spirit grew +solemn, as though I were in church. Herdegen must have felt this +likewise, methinks, for he would bend the knee before her and hide his +face in her lap, and kiss her hands again and again. + +But these solemn hours were few. + +First and last it was a happy fellowship, free and gay, though mingled +with earnest, that held us together; and when Ann's father had been some +few weeks dead our old gleefulness came back to us again, and then, after +gazing at her for a while, Herdegen would suddenly strike the lute and +sing the old merry round: + + "Come, sweetheart, come to me. + Ah how I pine for thee! + Ah, how I pine for thee + Come, sweetheart, come to me. + Sweet rosy lips to kiss, + Come then and bring me bliss, + Come then and bring me bliss, + Sweet rosy lips to kiss!" + +And we would all join in, even Cousin Maud; nay and she would look +another way or quit the chamber, stealing away behind Kunz and holding up +a warning finger, when she perceived how his Ann's "sweet, rosy lips" +tempted Herdegen's to kiss them. But there were other many songs, and +ofttimes, when we were in a more than common merry mood, we strange young +things would sing the saddest tales and tunes we knew, such as that +called "Two Waters," and yet were we only the more gay. + +Herdegen could not be excused from his duty of paying his respects from +time to time to the many friends of our honorable family, yet would he +ever keep away from dances and feastings, and when he was compelled to +attend I was ever at his side, and it was a joy to me to see how +courteous, and withal how cold, was his demeanor to all other ladies. + +The master's fiftieth birthday was honored in due course at the Tetzels' +house, and to please my granduncle, Herdegen could not refuse to do his +part in song and in the dance, and likewise to lead out Ursula, the +daughter of the house, in the dances. Nor did he lose his gay but +careless mien, although she would not quit his side and chose him to +dance with her in "The Sulkers," a dance wherein the man and maid first +turn their backs on each other and then make it up and kiss. But when it +came to this, maiden shame sent the blood into my cheeks; for at the +sound of the music, in the face of all the company she fell into his +arms, as it were by mishap; and it served her right when he would not +kiss her lips, which she was ready enough to offer, but only touched her +brow with his. + +Forasmuch as she had danced with him the Dance of Honor or first dance, +it was his part to beg her hand for the last dance--the "grandfather's +dance;"--[Still a well-known country dance in Germany.]--but she would +fain punish him for the vexation he had caused her and turned her back +upon him. He, however, would have none of this; he grasped her hand ere +she was aware of him, and dragged her after him. It was vain to +struggle, and soon his strong will was a pleasure to her, and her +countenance beamed again full brightly, when as this dance requires, he +had led the way with her, the rest all following, through chamber and +hall, kitchen and courtyard, doors and windows, nay, and even the +stables. In the course of this dance each one seized some utensil or +house-gear, as we do to this day; only never a broom, which would bring +ill-luck. Ursula had snatched up a spoon, and when the mad sport was +ended and he had let go her hand, she rapped him with it smartly on the +arm and cried: "You are still what you ever were, in the dance at least!" + +But my brother only said: "Then will I try to become not the same, even +in that." + +Round the Christmas tree and at the sharing of gifts which Cousin Maud +made ready for Christmas eve, we were all friendly and glad at heart, and +Ann found her way to join us after that she had put the little ones to +bed. + +Herdegen said she herself was the dearest gift for which he could thank +the Christ-child, and he had provided for her as a costly token the great +Petrarca's heroic poem of Africa, in which he sings the deeds of the +noble Scipio, and likewise his smaller poems, all written in a fair hand. +They made three neat books, and on the leathern cover, the binder, by +Herdegen's orders, had stamped the words, "ANNA-LAURA," in a wreath of +full-blown roses. Nor was she slow to understand their intent, and her +heart was uplifted with such glad and hopeful joy that the Christ-child +for a certainty found no more blissful or thankful creature in all +Nuremberg that Christmas eve. + +The manifold duties which filled up all her days left her but scant time +wherein to work for him she loved; nevertheless she had wrought with her +needle a letter pouch, whereon the Schoppers' arms were embroidered in +many colored silks, and the words 'Agape' and 'Pistis'--which are in +Greek Love and Faithfulness in Greek letters with gold thread. Cousin +Maud had dipped deep into her purse and likewise into her linen-press, +and on the table under the Christmas-tree lay many a thing fit for the +bride-chest of a maid of good birth; and albeit Ann could not but rejoice +over these gifts for their own sake, she did so all the more gladly, +inasmuch as she guessed that Cousin Maud was well-disposed to speed her +marriage. + +We were all, indeed, glad and thankful; all save the Magister, whose face +was ill-content and sour by reason that he had culled many verses and +maxims concerning love, for the most part from the Greek and Latin poets, +and yet all his attempts to repeat them before Ann came to nothing, +inasmuch as she was again and again taken up with Herdegen and with me, +after she had once shaken hands with him and given him her greetings. + +At supper he was as dumb as the carp which were served, and it befell +that for the first time Herdegen took his seat between him and his +heart's beloved; and verily I was grieved for him when, after supper, he +withdrew downcast to his own chamber. The rest of us went forth to Saint +Sebald's church, where that night there would be midnight matins, as +there was every year, and a mass called the Christ mass. Cousin Maud and +Kunz were with us, as in the old happy days when we were children and +when we never missed; and in the streets as we went, we met all manner of +folks singing gladly: + + Puer natus in Bethlehem, + Sing, rejoice, Jerusalem! + +or the carol: + + Congaudeat turba fadelium! + Natus est rex, Salvator omnium + In Bethlehem. + +and we joined in; and at last all went together to see Ann to her home. + +Next evening there were more costly gifts, but albeit Puer natus was +still to be heard in the streets, we no longer were moved to join in. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +Every Christmas all my grand-uncle's kith and kin, or so many of them as +were on good terms with him, assembled in the great house of the Im +Hoffs. Everything in that dwelling spoke of ease and wealth, and no +banqueting-hall could be more brightly lighted or more richly decked than +that where the old man welcomed us on the threshold; and yet, how well +soever the hearth was piled or the stove heated, a chill breath seemed to +blow there. + +While great and small were rejoicing over the grand old knight's bounty +he himself would ever stand apart, and his calm, hueless countenance +expressed no change. Meseemed he cared but little for the pleasure he +gave us all; yet was he not idle in the matter, nor left it to others; +for there was no single gift which he had not himself chosen as befitting +him to whom it should be given. + +The trade of his great house was for the most part with Venice, and it +would have been easy to fancy oneself in some fine palazzo on the grand +canal as one marked the carpets, the mirrors, the brocade, and the +vessels in his house; and not a few of his tokens had likewise been +brought from thence. + +Before this largesse in his own house he was wont to bestow another, and +a very noble one, on the old men and women of the poor folks in the town; +and when this was over he went with them to the church of Saint Aegidius, +and washed the feet of about a score of them, which act of penitential +humility he was wont to repeat in Passion week. + +Then when he had welcomed his kin, each one to his house, he would say to +such as thanked him, if it were a child, very soberly: "Be a good child." +But for elder folks he had no more than "It is well," or an almost +churlish: "That is enough." + +This evening he had given me a gown of costly brocade of Cyprus; to Kunz +everything that a Junker might need on his travels; and to Herdegen the +same sword which he himself had in past time worn at court; the hilt was +set with gems and ended in the lion rampant, couped, of the Im Hoffs. +Ursula Tetzel, like me, had had a gown-piece which was lying near by the +sword. + +Herdegen, holding the jewelled weapon in his hand, thanked his grand- +uncle, who muttered as was his wont "'Tis well, 'tis well," when Jost +Tetzel put in his word, saying that the gift of a sword was supposed to +part friends, but that this ill-effect might be hindered if he who +received it made a return-offering to the giver, and so the token was +made into a purchase. + +At this Herdegen hastened to take out a gold pin set with sapphire +stones, which Cousin Maud had given him, from his neck-kerchief, to offer +it to his uncle; but the elder would have nothing to say to such +foolishness, and pushed the pin away. But then when my brother did not +cease, but besought him to accept it, inasmuch as he cared so greatly for +his uncle's fatherly kindness, the old knight cried that he wanted no +such sparkling finery, but that the day might come when he should require +some payment and that Herdegen was then to remember that he was in his +debt. + +At this minute they were hindered from further speech by the servants, +who came in to bid us to supper, and there stood ready wild fowl and +fish, fruits and pastry, with the rarest wines and the richest vessels; +the great middle table and the side buffet alike made such a show as +though Pomona, Ceres, Bacchus, and Plutus had heaped it with prodigal +hand. Yet was there no provision for merry-making. My grand-uncle loved +to be quit of his guests at an early hour; hence no table was laid for +them to sit down to meat, and each one held his plate in one hand. + +Presently, as I strove to get free of young Master Vorchtel who had +served me--and by the same token made love to me--I found my cousin in +speech with my grand-uncle, and the last words of his urgent discourse, +spoken as I came up with them, were that a woman of sound understanding, +as she commonly seemed, should no longer suffer such a state of things. + +Then Cousin Maud answered him, saying: "But you, my noble and worshipful +Cousin Im Hoff, know how that a Schopper is ever ready to run his head +against a wall. If we strive to thwart this hot-headed boy, he will of a +certainty defy us; but if we leave him for a while to go his own way, the +waters will not be dammed up, but will run to waste in the sand." + +This was evil hearing, and much as it vexed me Ursula chafed me even +more, whereas she made a feint of caring for none of the company present +excepting only Sir Franz--who was yet her housemate--and being still pale +and weak needed a friendly woman's hand for many little services, +inasmuch as even now he could scarce use his right arm. Nay, and he +seemed to like Ursula well enough as his helper; albeit he owed all her +sweet care and loving glances to Herdegen, for she never bestowed them +but when he chanced to look that way. + +When we all took leave my grand-uncle bid Herdegen stay, and Kunz waited +on us; but notwithstanding all his merry quips as we went home, not once +could we be moved to laughter. My heart was indeed right heavy; a bitter +drop had fallen into it by reason of Cousin Maud. I had ever deemed her +incapable of anything but what was truest and best, and she had proved +herself a double-dealer; and young as I was, and rejoicing in life, I +said, nevertheless, in my soul's dejection, that if life was such that +every poor human soul must be ever armed with doubt, saying, "Whom shall +I trust or doubt?" then it was indeed a hard and painful journey to win +through. + +I slept in my cousin's room, and albeit Cousin Maud wist not that I had +overheard her counsel given to my grand-uncle, she kept out of my way +that night, and we neither of us spoke till we said good-night. Then +could I no longer refrain myself, and asked whether it were verily and +indeed her intent to part Herdegen from Ann. + +And her ill-favored countenance grew strangely puckered and her bosom +heaved till suddenly she cried beside herself: "Cruel! Unhappy! Oh! +It will eat my heart out!" And she sobbed aloud, while I did the same, +crying: + +"But you love them both?" + +"That I do, and that is the very matter," she broke in sadly enough. +"Herdegen, and Ann! Why, I know not which I hold the dearer. But find +me a wiser man in all Nuremberg than your grand-uncle. But verily, +merciful Virgin, I know not what I would be at--I know not....!" + +On this I forgot the respect due to her and put in: "You know not?" And +whereas she made no reply, I railed at her, saying: "And yet you gave her +the linen, and half the matters for her house-gear as a Christmas gift, +as though they were known for a bride and groom to all the town. As old +as you are and as wise, can you take pleasure in a love-match and even +speed it forward as you have done, and yet purpose in your soul to hinder +it at last? And is this the truth and honesty whereof early and late you +have ever taught me? Is this being upright and faithful, or not rather +speaking with two tongues?" + +My fiery blood had again played me an evil trick, and I repented me when +I perceived what great grief my violent speech had wrought in the dear +soul. Never had I beheld her so feeble and doubting, and in a minute I +was in her arms and a third person might have marvelled to hear us each +craving pardon, she for her faint-hearted fears, and I for my unseemly +outbreak. But in that hour I became her friend, and ceased to be no more +than her child and fondling. + +Herdegen was to be ready to set forth before Passion week; but ere he +quitted home he made all the city ring with his praises, for, whereas +he had hitherto won fame in the school of arms only, by the strength and +skill of his arm, he now outdid every other in the procession of masks. +Albeit this custom is still kept up to this very day, yet many an one may +have forgotten how it first had its rise, although in my young days it +was well known to most folks. + +This then is to record, that in the days when the guilds were in revolt +against the city council, the cutlers and the fleshers alone remained +true to the noble families, and whereas they refused to take any guerdon +for their faithfulness, which must have been paid them at the cost of the +rest, they craved no more than the right of a making a goodly show in a +dance and procession at the Carnival; and they were by the same token +privileged at that time to wear apparel of velvet and silk, like gentle +folks of noble and knightly degree. + +Now this dance and its appurtenances were known at the masked show, and +inasmuch as the aid of the governing class was needed to keep the streets +clear for the throng of craftsmen, and as likewise the yearly outlay was +beyond their means, the sons of the great houses took a pride in paying +goodly sums for the right of taking a place in the procession. And as +for our high-spirited young lord, skilled as he was with his weapon, he +had seen and taken part in many such gay carnival doings among the +Italians, and it was a delight to him to join in the like sport at home, +and many were fain to gaze at him rather than at the guilds. + +They assembled under the walls in two bands, and marched past the town +hall and from thence to a dance of both guilds. Each had a dance of its +own. The Fleshers' was such a dance as in England is called a country +dance and they held leather-straps twisted to look like sausages; the +cutlers' dance was less clumsy, and they carried naked swords. + +But the show which most delighted the bystanders was the procession of +masks, wherein, indeed, there were many things pleasant and fair to +behold. + +A party of men in coarse raiment called the men of the woods, carrying +sheaves of oak boughs with acorns, and a number of mummers in fools' +garb, wielding wooden bats, cleared the way for the procession; first +then came minstrels, with drums and pipes and trumpets and bag-pipes, and +merry bells ringing out withal. Next came one on horseback with nuts, +which he flung down among the children, whereat there was merry scuffling +and screaming on the ground. From the windows likewise and balconies +there was no end of the laughter and cries; the young squires gave the +maids and ladies who sat there no peace for the flowers and sweetmeats +they cast up at them, and eggs filled with rose-water. + +This year, whereof I write, many folks in the procession wore garments of +the same color and shape; but among them there were some who loved a +jest, and were clothed as wild men and women, or as black-amoors, ogres +that eat children, ostrich-birds, and the like. Last of all came the +chief glory of the show, various great buildings and devices drawn by +horses: a Ship of Fools, and behind that a wind-mill, and a fowler's +decoy wherein Fools, men and women both, were caught, and other such +pastimes. + +My Herdegen had mingled with this wondrous fellowship arrayed as a knight +crusader leading three captive Saracen princes; namely, the two young +Masters Loffelholz and Schlebitzer, who had stirred him to dress in the +fencing-school, mounted on horses, and between them my squire Akusch on +the bear-leader's camel, all in white as a Son of the Desert; and the +three of them fettered with chains made of wood. + +My grand-uncle had lent Herdegen the suit of mail he himself had worn in +his youth at a tournament; + +Cousin Maud had provided his white cloak with a red cross, and as he rode +forth on a noble black steed in mail-harness with scarlet housings--the +finest and stoutest horse in the Im Hoffs' stables-and his golden hair +shining in the sun, many a maid could not take her eyes off from him. + +Kunz, in the garb of a fool, hither and thither, nay, and everywhere at +once, doubtless had the better sport; but Herdegen's heart beat the +higher, for he could hear a thousand voices proclaiming him the most +comely and his troop the most princely of all; from many a window a +flower was shed on him, or a ribband, or a knot. At last, when the dance +was all over, the guilds with the town-pipers betook them to the head +constable's quarters, where they were served with drink and ate the +Shrove-Tuesday meal of fish which was given in their honor. When the +procession was past and gone my grand-uncle bid Herdegen go to him, and +that which the old man then said and did to move him to give up his love +was shrewdly planned and not without effect on his mind. After looking +at him from head to foot, saying nothing but with no small contentment, +he clapped him kindly on the shoulder and led him, as though by chance, +up to the Venice mirror in the dining-hall. Then pointing to the image +before him: "A Tancred!" he cried, "a Godfrey! Richard of the Lion- +heart! And the bride a miserable scrivener's wench!--a noble bride!" +Thereupon Herdegen fired up and began to speak in praise of Ann's rare +and choice beauty; but his guardian stopped him short, laid his arm round +his shoulders, and muttered in his ear that in his young days likewise +youths of noble birth had to be sure made love to the fair daughters of +the common citizens, but the man who could have thought of courting one +of them in good faith.... + +Here he broke off with a sharp laugh, and drawing the boy closer to him, +cried: + +"No harm is meant my Tancred! And you may keep the black horse in +remembrance of this hour." + +It was old Berthold, my uncle's body-servant who told me all this; +Herdegen when he came home answered none of my questions. He would not +grant my prayer that he should show himself to Ann in his knight's +harness, and said somewhat roughly that she loved not such mummery. Thus +it was not hard to guess what was in his mind; but how came it to pass +that this old man, whose princely wife had wrought ruin to his peace and +happiness, could so diligently labor to lead him he best loved on earth +into the like evil course? And among many matters of which I lacked +understanding there was yet this one: Wherefore should Eppelein, who so +devoutly loved his master, and who knew right well how to value a young +maid's beauty--and why should my good Susan and the greater part of our +servitors have turned so spitefully against Ann, to whom in past days +they were ever courteous and serviceable, since they had scented a +betrothal between her and my eldest brother? + +From the first I had been but ill-pleased to see Herdegen so diligent +over this idle sport and spending so many hours away from his sweetheart, +when he was so soon to quit us all. Nevertheless I had not the heart to +admonish him, all the more as in many a dull hour he was apt to believe +that, for the sake of his love, he must need deny himself sundry +pleasures which our father had been free to enjoy; and I weened that I +knew whence arose this faint-heartedness which was so little akin to his +wonted high spirit. + +Looking backward, a little before this time, I note first that Ann had +not been able to keep her love-matters a secret from her mother. Albeit +the still young and comely widow had solemnly pledged herself to utter +no word of the matter, like most Italian women--and may be many a +Nuremberger--she could not refrain herself from telling that of which her +heart and brain were full, deeming it great good fortune for her child +and her whole family; and she had shared the secret with all her nearest +friends. Eight days before Shrove Tuesday Cousin Maud and we three +Schoppers had been bidden to spend the evening in the house by the river, +and Dame Giovanna, kind-hearted as ever, but not far-seeing, had likewise +bidden her father-in-law, the lute-player, and Adam Heyden from the +tower, and Ann's one and only aunt, the widow of Rudel Hennelein. + +This Hennelein had been the town bee-master, the chief of the bee- +keepers, who, then as now, had their business out in the Lorenzer-Wald. +His duties had been to hold an assize for the bee-keepers three times in +the year at a village called Feucht, and to lend an ear to their +complaints; and albeit he had fulfilled his office without blame, he had +dwelt in strife with his wife, and being given to rioting, he was wont +rather to go to the tavern than sit at table with his cross-grained wife. + +When he presently died there was but small leaving, and the widow in the +little house in the milk market had need to look twice at every farthing, +although she had not chick nor child. And whereas full half of the +offerings sent by the bee-keepers to help out their master's widow were +in honey, she strove to turn this to the best account, and to this end +she would by no means sell it to the dealers who would offer to take it, +but carried it herself in neat little crocks, one at a time, to the +houses of the rich folks, whereby her gains were much the greater. + +Whereas her husband had been a member of the worshipful class of +magistrates, she deemed that such trading ill-beseemed her dignity; and +she at all times wore a great fur hat as large round as a cart-wheel of +fair size, and all the other array of a well-to-do housewife, though in +truth somewhat threadbare. Then she would offer her honey as a gift to +the mothers of children for their dear little ones; nor could she ever be +moved to name a price for her gift, inasmuch as it was not fitting that a +bee-master's widow should do so, while it was all to her honor when a +little bounty was offered as civil return. + +Her honey was good enough, and the children were ever glad to see her: +all the more so for that they had their sport of her behind her back, +inasmuch as that she was a laughable little body, who had a trick of +repeating the last word of every sentence she spoke. Thus she would say +not: "Ah! here comes Kunz," but, "Here comes Kunz Kunz." Moreover, she +ever held her head between her two hands, tightly, as though with that +great fur cap her thin neck were in danger of breaking. + +In this way she had dealings with most of our noble families; and the +young ones would call her not Hennelein, as her name was, but +Henneleinlein, in jest at her foolish trick of repeating her last word. + +So long as I could remember, Mistress Henneleinlein had been wont to +bring honey to our house, and had received from Cousin Maud, besides many +a bright coin, likewise sundry worn but serviceable garments as +"remembrances." And Herdegen foremost of us all had been ready to make +sport of her; but it had come to his knowledge that she was ever benign +to lovers, and had helped many a couple to come together. + +The glad tidings that her niece was chosen by fate to rule over the +house of the Schoppers had filled her above all others with pride and +contentment, and Dame Giovanna having told her this secret and then +bidden her to meet us, she stuck so closely to Herdegen that Ann was +filled with vexation and fears. I could not but mark that my brother was +sorely ill-pleased when Dame Henneleinlein patted his arm; and when she +kissed his sweetheart on the lips he shrank as though someone had laid +afoul hand on his light-hued velvet doublet. He had always felt a warm +friendship for the worthy lute-player, who was a master in his own art; +yea, and many a time had he right gladly mounted the tower-stairs to see +the old organist; but now, to be treated as a youngster of their own kith +by these two good men filled him with loathing; for it may well be that +many an one whom we are well pleased to seek and truly value in his own +home and amid his own company, seems another man when he makes claim to +live with us as one of ourselves. + +Cousin Maud had not chosen to accept Dame Giovanna's bidding, perchance +for my grand-uncle's sake; she thus escaped the vexation of seeing +Herdegen, on this first night spent with his future kindred, so silent +and moody that he was scarce like himself. He turned pale and bit his +nether lip, as he never did but when he was mastering his temper with +great pains, when Mistress Henneleinlein who had hitherto known him only +as a roystering young blade and now interpreted his reserve and silence +after her own fashion noted mysteriously that the Junker would have to +take a large family with his young bride--though, indeed, there was a +hope that the burden might ere long be lighter. For she went on to say, +with a leer at Mistress Giovanna, that so comely a step-mother would have +suitors in plenty, and she herself had one in her eye, if he were but +brought to the point, who would provide abundantly not only for the +mother but for all the brood of little ones. + +This and much more did he himself repeat to me as we walked home, +speaking with deep ire and in tones of wrath; and what else Dame +Henneleinlein had poured into his ear was to me not so much unpleasing as +a cause of well-grounded fears, inasmuch as the old body had told him +that the man who was fain to pay his court to Mistress Giovanna was none +other than the coppersmith, Ulman Pernhart, the father of the fair maid +for whose sake Aunt Jacoba had banished her only son. + +In vain did I in all honesty speak the praises of the coppersmith; +Herdegen turned a deaf ear, even as my uncle and aunt had done. The +thought that his wife should ever be required to honor this +handicraftsman, if only as a step-father, and that he should hear himself +addressed by him as "Son," was too shrewd a thrust. + +The next morning the Junkers had carried him off to the school of arms +and then to the gentlemen's tavern to take his part in the masquerade; +and when, at a later hour, after the throng had scattered, Ann came to +our house, her lover was not at home: he had gone off again to the revels +at the tavern where he would meet such workingmen as his sweetheart's +future step-father. + +At the same time, as it fell, Brother Ignatius, of the order of Grey +Friars, had come many times to hold forth at our house, by desire of my +grand-uncle whose almoner he was, and when Herdegen announced to us on +Ash Wednesday that the holy man had craved to be allowed to travel in his +company as far as Ingolstadt, I foresaw no good issue; for albeit the +Father was a right reverend priest, whose lively talk had many a time +given me pleasure, it must for certain be his intent to speed my uncle's +wishes. + +In spite of all, Herdegen was in such deep grief at departing that I put +away all doubts and fears. + +Ann, who felt in all matters as he felt and put her whole trust in him, +was wise enough to know that he could have no bond with her kith and kin; +nay, that it must be hard on him to have to call such a woman as Mistress +Henneleinlein his aunt. Also he and she had agreed that hereafter he +should dwell no more at Nuremberg, but seek some office and duty in the +Imperial service; and Sir Franz had been diligent in asking his uncle's +good word, he being one of those highest in power at the Emperor's court. + +Now, when a short time before his departing they were alone with me, Ann, +bearing in mind this pact they had made, cried out: "You promise me we +shall build our nest in some place far from hence; and be it where it +may, wherever we may be left to ourselves and have but each other, a +happy life must await us." + +At this his eyes flashed, and he cried with a lad's bold spirit: + +"With a doctor's hood, at the Emperor's court, I shall ere long be +councillor, and at last, God willing, Chancellor of the Realm!" + +After this they spoke yet many loving and touching words, and when he was +already in the saddle and waved her a last farewell, tears flowed from +his eyes-- + +I saw them for certain.--And at that moment I besought the Lord that He +would rather chastise and try me with pain and grief, but bring these two +together and let their marriage be crowned by the highest bliss ever +vouchsafed to human hearts. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +Spring was past, and again the summer led me and Ann back into the green +wood. Aunt Jacoba's sickness was no whit amended, and the banishment of +her only and comely son gnawed at her heart; but the more she needed +tending and cheering the more Ann could do for her and the dearer she +became to the heart of the sick woman. + +Kunz was ever in Venice. Herdegen wrote right loving letters at first +from Padua, but then they came less often, and the last Ann ever had to +show me was a mere feint which pleased me ill indeed, inasmuch as, albeit +it was full of big words, it was empty of tidings of his life or of his +heart's desire. What all this must mean Ann, with her clear sense and +true love, could not fail to see; nevertheless she ceased not from +building on her lover's truth; or, if she did not, she hid that from all +the world, even from me. + +We came from the forest earlier than we were wont, on Saint Maurice's +day, forasmuch as that Ann could not be longer spared and, now more than +ever, I could not bear to leave her alone. + +Uncle Christian rode to the town with us, and if he had before loved her +well, in this last long time of our all being together he had taken her +yet more into his heart. And now, whereas he had given her the right to +warn him against taking too much wine, he was fain to call her his little +watchman, by reason that it is the watchman's part to give warning of the +enemy's onset. + +But while Ann was so truly beloved at the Forest lodge, on her return +home she found no pleasant welcome. In her absence the coppersmith +Pernhart had wooed her mother in good earnest, and the eldest daughter +not being on the spot, had sped so well that the widow had yielded. Ann +once made bold to beseech her mother with due reverence to give up her +purpose, but she fell on her child's neck, as though Ann were the mother, +entreating her, with many tears, to let her have her will. Ann of a +certainty would not now be long under her roof to cherish the younger +children, and it was not in her power as their mother to guide them in +the way in which their father would have them to walk. For this Ulman +Pernhart was the fittest man. Her dead husband had been a schoolmate of +her suitor's, and of his brother the very reverend lord Bishop, and he +had thought highly of Master Ulman. This it was gave her strength to +follow the prompting of her heart. In this way did the mother try to +move her child to look with favor on the desire of her fiery Italian +heart, now shame-faced and coaxing, and anon with tears in her eyes; and +albeit the widow was past five and thirty and her suitor nigh upon fifty, +yet no man seeing the pair together would have made sport of their love. +The Venice lady had lost so little of her youthful beauty and charms that +it was in truth a marvel; and as to Master Pernhart, he was not a man to +be overlooked, even among many. + +As he was at this time he might be taken for the very pattern of a +stalwart and upright German mastercraftsman; nay, nor would a knight's +harness of mail have ill-beseemed him. Or ever he had thought of paying +court to Mistress Giovanna I had heard the prebendary Master von Hellfeld +speak of Pernhart as a right good fellow, of whom the city might be +proud; and he then spoke likewise of Master Ulman's brother, who had +become a servant of the Holy Church, and while yet a young man had been +raised to the dignity of a bishop. + +When the great schism had come to a happy ending, and one Head, instead +of three, ruled the Church, Pope Martin V. had chosen him to sit in his +council and kept him at Rome, where he was one of the powers of the +Curia. + +Albeit his good German name of Pernhart was now changed to Bernardi, he +had not ceased to love his native town and his own kin, and had so +largely added to the wealth and ease of his own mother and his only +brother that the coppersmith had been able to build himself a dwelling +little behind those of the noble citizens. He had been forlorn in his +great house of late, but no such cause as that was needed to move him to +cast his eye on the fair widow of his very reverend brother's best +friend. + +While Ann was away in the forest Mistress Giovanna had let Pernhart into +the secret of her daughter's betrothal to Herdegen, and so soon as the +young maid was at home again he had spoken to her of the matter, telling +her, in few but hearty words, that she would be ever welcome to his house +and there fill the place of his lost Gertrude; but that if she was fain +to wed an honest man, he would make it his business to provide her +outfit. + +These things, and much more, inclined me in his favor, little as I +desired that he should wed the widow, for Herdegen's sake; and when I met +him for the first time as betrothed to Ann's mother, and the grandlooking +man shook my hand with hearty kindness, and then thanked me with warmth +and simplicity for whatsoever I had done for her who henceforth would be +his dearest and most precious treasure, I returned the warm grasp of his +hand with all honesty, and it was from the bottom of my heart that I +answered him, saying that I gladly hailed him as a new friend, albeit I +could not hope for the same from my brother. + +He heard this with a strange smile, half mournful, but, meseemed, half +proud; then he held forth his horny, hard-worked hand, and said that to +be sure it was an ill-matched pair when such a hand as that should clasp +a soft and white one such as might come out of a velvet sleeve; that +whereas, in order to win the woman he loved, he had taken her tribe of +children into the bargain, and fully purposed to have much joy of them +and be a true father to them, my lord brother, if his love were no less +true, must make the best of his father-in-law, whose honor, though he was +but of simple birth, was as clean as ever another man's in the eyes of +God. + +And as we talked I found there was more and nobler matter in his brain +and heart than I had ever weened I might find in a craftsman. We met +often and learned to know each other well, and one day it fell that I +asked him whether he had in truth forgiven the Junker through whom he had +lost the one he loved best. + +He forthwith replied that I was not to lay the blame on one whom he would +ever remember as a brave and true-hearted youth, inasmuch as it was not +my cousin, but he himself who had put an end to the love-making between +Gotz and Gertrude. It was after the breach between Gotz and his parents +that it had been most hard to turn a deaf ear to the prayers of the +devoted lover and of his own child. But, through all, he had borne in +mind the doctrine by which his father had ever ruled his going, namely, +not to bring on our neighbor such grief as would make our own heart sore. +Therefore he examined himself as to what he would feel towards one who +should make his child to wed against his will with a suitor he liked not; +and whereas his own dignity as a man and his care for his daughter's +welfare forbade that he should give her in marriage to a youth whose +kinsfolks would receive her with scorn and ill-feeling, rather than with +love and kindness, he had at last set his heart hard against young +Waldstromer, whom he had loved as his own son, and forced him to go far +away from his sweetheart. I, in my heart, was strangely wroth with my +cousin in that he had not staked his all to win so fair a maid; nay, and +I made so bold as to confess that in Gertrude's place I should have gone +after my lover whithersoever he would, even against my father's will. + +And again that proud smile came upon Ulman Pernhart's bearded lips, and +his eye flashed fire as he said: "My life moves in a narrow round, but +all that dwell therein bend to my will as the copper bends under my +hammer. If you think that the Junker gave in without a struggle you are +greatly mistaken; after I had forbidden him the house, he had tempted +Gertrude to turn against me and was ready to carry her off; nay, and +would you believe it, my own mother sided with the young ones. The +priest even was in readiness to marry them privily, and they would have +won the day in spite of me. But the eyes of jealousy are ever the +sharpest; my head apprentice, who was madly in love with the maid, +betrayed the plot, and then, Mistress Margery, were things said and done +--things concerning which I had best hold my peace. And if you crave to +know them, you may ask my mother. You will see some day, if you do not +scorn to enter my house and if you gain her friendship--and I doubt not +that you will, albeit it is not granted to every one--she will be glad +enough to complain of my dealings in this matter--mine, her own son's, +although on other points she is wont to praise my virtues over-loudly." + +This discourse raised my cousin once more to his old place in my opinion, +and I knew now that the honest glance of his blue eyes, which doubtless +had won fair Gertrude's heart, was trustworthy and true. + +Master Ulman Pernhart was married in a right sober fashion to fair +Mistress Giovanna, and I remember to this day seeing them wed in Saint +Laurence's Church. It was a few months before this that I was taken for +the first time to a dance at the town hall. There, as soon as I had +forgotten my first little fears, I took my pleasure right gladly to the +sound of the music, and I verily delighted in the dance. But albeit I +found no lack of young ladies my friends, and still less of youths who +would fain win my favor, I nevertheless lost not the feeling that I had +left part of my very being at home; nay, that I scarce had a right to +these joys, since my brothers were in a distant land and Ann could not +share them with me, and while I was taking my pleasure she had the heart- +ache. + +Then was there a second dance, and a third and fourth; and at home there +came a whole troop of young men in their best apparel to ask of Cousin +Maud, each after his own fashion, to be allowed to pay court to me; but +albeit they were all of good family, and to many a one I felt no dislike, +I felt nothing at all like love as I imagined it, and I would have +nothing to say to any one of them. And all this I took with a light +heart, for which Cousin Maud many a time,--and most rightly--reproved me. + +But at that time, and yet more as the months went on, I hardly knew +my own mind; another fate than my own weighed most on my soul; and I +thought so little of my own value that meseemed it could add to no man's +happiness to call me his. All else in life passed before my eyes like a +shadow; a time came when all joy was gone from me, and my suitors sought +me in vain in the dancing-hall, for a great and heavy grief befell me. + +All was at an end--even now I scarce can bear to write the words--between +Ann and Herdegen; and by no fault of hers, but only and wholly by reason +of his great and unpardonable sin. + +But I will write down in order how it came about. So early as at +Martinmas I heard from Cousin Maud--and my grand-uncle had told her--that +Herdegen had quitted Padua and that it was his intent to take the degree +of doctor at Paris whither the famous Gerson's great genius was drawing +the studious youth of all lands; and his reason for this was that a +bloody fray had made the soil of Italy too hot for his feet. "These +tidings boded evil; all the more as neither we nor Ann had a word from +Herdegen in his own hand to tell us that he had quitted the country and +his school. Then, in my fear and grief, I could not help going to my +grand-uncle, but he would have nothing to say to me or to Cousin Maud, +or else he put us off with impatient answers, or empty words that meant +nothing. Thus we lived in dread and sorrow, till at last, a few days +before Pernhart was married, a letter came to me from Eppelein, and I +have it before me now, among other papers all gone yellow. + +"From your most duteous and obedient servant Eppelein Gockel to the lady +Margery Schopper," was the superscription. And he went on to excuse +himself in that he knew not the art of writing, and had requested the +service of the Magister of the young Count von Solms. + +"And inasmuch as I erewhile pledged my word as a, man to the illustrious +and worshipful Mistress Margery, in her sisterly care, that I would write +to her if we at any time needed the favor of her counsel and help, I +would ere now have craved for the Magister's aid if the all-merciful +Virgin had not succored us in due season. + +"Nevertheless my heart was moved to write to you, gracious and worshipful +Mistress Margery, inasmuch as I wist you would be in sorrow, and longing +for tidings of my gracious master; for it is by this time long since I +gave his last letter for the Schopperhof in charge to the German post- +runner; and meseems that my gracious master has liked to give his +precious time to study and to other pastimes rather than to those who, +being his next of kin, are ever ready and willing to be patient with him; +as indeed they could if they pleased enquire of my lord the knight Sebald +Im Hoff as to his well-being. My gracious master gave him to know by +long letters how matters were speeding with him, and of a certainty told +him how that the old Marchese and his nephews, malicious knaves, came to +blows with us at Padua by reason of the old Marchese's young and fair +lady, who held my gracious master so dear that all Padua talked thereof. + +"Nevertheless it was an evil business, inasmuch as three of them fell on +us in the darkness of night; and if the merciful Saints had not protected +us with their special grace nobler and more honorable blood should have +been shed than those rogues. Also we came to Paris in good heart; and +safe and sound in body; and this is a city wherein life is far more +ravishing than in Nuremberg. + +"Whereas I have known full well that you, most illustrious Mistress +Margery, have ever vouchsafed your gracious friendship to Mistress Ann +Spiesz--and indeed I myself hold her in the highest respect, as a lady +rich in all virtue--I would beseech her to put away from her heart all +thought of my gracious master as soon as may be, and to strive no more to +keep his troth, forasmuch as it can do no good: Better had she look for +some other suitor who is more honest in his intent, that so she may not +wholly waste her maiden days--which sweet Saint Katharine forbid! Yet, +most worshipful Mistress Margery, I entreat you with due submission not +to take this amiss in your beloved brother, nor to withdraw from him any +share of your precious love, whereas my gracious master may rightly look +higher for his future wife. And as touching his doings now in his +unmarried state, of us the saying is true: Like master, like man. And +whereas I, who am but a poor and simple serving man, have never been fain +to set my heart on one only maid, no less is to be looked for in my +gracious master, who is rich and of noble birth." + +This epistle would of a certainty have moved me to laughter at any other +time but, as things stood, the matter and manner of the low varlet's +letter in daring to write thus of Ann, roused me to fury. And yet he was +a brave fellow, and of rare faithfulness to his master; for when the +Marchese's nephew had fallen upon Herdegen, he had wrenched the sword out +of the young nobleman's hand at the peril of his own life and had +thereafter modestly held his peace as to that brave deed. It was, in +truth, hard not to betray the coming of this letter, even by a look; yet +did I hide it; but when another letter was brought, not long after, all +care and secrecy were vain. + +Oh! that dreadful letter. I could not hide the matter of it; but I let +pass her mother's wedding before I confessed to Ann what my brother had +written to me. + +That cruel letter lies before me now. It is longer than any he had +written me heretofore, and I will here write it fair, for indeed I could +not, an I would, copy the writing, so wild and reckless as it is. + +"All must be at an end, Margery, betwixt Ann and me"--and those first +words stung me like a whip-lash. "There. 'Tis written, and now you know +it. I was never worthy of her, for I have sold my heart's love for +money, as Judas sold the Lord. + +"Not that my love or longing are dead. Even while I write I feel dragged +to her; a thousand voices cry to me that there is but one Ann, and when a +few weeks ago the young Sieur de Blonay made so bold as to vaunt of his +lady and her rose-red as above all other ladies and colors, my sword +compelled him to yield the place of honor to blue--for whose sake you +know well. + +"And nevertheless I must give her up. Although I fled from temptation, +it pursued me, and when it fell upon me, after a short battle I was +brought low. The craving for those joys of the world which she tried to +teach me to scorn, is strong within me. I was born to sin; and now as +matters stand they must remain. A wight such as I am, who shoots through +life like a wild hawk, cannot pause nor think until a shaft has broken +his wings. The bitter fate which bids me part from Ann has stricken me +thus, and now I can only look back and into my own soul; and the fairer, +the sweeter, the loftier is she whom I have lost, the darker and more +vile, meseemeth, is all I discover in myself. + +"Yet, or ever I cast behind me all that was pure and noble, righteous and +truly blissful, I hold up the mirror to my own sinful face, and will +bring, myself to show to you, my Margery, the hideous countenance I +behold therein. + +"I will not cloke nor spare myself in anything; and yet, at this hour, +which finds me sober and at home, having quitted my fellows betimes this +night, I verily believe that I might have done well, and not ill, and +what was pleasing in the sight of God, and in yours, my Margery, and in +the eyes of Ann and of all righteous folk, if only some other hand had +had the steering of my life's bark. + +"Margery, we are orphans; and there is nothing a man needs so much, in +the years while he is still unripe and unsure of himself, as a master +whom he must revere in fear or in love. And we--I--Margery, what was my +grand-uncle to me? + +"You and I again are of one blood and so near in age that, albeit one may +counsel the other, it is scarce to be hoped that I should take your +judgment, or you mine, without cavil. + +"Then Cousin Maud! With all the mother's love she has ever shown us, all +I did was right in her eyes; and herein doubtless lies the difference +between a true mother, who brought us with travail into the world, and a +loving foster-mother, who fears to turn our hearts from her by harshness; +but the true mother punishes her children wherein she deems it good, +inasmuch as she is sure of their love. My cousin's love was great +indeed, but her strictness towards me was too small. Out of sheer love, +when I went to the High School she kept my purse filled; then, as I grew +older, our uncle did likewise, though for other reasons; and now that I +have redenied Ann, to do his pleasure, I loathe myself. Nay, more and +more since I am raised to such fortune as thousands may envy me; inasmuch +as my granduncle purposes to make me his heir by form of law. Last +night, when I came home with great gains from play in my pocket, I was +nigh to put an end to the woes of this life.... + +"But have no fear, Margery. A light heart soon will bring to the top +again what ruth, at this hour, is bearing to the deeps. Of what use is +waiting? Am I then the first Junker who has made love to a sweet maid of +low birth, only to forget her for a new lady love? + +"Sooth to say, Margery, my confessor, to whom--albeit with bitter pains-- +I am laying open every fold of my heart--yes, Margery, if Ann's cradle +had been graced with a coat of arms matters would be otherwise. But to +call a copper-smith father-in-law, and little Henneleinlein Madame Aunt! +In church, to nod from the old seats of the Schoppers to all those common +folk as my nearest kin, to meet the lute-player among my own people, +teaching the lads and maids their music, and to greet him as dear +grandfather, to see my brethren and sisters-in-law busy in the clerks' +chambers or work-shops--all this I say is bitter to the taste; and yet +more when the tempter on the other side shows the gaudy young gentleman +the very joys dearest to his courtly spirit. And with what eloquence and +good cheer has Father Ignatius set all this before mine eyes here in +Paris, doubtless with honest intent; and he spoke to my heart soberly and +to edification, setting forth all that the precepts of the Lord, and my +old and noble family required of me. + +"Much less than all this would have overruled so feeble a wight as I am. +I promised Father Ignatius to give up Ann, and, on my home-coming, to +submit in all things to my uncle and to agree with him as to what each +should yield up and renounce to the other--as though it were a matter of +merchandise in spices from the Levant, or silk kerchiefs from Florence; +and thereupon the holy Friar gave me his benediction, as though my +salvation were henceforth sure in this world and the next. + +"I rode forth with him even to the gate, firm in the belief that I had +thrown the winning number in life's game; but scarce had I turned my +horse homeward when I wist that I had cast from me all the peace and joy +of my soul. + +"It is done. I have denied Ann--given her up forever--and whereas she +must one day hear it, be it done at once. You, my poor Margery, I make +my messenger. I have tried, in truth, to write to Ann, but it would not +do. One thing you must say, and that is that, even when I have sinned +most against her, I have never forgotten her; nay, that the memory of +that happy time when she was fain to call herself my Laura moved me to +ride forth to Treviso, where, in the chapel of the Franciscan Brethren, +there may be seen a head of the true Laura done by the limner Simone di +Martino, the friend of Petrarca, a right worthy work of art. Methought +she drew me to her with voice and becks. And yet, and yet--woe, woe is +me! + +"My pen has had a long rest, for meseemed I saw first Petrarca's lady +with her fair braids, and then Ann with her black hair, which shone with +such lustrous, soft waves, and lay so nobly on the snow-white brow. Her +eyes and mien are verily those of Laura; both alike pure and lofty. But +here my full heart over-flows; it cannot forget how far Ann exceeds Laura +in sweet woman's grace. + +"Day is breaking, and I can but sigh forth to the morning: 'Lost, lost! +I have lost the fairest and the best!' + +"Then I sat long, sunk in thought, looking out of window, across the bare +tree-tops in the garden, at the grey mist which seems as though it ended +only at the edge of the world. It drips from the leafless boughs, and +mine eyes--I need not hide it--will not be kept dry. It is as though the +leaves from the tree of my life had all dropped on the ground--nay, as +though my own guilty hand had torn them from the stem." + +"I have but now come home from a right merry company! It is of a truth a +merciful fashion which turns night into day. Yes, Margery, for one whose +first desire is to forget many matters, this Paris is a place of delight. +I have drunk deep of the wine-cup, but I would call any man villain who +should say that I am drunk. Can I not write as well as ever another--and +this I know, that if I sold myself it was not cheap. It has cost me my +love, and whereas it was great the void is great to fill. Wherefore I +say: 'Bring hither all that giveth joy, wine and love-making, torches and +the giddy dame in velvet and silk, dice and gaming, and mad rides, the +fresh greenwood and bloody frays!' Is this nothing? Is it even a +trivial thing? + +"How, when all is said and done, shall we answer the question as to which +is the better lot: heavenly love, soaring on white swan's wings far above +all that is common dust, as Ann was wont to sing of it, or earthly joys, +bold and free, which we can know only with both feet on the clod? + +"I have made choice and can never turn back. Long life to every +pleasure, call it by what name you will! You have a gleeful, rich, and +magnificent brother, little Margery; and albeit the simple lad of old, +who chose to wife the daughter of a poor clerk, may have been dearer to +you--as he was to my own heart--yet love him still! Of his love you are +ever sure; remember him in your prayers; and as for that you have to say +to Ann, say it in such wise that she shall not take it over much to +heart. Show her how unworthy of her is this brother of yours, though in +your secret soul you shall know that my guardian saint never had, nor +ever shall have, any other face than hers. + +"Now will I hasten to seal this letter and wake Eppelein that he may give +it to the post-rider. I am weary of tearing up many sheets of paper, but +if I were to read through in all soberness that I have written half +drunk, this letter would of a certainty go the way of many others written +by me to you, and to my beloved, faithful, only love, my lost Ann." + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +Master Pernhart was wed on Tuesday after Palm Sunday. Ann was wont to +come to our house early on Wednesday morning, and this was ever a happy +meeting to which we gave the name of "the Italian spinning-hour," by +reason that one of us would turn her wheel and draw out the yarn, while +the other read aloud from the works of the great Italian poets. + +Nor did Ann fail to come on this Wednesday after the wedding; but I had +thrust Herdegen's letter into the bosom of my bodice and awaited her with +a quaking heart. + +Her spirit was heavy; I could see in her eyes that they had shed tears, +and at my first question they filled again. Had she not seen her mother +this morn beaming with happiness, and then remembered, with new pangs of +heartache, the father she had lost scarce a year ago and whose image +seemed to have faded out of the mind of the wife he had so truly loved. + +When I said to her that I well understood her sorrow, but that I had +other matter to lay before her which might bring her yet more cruel +grief, she knew that it must be as touching Herdegen; and whereas before +I spoke I could only clasp her to me and could not bring out a single +word, she thrust me from her and cried: "Herdegen? Speak! Some ill has +come upon him! Margery--Merciful Virgin! How you are sobbing!--Dead--is +he dead?" + +As she said these words her cheeks turned pale and, when I shook my head, +she seized my hand and asked sadly: "Worse? Then he has broken faith +once more?" + +Meseemed I could never speak again; and yet I might not keep silence, and +the words broke from my bursting heart: "Ah, worse and far worse; more +strange, more terrible! I have it here, in his hand.--Henceforth--my +uncle, his rich inheritance.... All is over, Ann, betwixt him and you. +And I--oh, that he should have left it to me to tell it!" + +She stood in front of me as if rooted to the ground, and it was some time +before she could find a word. Then she said in a dull voice: "Where is +the letter?" + +I snatched it out of the bosom of my dress and was about to rend it as I +went towards the hearth, but she stood in my way, snatched the letter +violently from me, and cried: "Then if all is at an end, I will at any +rate be clear about it. No false comfort, no cloaking of the truth!" + +And she strove to wrench Herdegen's letter from me. But my strength was +greater than hers, indeed full great for a maid; yet my heart told me +that in her case my will would have been the same, so I made no more +resistance but yielded up the letter. Then and there she read it; and +although she was pale as death and I marked how her lips trembled and +every nerve in her body, her eyes were dry, and when she presently folded +the letter and held it forth to me, she said with light scorn which cut +in--to the heart: "This then is what matters have come to! He has sold +his love and his sweetheart! Only her face, it would seem, is not in the +bargain by reason that he keeps that to rob his saint of her holiness! +Well, he is free, and the wild joys of life in every form are to make up +for love; and yet--and yet, Margery, pray that he may not end miserably!" + +Gentle pity had sounded in these last words, and I took her hand and +besought her right earnestly: "And you, Ann. Do you pray with me." But +she shook her head and replied: "Nay, Margery; all is at an end between +him and me, even thoughts and yearning. I know him no more--and now let +me go." With this she put on her little cloak, and was by the door +already when Cousin Maud came in with some sweetmeats, as she was ever +wont to do when we thus sat spinning; and as soon as she had set down +that which she was carrying she opened her arms to the outcast maid, to +clasp her to her bosom and comfort her with good words; but Ann only took +her hand, pressed it to her lips, and vanished down the stairs. + +At dinner that morning the dishes would have been carried out as full as +they were brought in, if Master Peter had not done his best to hinder it; +and as soon as the meal was over I could no longer bear myself in the +house, but went off straight to the Pernharts'. + +There the air seemed warmer and lighter, and Mistress Giovanna welcomed +me to her new home right gladly; but she would not suffer me to go to +Ann's chamber, forasmuch as that she had a terrible headache and had +prayed to see no one, not even me. Yet I felt strongly drawn to her, and +as the new-made wife knew that she and I were as one she did not forbid +me from going upstairs, where Pernhart had made dead Gertrude's room all +clean and fresh for Ann. Now whereas I knew that when her head ached +every noise gave her pain, I mounted the steps with great care and opened +the door softly without knocking. Also she was not aware of my coming. +I would fain have crept away unseen; or even rather would have fallen on +my knees by her side to crave her forgiveness for the bitter wrong my +brother had done her. She was lying on the bed, her face hidden in the +pillows, and her slender body shook as in an ague fit, while she sobbed +low but right bitterly. Nor did she mark my presence there till I fell +on my knees by the bed and cast my arms about her. Then she suddenly +raised herself from the pillows, passed her hand across her wet eyes, and +entreated me to leave her. Yet I did not as she bade me; and when she +saw how deeply I took her griefs to heart, she rose from her couch, on +which she had lain down with all her clothes on, and only prayed me that +this should be the last time I would ever speak with her of Herdegen. + +Then she led me to her table and showed me things which she had laid out +thereon; poor little gifts which my brother had brought her; every one, +except only the Petrarca with the names in gold: Anna-Laura. And she +desired that I would take them all and send them back to Herdegen at some +fitting time. + +As I nodded sadly enough, she must have seen in my face that I missed the +little volumes and, ere I was aware, she had taken them out of her chest +and thrown them in with the rest. + +Then she cried in a changed voice: "That likewise--Ah, no, not that! It +is the best gift he ever made me, and he was so good and kind then--You +do not know, you do not know!--How I long to keep the books! But away, +away with them!" + +Then she put everything into a silken kerchief, tied it up with hard +knots, pushed the bundle into my hand, and besought me to go home. + +I went home, sick at heart, with the bundle in my cold hand, and when the +door was opened by Akusch, who, poor wight, bore our bitter winters but +ill, I heard from above-stairs loud and right merry laughter and glee; +and I knew it for the voice of Cousin Maud who seemed overpowered by +sheer mirth. My wrath flared up, for our house this day was of a +certainty the last where such merriment was fitting. + +My cheeks were red from the snow-storm, yet rage made them even hotter +as I hastened up-stairs. But before I could speak a single word Cousin +Maud, with whom were the Magister and old Pirkheimer the member of +council, cried out as soon as she saw me: "Only imagine, Margery, what +rare tidings his Excellency has brought us." And she went on to tell me, +with great joy, while his worship added facts now and then, that the +Magister had since yestereve become a rich man, inasmuch as his +godmother, old Dame Oelhaf, had died, leaving him no small wealth. + +This was verily marvellous and joyful hearing, for many had imagined the +deceased to be a needy woman who had carried on the business left her by +her husband, albeit she had no service but that of an ill-paid shop-lad, +who was like one of the lean ears of Pharaoh's dream and moreover blind +of one eye. Nevertheless I remembered well that her little shop, which +was no greater than a fair-sized closet, had ever been filled with buyers +when we had stolen in, against all commands, to buy a few dried figs. I +can see the little crippled mistress now as she limped across the shop or +along the street, and the boys would call after her: "Hip hop! Lame +duck!" and all Nuremberg knew her better by the nickname of the Lame +Duck than by her husband's. + +That the poor little woman had departed this life we had all heard +yestereve; but even the Magister had fully believed that her leavings +would scarce be worth the pains of a walk to the town hall. But now the +learned advocate told him that by her will, drawn up and attested +according to law, she had devised to him all she had to leave as being +the only child she had ever been thought worthy to hold at the font. + +Then, due inquisition being made in her little place, a goodly number of +worn stockings were found in the straw of her bed and other hiding +places, and in them, instead of her lean little legs, many a gulden and +Hungarian ducat of good gold. Moreover she had a house at Nordlingen and +a mill at Schwabach, and thus the inheritance that had come to Magister +Peter was altogether no small matter. + +The simple man had never hoped for such fortune, and it was in truth +laughable to see how he forgot his dignity, and leaped first on one foot +and then the other, crying: "No, no! It cannot be true! Then poor Irus +is become rich Croesus!" + +And thus he went on till he left us with Master Perkheimer. Then I +laughed with my cousin; and when I was once more alone I marvelled at the +mercy of a benevolent Providence, by whose ruling a small joy makes us to +forget our heavy griefs, though it were but for a moment. + +At night, to be sure, I could not help thinking with fresh sorrow of that +which had come upon us; but then, on the morrow, I saw the Magister +again, and would fain have rejoiced in his gladness; but lo, he was now +silent and dull, and at the first opening he led ne aside and said, right +humbly and with downcast eyes: "Think no evil of me, Mistress Margery, in +that yestereve my joy in earthly possessions was over much for my wits; +believe me, it was not the glitter of mammon, but far other matters that +turned my brain." And he confessed to me that he had ever borne Ann +in his heart, even when she was but a young maid at school, and had made +the winning of her the goal of his life. To this end, and whereas +without some means of living he could not hope, he had laid by every +penny he had earned by teaching at our house and in the Latin classes, +and had foregone the buying of many a fine and learned book, or even of a +jar of wine to drink in the company of his fellows. Thus had he saved a +goodly sum of money; nay, he had thought himself within reach of his high +aim when he had discovered, that Christmas eve before Herdegen's +departing, that the Junker had robbed him of his one ewe lamb. There was +nought left for him to do but to hold his peace, albeit in bitter sorrow, +till within the last few days Heaven had showered its mercies on him. +The powerful Junker--for so it was that he ever spoke and thought of my +elder brother--had it seemed, released the lamb, and he himself was now +in a state of life in which he might right well set up housekeeping. +Then he went on to beseech me with all humbleness to speak a word for him +to the lady of his choice, and I found it not in my heart to give the +death-blow forthwith to his fond and faithful hopes, albeit I wist full +surely that they were all in vain. Thus I bid him to have patience at +least till Christmas, inasmuch as he should give Ann time to put away the +memory of Herdegen; and he consented with simple kindness, although he +had changed much and for the better in these late years, and could boast +of good respect among the learned men of our city; and thus, albeit not a +wealthy man, and in spite of his mature years, he would be welcomed as a +son-in-law by many a mother of daughters. + +Thus the Magister, who had waited so long, held back even yet awhile. +One week followed another, the third Sunday in Advent went by, and the +holy tide was at hand when the delay should end which the patient suitor +had allowed. + +I had seen Ann less often than in past times. In the coppersmith's great +household she commonly had her hands full, and I felt indeed that her +face was changed towards me. A kind of fear, which I had not marked in +her of old, had come over her of late; meseemed she lived ever in dread +of some new insult and hurt; also she had courteously but steadfastly +refused to join in the festivities to which she was bidden by Elsa Ebner +or others of the upper class, and even said nay to uncle Christian's +bidding to a dance, to be given this very day, being his name-day, at +his lodgings in the Castle. I likewise was bidden and had accepted my +godfather's kindness; but my timid endeavor to move Ann to do his will, +as her best and dearest old friend, brought forth the sorrowful answer +that I myself must judge how little she was fit for any merry-makings of +the kind. My friendship with her, which had once been my highest joy, +had thus lost all its lightheartedness, albeit it had not lost all its +joys, nor was she therefore the less dear to me though I dealt with her +now as with a well-beloved child for whose hurt we are not wholly +blameless. + +Now it fell that on this day, the 20th December, being my godfather's +name-day, I found her not with the rest, but in her own chamber in +violent distress. Her cheeks were on fire, and she was in such turmoil +as though she had escaped some terrible persecution. Thereupon I +questioned her in haste and fear, and she answered me with reserve, till, +on a sudden, she cried: + +"It is killing me! I will bear it no more!" and hid her face in her +hands, I clasped her in my arms, and to soothe her spoke in praise of +her stepfather, Master Pernhart, and his high spirit and good heart; then +she sobbed aloud and said: "Oh, for that matter! If that were all!" + +And suddenly, or even I was aware, she had cast her arms about me and +kissed my lips and cheeks with great warmth. Then she cried out: "Oh, +Margery! You cannot turn from me! I indeed tried to turn from you; and +I could have done it, even if it had cost me my heart's blood! But now +and here I ask you: Is it just that I should lay myself on the rack +because he has so cruelly hurt me? No, no. And I need your true soul +to help me to shake off the burden which is crushing me to the earth and +choking me. Help me to bear it, or I shall come to a bad end--I shall +follow her who died here in this very chamber." + +My soul had ever stood open to her and so I told her right heartily, and +her face became once more as it had been of old; and albeit those things +she had to tell me were not indeed comforting, still I could in all +honesty bid her to be of good heart; and I presently felt that to +unburden herself of all that had weighed upon her these last few weeks, +did her as much good as a bath. For it still was a pain to her to see +her mother cooing like a pigeon round her new mate. She herself was full +of his praises, albeit this man, well brought up and trained to good +manners, would ever abide by the old customs of the old craftsmen, and +his venerable mother likewise held fast by them, so that his wife had +striven in vain to change the ways of the house. Thus master and +mistress, son and daughter, foreman and apprentice, sewing man and maid +all ate, as they had ever done, at the same table. And whereas the +daughters, by old custom, sat in order on the mother's side, the youngest +next to her and the oldest at the end, it thus fell that Ann was placed +next to the foreman, who was that very one who had betrayed Gotz +Waldstromer to his master because he had himself cast an eye on Gertrude. +The young fellow had ere long set his light heart on Ann; and being a +fine lad, and the sole son of a well-to-do master in Augsburg, he was +likewise a famous wooer and breaker of maiden hearts, and could boast of +many a triumphant love affair among the daughters of the simpler class. +He was, in his own rank of life, cock of the walk, as such folks say; and +I remembered well having seen him at an apprentices' dance at the May +merrymakings, whither he had come apparelled in a rose-colored jerkin and +light-hued hose, bedecked with flowers and greenery in his cap and belt; +he had fooled with the daughters of the master of his guild like the +coxcomb he was, and whirled them off to dance as though he did them high +honor by paying court to them. It might, to be sure, have given him a +lesson to find that his master's fair daughter scorned his suit; yet that +sank not deep, inasmuch as it was for the sake of a Junker of high +degree. With Ann he might hope for better luck; for although from the +first she gave him to wit that he pleased her not, he did not therefore +leave her in peace, and this very morning, finding her alone in the hall, +he had made so bold as to put forth his hand to clasp her. Albeit she +had forthwith set him in his place, and right sharply, it seemed that to +protect herself against his advances there was no remedy but a complaint +to his master, which would disturb the peace of the household. She was +indeed able enough to take care of herself and to ward off any unseemly +boldness on his part; but she felt her noble purity soiled by contact +with that taint of commonness of which she was conscious in this young +fellow's ways, and in many other daily experiences. + +Every meal, with the great dish into which the apprentice dipped his +spoon next to hers, was a misery to her; and when the master's old mother +marked this, and noted also how uneasily she submitted to her new place +and part in life, seeing likewise Ann's tear-stained eyes and sorrowful +countenance, she conceived that all this was by reason that Ann's pride +could hardly bend to endure life in a craftsman's dwelling. And her +heart was turned from her son's step-daughter, whom at first she had +welcomed right kindly; she overlooked her as a rule, or if she spoke to +her, it was in harsh and ungracious tones. This, as Ann saw its purpose, +hurt her all the more, as she saw more clearly that the new grandmother +was a warm-hearted and worthy and right-minded woman, from whose lips +fell many a wise word, while she was as kind to the younger children as +though they had been her own grandchildren. Nay, one had but to look at +her to see that she was made of sound stuff, and had head and heart both +in the right place. + +A few hours since Ann had opened her heart to her Father confessor, the +reverend prebendary von Hellfeld; and he had counselled her to take the +veil and win heavenly bliss in a convent as the bride of Christ. And +whereas all she craved was peace, and a refuge from the world wherein she +had suffered so much, and Cousin Maud and I likewise deemed it the better +course for her, she would gladly have followed this good counsel, but +that her late dear father had ever been strongly averse to the life of +the cloister. Self-seeking, he would say, is at the root of all evil, +and he who becomes an alien from this world and its duties to seek +happiness in a convent--inasmuch as that beatitude for which monks and +nuns strive is nothing else than a higher form of happiness, extending +beyond the grave to the very end of all things--may indeed intend to +pursue the highest aim, and yet it is but self-seeking, although of the +loftiest and noblest kind. Also, but a few days ere he died, he had +admonished Ann, in whom he had long discerned the true teacher of his +younger children, to warn them above all things against self-seeking, +inasmuch as now that the hand of death was already on him, he found his +chiefest comfort in the assurance of having labored faithfully, trusting +in his Redeemer's grace, to do all that in him lay for his own kith and +kin, and for other folks' orphans, whether rich or poor. + +This discourse had sunk deep into Ann's soul, and had been in her mind +when she spoke such brave words to Herdegen, exhorting him to higher +aims. Now, again, coming forth from the good priest's door, she had met +her grand-uncle the organist, and asking him what he would say if a +hapless and forlorn maid should seek the peace she had lost in the +silence of the cloister, the simple man looked her full in the eyes and +murmured sadly to himself: "Alack! And has it come to this!" Then he +went close up to her, raised her drooping head, and cried in a cheering +voice: + +"In a cloister? You, in a cloister! You, our Ann, who have already +learnt to be so good a mother in the Sisters's school? No child, and +again and again I say No. Pay heed rather to the saying which your old +grand-uncle once heard from the lips of a wise and good man, when in the +sorest hour of his life he was about to knock at the gate of a Cistercian +convent.--His words were: 'Though thou lose all thou deemest thy +happiness, if thou canst but make the happiness of others, thou shalt +find it again in thine own heart.'" + +And at a later day old Heyden himself told me that he, who while yet but +a youth had been the prefectus of the town-pipers, had been nigh to +madness when his wife, his Elslein, had been snatched from him after +scarce a year and a half of married life. After he had recovered his +wits, he had conceived that any balance or peace of mind was only to be +found in a convent, near to God; and it was at that time that the wise +and excellent Ulman Stromer had spoken the words which had been +thenceforth the light and guiding line of his life. He had remained in +the world; but he had renounced the more honorable post of prefect of the +town-musicians, and taken on him the humble one of organist, in which it +had been granted to him to offer up his great gift of music as it were a +sacrifice to Heaven. This maxim, which had spared the virtuous old man +to the world, made its mark on Ann likewise; and whereas I saw how gladly +she had received the doctrine that happiness should be found in making +others happy, I prayed her to join me in taking it henceforth as the +guiding lamp of our lives. At this she was well pleased; and she went on +to point wherein and how we should henceforth strive to forget ourselves +for our neighbor's sake, with that soaring flight of soul in which I +could scarce follow her but as a child lags after a butterfly or a bird. + +Then, when I presently saw that she was in better heart, I took courage, +but in jest, being sure of her refusal, to plead the Magister's suit. +This, however, was as I was departing; I had already stayed and delayed +her over-long, inasmuch as I had yet to array myself for the feast at +Uncle Christian's. But, as I was about to speak; a serving man came in +with a letter written by the kind old man to Ann herself, his "dear +watchman" in which, for the third time, he besought her, with pressing +warmth, not to refuse to go to him on his name day and pledge him in the +loving cup to his health and happiness. + +With the help of this tender appeal I made her say she would go; yet she +spoke the words in haste and great agitation. + +My uncle's messenger had hindered my suing, so while we hastily looked +through Ann's store of holiday raiment, I brought my pleading for Master +Peter to an end; and what I looked for came, in truth, to pass: without +seeming one whit surprised she steadfastly rejected his suit, saying that +he was the poor, good, faithful Magister, and worthy to win a wife whose +heart was all his own. + +At my uncle's house that night, with the exception of certain learned and +reverend gentlemen, Ann alone was not of gentle birth. Yet was she in no +wise the least, neither in demeanor nor in attire; and when I beheld her +in the ante-chamber, all lighted up with wax tapers, in her sky-blue +gown, thanking the master of the house and his sister--who kept house for +him--for their condescension, as she upraised her great eyes with loving +respect, I could have clasped her in my arms in the face of all the +world, and I marvelled how my brother Herdegen could have sinfully cast +such a jewel from him. + +Then, when we went on together into the guest chamber, it fell that the +town-pipers at that minute ceased to play and there was silence on all, +as though a flourish of trumpets had warned of the approach of a prince; +and yet it was only in honor of Ann and her wondrous beauty. Each and +all of the young men there would, meseemed, gladly have stepped into +Herdegen's place, and she was so fully taken up with dancing that she +could scarce mark how diligently all the mothers and maidens overlooked +her. Howbeit, Ursula Tetzel was not content with that, but went up to +her and with a sneer enquired whether Junker Schopper at Paris were well. + +Ann drew herself up with pride and hastily answered that if any one +craved news of him he had best apply to Mistress Ursula Tetzel, inasmuch +as she was ever wont to have a keen eye on her dear cousin. + +At this Ursula cried out: "How well our old schoolmate remembers the +lessons she learnt; even the fable of the Fox and the Grapes!" then, +turning to me she added: "Nor has she lost her skill in learning; she has +not long been in her stepfather's dwelling and she has already mastered +the art of hitting blows as the coppersmiths do." And she turned her +back on us both. + +And presently, when it came to her turn to join the chain in which Ann +was taking part, I marked well that she urged the youth she danced with +to stand away from the craftsman's daughter. Howbeit I at once brought +her plot to naught and the young gentleman to shame. Not that she needed +any such defence, for her beauty led every man to seek her above all +others. And when, at supper, Uncle Christian called her to his side and +made it fully manifest to all present how dear she was to his faithful +heart, I hoped that indeed the day was won for her, and that henceforth +our friendship would be regarded as a matter apart from any concern with +her step-father the coppersmith. What need she care about those +discourteous women, who made it, to be sure, plain enough at their +departing, that they took her presence there amiss. + +On our way home methought she was in a meditative mood, and as we parted +she bid me go to see her early next morning. This I should have done in +any case, inasmuch as I knew no greater pleasure, after a feast or dance +at which we had been together, than to talk with her of any matter we +might each have marked, but there was something more than this in her +mind. + +Next day, indeed, when I had greeted her, she had lost her cheerful mien +of the day before; it was plain to see that she had not slept, and I +presently learned that she had been thinking through the night what her +life must be, and how she could best fulfill the vow we had both made. +The more diligently she had considered of the matter, the more worthy had +she deemed our purpose; and the dance at my Uncle Christian's had clearly +proven to her that among our class there were few to whom her presence +could be welcome, and none to whom it could bring any real pleasure. + +In this she was doubtless right; yet was I startled when, with the +steadfast will which she ever showed, she said that, after duly weighing +the matter, she had made up her mind to accept the Magister. + +When she perceived how greatly I was amazed, she besought me, with the +same eager haste as I had marvelled at the day before, that I would not +contend against a conclusion she had fully weighed; inasmuch as that the +Magister was a worthy man whom she could make truly happy. Moreover, his +newly-acquired wealth would enable her to help many indigent persons in +their need and misery. I enquired of her earnestly how about any love +for him, and she broke out with much vehemence, saying that I must know +for certain that for her all love and the joys of love were numbered with +the dead. She would tell this to Master Peter with all honesty, and she +was sure that he would be content with her friendship and warm goodwill. + +But all this she poured out as though she could not endure to hear her +own words. An inward voice at the same time warned me that she had made +up her mind to this step, in order that Herdegen might fully understand +that to him she was lost for ever, albeit I had not given up all hope +that they might some day come together, and that Ann's noble love of what +was best in my brother might thus rescue him from utter ruin. Hence her +ill-starred resolve filled me with rage, to such a degree that I railed +at it as a mad and sinful deed against her own peace of mind, and indeed +against him whom she had once held as dear as her own life. + +But Ann cut me short, and bade me sharply to mind my promise, and never +speak of Herdegen again. My hot blood rose at this and I made for the +door; nay, I had the handle of the latch in my hand when she flew after +me, held me back by force, and entreated me with prayers that I would let +her do her will, for that she had no choice. She purposed in solemn +earnest henceforth at all times to devote herself to the happiness of +others, and whereas that demanded heavy sacrifice, she was now ready to +make it. If indeed I still refused to carry her answer to the Magister, +then would she send it through her step-father or Dame Henneleinlein, who +was apt at such errands, and bid her suitor come to see her. + +Then I perceived that there was but small hope; with a heavy heart, +and, indeed, a secret intent behind, I took the task upon me, for I saw +plainly that my refusal would ruin all. All the same, meseemed it was a +happy ordering that the Magister should have set forth early that morning +to spend a few days at Nordlingen, to take possession of the house he had +fallen heir to; for, when a great misfortune lies ahead, a hopeful soul +clings to delay as the harbinger of deliverance. + +I made my way home full of forebodings, and in front of our door I saw my +Forest uncle's horses in waiting. He was above stairs with cousin Maud, +and I soon was informed that he had come to bid me and Ann to the great +hunt which was to take place at the New Year. His Highness Duke Albrecht +of Bavaria, with divers other knights and gentlemen, had promised to take +part in it, and he needed our help for his sick and suffering wife; also, +said he, he loved to see "a few smart young maids" at his board. Already +he and cousin Maud had discussed at length whether it would be seemly to +bring the coppersmith's stepdaughter into the company of such illustrious +guests; and the balance in her favor had been struck in his mind by his +opinion that a fair young maid must ever be pleasing in the hunter's eyes +out in the forest, whatever her rank might be. + +He had now but one care, and that was that neither he nor any other man +had hitherto dared to utter the name of Master Ulman Pernhart to my aunt +Jacoba, and that she therefore knew not of his marriage with her dear +Ann's mother. Yet must the lady be informed thereof; so, finding that my +cousin Maud made no secret of her will to speed the Magister's wooing, +while I weened, with good reason, that my aunt would gladly support me in +hindering it, I then and there made up my mind to go back with my uncle, +and hold council with his shrewd-witted wife. + + + + +ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: + +A small joy makes us to forget our heavy griefs +All I did was right in her eyes +Especial gift to listen keenly and question discreetly +Happiness should be found in making others happy +Have never been fain to set my heart on one only maid +Hopeful soul clings to delay as the harbinger of deliverance +No false comfort, no cloaking of the truth +One Head, instead of three, ruled the Church +Though thou lose all thou deemest thy happiness + + + + + + +MARGERY + +By Georg Ebers + +Volume 4. + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +We reached the forest lodge that evening with red faces and half-frozen +hands and feet. The ride through the deep snow and the bitter December +wind had been a hard one; but the woods in their glittering winter +shroud, the sharp, refreshing breath of the pure air, and a thousand +trifling matters--from the white hats that crowned every stock and stone +to the tiny crystals of snow that fell on the green velvet of my fur- +lined bodice--were a joy to me, albeit my heart was heavy with care. The +evening star had risen or ever we reached the house; and out here, under +God's open heavens, among the giants of the forest and its sturdy, +weather-beaten folk, it scarce seemed that it could be true that I should +see my bright, young Ann sharing the sorry life of the Magister, an alien +from all this world's joys. Those who dwelt out here in these wilds +must, methought, feel this as I felt it; and so in truth it proved. +After I had taken my place at the hearth by my aunt's side, and she had +mingled some spiced wine for us with her own feeble hands, she bid me +speak. When she heard what it was that had brought me forth to the +forest so late before Christmas, which we ever spent with our grand-uncle +Im Huff she at first did but laugh at our Magister's suit; but as soon as +I told her that it was Ann's earnest purpose to wed with him, she swore +that she would never suffer such a deed of mad folly. + +Master Peter had many times been her guest at the lodge; and she, though +so small and feeble herself, loved to see tall and stalwart men, so that +she had given him the name of "the little dry Bookworm," hardly accounting +him a man at all. When she heard of his newly-gained wealth, she said: +"If instead of being the richer by these thousands he could but be the +same number of years younger, lift a hundredweight more, and see a +hundred miles further out into the world, I would not mind his seeking +his happiness with that lovely child!" + +As for my uncle, he did but hum a burly bass to the tune of the "Little +wee wife." But, being called away, he turned to me before closing the +door behind him, and asked me very keenly, as though he had been +restraining his impatience for some space: "And how about your brother? +How is it that this matter has come about? Was not Herdegen pledged to +marry Ann?" + +Thereupon I told my aunt all I knew, and gave her Herdegen's letter to +read, which I had taken care to bring with me; and even as she read it +her countenance grew dark and fearful to look upon; she set her teeth +like a raging hound, and hit her little hand on the table that stood by +her couch so that the cups and phials standing thereon danced and +clattered. Nay, she forgot her weakness, and made as though she would +spring up, but the pain was more than she could bear and she fell back on +her pillows with a groan. + +She had never loved my grand-uncle Im Hoff, and, as soon as she had +recovered herself, she vowed she would bring his craft to nought and +likewise would let her nephew, now in Paris, know her opinion of his +knavish unfaith to a sacred pledge. + +I then went on to tell her how hard and altogether insufferable Ann's +life had become, and at length took courage to inform her who the man was +whom she now called step-father. To this she at first said not a word, +but cast down her eyes as though somewhat confused; but presently she +asked wherefore and how it was that she had not heard of this marriage +long since, and when I told her that folks for the most part had feared +to speak the name of Master Ulman Pernhart in her presence, she again +suddenly started up and cried in my face that in truth she forbade any +mention of that villain and caitiff who had taken foul advantage of her +son's youth and innocence to turn his heart from his parents and bring +him to destruction. + +And this led me, for the first time in my life, to break through the +reverence I owed to the venerable lady, who so well deserved to be in all +ways respected and spared; for I made so bold as to point out to her her +cruel injustice, and to plead Master Ulman's cause with earnest zeal. +For some time she was speechless with wrath and amazement, inasmuch as +she was not wont to be thus reproved; but then she paid me back in the +like coin; one word struck forth the next, and my rising wrath hastened +me on so that at last I told her plainly, that Master Pernhart had turned +her son Gotz out of doors to hinder him from a breach of that obedience +he owed to his parents. Furthermore I informed her of all that the +coppersmith's mother had told me of the attempt to carry away Gertrude, +and what the end of that had been. Indeed, so soon as the foreman had +betrayed the lovers' plot, Master Ulman had locked his daughter into her +chamber; and when her lover, after waiting for her in vain at the altar +with the hireling priest, came at last to seek her, her father told him +that unless he--Gotz--ceased his suit, he should exert his authority as +her father to compel Gertrude to marry the foreman and go with him to +Augsburg, or give her the choice of taking the veil. And this he +confirmed by a solemn oath; and when Gotz, like one in a frenzy, strove +to make good his claim to see his sweetheart, and hear from her own lips +whether she were minded to yield to her father's yoke, they came to +blows, even on the stairs leading to Gertrude's chamber, and there was a +fierce battle, which might have had a bloody end but that old dame +Magdalen herself came between them to part them. And then Master Ulman +had sworn to Gotz that he would keep his daughter locked up as a captive +unless the youth pledged himself to cease from seeing Gertrude till he +had won his parents' consent. Thereupon Gotz went forth into a strange +land; but he did not forget his well-beloved, and from time to time a +letter would reach her assuring her of his faithfulness. + +At the end of three years after his departing he at last wrote to the +coppersmith that he had found a post which would allow of his marrying +and setting up house and he straightly besought Master Ulman no longer to +keep apart two who could never be sundered. Nor did Pernhart delay to +answer him, hard as he found it to use the pen, inasmuch as there was no +more to say than that Gertrude was sleeping under the sod with her +lover's ring on her finger and the last violets he had ever given her +under her head, as she had desired. + +Thus ended the tale of poor Gertrude; but before I had half told it my +wrath had cooled. For my aunt sat in silence, listening to me with +devout attention. Nor were my eyes dry, nor even those of that strong- +willed dame, and when, at the end, I said: "Well, Aunt?" she woke, as it +were, from a dream, and cried out: "And yet those craftsmen folk robbed +me of my son, my only child!" + +And she sobbed aloud and hid her face in her hands, while I knelt by her +side, and threw my arms about her, and kissed her thin fingers which +covered her eyes, and said softly, as if by inspiration: "But the +craftsman loved his child; yea, and she was a sweet and lovely maid, the +fairest in all the town, and her father's pride. And what was it that +snatched her so early away but that she pined for your son? Gotz may +soon be recalled to his mother's arms; but the coppersmith may never see +his child--fair Gertrude, the folks called her--never see her more. And +he might have been rejoiced in her presence to this day if...." + +She broke in with words and gestures of warning, and when I nevertheless +would not cease from entreating her no longer to harden her heart, but to +bid her son come home to her, who was her most precious treasure, she +commanded me to quit her chamber. Such a command I must obey, whether I +would or no; nay, while I stood a moment at the door she signed to me to +go; but, as I turned away, she cried after me: "Go and leave me, Margery. +But you are a good child, I will tell you that!" + +At supper, which I alone shared with my uncle and the chaplain, I told my +uncle that I had spoken to his wife of Master Pernhart, and when be heard +that I had even spoken a good word for him, he looked at me as though I +had done a right bold deed; yet I could see that he was highly pleased +thereat, and the priest, who had sat silent--as he ever did, gave me a +glance of heartfelt thanks and added a few words of praise. It was long +after supper, and my uncle had had his night-draught of wine when my aunt +sent the house-keeper to fetch me to her. Kindly and sweetly, as though +she set down my past wrath to a good intent, she bid me sit down by her +and then desired that I would repeat to her once more, in every detail, +all I could tell her as touching Gotz and Gertrude. While I did her +bidding to the best of my powers she spoke never a word; but when I ended +she raised her head and said, as it were in a dream: "But Gotz! Did he +not forsake father and mother to follow after a fair face?" + +Then again I prayed her right earnestly to yield to the emotions of her +mother's heart. But seeing her fixed gaze into the empty air, and the +set pout of her nether lip, I could not doubt that she would never speak +the word that would bid him home. + +I felt a chill down my back, and was about to rise and leave, but she +held me back and once more spoke of Herdegen and that matter. When she +had heard all the tale, she looked troubled: "I know my Ann," quoth she. +"When she has once given her promise to the Bookworm all the twelve +Apostles would not make her break it, and then she will be doomed to +misery, and her fate and your brother's are both sealed." + +She then went on to ask when the Magister was to return home, and as I +told her he was expected on the morrow great trouble came upon her. + +It was past midnight or ever I left her, and as it fell I slept but ill +and late, insomuch that I was compelled to make good haste, and as it +fell that I went to the window I saw the snow whirling in the wind, and +behold, in the shed, a great wood-sleigh was being made ready, doubtless +for some sick man to be carried to the convent. + +I found my aunt in the hall, whither she scarce ever was carried down +before noon-day; and instead of her every-day garb--a loose morning-gown- +--she was apparelled in strange and shapeless raiment, so muffled in +kerchiefs and cloaks as to seem no whit like any living woman, much less +herself, insomuch that her small thin person was like nothing else than a +huge, shapeless, many-coated onion. Her little face peeped out of the +veils and kerchiefs that wrapped her head, like a half-moon out of thick +clouds; but her bright eyes shone kindly on me as she cried: "Come, haste +to your breakfast, lie-a-bed! I thought to find you fitted and ready, +and you are keeping the men waiting as though it were an every-day matter +that we should travel together." + +"Aye, aye! She is bent on the journey," my uncle said with a groan, as +he cast a loving glance at his frail wife and raised his folded hands to +Heaven. "Well, chaplain, miracles happen even in our days!" And his +Reverence, silent as he was, this time had an answer ready, saying with +hearty feeling: "The loving heart of a brave woman has at all times been +able to work miracles." + +"Amen," said my uncle, pressing his lips on the top of his wife's muffled +head. + +Howbeit I remembered our talk yesternight, and the sleigh I had seen +being harnessed; indeed, the look alone which the unwonted traveller cast +on me was enough to tell me what my sickly aunt purposed to do for the +sake of Ann. Then something came upon me, I know not what; with a +passion all unlike that of yesterdayeve, I fell on my knees and kissed +her as a child whose mother has made it a Christmas gift of what it most +loves and wishes to have, while my lips were pressed to her eyes, brow, +and cheeks, wherever the wrappings covered them not, and she cried out: + +"Leave me, leave me, crazy child! You are choking me. What great matter +is it after all? One woman will ride through the snow to Nuremberg for +the sake of a chat with another, and who turns his head to look at her? +Now, foolish wench, let me be. What a to-do for nothing at all!" + +How I ate my porridge in the winking of an eye, and then sprang into the +sleigh, I scarce could tell, and in truth I marked little of our +departing; mine eyes were over full of tears. Packed right close to my +aunt, whereas she filled three-fourths of the seat, I flew with her over +the snow; nor did we need any great following on horseback to bear us +company, inasmuch as my uncle rode on in front, and the Buchenauers and +Steinbachers and other highway robbers who made the roads unsafe about +Nuremberg, all lived in peace with uncle Waldstromer for the sake of the +shooting. + +When we got into the town, and I bid the rider take us to the +Schopperhof, my aunt said: "No, to Ulman Pernhart's house, the +coppersmith." + +At this the faithful old serving-man, who had heard many rumors of his +banished young master's dealings with the craftsman's fair daughter, and +who was devoted to Gotz, muttered the name of his protecting saint and +looked about him as though some giant cutthroat were ready to rush out of +the brush wood and fall upon the sleigh; nor, indeed, could I altogether +refrain my wonder. Howbeit, I recovered myself at once, and pointed out +to her that it scarce beseemed her to enter a stranger's house for the +first time in such attire. Moreover, Akusch had been sent in front to +announce her coming to cousin Maud. I could send for Ann; as, indeed, it +beseemed her, the younger, to wait upon my aunt. + +But she held to her will to go to Master Ulman's dwelling; yet, whereas +the kerchiefs and wraps were a discomfort to her, she agreed to lay them +aside at our house first. + +Cousin Maud pressed her almost by force to take rest and meat and drink; +but she refused everything; though all was in readiness and steaming hot; +till, as fate would have it, as she was being carried down and out again, +the Magister came in from his journey to Nordlingen. In his high fur +boots and the heavy wrapping he had cast about his head to screen him +from the wintry blast, he had not to be sure, the appearance of a suitor +for a fair young maiden; and the glance cast at him by my aunt, half in +mockery and half in wrath, eyeing him from head to foot, would have said +plainly enough to other men than Master Peter--who, for his part made her +a right humble and well-turned speech--"Wait awhile, young fellow! I am +here now! And if you find a flea in your ear, you have me to thank for +it!" + +Apparelled now as befitted a lady of her degree, in a furred cloak and +hood, she was borne off in Cousin Maud's well-curtained litter. I had +sent Akusch to Ann with a note, but he had not found her within, and +awaited me in the street; thus it fell that no one at the Pernharts was +aware of what was coming upon them. + +When presently the bearers set down the litter, Aunt Jacoba looked at the +fine house before which we stood, and enquired what this might mean, +whereas it was seven years since she had been in the city, and the +master's new dwelling was not at that time built. Also she was greatly +amazed to find a craftsman in so great a house. But better things were +to come: as I was about to knock at the door it opened, and five +gentlemen of the Council, all men of the first rank among the Elders of +the city, appeared on the threshold, and Master Pernhart in their midst. +They shook hands with him as with one of themselves, and he towered above +them all; nay, if he had not stood there as he had come from the forge, +in his leathern apron, with his smith's cap in his hand, any one might +have conceived him to be the chief of them all. + +Now these gentlemen had come to Master Pernhart to announce to him that +he had been chosen one of the eight wardens of the guilds who at that +time formed part of the worshipful town council of forty-two. Veit +Gundling, the old master-brewer, had lately departed this life, and the +electors had been of one mind in choosing the coppersmith to fill his +place, and he was likewise approved by the guilds. They had come to him +forthwith, albeit their choice would not be declared till Saint Walpurgis +day, inasmuch as it was deemed well to have the matter settled before the +close of the old year. + +Thus it came to pass that my aunt was witness while they took leave, and +he returned thanks in a few heartfelt words. These, to be sure, were cut +short by her coming, by reason that she was well-known to these five +noble gentlemen, who all, as in duty bound, assured her of their surprise +and pleasure in greeting her once more, here in the town. + +That the feeble and suffering lady had come to Pernhart's dwelling not +merely to order a copper-lid or a preserving pan was easy to be +understood, but she cut short all inquisition, and the litter was +forthwith carried in through the widely-opened door. + +The master received her in the hall. + +He had till now never seen her but from a distance, yet had he heard +enough about her to form a clear image of her. With her it was the same. +She saw this man, to whom she owed such bitter grudge, for the first time +here, under his own roof, and it was right strange to behold the two +eyeing each other so keenly; he with a slight bow, almost timidly, and +cap in hand; she unabashed, but with an expression as though she well +knew that nothing pleasant lay before her. + +The master spoke first, bidding her welcome to his dwelling, in accents +of truth but with all due respect, and never speaking of it, as is the +wont of his class, as "humble" or "poor," and as he was about to help her +out of the litter I could see her face brighten, and this assured me that +she would let bygones be bygones, as they say, and declare to Master +Pernhart in plain words to what intent and purpose she had knocked at his +door. By the time she was in the best chamber, the last sour curl had +disappeared from her mouth; and indeed all was snug and seemly therein; +Dame Giovanna being well-skilled in giving things a neat appearance, well +pleasing to the eye. + +Pernhart meanwhile had said but little, and his face was still dark, +almost solemn of aspect. The master's mother again, to whom Gertrude had +been all-in-all, and who had done what she could to speed her marriage, +could read the other woman's heart, and understood how great had been the +sacrifice she had taken upon herself. There was no trace of the old +grudge in her speech, and it sounded not ill when, as she put my aunt's +cushions straight, she said she could not envy her, forasmuch as she the +elder was thus permitted to be of service to the younger. When Pernhart +presently quitted the chamber, perchance to don more seemly attire the +two old women sat in eager talk; and if the lady were thin and sickly and +the craftsman's mother stout and sturdy, yet were there many points of +resemblance between them. Both, for certain, loved to rule, and as I +watched them, seeing each shoot out her nether lip if the other spoke a +word to cross her, I found it right good sport; but at the same time I +was amazed to hear how truly old Dame Pernhart understood and spoke of +Ann. I had indeed hitherto seen many a thing in my friend with other +eyes, and yet I could not accuse the good woman of injustice, or deny +that the coppersmith's step-daughter, from knowing me and from keeping +company with us, had grown up with manners and desires unlike those of +ever another clerk's or even a craftsman's daughter. + +Albeit she strove to hide her deep discomfort, the old woman said, she +could by no means succeed. A household was a body, and any member of it +who could not be content with its ways was ill at ease with the rest, and +made it hard for them to do it such service and pleasure as they would +fain do. Ann fulfilled her every duty, down to the very least of them, +by reason that she had a steadfast spirit and great dominion over +herself; but she got small thanks, and by her own fault, inasmuch as she +did it joylessly. To look for bright cheer from her was to seek grapes +on a birch-tree; and whereas the grandmother had till lately hoped to +find in this gentle maid one who might fill the place of her who was no +more, she could now only wish that she might find some other home. + +To all this my aunt agreed, and presently, when Pernhart came in, clad in +his holiday garb--a goodly man and well fitted for his new dignity, Aunt +Jacoba bid me go look out for Ann. I saw that she desired my absence +that she might deal alone with the mother and son, so I hastily departed +and stayed in the upper chambers with the children till I caught sight of +Ann and her mother coming towards the house. I ran down to meet them and +behold! as we all three went into the guest chamber, Pernhart was in the +act of bending over my aunt's hand to press it to his lips, and tears +were sparkling in his eyes as well as in those of the women; nay, they +were so greatly moved that no one heard the door open, and the old woman +believed herself to be alone with her son as she cried to my aunt: "Oh +wherefor did not Heaven vouchsafe to guide you to us some years since!" + +My aunt only nodded her head in silence, and Dame Magdalen doubtless took +this for assent; but I read more than this in her face, and something as +follows: "We have hurt each other deeply, and I am thankful that all is +past and forgiven; yet, much as I may now esteem you, in the matter you +had so set your heart on I would no more have yielded to-day than I did +at that time." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +Ann looked right sweetly as she told my aunt that she felt put to shame +by the great loving-kindness which had brought the feeble lady out +through the forest in the bitter winter weather for her sake, and she +kissed the thin, small hand with deep feeling; and even the elder woman +unbent and freely gave vent before her favorite to the full warmth of her +heart, which she was not wont to display. She had told the Pernharts +what were the fears which had brought her into the town, so the chamber +was presently cleared, and the master called away Mistress Giovanna after +that my aunt had expressed her admiration of her rare charms. + +As I too was now preparing to retire, which methought but seemly Aunt +Jacoba beckoned me to stay. Ann likewise understood what had brought her +sickly friend to her, and she whispered to me that albeit she was deeply +thankful for the abundant goodness my aunt had ever shown her, yet could +she never swerve from her well-considered purpose. To this I was only +able to reply that on one point at least she must change her mind, for +that I knew for certain that old grand-dame Pernhart loved her truly. At +this she cried out gladly and thankfully: "Oh, Margery! if only that were +true!" + +So soon as we three were left together, my aunt went to the heart of the +matter at once, saying frankly to what end she had come hither, that she +knew all that Ann had suffered through Herdegen, and how well she had +taken it, and that she had now set her mind on wedding with the Magister. + +And whereas Ann here broke in with a resolute "And that I will!" my aunt +put it to her that she must be off with one or ever she took on the other +lover. Herdegen had come before Master Peter, and the first question +therefor was as to how matters stood with him. + +At this Ann humbly besought her to ask nothing concerning him; if my aunt +loved her she would forbear from touching on the scarce-healed wound. So +much as this she said, though with pain and grief; but her friend was not +to be moved, but cried: "And do I not thank Master Ulsenius when he +thrusts his probe to the heart of my evil, when he cuts or burns it? +Have you not gladly approved his saying that the leech should never +despair so long as the sick man's heart still throbs? Well then, your +trouble with Herdegen is sick and sore and lies right deep. . . ." + +But Ann broke in again, crying: "No, no, noble lady, the heart of that +matter has ceased to beat. It is dead and gone for ever!" + +"Is it so?" said my aunt coolly. "Still, look it close in the face. Old +Im Hoff--I have read the letter-commands your lover to give you up and do +his bidding. Yet, child, does he take good care not to write this to +you. Finding it over hard to say it himself, he leaves the task to +Margery. And as for that letter; a Lenten jest I called it yestereve; +and so it is verily! Read it once more. Why, it is as dripping with +love as a garment drips when it is fished out of a pool! While he is +trying to shut the door on you he clasps you to his heart. Peradventure +his love never glowed so hotly, and he was never so strongly drawn to you +as when he wrote this paltry stuff to burst the sacred bands which bind +you together. Are you so dull as not to feel this?" + +"Nay, I see it right well," cried Ann eagerly, "I knew it when I first +read the letter. But that is the very point! Must not a lover who can +barter away his love for filthy lucre be base indeed? If when he ceased +to be true he had likewise ceased to love, if the fickle Fortunatus had +wearied of his sweetheart--then I could far more easily forgive." + +"And do you tell me that your heart ever throbbed with true love for +him?" asked her friend in amazement, and looking keenly into her eyes as +though she expected her to say No. And when Ann cried: "How can you even +ask such a question?" My aunt went on: "Then you did love him? And +Margery tells me that you and she have made some strange compact to make +other folks happy. Two young maids who dare to think they can play at +being God Almighty! And the Magister, I conceive, was to be the first to +whom you proposed to be a willing sacrifice, let it cost you what it may? +That is how matters stand?" + +Ann was not now so ready to nod assent, and my aunt murmured something I +could not hear, as she was wont to do when something rubbed her against +the grain; then she said with emphasis: "But child, my poor child, love, +and wounded pride, and heart-ache have turned your heart and good sense. +I am an old woman, and I thank God can see more clearly. It is real, +true love, pleasing to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, aye and to the +merciful Virgin and all the saints who protect you, which has bound you +and Herdegen together from your infancy. He, though faithless and a +sinner, still bears his love in his heart and you have not been able to +root yours up and cast it out. He has done his worst, and in doing it-- +remember his letter--in doing it, I say, has poisoned his own young life +already. In that Babel called Paris he does but reel from one pleasure +to another. But how long can that last? Do you not see, as I see, that +the day must come when, sickened and loathing all this folly he will deem +himself the most wretched soul on earth, and look about him for the firm +shore as a sailor does who is tossed about in a leaking ship at sea? +Then will he call to mind the past, his childhood and youth, his pure +love and yours. Then you yourself, you, Ann, will be the island haven +for which he will long. Then--aye, child, it is so, you will be the only +creature that may help him; and if you really crave to create happiness-- +if your love is as true as--not so long ago--you declared it to be, on +your knees before me and with scalding tears, he, and not Master Peter +must be the first on whom you should carry out your day-dreams--for I +know not what other name to give to such vain imaginings." + +At this Ann sobbed aloud and wrung her hands, crying: "But he cast me +off, sold me for gold and silver. Can I, whom he has flung into the +dust, seek to go after him? Would it beseem an honest and shamefaced +maid if I called him back to me? He is happy--and he will still be happy +for many long, long years amid his reckless companions; if the time +should ever come of which you speak, most worshipful lady, even then he +will care no more for Ann, bloomless and faded, than for the threadbare +bravery in which he once arrayed himself. As for me and my love, warmly +as it will ever glow in my breast, so long as I live and breathe, he will +never need it in the life of pleasure in which he suns himself. It is no +vain imagining that I have made my goal, and if I am to bring joy to the +wretched I must seek others than he." + +"Right well," said my aunt, "if so be that your love is no worthier nor +better than his." + +And from the unhappy maid's bosom the words were gasped out: "It is +verily and indeed true and worthy and deep; never was truer love . . ." + +"Never?" replied my aunt, looking at her enquiringly. "Have you not +read of the love of which the Scripture speaketh? Love which is able and +ready to endure all things." + +And the words of the Apostle came into my mind which the Carthusian +sister had graven on our memories, burning them in, as it were, as being +those which above all others should live in every Christian woman's +heart; and whereas I had hitherto held back as beseemed me, I now came +forward and said them with all the devout fervor of my young heart, as +follows: "Charity suffereth long and is kind; Charity envieth not; +Charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up; seeketh not her own, is +not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; beareth all things, believeth all +things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." + +While I spoke Ann, panting for breath, fixed her eyes on the ground, but +my aunt rehearsed the words after me in a clear voice: "beareth all +things, believeth all things, hopeth and endureth all things." And she +added right earnestly; therefore do thou believe and hope and endure yet +longer, my poor child, and tell me in all truth: Does it seem to you a +lesser deed to lead back the sinner into the way of righteousness and +bliss in this world and the next, than to give alms to the beggar?" + +Ann shook her head, and my aunt went on: "And if there is any one--let me +repeat it--who by faithful love may ever rescue Herdegen, albeit he is +half lost, it is you. Come, come," and she signed to her, and Ann did +her bidding and fell on her knees by her, as she had done erewhile in the +forest-lodge. The elder lady kissed her hair and eyes, and said further: +"Cling fast to your love, my darling. You have nothing else than love, +and without it life is shallow indeed, is sheer emptiness. You will +never find it in the Magister's arms, and that your heart is of a +certainty, not set on marrying a well-to-do man at any cost . . . ." + +But she did not end her speech, inasmuch as Ann imploringly raised her +great eyes in mild reproach, as though to defend herself from some hurt. +So my aunt comforted her with a few kind words, and then went on to +admonish her as follows: "Verily it is not love you lack, but patient +trust. I have heard from Margery here what bitter disappointments you +have suffered. And it is hard indeed to the stricken heart to look for +a new spring for the withered harvest of joy. But look you at my good +husband. He ceases not from sowing acorns, albeit he knows that it will +never be vouchsafed to him to see them grown to fine trees, or to earn +any profit from them. Do you likewise learn to possess your soul in +patience; and do not forget that, if Herdegen is lost, the question will +be put to you: 'Did you hold out a hand to him while it was yet time to +save him, or did you withdraw from him your love and favor in faint- +hearted impatience at the very first blow?'" + +The last words fell in solemn earnest from my aunt's lips, and struck +Ann to the heart; she confessed that she had many times said the same +things to her self, but then maiden pride had swelled up in her and had +forbidden her to lend an ear to the warning voice; and nevertheless none +had spoken so often or so loudly in her soul, so that her heart's deepest +yearning responded to what her friend had said. + +"Then do its bidding," said my aunt eagerly, and I said the same; and +Ann, being not merely overruled but likewise convinced, yielded and +confessed that, even as Master Peter's wife, she could never have slain +the old love, and declared herself ready to renounce her pride and wrath. + +Thus had my aunt's faithful love preserved her from sin, and gladly did I +consent to her brave spirit when she said to Ann: "You must save yourself +for that skittle-witted wight in Paris, child; for none other than he can +make you rightly happy, nor can he be happy with any other woman than my +true and faithful darling!" + +Ann covered my aunt's hands with kisses, and the words flowed heartily +and glaaiy from her lips as she cried: "Yes, yes, yes! It is so! And if +he beat me and scorned me, if he fell so deep that no man would leap in +after him, I, I, would never let him sink." + +And then Ann threw herself on my neck and said: "Oh, how light is my +heart once more. Ah, Margery! now, when I long to pray, I know well +enough what for." + +My aunt's dim eyes had rarely shone so brightly as at this hour, and her +voice sounded clearer and firmer than it was wont when she once more +addressed us and said: "And now the old woman will finish up by telling +you a little tale for your guidance. You knew Riklein, the spinster, +whom folks called the night-spinster; and was not she a right loving +and cheerful soul? Yet had she known no small meed of sorrows. She died +but lately on Saint Damasius' day last past, and the tale I have to tell +concerns her. They called her the night-spinster, by reason that she +ofttimes would sit at her wheel till late into the night to earn money +which she was paid at the rate of three farthings the spool. But it was +not out of greed that the old body was so keen to get money. + +"In her youth she had been one of the neatest maids far and wide, +and had set her heart on a charcoal burner who was a sorry knave indeed, +a sheep-stealer and a rogue, who came to a bad end on the rack. But for +all that Riklein never ceased to love him truly and, albeit he was dead +and gone, she did not give over toiling diligently while she lived yet +for him. The priest had told her that, inasmuch as her lover had taken +the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper on the scaffold, the Kingdom of Heaven +was not closed to him, yet would it need many a prayer and many a mass to +deliver him from the fires of purgatory. So Riklein, span and span, day +and night, and stored up all she earned, and when she lay on her death- +bed, not long ago, and the priest gave her the Holy Sacrament, she took +out her hoard from beneath her mattress and showed it to him, asking +whether that might be enough to pay to open the way for Andres to the +joys of Heaven? And when the chaplain said that it would be, she turned +away her face and fell asleep. So do you spin your yarn, child, and let +the flax on your distaff be glad assurance; and, if ever your heart sinks +within you, remember old Riklein!" + +"And the Farmer's daughter in 'Poor Heinrich,'" I said, "who gladly gave +her young blood to save her plighted lord from leprosy." + +Thus had my aunt gained her end; but when she strove to carry Ann away +from her home and kindred, and keep her in the forest as her own child-- +to which Master Pernhart and his mother gave their consent--she failed in +the attempt. Ann was steadfast in her desire to remain with her mother +and the children, and more especially with her deaf and dumb brother, +Mario. If my aunt should at any time need her she had but to command +her, and she would gladly go to her, this very day if she desired it; +howbeit duly to work out her spinning--and by this she meant that she +bore Riklein in mind--she must ever do her part for her own folk, with +a clear conscience. + +Thus it was fixed that Ann should go to the Forest lodge to stay till +Christmas and the New Year were past, only she craved a few hours delay +that she might remove all doubt from the Magister's mind. I offered to +take upon myself this painful task; but she altogether rejected this, +and how rightly she judged was presently proved by her cast-off suitor's +demeanor; inasmuch as he was ever after her faithful servant and called +her his gracious work-fellow. When she had told him of her decision he +swore, well-nigh with violence, to become a monk, and to make over his +inheritance to a convent, but Ann, with much eloquence, besought him +to do no such thing, and laid before him the grace of living to make +others happy; she won him over to join our little league and whereas he +confessed that he was in no wise fit for the life, she promised that she +would seek out the poor and needy and claim the aid only of his learning +and his purse. And some time after she made him a gift of an alms-bag on +which she had wrought the words, "Ann, to her worthy work-fellow." + +Here I am bound to tell that, not to my aunt alone, but to me likewise +did the good work which the old organist had pointed out to my friend, +seem a vain imagining when it had led her to accept a lover whom she +loved not. But when it became a part of her life, stripped of all +bigotry or overmuch zeal, and when the old musician had led us to know +many poor folks, it worked right well and we were able to help many an +one, not alone with money and food, but likewise with good counsel and +nursing in sore need. Whenever we might apply to the Magister, his door +and purse alike were open to us, and peradventure he went more often to +visit and succor the needy than he might otherwise have done, inasmuch +as he thereby found the chance of speech with his gracious "work-fellow," +of winning her praises and kissing her hand, which Ann was ever fain to +grant when he had shown special zeal. + +We were doubtless a strange fellowship of four: Ann and I, the organist +and Master Peter, and, albeit we were not much experienced in the ways of +the world, I dare boldly say that we did more good and dried more tears +than many a wealthy Abbey. + +At the New Year I followed Ann to the forest, and helped to grace the +hunter's board "with smart wenches;" and when she and I came home +together after Twelfth day, she found that the forward apprentice had +quitted her step-father's house. Not only had my aunt told old Dame +Magdalen of his ill-behaving, but his father at Augsburg was dead, and +so Pemhart could send him home to the dwelling he had inherited without +disgracing him. Yet, after this, he made so bold as to sue for Ann in a +right fairly written letter, to which she said him nay in a reply no less +fairly written. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +A thoughtful brain could never cease to marvel at the wonders which +happen at every step and turn, were it not that due reflection proves +that strange events are no less necessary and frequent links in the +mingled chain of our life's experience than commonplace and every-day +things; wherefor sheer wonder at matters new to our experience we leave +for the most part to children and fools. And nevertheless the question +many a time arose in my mind: how a woman whose heart was so truly in the +right place as my aunt's could cast off her only son for the cause of an +ill-match, and notwithstanding strive with might and main to remove all +hindrances in the way of another such ill-match. + +This indeed brought to my mind other, no less miracles. Thus, after +Ann's home-coming, when I would go to see her at Pernhart's house, I +often found her sitting with the old dame, who would tell her many +things, and those right secret matters. Once, when I found Ann with the +old woman from whom she had formerly been so alien, they were sitting +together in the window-bay with their arms about each other, and looking +in each other's face with loving but tearful eyes. My entrance disturbed +them; Dame Magdalen had been telling her new favorite many matters +concerning her son's youthful days, and it was plain to see that she +rejoiced in these memories of the best days of her life, when her two +fine lads had ever been at the head of their school. Her eldest, indeed, +had done so well that the Lord Bishop of Bamberg, in his own person, had +pressingly desired her late departed husband to make him a priest. Then +the father had apprenticed Ulman to himself, and dedicated the elder, who +else should have inherited the dwelling-house and smithy, to the service +of the Church, whereupon he had ere long risen to great dignity. + +None, to be sure, listened so well as Ann, open-eared to all these +tales, and it did old Dame Magdalen good to see the maid bestir herself +contentedly about the house-keeping; but her changed mind proceeded from +yet another cause. My aunt had done a noble deed of pure human kindness, +of real and true Christian charity, and the bright beam of that love +which could drag her feeble body out into the winter's cold and to her +foe's dwelling, cast its light on both these miracles at once. This it +was which had led the high-born dame to cast aside all the vanities and +foolishness in which she had grown up, to the end that she might protect +a young and oppressed creature whom she truly cared for from an ill +fate. Yea, and that sunbeam had cast its light far and wide in the +coppersmith's home, and illumined Ann likewise, so that she now saw the +old mother of the household in a new light. + +When the very noblest and most worshipful deems it worthy to make a great +sacrifice out of pure love for a fellow-creature, that one is, as it +were, ennobled by it; it opens ways which before were closed; and such +a way was that to old Dame Magdalen's heart, who now, on a sudden, +bethought her that she found in Ann all she had lost in her well-beloved +grandchild Gertrude. + +Never had Ann and I been closer friends than we were that winter, and to +many matters which bound us, another was now added--a sweet secret, +concerning me this time, which, strange to tell, drew us even more near +together. + +The weeks before Lent presently came upon us; Ann, however, would take +part in no pleasures, albeit she was now a welcome guest, since her step- +father was a member of the worshipful council. Only once did she yield +to my beseeching and go with me to a dance at a noble house; but whereas +I perceived that it disturbed her cheerful peace of mind, although she +was treated with hearty respect, I troubled her no more, and for her sake +withdrew myself in some measure from such merry-makings. + +After Easter, when the spring-tide was already blossoming, my soul +likewise went forth to seek joy and gladness, and now will I tell of the +new marvel which found fulfilment in my heart. + +A grand dance was to be given in honor of certain ambassadors from the +Emperor Sigismund, who had come to treat with his Highness the Elector +and the Town Council as to the Assembly of the States to be held in the +summer at Ratisbon, at the desire of Theodoric, Archbishop of Cologne. +The illustrious chief of this Embassy, Duke Rumpold of Glogau in Silesia, +had been received as guest in a house whither, that very spring, the +eldest son had come home from Padua and Paris, where he had taken the +dignity of Doctor of Ecclesiastical and Civil Laws with great honors, +and he it was who first moved my young heart to true love. + +As a child I had paid small heed to Hans Haller, as a lad so much older +that he overlooked little Margery, and by no means took her fancy like +Cousin Gotz; thus he came upon me as one new and strange. + +He had dwelt five years in other lands and the first time ever I looked +into his truthful eyes methought that the maid he should choose to wife +was born in a lucky hour. + +But every mother and daughter of patrician rank doubtless thought the +same; and that he should ever uplift me, giddy, hasty Margery, to his +side, was more than I dared look for. Yet, covertly, I could not but +hope; inasmuch as at our first meeting again he had seemed well-pleased +and amazed at my being so well-favored, and a few days later, when many +young folks were gathered together at the Hallers' house, he spoke a +great while and right kindly with me in especial. Nor was it as though +I were some unripe child, such as these young gentlemen are wont to +esteem us maids under twenty--nay, but as though I were his equal. + +And thus he had brought to light all that lay hid in my soul. I had +answered him on all points freely and gladly; yet, meanwhile, I had been +on my guard not to let slip any heedless speech, deeming it a precious +favor to stand well in the opinion of so noble and learned a gentleman. + +And presently, when it was time for departing, he held my hand and +pressed it; and, as he wrapped me in my cloak, he said in a low voice +that, whereas he had thought it hard to make himself at home once more in +our little native town, now, if I would, I might make Nuremberg as dear-- +nay, dearer to him than ever it had been of yore; and the hot blood +boiled in my veins as I looked up at him beseechingly and bid him never +mock me thus. + +But he answered with all his heart that it was sacred earnest and that, +if I would make home sweet to him and himself one of the happiest of +mankind, I must be his, inasmuch as in all the lands of the earth he had +seen nought so dear to him as the child whom he had found grown to be so +sweet a maid, and, quoth he, if I loved him never so little, would I not +give him some little token. + +I looked into his eyes, and my heart was so full that no word could I say +but his Christian name "Hans," whereas hitherto I had ever called him +Master Hailer. And meseemed that all the bells in the town together were +ringing a merry peal; and he understood at once the intent of my brief +answer, and murmured right loving words in mine ear. Then did he walk +home with me and Cousin Maud; and meseemed the honored mothers among our +friends, who were wont so to bewail my loneliness as a motherless maid, +had never looked upon me with so little kindness as that evening which +love had made so blessed. + +By next morning the tidings were in every mouth that a new couple had +plighted their troth, and that the Hallers' three chevronells were to be +quartered with the three links of the Schoppers. + +Ann was the first to be told of my happiness, and whereas she had +hitherto been steadfastly set on eschewing the great dances of the upper +class so long as she was unwed, this time she did our will, for that she +had no mind to spoil my pleasure by her absence. + +Thus had Love taken up his abode with me likewise; and meseemed it was +like a fair, still, blooming morning in the Forest. A pure, perfect, +and peaceful gladness had opened in my soul, a way of seeing which lent +sweetness and glory to all things far and wide, and joyful thanksgiving +for that all things were so good. + +As I looked back on that morning when Ann had flown to Herdegen's breast, +and as I called to mind the turmoil of passion of which I had read in +many a poem and love-tale, I weened that I had dreamed of somewhat else +as the first blossoming of love in my heart, that I had looked to feel a +fierce and glowing flame, a burning anguish, a wild and stormy fever. +And yet, as it had come upon me, methought it was better; albeit the sun +of my love had not risen in scarlet fire, it was not therefore small nor +cool; the image of my dear mother was ever-present with me; and methought +that the love I felt was as pure and fair as though it had come upon me +from her heavenly home. + +And how loving and hearty was the welcome given me by my lover's parents, +when they received me in their noble dwelling, and called me their dear +daughter, and showed me all the treasures contained in the home of the +Hallers'. In this fine house, with its broad fair gardens--a truly +lordly dwelling, for which many a prince would have been fain to exchange +his castle and hunting demesne--I was to rule as wife and mistress at the +right hand of my Hans' mother, whose kind and dignified countenance +pleased me well indeed, and by whose friendly lips I, an orphan, was so +glad to be called "Child" and daughter. Nor were his worshipful father +and his younger brethren one whit less dear to me. I was to become a +member--nay, as the eldest son's wife, the female head--of one of the +highest families in the town, of one whose sons would have a hand in its +government so long as there should be a town-council in Nuremberg. + +My lover had indeed been elected to sit in the minor council soon after +his homecoming, being no longer a boy, but near on thirty years of age. +And his manners befitted his years; dignified and modest, albeit cheerful +and full of a young man's open-minded ardor for everything that was above +the vulgar. With him, for certain, if with any man, might I grow to be +all I desired to become; and could I but learn to rule my fiery temper, +I might hope to follow in the ways of his mother, whom he held above all +other women. The great dance, of which I have already made mention, and +whither Ann had agreed to come with us, was the first I should go to with +my well-beloved Hans. The worshipful Council had taken care to display +all their best bravery in honor of the Emperor's envoys; they had indeed +allied themselves with the constable of the Castle, the Prince Elector, +to do all in their power to have the Assembly held at Nuremberg, rather +than at Ratisbon, and to that end it was needful to win the good graces +of the Ambassadors. + +All the patricians and youth of the good city were gathered at the town- +hall, and the beginning of the feast was pure enjoyment. The guests were +indeed amazed at the richness of our great hall and civic treasure, as +likewise at the brave apparel and great show of jewels worn by the +gentlemen and ladies. + +There were six envoys, and at their head was Duke Rumpold of Glogau; but +among the knights in attendance on him I need only name that very Baron +Franz von Welemisl who had been so sorely hurt out in the forest garden +for my sake, and a Junker of Altmark, by name Henning von Beust, son of +one of the rebellious houses who strove against the customs, laws, and +rights over the marches, as claimed by our Lord Constable the Elector. + +Baron Franz was now become chamberlain to the emperor and, albeit cured +indeed of his wounds, was plagued by a bad cough. Still he could boast +of the same noble and knightly presence as of old, and his pale face, +paler than ever I had known it, under his straight black hair, with the +feeble tones of his soft voice, went right to many a maiden's heart; also +his rich black dress, sparkling with fine gems, beseemed him well. + +Presently, when he saw that Hans and I were plighted lovers, he feigned +as though his heart were stricken to death; but I soon perceived that +he could take comfort, and that he had bestowed the love he had once +professed for me, with compound increase on Ursula Tetzel. She was ready +enough to let him make love to her, and I wished the swarthy courtier all +good speed with the damsel. + +A dancing-hall is in all lands a stew full of fish, as it were, for +gentlemen from court, and Junker Henning von Beust had no sooner come in +than he began to angle; and whereas Sir Franz's bait was melancholy and +mourning, the Junker strove to win hearts by sheer mirth and bold +manners. + +My lover himself had commended him to my favor by reason that the +gentleman was lodging under his parents' roof; and he and I and Ann had +found much pleasure these two days past in his light and openhearted +friendliness. Nought more merry indeed might be seen than this red- +haired young nobleman, in parti-colored attire, with pointed scallops +round the neck and arm-holes, which fluttered as he moved and many little +bells twinkling merrily. Light and life beamed forth out of this +gladsome youth's blue eyes. He had never sat at a school-desk; while our +boys had been poring over their books, he had been riding with his father +at a hunt or a fray, or had lurked in ambush by the highway for the laden +wagons of those very "pepper sacks"--[A nickname for grocery merchants]-- +whose good wine and fair daughters he was so far from scorning in their +own town-hall. + +He had already fallen in love with Ann at the Hallerhof, and never quit +her side although, after I had overheard certain sharp words by which +Ursula Tetzel strove to lower the maid in his opinion, I told him plainly +of what rank and birth she was. + +For this he cared not one whit; nay, it increased his pleasure in making +much of her and trying to spoil her shrewish foe's sport. It seemed as +though he could never have enough of dancing with Ann, and so soon as the +town pipers struck up, with cornets, trumpets, horns, and haut-boys, +fiddles, sack-buts and rebecks, the rattle of drums and the groaning of +bagpipes, while the Swiss fifes squeaked shrillv above the clatter of the +kettle-drums, methought the music itself flung him in the air and brought +him low again. With his free and mirthful ways he carried all before +him, and when presently it was plain to all that he could outdo our +nimblest dancers, and was a master of each kind of dance which was held +in favor at every court, whether of Brandenburg, of Saxony, of Bohemia, +or at our own Emperor Sigismund's Hungarian court, he was ere long +entreated to show us some new figures of the dance; nor was he loth to do +so. + +Nay, he presently went to such lengths that our Franconian and Nuremberg +nobles could but turn away their faces, inasmuch as he began so wild and +unseemly a dance as was overmuch even for me, despite my youth and sheer +delight in the quick measure. + +My Hans, the young councillor, took pleasure in leading me forth in the +Polish dance, or with due dignity in the Swabian figure, but he held +back, as was fitting, from the mad whirl of the gipsy dance and of the +"Dove dance;" and he, and I likewise, courteously withstood his bidding +to join in the Dance of the Dead as it was in use in Brandenburg, +Hungary, and Schleswig: one has to be for dead, and as he lieth another +shall come to wake him with a kiss. On this Junker von Beust, who was, +as the march--men say, the dance-corpse, entrapped Ann in a strange +adventure. Ann kissed not his cheek, but in the air near by it, and the +bold knave, who had no mind to forego so sweet a boon, declared to her +after the dance was over that she was his debtor, and that he would give +her no peace till she should pay him his due. + +Ann courteously prayed him that he would be a merciful creditor and remit +the payment of that she had indeed omitted, though truly out of no ill- +will. And whereas he would by no means consent, the dispute was taken up +by others present and Jorg Loffelholz devised the fancy of holding a +Court of Love to decide the case. + +This met with noisy approval, and albeit I and my dear Hans, and some +others with us, made protest, the damsels were presently seated in a +circle and Jorg Loffelholz, who was chosen to preside, asked of each to +pronounce sentence. Thus it came to the turn of Ursula Tetzel and she, +looking round on Junker Henning or ever she spoke, said, with a proud +curl of her red lips, that she could give no opinion, inasmuch as she +only knew what beseemed young maids of noble birth. + +On this the Junker answered with such high and grave dignity as I should +not have looked for in so scatter-brained a wight: "The best patent of +nobility, fair lady, is that of the maid to whom God Almighty has +vouchsafed the gentlest soul and sweetest grace; and in all this assembly +I have found none more richly endowed with both than the damsel against +whom I in jest have made complaint. Wherefor I pray the presiding judge +of this Court of Love to ask you once more for your verdict." + +Ursula found this ill to brook; nevertheless her high spirit was ready to +meet it. She laughed loudly, and with seeming lightness, as she hastily +answered him: "Then you haughty lords of the marches allow not that it is +in the Emperor's power to grant letters of nobility, but ascribe it to +Heaven alone! A bold opinion. Howbeit, I care not for politics, and +will pronounce my sentence. If it had been Margery Schopper, who had +refused the kiss, or Elsa Ebner, or any one of us whose ancestors bore +arms by grace of the Emperor, and not of the God of the Brandenburgers, +I would have condemned her to give you, in lieu of one kiss, two, in the +presence of witnesses; but inasmuch as it is Mistress Ann Spiesz who has +dared to withhold from a noble gentleman, a guest of the town, what we +highborn damsels would readily have paid I grant her of our mercy, grace +and leave to kiss the hand of Junker Henning von Beust, in token of +penitence." The words were spoken clearly and steadfastly; all were +silent, and I will confess that as Ursula gave her answer to the Junker +with beaming eyes and quivering lips, never had I seen her more fair. It +could plainly be seen by her heaving bosom how gladly she gave free vent +to her old cherished grudge; and that she had in truth wounded the maid +she hated to the very soul, Ann showed by her deathly paleness. Yet +found she not a word in reply; and while Ursula was speaking, meseemed in +the fullness of my wrath and grief as though a cloud were rising before +my eyes. But so soon as she ceased and my eyes met the triumphant look +in hers, my mind suddenly grew clear again, and never heeding the +multitude that stood about us, I went a step forward, and cried: "We all +thank you, Junker; you have taken the worthier part; the only part, +Ursula," and I looked her sternly in the face, "the only part which I +would have a friend of mine take, or any true heart." + +The Junker bowed, and with a reproachful glance at Ursula he said: "Would +to God I might never have a harder choice to make!" Whereupon he turned +his back on her and went up to Ann; but Ursula again laughed loudly and +called after him in defiance: "Oh! may heaven ever keep your wits clear +when you have to choose, and especially when you have to discern on the +high-road betwixt what is your own and what belongs to other folks." + +The blood mounted to the Junker's face, and, as with a hasty gesture he +smoothed back the fierce hair on his lip, methought he might seem the +same as when he rose in his saddle to rush down on our merchants' wains; +for indeed it was the Beusts, with the Alvenslebens, their near +kinsfolks, who had fallen upon the train of waggons belonging to the +Muffels and the Tetzels, near Juterbock, not a year ago. + +But, hotly as his blood boiled, the Junker refrained himself, inasmuch as +knightly courtesy forbade him to repay Ursula in the like coin; and as it +fell Cousin Maud was enabled to aid him in this praiseworthy selfrule. +She came forward with long strides, and her eyes flashed wrathful +threats, till meseemed they were more fiery than the jewels in the tall +plumes she wore on her head. She thrust aside the young men and maid who +made up the Court of Love as a swift ship cuts through the small fry in +the water. Without let or pause she pushed on, and as soon as she caught +sight of Ann she seized her by the arm, stroked her hair and cheeks, and +flung a few sharp words at Ursula: + +"I will talk to you presently!" Then she bid me remain behind with Hans +and withdrew, carrying Ann with her, while Junker Henning followed +praying to be forgiven for all the discomfort she had suffered by reason +of him. This Ann gladly granted, and besought us and him alike to come +with her no further. + +When he came back to us Ursula, who was aggrieved by the looks of +displeasure she met on all sides, cried out: "Back already, Sir Junker? +If you had so lightly yielded your rights to kiss of mine, you may be +certain that I would have appealed to any one who would do my behest to +call you to account for such scorn!" + +She eyed the young nobleman with a bold gaze, never weening that this +challenge was all he waited for. He tossed his curly head, and cried +with sparkling eyes: "Then, mistress, I would have you to know that I +would take no kiss from you, even if you were to offer it. I have spoken +--now call forth your champions." + +He was silent a moment, and then, glancing round at the bystanders with +defiant looks, he went on: "If any gentleman here present sets a higher +price than I, the high-born Henning Beust, heir and Lord of Busta and +Schadstett, on a kiss from the lips which have wronged my fair lady with +spiteful speech, let him now stoop and pick up my glove. There it lies!" + +And he flung it on the ground, while Ursula turned pale. Her eyes turned +from one to another of the young gentlemen who paid her court and they +were many--and the longer silence reigned the faster came her breath and +the hotter waxed her ire. But on a sudden she was calm; her eyes had +lighted on Sir Franz von Welemisl, and all might read what she demanded +of him. The Bohemian understood her; he picked up the glove and muttered +to the Junker with a shrug: "Mistress Ursula commands me!" + +A look of pain passed over the brave youth's merry face, for that +heretofore the young knight and he had been in good fellowship, and he +hastily answered: "Nay, Sir Knight; I would have crossed swords with you +readily enough or ever you had felt the prick of Swabian steel; but now +you are not yet fully yourself again, and to fight with a friend who is +sick is against the rule of my country." + +The words were spoken from a kind and honest heart, and I saw in Sir +Franz's face that he knew their intent was true; but as he put forth his +hand to grasp the Junker's, Ursula tossed her head in high disdain. Sir +Franz hastily changed his mien, and cried: "Then you will do well to act +against the rule of your country, and fight the champion of the lady you +have offended." + +Here the dispute had an end, forasmuch as that my lord the duke, leader +of the embassy, hearing the Brandenburger's fierce voice, came in haste +from the supper-board to restore peace; and as he led away the Junker it +was plain to all that he was taking him sharply to task. It was, in +truth, a criminal misdeed in one of the Imperial envoy to cast down his +glove at a dance, where he was the guest of a peaceful city; and that +the duke imposed no severe penance for it the Junker might thank the +worshipful members of the council who were present; they were indeed +disposed to let well alone, inasmuch as they had it at heart to send +the whole party home again well-pleased with Nuremberg. + +The music was soon sounding merrily again in the solemn town-hall, and +of all the young folks who danced so gleefully, and laughed and chattered +Ursula was the last to let it be seen how this grand revel had been +troubled by her fault. Her eyes were bright with glad contentment, and +she was so free with Sir Franz that it might have seemed that they would +quit the town hall a plighted couple. + +The festival was drawing to an end, and when I had danced the last dance, +and was looking about me, I beheld to my amazement Ursula Tetzel in eager +speech with Junker Henning. On our way home the young gentleman informed +me that she had given him to understand that, during the meeting of the +Imperial Assembly, he might look to be waited on by a noble youth who +would pick up his glove in duty to her, and prove to him that there were +other than sick champions glad to draw the sword for her. + +The Brandenburger would fain have known with whom he would have to deal; +but I held my peace, albeit I felt certain that Ursula had set her hopes +on none other than my brother Herdegen. + +On the morrow the whole of the Ambassadors' fellowship rode away, back to +the emperor's court; I, for my part made my way to the Pernharts, where I +found Ann amazed rather than wroth or distressed by Ursula's base attack. +Also she was to have some amends; my dear godfather, Uncle Christian, +with certain other gentlemen of the council, had notified old Tetzel +that he was required to crave pardon of Ann and her stepfather for +his daughter's haughty and reckless speech. + +The proud and surly old man would have to submit to this penance without +cavil, by reason that Pernhart had, since Saint Walpurgis' day, been a +member of the council, and he and his family had part and share in the +patrician festival. For, albeit craftsmen and petty merchants were +excluded, the worshipful councillors chosen by the guilds enjoyed the +same rights as those born to that high rank. + +It was by mishap only that the coppersmith had not been at the town-hall +yestereve, and on a later day, when he and his wife appeared there, they +were among the finest of the elder couples. Ann did not, indeed, go with +them; but it was neither vexation nor sorrow that kept her at home. My +great gladness as it were warmed her likewise, and we were looking for +Herdegen's speedy home-coming. + +She looked forward to this with such firm hope as filled me with fears, +when I minded me of my brother's letters, in which he never had aught to +tell of but vain pleasures and pastimes. + +My betrothal to Hans Haller was after his own heart; he wrote of him as +of a man whose gifts and birth were worthy of me; and went on to say that +he would follow his example, and, whereas he had renounced love in +seeking a bride, he would take counsel of his head, and not of his heart, +and quarter our ancient coat of arms with one no less noble. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +Though Ann's hopeful mood distressed me, these same hopes in my world- +wise Aunt Jacoba raised my spirit; but again, when I heard my grand-uncle +speak of Herdegen as his duteous son, it fell as low as before. The old +man had shown much contentment at my plighting to Hans, and had given me +a precious set of rubies as a wedding gift; yet could I scarce take +pleasure in them, inasmuch as he told me then and there that he had the +like in store for the noble damsel whom Herdegen should wed. + +Cousin Maud was in great wrath, when she knew that we had it in our minds +even yet to bring Ann and Herdegen together; howbeit this did not hinder +her from being as kind to Ann as she was ever wont to be, and giving her +pleasure with gifts great and small whenever she might. She had her own +thoughts touching my brother's faithlessness. She deemed it a triumph of +noble blood over the yearnings of his heart; and the more she loved to +think well of her darling the more comfort she found in this +interpretation. + +Among those few who had known of his betrothal to Ann was the bee- +master's widow, Dame Henneleinlein; and she had cradled herself so gladly +in the hope of being ere long kin to a noble family, that its wrecking +filled her heart with bitter rage, and in all the houses whither she +carried her honey she never failed to speak slander of Herdegen. + +All this would never have troubled me, if only I might have rejoiced in +the presence of my dear love; but alas! no more than three weeks after +our betrothal he was sent, as squire to Master Erhart Schurstab, away to +court, where they were to lay before the Emperor Sigismund in the name of +Nuremberg the various hindrances in the way of our trafficking with +Venice, whereas since the late war his Majesty had been mightily ill- +disposed towards that great and famous city. + +There was no remedy but patience; my lover wrote to me often, and his +loving letters would have filled me with joy, if it had not been that in +each one there was ever some sad tidings of Junker Henning, whom I yet +held in high esteem. This young lord, who was in attendance on his +Majesty--who never held his court for more than a few days at the same +place--or ever he left Vienna to go to Ratisbon, had made a close +friendship with my plighted master, and had been serviceable to him in +all things wherein he might; and Hans had said of him that he was one in +whom there was no guile, with the open heart and bright temper of a +child. Such an one, indeed, was his; yet, in the midst of the gayest +mirth, his grief of heart would so mightily come upon him that he fell +into a sudden gloom; and out of the fulness of his sorrow he confessed to +Hans that he could never cease to think of Ann. Whereupon my dear love +conceived that it must be his woeful duty to tell his friend that the +lady of his choice had no free heart to give him. Yet to the Junker's +question whether she were plighted to another, and whether he were minded +to wed her, Hans was forced in truth to say nay. This gave the lovesick +youth new courage, and at length he went so far as that Hans enquired of +me whether Ann might not after all be willing to give up Herdegen, who +well deserved it at her hands, and to take pity on so brave and true- +hearted a lover as the Junker. + +To this I could make no answer other than: "Never--never;" inasmuch as, +having shown Ann this letter, and, moreover, loudly sung the praise of +her suitor, she asked me right sadly whether I was weary of confirming +her in her love for my brother; and when I eagerly denied this, she +cried: "And you know me well! And you must know that nothing on earth-- +nor you, nor Mistress Jacoba, nor all Nuremberg, could turn my heart from +my love!" + +This did I forthwith write to Hans; but that letter never reached him, +and thus was he delivered from the grievous duty of robbing the Junker of +his last hope. + +Alas, my Hans! How sorely I did long for thee every hour! And yet shall +I ever remember the month of June in that year with thankfulness. + +Day after day did we maidens sit in the Hallers' garden, for Hans' worthy +mother had soon taken Ann into her heart, and it became a fear to me ere +long lest her rare beauty should turn the head of his younger brother +Paulus, a likely lad of nineteen. As the summer waxed hot we went into +the forest at the bidding of my uncle and aunt, who took great joy in +seeing their favorite in right good heart and wondrous beauty, Mistress +Giovanna having provided her with seemly and brave apparel. Nor was +there any lack of good fellowship; many young noblemen bore us company, +and whereas the town was full of illustrious guests, many of them found +their way out to the forest. + +This was by reason that the Prince Electors and the other rulers of +the Empire, and foremost of them all our High Constable, had, indeed, +declared that the great Assembly should be held at Nuremberg and not at +Ratisbon; and when they were all gathered in our good town, the Emperor +Sigismund, after he had waited for five days at Ratisbon, was fain at +last, whether or no, to follow them hither. Then had his Chamberlains +been sent before him, and among them again came Duke Rumpold von Glogau +and Junker Henning von Beust, while his Majesty kept my Hans still about +his person. Now, when the Emperor's forerunners had fulfilled their +duties, they likewise were bidden to the forest-lodge; and with them came +the lord of Eberstein, and an Italian Conte, Fazio di Puppi, both well +skilled in song and the lute. Yet was my brother Herdegen still absent, +albeit we had looked for him at Whitsuntide. + +Cousin Maud bided at home, where there was much to be done in preparing +fitting cheer for the noble fellowship who were to be lodged in the +Schopperhof; nay, the old house was to be decked outside with a festal +dress, in obedience to the behest of the town-council that every citizen +should do his utmost so to cleanse and adorn his house, that it should +please the eyes of his Majesty the Emperor. + +Towards evening on Saint Liborius' day,--[July 23rd.]--my lord the Duke +came forth on horseback to the forest lodge, and as I write, I can see +the beaming countenance of Junker Henning as he greeted Ann; she, +however, took his devoted demeanor coolly and courteously, yet could she +not hinder him from coming between her and the other gentlemen in an +over-marked way. The company was a large one for us two maidens, and +there was none other with us save Elsa Ebner, our best-beloved +schoolmate, and on her young Master Jorg Loffelholz had cast his eyes. + +Not long after dinner Akusch came to me with the tidings that Herdegen +had ridden into Nuremberg yestereve. My grand-uncle, to whom he had sent +word of his coming, had gone forth to meet him on the way, and, with him +Jost Tetzel and his daughter Ursula. My brother had alighted at the Im +Hoff's house, and had waited on Cousin Maud this morning early. In the +afternoon it was his intent to come out to the forest with my uncle's +leave, to see me. + +When I repeated all this to Aunt Jacoba, she was mightily disturbed and +bid me stand by Ann, and in all points obey the counsel she might find it +good to give her. She desired I would fetch my friend to her July 23rd. +forthwith, and then made a plan for all the young folks to go forth to +the fair garden of a certain bee-keeper, one Martein, where flowers grew +in great abundance, and where we might wind the wreaths which Uncle +Christian would need to grace the Empress' chambers withal. Thither, +quoth she, would she send Herdegen on his coming; for she knew full well +that the tidings brought by Akusch could not remain hid. + +Whereas Ann turned a little paler, my aunt shook her head in displeasure, +and admonished her to remain calm; albeit she had charges to bring +against that wild youth, yet, for the present, she must keep them to +herself. Least of all was she to let him suppose that his faithlessness +had caused her any bitter heart-ache; if she desired that matters end +rightly she must command herself to receive the home-comer no more than +kindly, and to demean her as though his denying of her had touched her +but lightly; nay, as though it were a pleasure to her vanity to be +courted by the Brandenburg Junker and other noble gentlemen. If she +could but seem to rate him as less than either of them, she would have +won a great part of the victory. + +Such subtlety had no charm for Ann; howbeit, my aunt gave no place to her +doubting, and once more her urgent eloquence prevailed on the sorrowing +maid to govern the yearning of her soul; and when I promised my friend to +support her, she gave the wise lady, who had shown her such plain proofs +of her devoted friendship, her word that she would in every point obey +her. + +Many a time have we seen, in the churches of Nuremberg, certain acting of +plays wherein right honest and worthy persons have appeared as Judas +Iscariot, or even as the very Devil himself; and at Venice likewise have +I seen such plays, called there Boinbaria, wherein men and women, +innocent of all guilt, were made to stand for Calumny, Cruelty, and +Craft; and that so cunningly that a man might swear that they were +reprobate Knaves full ripe for the gallows. From this it may be seen +that men are fit and able to seem other than they are by nature; nay, +such feigning is a pleasure to most folks, as we plainly see from the +delight taken by great and small alike in mummery at Carnival tide. +Howbeit, they can scarce have their heart in such sport; and for my part, +meseemeth that to play such a part as my aunt had set before Ann is one +of the hardest that can be laid upon a pure-hearted and truthful maid. +At the time I wist not clearly what was the end of such rash trifling; +but now, when I know men better, meseems it was well conceived, and could +not fail of its intent, albeit the course of events made it plain to my +understanding how little the thoughts and plans of the wisest can avail +when Heaven rules otherwise. + +The gentlemen in the hall were more than ready to agree to our bidding; +yet none but I could guess what made Ann's lip to quiver from time to +time, while her gay spirit charmed the young men who bore us company +through the woods to the beekeeper's garden. + +I and Elsa cut the flowers helped by Jorg Loffelholz, while Ann sat under +a shady lime-tree hard by an arbor of honeysuckle, and showed the others, +who lay on the grass about her; how to wind a garland. Each one was +ready to be taught by lips so sweet, and in guiding of fingers and words +of praise or blame, there was right merry laughing and chatter and +pastime. + +Junker Henning lay at her feet, and near him my Hans' brother Paulus, and +young Master Holzschuher. The Knight von Eberstein had fetched him a +stool out from the beekeeper's house, and twisted and tied with great +zeal; the Italian Conte, Fagio di Puppi, struck the mandoline, which he +called "the lady of his heart" from whom he never parted even on the +longest journey. + +When Elsa and I had flowers enough, we sat down with the others, and it +was pleasant there to rest in the shade of the lime-tree, whose leaves +fluttered in a soft air, while bees and butterflies hovered above the +flowers in the warm sunshine. The birds sang no more; they had finished +nesting long ago; but we, with our young hearts overfull of love, were in +the right mind for song, and when Puppi had charmed us with a sweet +Italian lay, and I had decked his lute with a rose as a guerdon, my lord +of Eberstein took example from him, and they then besought Ann and me to +do our part; but Junker Henning was the more eager. Whereupon Ann smiled +on him so graciously that I was in pain for him, and she signed to me, +and, I taking the lower part as was our wont, we gave Prince Wizlav's +"Song to Dame Love." It rang out right loud and clear from our throats +over the gentlemen's heads as they sat at our feet, and through the +garden close: + + "Earth is set free and flowers + In all the meads are springing, + The balmy noontide hours + Are sweet with odors rare; + The hills for joy are leaping. + The happy birds are singing, + And now, while winds are sleeping, + Soar through the sunny air. + + Now hearts begin to kindle + And burn with love's sweet anguish + As tapers blaze and dwindle. + Love, our lady! lend thine ear! + Would'st thou but spoil our pleasure? + Ah, leave us not to languish! + Who vows to thee his treasure, + Haughty lady, must beware." + +We had sung so much as this when the sound of hoofs, of which we had +already been aware on the soft soil of the woods, gave us pause. Then, +behold! Ann turned pale and pressed her hands, full of the roses she had +chosen for her garland, tightly to her bosom, as though in pain. Junker +Henning, who, while she sang, had gazed at her devoutly, nay, in rapture, +marked this gesture and leaped to his feet to succour her; but she +commanded herself with wonderful readiness, and laughed as she showed him +her finger, from which two drops of blood had fallen on her white gown. +And while the garden-gate was opening, she held out her hand to the young +man, saying in haste: "Pricked,--a thorn!--would you please to take it +out for me, Junker?" + +He seized her hand and held it long in his own, as some jewel or marvel, +before he remembered that he was required to take out the thorn. The +other gentle men, and among them my brother-in-law Paulus, had likewise +sprung forward to lend their aid; he, indeed, had snatched his lace neck- +tie off and dipped it in the fountain. + +Meanwhile the new-comers had joined the circle: First, Duke Rumpold, then +Jost Tetzel, and lastly Herdegen with Ursula. + +I flew to meet him, and when he held me in his arms and kissed me, and +wished me joy of my betrothal right heartily, I forgot all old grievances +and only rejoiced at having him home once more; till Ursula greeted me, +and Herdegen came in sight of Ann. She had remained sitting under the +lime-tree, on a saddle cushion of blue velvet, as on a throne; and in +truth meseemed she might have been a queen, as she graciously accepted +the service of the gentlemen who had been so moved by her pricked finger. +The Junker wrapped it with care in a green leaf which, as his lady +grandmother had taught him, had a healing gift; Paulus held forth the +laced kerchief, and the Italian was striking wailing tones from his lute. + +All this to-do, at any other time would, for a certainty, have made sport +for me, but now laughing was far from me, and I had no eyes but for Ann +in her little court, and for my brother. + +At first she feigned as though she saw him not; and whereas the Junker +still held her hand, she hit his fingers with a pink, albeit she was +never apt to use such unseemly freedom. + +Then she first marked my lord the duke, and rose to greet him with a +courteous reverence, and not till she had bowed coldly and curtly to +Tetzel and his daughter did she seem to be aware that Herdegen was of the +company. At that moment I minded me of the morning when Love had thrown +her into his arms, and it was with pain and wonder that I marked her +further demeanor. In truth it outdid all I could have dreamed of: she +held out her hand with an inviting smile, bid him welcome home and to the +forest, reproved him for staying so long away from me, his dear little +sister, and our good cousin, and then turned her back upon him to desire +the Junker to place her cushions aright. Therewith she gave this young +gentleman her hand to support her to her seat, and asked him whether, +in his country, they did not do service and devoir to the divine Dame +Musica? And whereas he replied that verily they did, that in his own +land he had heard many a sweet ditty sung by noble ladies to the harp +and lute, that the children would ever sing at their sports, and that he, +too, had oftentimes uplifted his voice in singing of madrigals, she +besought him that he would make proof of some ballad or song. The rest +of the company joining in her entreaties she left him no peace till he +gave way to her desire, and after that he had protested that his singing +was no better than the twitter of a starling or a bullfinch, and his +ditty only such as he remembered from his boyhood's time, he sang the +song "It rained on the bridge and I was wet" in a voice neither loud nor +fine, but purely, and with great modesty. + +Ann highly lauded this simple and right childish ditty, and said that she +felt certain that she, by her teaching, could make a fine singer of the +Junker. + +The others were of the same opinion, and Herdegen, meanwhile, who was +standing somewhat apart, with Ursula, looked on, marvelling greatly as +though he could not believe what his ear heard and his eye beheld. + +Then, inasmuch as my lord duke desired to hear more music made, we were +ready enough to obey and uplifted our voices, while he leaned on an easy +couch, listening diligently, and gave us the guerdon of his gracious +praise. + +Still, as heretofore, many were obedient to Ann's lightest sign, but +never till now had I seen her proud of her power and so eager to use it. +Now and again she would turn to Herdegen with some light word and a free +demeanor, yet he, it was plain, would not vouchsafe to take his seat +before her with the rest. + +Nay, meseemed that he and Ursula had no part with us; inasmuch as that +she was arrayed in velvet and rich brocade, and a bower, as it were, of +yellow and purple ostrich plumes curled above her riding-hat. + +Herdegen likewise was in brave array, after the fashion of the French, +and a bunch of tall feathers stood up above his head, being held in a +silken fillet that bound his hair. His cross-belt was set with gems and +hung with little bells, tinkling as he moved and jarring with our song; +and in this hot summer-tide it could not have been for his easement that +he wore the tagged lappets, which fell, a hand-breadth deep, from his +shoulders over the sleeves of his velvet tunic. + +The more gleefully we sang and the more it was made plain that we, to all +seeming, were only to obey the wishes of Ann and of his highness the +duke, the less could my brother refrain himself to hide his ill-pleasure; +and when presently the Junker besought Ann that she would sing +"Tanderadei," which she very readily did, Herdegen could bear no more; +he asked the Italian to lend him his mandoline, and struck the strings as +though merely for his own good pleasure. Whereupon Ann turned to him and +courteously entreated him for a song, and he asking her which song she +would have, she hastily replied: "Your old ditties are already known to +me, Junker Schopper; and, to judge by your seeming, you now take no +pleasure save in French music. Let us then hear somewhat of the latest +Paris fashion." + +To this he replied, however: "Here, in my own land, I would like better +to sing in my own tongue, by your gracious leave, fair mistress." + +Then bowing to Ursula and to me, without even casting a glance at Ann, he +went on to say: "And seeing that methinks you love madrigals, I will sing +a Franconian ditty after the Junker's Brandenburg ballad." + +He boldly struck the strings, and the little birds, which by this time +had gone to rest in the linden-tree, again uplifted their little heads, +and all that had ears and soul, near and far, Ann not the least, +hearkened as he began with his clear voice and noble skill. + + "To all this goodly company + I sing as best I may, + A madrigal of ladies fair + And damsels soote and gay. + Through many countries great and small + I roam, and ladies fair I see + Many! but fairest of them all + The maidens of my own countree. + The maidens of Franconia + I ever love to meet, + They dwell in fond remembrance + A vision ever sweet. + Of maids they are the crown and pearl! + And if I might but spin them + I would make the spindle whirl!" + +My lord duke clapped hearty praise of the singer, and we all did the +same; all save Junker Henning, who had not failed to mark that Herdegen +had striven to out-do his modest warble, and likewise the ardent eyes he +turned on the lady of his choice. Hence he moved not. Ann clapped her +hands but lightly, sat looking into her lap, and for some time could say +not a word; indeed, if she had trusted herself to speak the game would of +a certainty have been lost. + +The knight of Eberstein it was, who ere long, albeit unwittingly, came to +her aid; he challenged Ursula to give us a song in thanks to Junker +Herdegen's praise of the maids of Franconia. + +The damsel thought to do somewhat fine by making choice, instead of a +German song, of a French lay by the Sieur de Machault "J'aim la flour," +which was well known to all of us by reason that she had learnt it from +old Veit Spiesz, Ann's grandfather; and she had no need to fear to uplift +her voice, inasmuch as it was strong and as clear as a bell. But she +sang over-loud and with a mode of speech which made Herdegen smile, and I +can see her now as she stood upright in her fine yellow and purple garb, +singing the light-tripping ditty, + + "J'aim la flour + De valour + Sans falour + Et l'aour + Nuit et jour." + +with all her might, as though stirring them to battle. The folly of so +wrong-headed a fashion of singing such words was plain to Ann, in whose +very blood, as it were, lay all that was most choice in musical feeling, +and Herdegen's smile brought her a calmer mind again. When, presently, +Ursula, believing that she had done somewhat marvellous, boldly turned +upon Ann and besought her to sing--as though there had never been a +breach between the twain--Ann refused, as not caring but yet firm in her +mind. Then the Duke, who was even yet a fine singer and bore in mind how +Ursula had demeaned herself towards Ann at the great dance, desired to +have the lute and sang the song as follows: + + "Behold a lady sweet and fair + In simple dress, + But right well clothed upon is she + With seemliness. + By her do flowers seem less bright, + And she is such a glorious sight + As, on May morns, the golden sun which lights up hill and lea-- + But froward maids delight us not, with all their bravery." + +And he sang the little verse to Ann as though it were in her praise, till +at the last line, which fell from his lips as it were in scorn, he cast a +reproving glance at Ursula, and many an one might see and feel how well +the song befitted one and the other of the hostile damsels. + +Yet was it hard to guess what Ursula was thinking of all this; she +thanked the Duke right freely for his fine song which held up the mirror +to all froward ladies. At the same time she looked steadfastly at Ann, +and led both Herdegen and the Knight of Eberstein to talk with herself; +yet how often all the time did my brother cast his eyes at his heart's +beloved, whom he had betrayed. + +As for myself, I can call to mind little enough of all that was said, for +the most part concerning the flowers and trees in the garden. Only Ann +and my brother dwell in my memory, each feigning neither to see nor to +hear the other, while covertly each had not eyes nor ears for any other. +Yes, and I mind me how my brother's unrest and distress so filled me now +with joy and now with pity, that I longed to cry out to the Junker that +this was a base trick they were playing on him, inasmuch as Ann poured +oil and more oil on the flame of his love. + +And there stood old Tetzel and his daughter, and it was plain to see that +they deemed that they had Herdegen safe in their toils; nay, it seemed +likely enough that he had done his uncle's bidding and was already +betrothed to her. Howbeit this strange lover had up to that moment +cast not one loving look on his lady love. + +What should come of it all? How could I ever find peace and comfort in +so perverse a world, and amid this feigning which had turned upside down +all that heretofore had seemed upright? Whichever way I turned there +were things which I did not crave to see, and the saints know full well +that I gazed not round about me; nay, that my eyes were set on two small +specks plain to be seen--the two drops of blood which had fallen from +Ann's finger, and which were now two dark, round spots on her white gown; +and, as it grew dusk, meseemed they waxed blacker and greater. + +At length, to my great joy, my lord the Duke rose and made as though he +were departing; whereupon the false image vanished, and I beheld Ann +giving her hand with a witching smile to Junker Henning, that he might +help her to rise. + +Supper was waiting for us at the Forest lodge. My Aunt Jacoba placed the +Duke in the seat of honor at her right hand, with Ann and Junker Henning +next to him. Herdegen she sent to the other end of the table to sit near +his uncle, and Ursula far from him near the middle; to the end that it +might be clearly seen that she knew naught of any alliance between that +damsel and her nephew. + +During that meal my squire had little cause to be pleased with his lady. +The foolish sport begun in the garden was yet carried on and I liked it +not, no more than my brother's French bravery; at table he appeared in a +long red and blue garment of costly silken stuff, with a cord round the +middle instead of a belt, so that it was for all the world like the loose +gown which was worn by our Magister and by many a worthy citizen when +taking his easement in his own home. + +Besides all this, my heart was heavy with longing for my own true love, +and my eyes filled with tears a many times, also I thanked the Saints +with all my heart when at length my aunt left the table. + +When we were outside she asked me privily whether Ann had rightly played +her part; to which I answered "Only too well." + +Herdegen, also, so soon as he had bid good night to Ursula, led me aside +and desired to know what had come upon Ann. To this I hastily replied +that of a surety he could not care to know, inasmuch as he had broken +troth with her. Thereat he was vexed and answered that as matters were, +so might they remain; but that he was somewhat amazed to mark how lightly +she had got over that which had spoiled many a day and night for him. + +Then I asked him whether he had in truth rather have found her in woe and +grief, and would fain have had her young days saddened for love of him? +He broke in suddenly, declaring that he knew full well that he had no +right to hinder her in any matter, but that one thing he could not bear, +and that was that she, whom he had revered as a saint, should now demean +herself no more nobly nor otherwise than any other maid might. On this +I asked him wherefor he had denied his saint; nay, for the sake--as it +would seem--of a maid who was, for sure, the worldliest of us all. +And, to end, I boldly enquired of him how matters stood betwixt him and +Ursula; but all the answer I got was that first he must know whether Ann +were in earnest with the Junker. On this I said in mockery that he would +do well to seek out the truth of that matter to the very bottom; and +running up the steps by which we were standing, I kissed my hand to him +from the first turning and wished him a good night's rest. + +Up in our chamber I found Ann greatly disturbed. + +She, who was commonly so calm, was walking up and down the narrow +space without pause or ceasing; and seeing how sorely her fears and her +conscience were distressing her, pity compelled me to forego my intent of +not giving her any hopes; I revealed to her that I had discovered that my +Herdegen's heart was yet hers in spite of Ursula. + +This comforted her somewhat; but yet could it not restore her peace of +mind. Meseemed that the ruthless work she had done that day had but now +come home to her; she could not refrain herself from tears when she +confessed that Herdegen had privily besought her to grant him brief +speech with her, and that she had brought herself to refuse him. + +All this was told in a whisper; only a thin wall of wood parted Ursula's +chamber from ours. As yet there was no hope of sleep, inasmuch as that +the noise made, by the gentlemen at their carouse came up loud and clear +through the open window and, the later it grew, the louder waxed +Herdegen's voice and the Junker's, above all others. And I knew what +hour the clocks must have told when my brother shouted louder than ever +the old chorus: + + "Bibit heres, bibit herus + Bibit miles, bibit clerus + Bibit ille, bibit illa + Bibit servus cum ancilla. + Bibit soror, bibit frater + Bibit anus, bibit mater + Bibit ista, bibit ille: + Bibunt centem, bibunt milee." + + [The heir drinks, the owner drinks, + The soldier and the clerk, + He drinks, she drinks, + The servant and the wench. + The sister drinks and eke the brother, + The grand dam and the gaffer, + This one drinks, that one drinks, + A hundred drink--a thousand!] + +Nor was this the end. The Latin tongue of this song may peradventure +have roused Junker Henning to make a display of learning on his part, +and in a voice which had won no mellowness from the stout Brandenburg ale +--which is yclept "Death and murder"--or from the fiery Hippocras he had +been drinking he carolled forth the wanton verse: + + "Per transivit clericus + [Beneath the greenwood shade;] + Invenit ibi stantent, + [A fair and pleasant maid;] + Salve mi puella, + [Hail thou sweetest she;] + Dico tibi vere + [Thou my love shalt be!]" + +The rest of the song was not to be understood whereas Herdegen likewise +sang at the same time, as though he would fain silence the other: + + + "Fair Lady, oh, my Lady! + I would I were with thee, + But two deep rolling rivers + Flow down 'twixt thee and me." + +And as Herdegen sang the last lines: + + "But time may change, my Lady, + And joy may yet be mine, + And sorrow turn to gladness + My sweetest Elselein!" + +I heard the Junker roar out "Annelein;" and thereupon a great tumult, +and my Uncle Conrad's voice, and then again much turmoil and moving of +benches till all was silence. + +Even then sleep visited us not, and that which had been doing below was +as great a distress to me as my fears for my lover. That Ann likewise +never closed an eye is beyond all doubt, for when the riot beneath us +waxed so loud she wailed in grief: "Oh, merciful Virgin!" or "How shall +all this end?" again and again. + +Nay, nor did Ursula sleep; and through the boarded wall I could not fail +to hear well-nigh every word of the prayers in which she entreated her +patron saint, beseeching her fervently to grant her to be loved by +Herdegen, whose heart from his youth up had by right been hers alone, +and invoking ruin on the false wench who had dared to rob her of that +treasure. + +I was right frightened to hear this and, in truth, for the first time +I felt honest pity for Ursula. + + +[End of the original Volume One of the print edition] + + + + +ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: + +Love which is able and ready to endure all things +Wonder we leave for the most part to children and fools + + + + + + +MARGERY + +By Georg Ebers + +Volume 5. + + + +CHAPTER I. + +The Imperial Diet in Nuremberg!--the Imperial Advent! + +The next day their Majesties were to enter into the town, and with them +my Hans. + +A messenger had brought the tidings, and now we must use all diligence; +Ann and Elsa and I, with one and twenty more, had been chosen among all +the daughters of the worshipful gentlemen of the council, to go forth to +greet the Emperor and Empress with flowers and a discourse. This Ursula +was to speak, by reason that she was mistress of all such arts; likewise +was she by birth the chiefest of us all, inasmuch as that her late +departed mother was daughter to the great Reynmar, lord of Sulzbach. +Nor need Ann and I seek far for the flowers. The Hallers' garden had not +its like in all Nuremberg, and my dear parents-in-law had promised that +we should pluck all we needed for our posies. + +Or ever I mounted my horse, I had tidings that Herdegen and Junker +Henning had, last evening, come to bitter strife, nay, well-nigh to +bloodshed; for that when my brother had sung the ditty in praise of one +Elselein and the other had called upon him to put in the name of Ann, +Herdegen had cried: "An if you mean red-haired Ann, the tapster wench at +the Blue Pike, well and good!" Whereupon the Junker sprang up and flung +the tankard he had just emptied at Herdegen's head. Herdegen had nimbly +ducked, and had rushed on the drunken fellow sword in hand; but Duke +Rumpold had put a word in, and by this morning Junker Henning seemed to +have forgotten the matter. In Brandenburg, verily, such frays were +common at the drinking-bouts of the lords and gentlemen, and by dawn all +offence given over-night in their cups was wiped out of mind. + +My brother lodged again at our grand-uncle's, while the Junker dwelt +at the Waldstromer's townhouse. My Lord Duke found quarters at the +Hallerhof, and his Highness the Prince Elector, and Archbishop Conrad of +Mainz likewise lodged there, with a great following. Cousin Maud had +made ready to welcome the Margrave of Baden and the Count von Henneberg +under our roof. The upper floor of the Pernhart's house was given up to +his Eminence Cardinal Branda, the most steadfast friend at Rome of Master +Ulman's brother the bishop. His Holiness the Pope had sent that right- +reverend prelate as his legate to the assembly, and he presently +celebrated mass with great dignity in the presence of their Majesties +and of the assembled lords and princes. + +To this day my memory is right good in all ways; and of what followed on +these events much is yet as clear and plain in my mind as though I saw +and heard it all at this present time; albeit I, an old woman, would fain +hide my face in my hands and weep thereat. For, notwithstanding there +were certain hours in those days which brought me sweet love-making, and +others of sheer mirth and vanity, yet is the spirit of man so tempered +that, when great sorrow follows hard on the greatest joy it sufficeth +to darken it wholly. And thus we may liken heaviness of heart to the +chiming of bells, which hurts the ear if they sound over near, but at a +distance make a sweet and devout music. Now, in sooth, inasmuch as I +must make record of the deepest woe of my life, the brazen toll is a sad +one, and the long-healed wounds ache afresh. + +Those two months of the Imperial Diet! They lie behind me like distant +hills. I can no more discern them apart, albeit certain landmarks, as it +were, stand forth plainly to be seen, like the church-tower, the +windmill, and the old oak on the ridge on the horizon. + +How the night sped after our return from the forest and the morning next +after--the 27th of July in the year of our Lord 1422--I can no longer +call to mind; but I can see myself now as, the afternoon of that day, I +set forth with Ann, attired in silk and lace--all white and new from head +to foot, as it were for a wedding--to go to the open place between St. +James' Church and the German House, within the Spital Gate. Whichever +way we looked, behold flowers, green garlands, hangings, pennons, and +banners; it was as though all the gardens in Franconia had been stripped +of their blossoms. Never had such a brave show been seen, and with every +breath we drank in the odors of the leaves and flowers which were already +withering in the July sunshine. A finer Saint Pantaloon's day I never +remember; the very sky seemed to share the city's gladness and was fair +to see, in spotless blue. A light wind assuaged the waxing heat, and +helped the flags and banners to unfurl: Our fine churches were decked +all over and about with garlands, boughs, and banners, and meseemed were +like happy brides awaiting their marriage in holiday array. The market- +place was a scene of high festival, the beautiful fountain was a mighty +bower of flowers, the triumphal arches, methought, were such as the gods +of wood and garden might have joined to raise. Every balcony was richly +hung, and even the crested gables and the turrets on the roofs displayed +some bravery. All, so far as eye could see, was motley-hued and spick +and span for brightness. The tiniest pane in the topmost dormer-window +glittered without a spot. The poorest were clad in costly finery; the +patrician folk were in the dress of knights and nobles; every craftsman +was arrayed as though he were a councillor, every squire like his lord. +You would have weened that day that there were none but rich folk in +Nuremberg. The maidens' pearl chaplets gleamed in the sun, and the +golden jewels in their fur bonnets; and what did their mothers care for +the heat as they went to and fro to display the costly fur turbans which +crowned their heads as it were with a glory of fur? How carefully had +they dressed the little ones! They were to see the Emperor and Empress +with their own eyes, and their Majesties might even, by good hap, see +them! + +Presently we saw the procession of the guilds with their devices and +banners; never had they come forth in such goodly bravery. They were to +form in ranks, on each side of the streets and the highway, a long space +outside the gate. + +At last it was nigh the hour when their Majesties should arrive. We +maids had all assembled. Albeit we had agreed all to be clad in white, +Ursula had decked her head-gear with Ostrich feathers of rose-pink and +sky-blue; right costly plumes they were, but over many. Now would she +look into her parchment scroll, and for us she had brief words and few. +The nosegay which her servant in scarlet livery bore in his hand was a +mighty fine one; and Akusch and a gardener's boy presently came up with +the posies culled for Ann and me in the Hallers' garden. We, and many +another maid, clasped our hands in sheer delight, but Ursula cast a look +on them which might, if it could, have robbed the roses and Eastern +lilies of their sweetness. + +The Emperor, it was said, would keep to the hour fixed on; then all the +bells began to ring. I knew them all well, and one I liked best of all; +the Benedicta in Saint Sebalds Church, which had been cast by old Master +Grunewald, Master Pernhart's closest friend. Their brazen voices stirred +my soul and heart, and presently the cannon in the citadel and on the +wails rattled out a thundering welcome to the Emperor, rending the summer +air. My heart beat higher and faster. But suddenly I meseemed that all +the bravery of the town and the holiday weed of the folks, the chiming of +bells and the roaring of cannon were not meant to do honor to the +Emperor, but only to my one true love who was coming in his train. + +All my thoughts and hopes were set on him. And when the town-pipers +struck up with trumpets and kettledrums, bagpipes and horns, when the +far-away muttering and roll of voices swelled to a roaring outcry and an +uproarious shout, when from every mouth at every window the cry rose: +"They are corning!"--yet did I not gaze at their Majesties, to whom the +day and festival belonged, but only sought him who was mine--my own. + +There they are! close before us.--The Emperor and his noble wife, Queen +Barbara, the still goodly daughter of the great Hungarian Count of Cilly. + +Aye! and he looks the man to rule six realms; worthy to stand at the head +of the great German nation. He might be known among a thousand for an +Emperor, and the son of an Emperor! How straight he sits in his saddle, +how youthful yet is the fire in his eye, albeit he has past his fiftieth +birthday! High spirit and contentment in his look; and meseems he has +forgotten that he ever summoned the Diet to meet at Ratisbon and is +entering the gates of Nuremberg against his will, by reason that the +Electors and German princes have chosen to assemble there. His wife +likewise is of noble mien, and she rides a white palfrey which, as she +draws rein, strives to turn its pink nostrils to greet the bay horse on +which her lord is mounted. + +Yet do my eyes not linger long on the lordly pair; they wander down the +long train of Knights wherein he is coming, though among the last. +For a moment they rest on the stalwart forms of the Hungarian nobles, +all blazing with jewels even to the harness of the steeds; and glance +unheedingly at the Electors and Princes, the Dukes, Counts and Knights- +all in velvet and silk, gold and silver; at the purple and scarlet of the +prelates; at the solemn black with gold chains of the town councillors; +on and beyond all the magnificent train which has come with his Majesty +from Hungary or gone forth to meet him. + +Hereupon Ursula steps forth to speak the address; but sooner may a man +hear a cricket in a thunderstorm than a maid's voice amid that pealing of +bells and shouting and cries of welcome. Meseems verily as though the +fluttering handkerchiefs, the flying pennons, and the caps waved in the +air had found voice; and Ursula turns her head to this side and that as +though seeking help. + +Emperor Sigismund signs with his hand, and the two heralds who head the +train uplift their trumpets with rich embroidered banners. A rattling +blast procures silence: in a moment it is as though oil were poured on a +surging sea. Men and guns are hushed; the only sounds to be heard are +the brazen tongue of the bells, the whinnying of a horse, the dull mutter +of men's voices in the far-off lanes and alleys, and the clear voice of a +young maid. + +Ursula made her speech, her voice so loud at the last that it might have +seemed that the honeyed verses were words of reproof. The imperial pair +gave each other a glance expressing surprise rather than pleasure, and +vouchsafed a few words of thanks to the speaker. His Majesty spoke in +German; but in his Bohemian home and Hungarian Kingdom he had caught the +trick of a sharper accent than ours. + +A chamberlain now gave the signal, and we maidens all went forth towards +our Sovereign lord and lady. Two and two--Tucher and Schilrstab--Groland +and Stromer; and the sixth couple were Ann and I--Ann as the daughter of +a member of the council--and my godfather it was, besides her sweet face, +who had done most to get her chosen. + +Noble youths clad as pages in velvet and silks had received the flowers +offered by the damsels; but as Ann and I stood forth, the Emperor and +Empress looked down on us. I could see that they gazed upon us +graciously, and heard them speak together in a language I knew not; and +Porro, the King's fool--and I say the King's, inasmuch as it was not till +later that Sigismund was crowned Emperor at Rome, and by the same token +it was at that time that my Hans' brothers, Paul and Erhart, were dubbed +Knights--Porro, who rode at his lord's side on a piebald pony spotted +black and yellow, cried out: "May we all be turned into drones, Nunkey, +if the flowers which have given this town the name of the Bee-garden are +not of the same kith and kin as these!" + +And he pointed to us; whereupon the King asked him whether he meant the +damsels or the posies. But the jester, rolling on his nag after a merry +fashion, till the bells in his cap rang again, answered him: "Nay, +Nunkey, would you tempt a Christian to walk on the ice? An if I say the +damsels, I shall get into trouble by reason of your strict morality; but +if I say the posies, I shall peril my poor soul's health by a foul lie." + +"Then choose thee another shape," quoth the Queen, "for I fear lest the +bees should take thee for a stinging wasp, Porro." + +"True, by my troth," said the fool, thinking. "Since Eve fell into sin, +women's counsel is often the best. You, Nunkey, shall be turned into a +butterfly, and not into a drone, and grace the flowers as you flutter +round them." + +And he waved his arms as they were wings and rode round about us on his +pony with right merry demeanor, like a moth fluttering over us. Ann +looked down, reddening for shame, and the blood rose to my cheeks +likewise for maiden shyness; nevertheless I heard the King's deep, +outlandish tones, and his noble wife's pleasant voice, and they lauded +our posies and made enquiry as to our names, and straitly enjoined Ann +and me not to fail of appearing at every dance and banquet; and I +remember that we made answer with seemly modesty till the King's grand- +master came up and so ended our discourse. + +And I fancy I can see the multitude coming on; the motley hues of velvet +and silk, the housings and trappings of the horses, the bright sheen of +polished metal, and the sparkle of cut gems dazzle my eyes, I ween, to +this day. But on a sudden it all fades into dimness; the cries and +voices, the bells, the neighing, the crash and clatter are silent--for he +is come. He waves his hand, more goodly, more truly mine and dearer to +my heart than ever. But not here do we truly meet again; that joy is to +come later in his own garden. + +That garden could already tell a tale of two happy human creatures, and +of hours of the purest bliss ever vouchsafed to two young hearts; but +what thereafter befell I remember as bright, hot, summer days, full of +mirth and play-acting, of tourneys and courtly sports, of music and song, +dancing and pleasuring. The gracious favor of the King and Queen and the +presence of many princes ceased not to grace it, and went to our brain +like heady wine. Things that had hitherto seemed impossible now came +true. Out of sheer joy in those intoxicating pleasures, and for the sake +of the manifold demands that came upon us in these over-busy days, we +forgot those nearest and dearest to our hearts. Yet never was I given to +self-seeking, neither before nor since that time. + +Ann's beguiling of the Junker, the homage paid to her by all, even the +highest, Herdegen's seething ire, his strivings to win back the favor +of the maid he had slighted, his strange and various and high-handed +demeanor, his shameless ways with Ursula, to whom he paid great court +when my grand-uncle was present, albeit at other times he would cast dark +glances at her as if she were a foe--all this glides past me as in a +mist, and concerning me but little. Then, in the midst of this turmoil +and magnificence, this love-making and royal grace, now and again +meseemed I was suddenly alone and forlorn; even at the tourney or dance; +nay, even when the King and Queen would vouchsafe to discourse with me, I +would be filled with longing for peace and silent hours--notwithstanding +that the mighty Sovereign himself took pleasure in questioning me and +moving me to those quick replies whereof I never found any lack. Queen +Barbara would many a time bid me to her chamber, and keep me with her for +hours; sometimes would Ann also be bidden, and she bestowed on us both +many costly jewels. + +Then, no sooner had we quitted the castle, where their Majesties lodged, +than we must think of our own noble guests; for Markgraf Bernhard of +Baden, who was quartered on us, would often ask for me, and Cardinal +Branda would desire Ann to attend him. The larger half of our days was +given to arranging our persons, and while Cousin Maud and Susan would +dress me I was already thinking of making ready the weed, the ribbons, +and the feathers needed for the next day. My Hans was now a Knight. The +same honor was promised to Herdegen--honor on honor, pleasure on +pleasure, bravery and display! In the stead of our old sun twenty, +meseemed, were blazing in the heavens. Many a time it was as though my +breath came so lightly that I could float on air, and then again a +nightmare load oppressed me. Even through the night, in my very dreams, +the sounds of music and singing ceased not; but when I awoke the question +would arise: "To what end is this?" + +Hans held the helm, and was ever the same, thoughtful yet truly loving. +Also he never forgot to keep a lookout for the surety of the bark, and +if the pace seemed too great, or he saw rocks ahead, he did his part and +likewise guarded me with faithful care from heedless demeanor or over- +weariness. Margery the rash, who was wanted everywhere, and was at all +times in the foremost rank, at the behest of the King and Queen, did her +devoir in all points and nought befell which could hurt or grieve her-- +and she knew full well whom she had to thank for that. + +Likewise I discerned with joy that my lover kept the Junker's ardors in +check, for he would fain have courted Ann as hotly as though he were +secure of her love; and Hans called upon my brother Herdegen to quit +himself as a man should and make an end of this double game by choosing +either Ann or Ursula, once for all. + +In the forest Uncle Conrad had bidden this noble company to the Lodge. +After the hunt was over we went forth once more to the garden of Martin +the bee-keeper, by reason that Duke Ernest of Austria, and Count +Friedrich of Meissen, and my Lord Bishop of Lausanne, and other of the +noble lords, desired to see somewhat of the far-famed bee-keeping huts in +our Lorenzer-Wald. My uncle himself led the way, and Herdegen helped him +do the honors. + +Presently, as he over-hastily opened a hive, some bees stung his hand +badly; I ran to him and drew the stings out. Ann was close by me, and +Herdegen tried to meet her eyes, and sang in a low voice a verse of a +song, which sounded sad indeed and strange, somewhat thus: + + "Augustho pirlin pcodyas." + +Whereupon Ann asked of him in what tongue he spoke; for it was not known +to her. He, however, replied that of a certainty it was known to her, +and when she looked at him, doubtful yet, he laughed bitterly and said +that he could but be well-content if she had forgotten the sound of those +words, inasmuch as to him they were bound up with the first great sorrow +he had known. + +I saw that she was ill-at-ease; but as she turned away he held her back +to put the words into German, saying, in so dull and low a voice that I +scarce could hear him, while he stirred up the earth with the point of +his sword, purposing to lay some on his swollen hand. + + "A froward bee hath stung my hand; + Mother Earth will heal the smart. + But when I lie beneath the turf, + Say, Will she heal my broken heart?" + +Then I saw that Ann turned pale as she said somewhat stiffly: "There are +other remedies for you against even the worst!" and he replied: "But +yours, Ann, work the best cure." + +By this time she was herself again, and answered as though she cared not: +"I learnt them from a skilled master.--But in what tongue is your song, +Junker Schopper, and who taught you that?" + +To which he hastily answered: "A swarthy wench of gipsy race." + +And she, taking courage, said: "One peradventure whom you erewhile met in +the forest here?" Herdegen shook his curly head, and his eye flashed +lovingly as he spoke: "No, Ann, and by all the Saints it is not so! It +was of a gipsy mother that I learnt it; she sang it to a man in despair +--in despair for your sake, Ann--in the forest of Fontainebleau." + +Whereupon Ann shook her head and strove to speak lightly as she said +"Despair! Are you not like the man in the fable, who deemed that he was +burnt whereas he had thrust another into the fire? The cap fits, +methinks, Junker Schopper." + +He replied sadly, and there was true grief in his voice: "Is a hard jest +all you have to give me now?" quoth he, "Nay, then, tell me plainly, +Ann, if there is no hope for me more." + +"None," said she, firm and hard. But she forth with added more gently. +"None, Herdegen, none at all so long as a single thread remains unbroken +which binds you to Ursula." + +On this he stepped close up to her and cried in great emotion: "She, she! +Aye, she hath indeed cast her devil's tangle of gold about me to ensnare +all that is vain and base in me; but she has no more room in my heart +than those bees have. And if you--if my good angel will but be mine +again I will cry 'apage'--I tear her toils asunder." + +He ceased, for certain ladies and gentlemen came nigh, and foremost of +them Ursula; aye, and I can see her now drawing off her glove and +stooping to gather up some earth to lay on the burning hand of the man +whom in truth she loved, while he strove to forestall her and not to +accept such service. That night we stayed at the lodge, and Ursula again +had the chamber next to ours; and again I heard her appealing to her +Saints, while Ann poured out to me her overflowing heart in a low +whisper, and confessed to me, now crying and now laughing, how much +she had endured, and how that she was beginning to hope once more. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +Our grand-uncle and guardian, the old knight Im Hoff, had ever, so long +as I could remember, demeaned himself as a penitent, spending his nights, +and not sleeping much, in a coffin, and giving the lion's share of his +great revenues to pious works to open unto himself the gates of Heaven; +but what a change was wrought in him by the Emperor's coming! This +straight-backed and stiff necked man, who had never bowed his head save +only in church and before the holy images of the saints, learnt now to +stoop and bend. His bloodless face, which had long ceased to smile, was +now the very home of smiles. His great house was filled, for there +lodged Duke Ernst of Austria, the Hungarian Count of Gara--who through +his wife was near of kin to the Emperor, and his Majesty's trusty +secretary, Kaspar Slick, and all their people. And so soon as either of +these came, a gleam as of starlight lighted up his old features, or, if +it fell that the sovereign granted to him to attend him, it was broad +sunshine that illumined it. And whereas the other gentlemen of the +council, hereditary and elected, albeit they were ever ready to shake +hands with a common workman, would stand face to face with their +Majesties or the dukes and notables, upright and duly mindful of their +own worth, my guardian would cast off his gravity and dignity both +together; and verily we all knew full well to what end. He, who had been +defrauded of his life's happiness by a Baron's daughter, yearned to move +the King to raise him to the rank of Baron. He loaded the Secretary +Slick with gifts and favors, and seeing that his Majesty was graciously +pleased to smile on me, his ward, he would be at much pains to flatter +me, calling me his "golden hair" or "Blue-eyes;" and enjoin it on me that +I should make mention of him to the King as his Majesty's most faithful +servant, ever ready for any sacrifice in his service, at the same time he +asked with a grin how it would pleasure me to hear Herdegen called by the +name and title of Baron von Schopper-Im Hoff? + +Our own honest and honorable name I weened was good enough for us three; +yet, for my brother's sake and for Ann's, I held my peace, and took +occasion while he was in so friendly a mood to urge him to release +Herdegen, and grant him to choose another than Ursula. But how wroth he +waxed, how hastily he put on the icy, forbidding bearing he was wont to +wear, as he rated me for a wilful simpleton who would undo her brother's +weal! + +It was now St. Susannah's day--[August 11th]--We were bidden to the +tourney. Duke Ernest of Austria had challenged Duke Kanthner of Oels in +Silesia to meet him in the lists and, besides the glory to be gained, +there was a prize of sixty and four gold pieces. Other knights also were +to joust in the ring. + +Queen Barbara, of her grace, had bidden me attend with her ladies. At +the jousting-place I found Ann; her mother had remained at home by reason +that the old mother was sick. My faithful Uncle Christian Pfinzing, who +played the host to the Emperor and Empress at the Castle as representing +the town council, had brought his "dear watchman" hither and placed her +in the keeping of certain motherly dames. Presently, seeing a moment +when she might speak with me, Ann said in my ear: "I will end this sport, +Margery; I can no longer endure it. He hath sworn to renounce all and +everything that may keep us apart!" There was no time for more. Each +one had to take his seat. As yet their Majesties were not come, and +there was time to gaze about. + +The lists were in the midst of the market-place. The benches were decked +with hangings, the lords and ladies who filled them, the feathers waving, +the sparkle of jewels, the glitter of gold and silver, the sheen of silk +and velvet, the throng of common folk, head over head in the topmost +places, the music and uproar, nay, the very savor of the horses dwell +still in my mind; yet far be it from me to write of things well-known to +most men. + +Then my grand-uncle came forth. He had Ursula on his arm as he walked +through the gate-way into the lists and across the sanded ring to his +seat on the far side. This was in truth forbidden, but the unabashed +old man defied the rules, and as for Ursula she was well pleased to be +gazed at. The old knight was smiling; how stately was his mien, and how +well the silver breast plate beseemed him, with the golden lion rampant +of the Im Hoffs! That helmet and breastplate had been forged for his +special use of the finest silver and gold plate, and were better fit to +turn the point of my pen-knife than that of sword and lance. Yet many an +one admired the stalwart gait of the old man in his heavy harness. Even +Tetzel's dull face was less dull than its wont, and Ursula's eyes +sparkled as though her knight had carried off the prize. + +Presently my grand-uncle saw where I was sitting, and waved and bowed to +me as though he had some good tidings to give me. Tetzel did likewise, +seeming like the old man's pale and creeping shadow. Ursula's triumphing +eyes proclaimed that now she had indeed gained her end; the dullest wit +might not miss her meaning. In spite of Ann, Herdegen had pledged his +troth to Ursula. The lists and seats, meseemed, whirled round me in a +maze, and scarce had they settled down again, as it were, when Cousin +Maud sat down heavily in her place, and by her face made me aware that +some great thing had befallen; for now and again she drew in her cheeks +and pursed her lips as though she would fain blow out a light. When my +eyes met hers she privily pointed with her fan to show me Herdegen and +Ursula, and shrugged her shoulders so high that her big head with its +great feathered turban sank between them. And if there was surging and +wrath in her breast not less was there in mine. Howbeit I had to put on +a guise of content, nay of gladness, for the Royal pair had bidden me to +their side and it was my task to explain all they desired to learn. + +A sunny blue sky bent over the ground; albeit dark clouds came up from +the west, and I found it hard to make fitting answer to their Majesties' +questions. + +While the horses were pawing and neighing, and the lances rattled on the +shields, nay, even when the Dukes of Austria and Schleswig rushed on each +other and the Austrian unhorsed his foe, I scarce looked on the jousting- +place on which all other eyes were fixed as though held by chains and +bonds. Mine were set on the spot where Ursula and Ann were sitting, and +with them the young knight from Brandenburg, Sir Apitz of Rochow, and my +brother Herdegen. Junker Henning had his part to play in the tournament. +To Rochow the tourney was all in all; Herdegen gazed only at Ann. She, +to be sure, made no return, but still he would fix his eyes on her and +speak with her. Ursula had turned paler, and meseemed she had eyes only +for him and his doings. What went forward in the pauses of the tilting I +could not mark, inasmuch as my eyes and ears were their Majesties' alone. + +Now, two more knights sprang forth. What cared I of what nation they +were, what arms they bore and what they and their horses might do; I had +somewhat else to think of. Ursula and I had long been at war, but to-day +I felt nought but compassion for her: and indeed, on this very day, when +she believed she had won the victory, she more needed pity than when she +had so besought Heaven to grant her Herdegen's love, inasmuch as my +brother sat whispering to Ann with his hand on his heart. And Ann +herself had put away all false seeming; and while she gazed into her +lover's eyes with soft passion, Ursula sat bending her fan as though she +purposed to break it. + +To think of Ursula as ruling in our house, and of Ann pining with heart +sickness was cruel grief, and yet were these two things almost less hard +to endure than the shameless flightiness and strange demeanor of my noble +brother, the pride of my heart. + +The town council had voted eight hundred gulden to King Sigismund, and +four hundred to the Queen; two hundred and thirty to Porro the jester, +and great gifts to many of the notables and knights as a free offering +from the city; and now, in a pause in the jousting, his Majesty announced +his great delight at the faithful, bountiful, and overflowing hand held +out to him by his good town of Nuremberg, which had ever been dear to his +late beloved father King Charles. And then he pointed to the gentlemen +of the council, who made a goodly and reverend show indeed in their long +flowing hair and beards, their dark velvet robes bordered with fine fur, +and thin gold chains; and he spoke of their noble and honorable dealing. +I heard him say that each one of them was to be respected as joint ruler +with him over that which was his own, and likewise in greater matters. +Each one was his equal in manly virtue, and the worthy peer of his +Imperial self. Then he pointed out to the Queen certain noble and goodly +heads, and it was my part to make known whatsoever I could tell of their +possessions and their manner of trade. The Hallers were well known to +him, and not alone my best beloved, inasmuch as they did great trading +with his kingdom of Hungary; and he was well pleased to see my Hans with +his father as one of the council. + +His gracious wife was pleased to compare the good order, and cleanness, +and comfort of Nuremberg with the cities in their native country. +Whereas she had already been into some of our best houses, and indeed +into our own, she spoke well of the wealth, and art, and skill in all +crafts of the Nuremberg folk, saying they had not their like in all the +world so far as she knew. And then again she spoke her pleasure at the +honorable seemliness of the councillors, and asked me many questions +concerning this one and that, and, among the rest, concerning Master +Ulman Pernhart. The royal pair marked, in one his noble brow, in another +his long flowing hair, in a third his keen and shrewd eye, till presently +King Sigismund asked his Fool, Porro, which of all the heads in the ranks +opposite he might judge to be the wisest and weightiest. The jester's +twinkling eyes looked along the rows of folk, and whereas they suddenly +fell on little Dame Henneleinlein, the Honey-wife, who sat, as was her +wont, with her head propped on her hands, he took the King's word up and +answered in mock earnest: "Unless I am deceived it is that butter-cup +queen, Nuncle, seeing that her head is so heavy that she is fain to hold +it up with both hands." + +And he pointed with his bauble to the old woman, who, as the bee-master's +widow, had boldly thrust herself into the front rank with those of +knight's degree; and there she sat, in a gown of bright yellow brocade +which Cousin Maud had once given her, stretching her long neck and +resting her head on her hands. The King and Queen, looking whither the +Fool pointed, when they beheld a little old woman instead of a stately +councillor, laughed aloud; but the jester bowed right humbly towards the +dame, and, she, so soon as she marked that the eyes of his Majesty and +his gracious lady were turned upon her, and that her paltry person was +the object of their regard, fancied that I had peradventure named her as +being Ann's cousin, or as the widow of the deceased bee-master who, long +years ago, had led the Emperor Charles to see the bee-gardens, so she +made reverence again and again, and meanwhile laid her head more and more +on one side, ever leaning more heavily on her hand, till the King and +Queen laughed louder than ever and many an one perceived what was doing. +The cup-bearer and chamberlain drew long faces, and Porro at last ended +the jest by greeting the old woman with such dumbshow as no one could +think an honor. The cunning little woman saw now that she was being made +game of, and whereas not their Majesties alone, but all the Court about +them were holding their sides, and she saw that I was in their midst, she +believed me to be at the bottom of their mischief, and cast at me such +vengeful glances as warned me of evil in store. + +After this tourney there was to be a grand dance in the School of Arms, +to which their Majesties were bidden with all the princes, knights, and +notables of the Diet, and the patricians of the town. Next day, being +Saint Clara's day, there would be a great feast at the Tetzels' house by +reason that it was the name-day of Dame Clara, Ursula's grandmother, and +the eldest of their kin. At this banquet Herdegen's betrothal was to be +announced to all their friends and kindred--this my uncle whispered to me +as he went off after the jousting to attend the King, who had sent for +him. The old man had seen nought of Herdegen's doings with Ann, by +reason that he and old Tetzel had both been seated on the same side of +the lists, and the tall helmets and feathers had hidden the young folks +from his sight. So assurance and contentment even yet beamed in his eye. + +The tourney had lasted a long time. I scarce had time enough to change +my weed for the dance. Till this day I had sported like a fish in this +torrent of turmoil and pleasure; but to-day I was weary. My body was in +pain with my spirit, and I would fain have staid at home; but I minded me +of the Queen who, albeit she was so much older, and was watched by all-- +every one expecting that she should be gracious--in her heavy royal +array, went through all this of which I was so weary. + +Meanwhile a great storm had burst upon us and passed over; all creatures +were refreshed, and I likewise uplifted my head and breathed more freely. +The fencing school--a great square chamber, as it is to this day, with +places all round for the folk to look on--was lighted up as bright as +day. My lover and I, now in right good heart once more, paced through +the Polish dance led by the King and Queen. Ann's mother had been +compelled to stay at home, to tend the master's old mother, and my friend +had come under Cousin Maud's protection. She was led out to dance by +Junker Henning; his fellow country-man, Sir Apitz von Rochow, walked with +Ursula and courted her with unfailing ardor. Franz von Welemisl, who was +wont to creep like her shadow, and who was again a guest at the Tetzels' +house, had been kept within doors by the cough that plagued him. +Likewise I looked in vain for Herdegen. + +The first dance indeed was ended when he came in with my great-uncle; but +the old knight looked less confidently than he had done in the morning. + +Ann was pale, but, meseemed fairer than ever in a dress of pomegranate- +red and white brocade, sent to her from Italy by her step-father's +brother, My lord Bishop, by the hand of Cardinal Branda. As soon as I +had presently begun to speak with her, she was carried off by Junker +Henning, and at that same moment my grand-uncle came towards me to ask +who was that fair damsel of such noble beauty with whom I was but now +speaking. He had never till now beheld Ann close at hand, and how gladly +did I reply that this was the daughter of Pernhart the town Councillor +and she to whom Herdegen had plighted his faith. + +The old man was startled and full wroth yet, by reason of all the fine +folk about us, he was bound to refrain himself, and he presently +departed. + +The festival went forward and I saw that Herdegen danced first with +Ursula and then with Ann. Then they stood still near the flower shrubs +which were placed round about the hall to garnish it, and it might have +been weened from their demeanor that they had quarrelled and had come to +high words. I would fain have gone to them, but the Queen had bid me +stay with her and never ceased asking me a hundred questions as to names +and other matters. + +At last, or ever it was midnight, their Majesties departed. I breathed +more freely, put my hand on my Hans' arm, and was minded to bid him take +me to Herdegen and speak out my mind, but my brother, as it fell, +prevented me. He came up to me and with what a mien! His eyes flashing, +his cheeks burning, his lips tight-set. He signed to me and Hans to +follow whither he went, and then passionately besought us that we would +depart from the dance for a while with him and his sweetheart, that was +Ann. Such an entreaty amazed us greatly, yet, when he told us that she +would go no whither with him save under our care, and that everything +depended on his learning this very hour how he stood with her, we did his +will. And he likewise told us that he had not indeed given his word that +morning to my grand-uncle and Jost Tetzel, but had only pledged his word +that he would give them his answer next day. + +So presently Hans and I stole out behind the pair, out into the road. +I, for my part, was well content and thankful and, when we beheld them +accuse and answer each other right doughtily, we laughed, and were agreed +that Aunt Jacoba's counsel had led to a good issue; and I told my Hans +that I should myself take a lesson from all this and let the smart +Junkers and Knights make love to me to their hearts' content, if ever +I should be moved to play him a right foolish trick. + +Presently, when we had many times paced the road to and fro the +Pernharts' house, Ann was minded to knock at the door; but behold she was +saved the pains. Mistress Henneleinlein just then came out whereas she +had been helping Dame Giovanna to tend the sick grandmother. The lantern +Eppelein carried in front of us was not so bright as the sun, yet could I +see full plainly the old woman's venomous eye; and what high dudgeon +sounded in her voice! Each one had his meed, even my Hans, to whom she +cried: "Keep thy bride out of Porro's way, Master Haller. It ill-beseems +the promised wife of a worshipful Councillor to be casting her lot in +with a Fool! Howbeit, to laugh is better than to weep, and he laughs +longest who laughs last!" And thereupon she herself laughed loudly and, +with a scornful nod to Ann, turned her back on us. + +All was still in Master Pernharts' house; he himself had gone to rest. +At Herdegen's bidding we followed him into the hall, and there he clasped +Ann to his heart, and declared to us that now, and henceforth for ever, +they were one. Whereupon we each and all embraced; but my friend clung +longest to me, and whispered in my ear that she was happier than ever she +could deserve to be. Herdegen asked me whether now he had made all +right, and whether I would be the same old Margery again? And I right +gladly put up my lips for his to kiss; and the returned prodigal, who had +come back to that which was his best portion, was like one drunk with +wine. He was beside himself with joy, so that he clasped first me and +then Hans in his arms, and slapped Eppelein, who carried a lantern to +show us the pools left by the storm of rain, again and again on the +shoulder, and thrust a purse full of money into his free hand, albeit +there was an end now of my grand-uncle's golden bounty. Nought would +persuade him to go back to the dancing-hall, to meet Ursula and her kin; +and when he presently departed from us we heard him along the street, +singing such a love song as no false heart may imagine, as glad as the +larks which would now ere long be soaring to the sky. + +We got back to the great hall. The dancing and music were yet at their +height; our absence we deemed had scarce been marked; howbeit, as soon as +we entered, my grand-uncle made enquiry "where Herdegen might be," and +when I looked about me at haphazard I beheld--my eyes did not cheat me-- +I beheld Mistress Henneleinlein in one of the side-stalls. + +No man told me, yet was I sure and certain that she was saying somewhat +which concerned me, and presently I discerned in the dim back-ground the +feathered plume which Ursula had worn at the dance. My heart beat with +fears; every word spoken by the old Dame would of a surety do us a +mischief. Hans mocked at my alarms and at a maid's folly in ever taking +to herself matters which concern her not. + +Then Ursula came forth into the hall again, and how she swept past us on +Junker Henning's arm. + +A young knight of the Palatinate now led me out to a dance I had erewhile +promised him. + +We stopped for lack of breath. The festival was over; yet did Ursula and +the Junker walk together. He was hearkening eagerly to all she might +say, and on a sudden he clapped his hand into hers which she held out to +him, and his eyes, which he had held set on the floor, fired up with a +flash. Presently he and the Knight von Rochow made their way, arm in arm +through the press, and both were laughing and pulling their long red +beards. + +I still clung to my lover's arm and entreated him to take me to speak +with Junker Henning, inasmuch as I sorely wanted to question him; but the +Junker diligently kept far from us. Nevertheless we at last stayed him, +and after that I had enquired, as it were in jest, whether he had healed +his old feud with Mistress Ursula and concluded a truce, or peradventure +made peace with her, he answered me, in a tone all unlike his wonted +frank and glad manner, that this for a while must remain privy to him and +her, and that we should scarce be the first to whom he should reveal the +matter; and forthwith he bid us farewell with a courtly reverence. But +my lover would not let him thus depart, and asked him, calmly, what was +the interpretation of this speech, whereupon Rochow spoke for his young +fellow-countryman, and enquired, in the high-handed and lordly tone which +ever marked his voice and manner, whether here, in the native land of +Nuremberg playthings, love and faith were accounted of as toys. + +Junker Henning however, broke in, and said, casting a warning look at me: +"Far be it from him to break friendship with an honorable gentleman, such +as my Hans, before having an explanation." And he held out his hand +somewhat more readily than before, bowed sweetly to me and led away his +cousin. + +At last we got out with the Haller parents and Cousin Maud. The old +folks got into litters, and the serving men were lighting the way before +me to mine, when my lover stayed me, saying: "It is already grey in the +East. Never before were we together so well betimes, Margery, and happy +hours are few. If thou'rt not too weary, let us walk home together in +this fresh morning air." + +I was right well-content and we went gently forward, I clinging to him +closely. He felt how high my heart was beating and, when he asked me +whether it was for love that it beat so fast, I confessed in truth that, +whereas the Brandenburgers outdid all other knights in the kingdom, in +defiance and hotheadedness, I feared lest there should be a passage of +arms betwixt Junker Henning and my brother Herdegen. But Hans made +answer that, if it were the Brandenburgers intent to challenge him, he +could not hinder it; yet be trowed it would be to their own damage; that +Herdegen had scarce found his match at the Paris school of arms; and at +least should we not mar this sweet morning walk by such fears. + +And he held me closer to him, and while we slowly wandered on he poured +forth his whole heart to me, and confessed that through all his lonely +life in foreign lands he had ever lacked a great matter; that even with +the gayety of his favorite comrades, even when his best diligence had +been crowned with great issues, yet had he never had full joy in life. +Nor was it till my love had made him a complete and truly happy man that +he had felt, as it were, whole, inasmuch as that alone had stilled the +strange craving which till then had made his heart sick. + +Yea, and I could tell him that it had been the same with me; and as for +what more we said, verily it should rather have been sung to sweet and +lofty music on the lute and mandoline. Two rightly matched souls stood +revealed each to each, and Heaven itself, meseemed, was opened in the +strait ways of our town. + +We kissed as we stood on the threshold of the Schopper-house, and when at +length we must need part he held me once more to his heart, longer than +ever he had before, and tore himself away; and laying his hands on my +shoulders, as he looked into my eyes in the pale light of dawn, he said: +"Come what may, Margery, we love each other truly and have learned +through each other what true happiness means; and nevertheless we are +as yet but in the March-moon of our love, and its May days, which are +sweeter far, are yet to come. But even the March-joy is good--right +good to me." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +I had forgotten my fears and gloomy forebodings by the time I climbed +into bed in my darkened chamber. Sleep forthwith closed my eyes, and I +lay without even a dream till Cousin Maud waked me. I turned over by +reason that I was still heavy with slumber; yet she stood by my bed, and +scarce half a quarter of an hour after, lo, again I felt her hand on my +shoulder and woke up quaking, with a cold sweat on my brow. I had +dreamed that I was riding out in the Lorenzer-wald with Hans and my +grand-uncle and other some; but we went slowly and softly, by reason that +all our horses fell lame. And it fell that on the very spot where Ann +had flown into Herdegen's arms I beheld a high, yellow grave-stone, and +on it was written in great black letters: "HANS HALLER." + +Hereupon I had started up with a loud cry, and it was long or ever my +brain was clear as to the world about me. Cousin Maud laughed to see me +so drunk asleep, as was not my wont; yet could she not deny that my dream +boded no good. Nevertheless, quoth she, it was small marvel that such a +heathen Turkish turmoil as we had been living in should beget monstrous +fancies in a young maid's brain. She would of set purpose have left me +to sleep the day through, to give me strength; howbeit Herdegen had twice +come to ask for me, and so likewise had Ann and Hans, and it wanted but +an hour and a half of noon. This made me laugh; nevertheless I minded me +then and there of all that had befallen last night at Pernhart's house- +door and in the school of arms, and, moreover, that we were bidden this +day to eat with the Tetzels; also that they, and eke my grand-uncle, were +still in the belief that Herdegen's betrothal to Ursula might be at once +proclaimed to their friends. + +I began to dress in haste and fear, and Susan was in the act of plaiting +my hair when Cousin Maud flew in to say that Queen Barbara had sent her +own litter to carry me to her. Thus had I to make all speed. + +The royal quarters in the castle had been newly ordered by the town at +his Majesty's desire, and they were indeed bravely decked; yet never had +the like show pleased me less. The Queen was giving audience to the +Pope's Legate, to their excellencies the envoys from the Greek Emperor, +to my Lord Conrad the Elector of Maintz, and many more nobles. She had +made so bold as to declare that the German maidens were no less skilled +in the art of song than the damsels of Italy, and had bidden me to her in +such hot haste that I might let the notables there assembled hear a few +lays. I might not say nay to the royal behest; for better, for worse, +I must fain take my lute and sing, at first alone, and then with my lord +Conte di Puppi. Our voices presently brought the King to the chamber, +and in truth I won praise enough if I had best cared to hear it. Nay, +for the first time it was a torment to me to sing, and when the notables +had all been sent forth, and I was alone with the Queen and her ladies, I +knew not what ailed me but I burst into tears, hot and bitter tears. The +gracious Queen took me in her arms with womanly sweetness, but while she +gave me her phial of vinegar to smell, and spoke words of comfort, I was +suddenly scared at hearing close behind me right woeful sobbing and +sighing, as from a woman's breast. I looked about me, and beheld Porro, +the jester, who had cast himself on a couch and was mocking me, pulling +such a grimace the while that his smooth, long, thin face seemed grown to +the length of two lean faces. The sight was so merry that I was fain to +laugh. Whereas he nevertheless ceased not from sobbing, the Queen +reproved him and bid him not carry his fooling too far. Whereupon he +sobbed out: "Nay, royal and gracious Coz, thou art in error. Never have +I so shamelessly forgotten to play my part as Fool, as at this moment. +Alack, alack! what a thing is life! Were we not one and all born fools, +and if we did but measure it as it is now and ever shall be, with the +wisdom of the sage, we should never cease to bewail ourselves, from the +nurse's rod to the scythe of death." + +Whether Porro were in earnest I could not divine; his face, like a mystic +oracle, might bear manifold interpretations; verily his speech went to +my heart. And albeit hitherto life had brought me an hundredfold more +reasons for thanksgiving than sorrow, meseemed that it had many griefs in +store. The Queen indeed replied full solemnly: "Peradventure it is true. +Yet forget not that it is not as Sage that you attend us.--Moreover I, as +a good Hungarian, know my Latin, and the great Horatius Flaccus puts your +dismal lore to shame; albeit, as a Christian woman, I am fain to confess +that it is wiser and more praiseworthy to bewail our own sins and the +sins of the world, and to meditate on the life to come, than to live only +for present joys. As for thee, sweet maid, for a long time yet thou +may'st take pleasure in the flowers, even though venom may be hidden in +their cups." + +"Men are not wont to eat them," replied the fool. "And I have often +marvelled wherefor the flighty butterfly wears such gay and painted +wings, while every creature that creeps and grubs is grey or brown and +foul to behold." + +Whereupon he burst into loud laughter and such boisterous mirth that we +fairly wept for merriment, and my lady Queen bid him hold his peace. + +On my departing I had need to pass through the King's audience-chamber. +He was bidding my Hans depart right graciously, and I went forth into the +castle yard with Masters Tucher, Stromer, and Schurstab, all members of +the Council. I fancy I hear them now thanking Hans for his fearless +manfulness in saying to his Majesty that the treasure-chest must ever be +empty if the old disorder were suffered to prevail. Likewise they +approved the well-devised plan which he had proposed for the bettering of +such matters, and my heart beat high with pride as I perceived the great +esteem in which the worshipful elders of our town held their younger +fellow. + +Hans might not part company from them; but when I got into the litter he +whispered to me: "Be not afraid--as to Herdegen and the Junker--you know. +Farewell till we meet at the Tetzels'." + +When I came home I learnt that my brother, and Ann, and then Eppelein had +come to ask for me; now must I change my attire for the feast, and my +heart beat heavy in my bosom. The bold Brandenburger and my brother were +perchance at this very hour crossing swords. + +Cousin Maud, who now knew all, and I stepped out of our litters at the +Tetzels' door. Eppelein was standing by the great gate, booted and +spurred, holding two horses by their bridles. My lord who spoke with him +was my dear Hans. We went into the hall together, and as our eyes met, +I wist that there was evil in the air. The letter he held bid him ride +forthwith to Altenperg. Junker Henning and my brother were minded to +have a passage of arms, and with sharp weapons. This, however, they +might not do within the limits of the city save at great risk, inasmuch +as that the town was within the King's peace, and by a severe enactment +knight or squire, lord or servant, in short each and every man was +threatened by the Emperor with outlawry, who should make bold to provoke +another to challenge him, or to lift a weapon against another with evil +intent, be he who he might, throughout the demesne of Nuremberg or so +long as the diet was sitting. Hence they would go forth to Altenperg, +inasmuch as it was the nearest to arrive at of any township without the +limits of the city. + +All this my lover had heard betimes that morning; but Herdegen had told +him that Master Schlebitzer and a certain Austrian Knight would attend +him. Now the letter was to say that they had both played him false; the +former in obedience to the stern behest of his father, the town- +councillor; the second by reason that his Duke commanded his attendance. +And Herdegen hereby urgently besought my Hans that he would take the +place thus left unfilled and ride forthwith to Altenperg. + +Nor was this all the letter. In it my brother set forth that he had +pledged his word solemnly and beyond recall to Ann and her parents, and +entreated my lover to declare to the Tetzels and to his grand-uncle that +henceforth and forever he renounced Ursula. He would speak of the matter +at greater length at the place of meeting. + +Cousin Maud and Hans and I held a brief council, and we were of one mind: +that this message should not be given to the Tetzels till after the great +dinner and when we should know the issue of the combat. My heart urged +me indeed to desire my lover to forego this ride, and I mind me yet how +I implored him with uplifted hands and how he forced himself to put them +from him with steadfast gentleness. And when he told me that he for +certain, if any one, could pacify the combatants or ever blood should be +shed, I gazed into his brave and manful and kind face, and methought +whither he went all must be for the best, and I cried with fresh +assurance: "Then go!" Every word do I remember as though it were graven +in brass. + +Eppelein cracked his whip against his leathern boot-tops; old Tetzel's +leaden voice cried out to enquire where we were lingering, and a silken +train came rustling down the stairs. My lover kissed his hand to me, and +I went forth with him into the court-yard. His fiery horse gave him so +much to do that he never marked my farewell. On a sudden it flashed +through my brain that this was that very horse which my grand-uncle had +given to Herdegen, and herein again, meseemed, was an omen of ill. +Likewise I noted that Hans was in silken hose with neither spurs nor +riding-boots. Howbeit the Hallers had many horses; and as a lad he had +been wont to ride with or without a saddle, and was a rider whom none +could unhorse, even in the jousting-ring. + +He had soon quelled his steed and was trotting lightly over the stones, +followed by Eppelein; but as he vanished round the first corner meseemed +that the bourn stone, as he rode past it, was turned into the yellow +gravestone I had seen in my dream, and that again I saw the great black +letters of the name "Hans Haller." + +I passed my hands across my eyes to chase away the hideous vision, and I +was young enough and brave enough to return Ursula's greeting without any +quaking of my knees. Cousin Maud, meanwhile, had walked up the stairs, +snorting and fuming like a boiling kettle; nor could she be at peace, +even among the company who were awaiting the bidding to table. Many +an one marked that something more than common was amiss with her. +I refrained myself well enough, and I excused my brother's and my lover's +absence with a plea of weighty affairs. My grand-uncle, however, guessed +the truth, and when I gave true answer to his short, murmured questions +he wrathfully cried: then these were the thanks he got? Henceforth he +would plainly show how he, who had been a benefactor, could deal with the +youth who had dared to mock his authority. Hereupon I besought him first +to grant me a hearing for a few words; but he waved me away in ire, and +signed to Ursula, who hung on his arm, and she set her lips tight when he +presently with wrathful eyes whispered somewhat in her ear whereof I +believed I could guess the intent. And when I beheld her call Sir Franz +von Welemisl to her side and give him her hand, speaking a few words in a +low voice, I discerned that, in truth she knew all. + +She presently led her father aside and told him somewhat which brought +the blood to his ashy face, and led him to say her nay right vehemently. +But, as she was wont, she made good her own will and he shrugged his +shoulders, wrathful indeed, but overmastered by her. + +During this space the great door of the refectory had been thrown open, +and when Tetzel with his old mother moved that way, desiring the guests +to follow him, my Uncle Christian, Ann's faithful friend, whispered to me +that Herdegen had told him that he was now pledged to his "dear little +warder," and likewise what was on hand between him and the Junker von +Beust. I might be easy, quoth he; the Brandenburger would have a bitter +taste of Nuremberg steel, of that he was fully assured. And he ended his +speech with a merry: "Hold up your head, Margery." + +Then we all sat down at the laden table, Dame Clara sitting at the top, +albeit she looked but sullen and ill to please. + +Ursula had chosen to set Sir Franz by her side. Herdegen's seat, at her +left hand, was vacant; and she bid her white Brabant hound, as though in +jest, to leap into it. The meal was served, but it all went in such +gloomy silence that Master Muffel, of the town-council, whom they named +Master Gall-Muffel, whispered across the table to my Uncle Christian +"was it not strange to give a funeral feast without ever a corpse." +Again I shuddered. My jovial uncle had already lifted his glass, and +stretching himself at his ease he nodded to me, and drank, saying loud +enough for all to hear: "To the last pledged couple, and the faithfullest +pair of lovers." + +I nodded back to him, for I wist what he meant, and drank with all my +heart. Ursula had meanwhile kept her ears and eyes intent on us, and she +now signed to her father and he slowly rose, clinked on his glass, and +seeing that many were hearkening for what he should say, he declared to +his guests that he had bidden them to this banquet not alone to do honor +to the name-day of his venerable mother, whose praises his friend Master +Tucher had eloquently spoken, but rather that he might announce to them +the betrothal of his daughter Ursula to the noble knight and baron Franz +von Welemisl. Then was there shouting and clinking and emptying of wine +cups, whereat old Dame Clara Tetzel, who was deaf and had failed to +gather the purport of her son's address, cried aloud "Is young Schopper +come at last then?" + +Hereupon Sir Franz turned pale; he had gone up to the old woman, glass in +hand, with Ursula, and she now spoke into her grand-dame's ear to explain +the matter. The old woman looked first at her son and then at my grand- +uncle, and shook her head; nevertheless she put a good face on a bad +case, gave Sir Franz her hand to kiss, and was duly embraced by Ursula; +yet she sat nodding her head up and down, and ever more shrewdly as she +heard the bridegroom cough. Amazement sat indeed on the faces of all the +guests; howbeit the ice was broken, and the silent and gloomy company had +on a sudden turned right mirthful. Cousin Maud, meseemed, was the most +content of all. Ursula's betrothal had rescued her favorite from great +peril, and henceforth her plumed head-gear was at rest once more. + +All about me was talk and laughter, glasses ringing, voices uplifted in +set speeches, and many a shout of gratulation. When a betrothal is in +the wind, folks ever believe that they have hold of the guiding clue to +happiness, even if it be between a simpleton and a deaf mute. + +The seat on my left hand, which my lover should have filled, remained +empty; on my right sat his reverence Master Sebald Schurstab, the +minorite preacher and prior who, so soon as he had spoken in honor of one +toast, fixed his eyes on the board and thought only of the next. Thus, +in the midst of all this mirthful fellowship, there was nought to hinder +my fears and hopes from taking their way. Each time that a cry of +"Hoch!" was raised, I roused me and joined in; scarce knowing, however, +in whose honor. Likewise the hall waxed hotter and hotter, and the air +right heavy to breathe. + +To-day again, as yesterday, a storm burst over us. Albeit the sun was +not yet set, it was presently so dark that lights had been brought in and +fifty tapers in the silver candlesticks added to the heat. The lightning +flashes glared in at the curtained windows like a flitting lamp, and the +roar of the thunder shook the panes which rattled and clanked in their +leaden frames. The reverend Prior called on the blessed saints whose +special protection this house had never neglected to secure, and crossed +himself. We all did the same, and had soon forgotten the storm without. +The glasses ere long were clinking once more. I watched the numberless +dishes borne in and out-roasted peacocks, with showy spread tails and +crested heads raised as it were in defiance: boars' heads with a lemon in +their mouth and gaily wreathed; huge salmon lying in the midst of blue +trout, with scarlet crawfish clinging to them; pasties and skilfully- +devised sweetmeats; nay, now and again, I scarce consciously put forth my +hand and carried this or that morsel to my mouth but whether it were +bread or ginger my tongue heeded not the savor. Silver tankards and +Venetian glasses were filled from flasks and jugs; I heard the guests +praising the wines of Furstenberg and Bacharach, of Malvoisie and Cyprus, +and I marked the effects of the noble and potent grape-juice, nay, now +and then I played the part of "warder" to Uncle Christian; yet meseemed +that it was only by another's will or ancient habit that I raised a +warning finger. Was I in truth at a banquet or was I only dreaming that +I sat as a guest at the richly spread board? The only certain matter was +that the storm was overpast, and that no hail nor rain now beat upon the +window panes. How wet must my Hans be, who had ridden forth in court +array, without a cloke to cover him. + +To judge by the voices and demeanor of the menfolk the end of the endless +meal must surely be not far off, and indeed dishes were by this time +being served with packets of spices and fruits and pies and sweetmeats +for the little ones at home. I drew a deeper breath, and methought the +company would soon rise from the table, forasmuch as that Jost Tetzel had +already quitted his seat. Then I beheld his pale face through a curtain +and his lean hand beckoning to my grand-uncle. He likewise rose, and +Ursula followed him. Forthwith, from without came a strange noise of +footsteps to and fro and many voices. A serving man came to hail forth +Master Ebner and Uncle Tucher, and the muttering and stir without waxed +louder and louder. The guests sat in silence, gazing and enquiring of +each other. Somewhat strange, and for certain somewhat evil, had +befallen. + +My heart beat in my temples like the clapper of an alarm-bell. That +which was going forward, and to which one after another was called forth, +was my concern; it must be, and mine alone. I felt I could not longer +keep my place, and I had pushed back my seat when I saw Uncle Tucher +standing by Cousin Maud, and his kind and worthy face, still ruddy from +the wine he had drunk, was a very harbinger of horror and woe. He bent +over my cousin to speak in her ear. + +My eyes were fixed on his lips, and lo! she, my second mother, started up +hastily as any young thing and, clasping her hand to her breast she well- +nigh screamed: "Jesu-Maria! And Margery!" + +All grew dark before my eyes. A purple mist shrouded the table, the +company, and all I beheld. I shut my eyes, and when presently I opened +them once more, close before me, as it were within reach, behold the +yellow headstone with black letters thereon, as in my dream; and albeit +I closed my eyes again the name "Hans Haller" was yet there and the +letters faded not, nay, but waxed greater and came nigher, and meseemed +were as a row of gaping werewolves. + +I held fast by the tall back of my heavy chair to save me from falling, +on my knees; but a firm hand thrust it aside, and I was clasped in a pair +of old yet strong arms to a faithful heart, and when I heard Cousin +Maud's voice in mine ear, though half-choked with tears, crying: "My +poor, poor, dear good Margery!" meseemed that somewhat melted in my +heart and gushed up to my eyes; and albeit none had told me, yet knew I +of a certainty that I was a widow or ever I was a wife, and that Cousin +Maud's tears and my own were shed, not for Herdegen, but for him, for +him.... + +And behold, face to face with me, who was this? Ursula stood before me, +her blue eyes drowned in tears--tears for me, telling me that my woe was +deep enough and bitter enough to grieve even the ruthless heart of my +enemy. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +The storm had cleared the air once more. How fair smiled the blue sky, +how bright shone the sun, day after day and from morning till night; but +meseemed its splendor did but mock me, and many a time I deemed that my +heart's sorrow would be easier to bear with patience if it might but +rain, and rain and rain for ever. Yea, and a grey gloomy day would have +brought rest to eyes weary with weeping. And in my sick heart all was +dark indeed, albeit I had not been slow to learn how this terror had come +about. + +That was all the tidings I had craved; as to how life should fare +henceforth I cared no more, but let what might befall without a wish or a +will. Sorrow was to me the end and intent of life. I spurned not my +grief, but rather cherished and fed it, as it were a precious child, and +nought pleased me so well as to cling to that alone. + +Howbeit I seldom had the good hap to be left to humor this craving. I +was wroth with the hard and bitter world for its cruelty; yet it was in +truth that very world, and its pitiless call to duty, which at that time +rescued me from worse things. Verily I now bless each one who then +strove to rouse me from my selfish and gloomy sorrow, from the tailor who +cut my mourning weed to Ann, whose loving comfort even was less dear to +me than the solitude in which I might give myself up to bitter grieving. +All I cared for was to hear those who could tell of his last hours and +departing from this life, till at last meseemed I myself had witnessed +his end. + +From all the tidings I could learn, I gathered that old Henneleinlein, +whose gall had been raised against me by the Court Fool, had no sooner +parted from us at Master Pernhart's door than she had hastened to the +school of arms to make known to Ursula that my brother had plighted his +troth anew to his cast-off sweetheart. Hereupon Ursula had dared to say +to the Junker that Herdegen was her knight, who would pick up his glove +which he had cast down at the former dance; but that he nevertheless was +playing a two-fold game, and had treacherously promised Ann to wed her, +to win her favor likewise. Hereupon the Brandenburger had been filled +with honest ire, had sworn to Ursula that he would chastise her false +lover, and was ready, not alone to accept my brother's defiance, but to +fight with ruthless fury. + +Thus Ursula's plot had prospered right well, inasmuch as, so long as +she hoped to win Herdegen, she had been in deathly fear lest the Junker +should fall out with him; whereas, now that in her wrath she only desired +that the faithless wight should give an account to the Junker's sword, +she thought fit in her deep and malignant fury to brand my brother as the +challenger, knowing that if the combat had a bloody issue he would of a +surety suffer heavy penalty. And in truth she had not reckoned wrongly +when she declared that my brother, whom she knew only too well, would be +her ready, champion. + +On the morning next after the great dance she had addressed a brief +letter to Herdegen beseeching him, for the friendship's sake which had +bound them from their youth up, and by reason that she had no brother, to +teach Junker von Beust that a patrician's daughter of Nuremberg should +not lack a true knight, when Brandenburg pride dared to cast scorn on her +in the face of all the world. My brother's response to this letter was a +challenge to the Junker; yet had he not perchance been in such hot haste, +save that he had long burned to punish the overweening young noble who +had given him many an uneasy hour. He scarce, indeed, would have drawn +his sword at Ursula's behest, inasmuch as he could plainly see that what +she had most at heart was to make their breach wear such seeming to other +folks as though he, who had been looked upon by the whole city as her +pledged husband, had not quitted her, but had been ready rather to shed +his heart's blood in her service. + +Verily Ursula believed that she had found a sure instrument of vengeance, +whereas she had heard say that Junker Henning von Beust was one of the +most dreaded swordsmen in the Marches. Herdegen, to be sure, was +likewise famed in Nuremberg as a doughty champion; yet it is ever the way +in Franconia, nay, and in all Germany, to esteem outlandish means more +highly than the best at home. Moreover she had many a time heard my +grand-uncle declare that the gentlemen of our patrician families were not +above half knights, and her intent was to sacrifice Herdegen to the +Brandenburger's weapon. + +Howbeit she had reckoned ill. Hans, who did service to my brother as his +second at Altenperg, after striving faithfully to make peace between the +two, was witness how our Nuremberg swordsman, who had had the finest +schooling at Erfurt, Padua, and Paris, not merely withstood the +Brandenburger, but so far outdid him in strength and swiftness that the +Junker fell into the arms of his friends with wounds in the head and +breast, while Herdegen came forth from the fray with no more hurt than a +slight scratch on the arm. + +The witnesses saw what he could do with amazement, and Sir Apitz von +Rochow avowed that at my brother's first thrust he foresaw his cousin's +evil plight; and they said that during the combat the supple blade of the +Nuremberger's bedizened sword was changed into a raging serpent, which +wound in everywhere, and bit through iron and steel. Afterwards he set +forth that perchance Junker Schopper, who was said to be even better +versed in all manner of writing than in the use of his weapon, had made +use of some magic art, whereat a pious Knight of the Marches would fain +cross himself. + +Now whereas Junker von Beust had been in attendance on the King's person, +the end of the fray could not be hidden from his Majesty, and so soon as +the wounded man had been carried into the priest's house at Altenperg for +shelter and care, it was needful to remove his fortunate foe into surety +from King Sigismund's wrath. In this matter both Rochow and Muschwitz, +who were the Junker's seconds, demeaned them as true nobles, inasmuch as +they offered my brother refuge and concealment in their castles, albeit +they accused him between themselves of some secret art; but he who was so +soon to die counselled him to bide a while with Uncle Conrad at the +forest lodge, and see what he himself and other of his friends might do +to win his pardon. + +When, at length, my lover was about to depart, the storm had burst; +wherefore the Brandenburgers besought him to tarry in the priest's house +till it should be overpast. This he would not do, by reason that his +sweetheart looked for him with a fearful heart, knowing that her brother +was in peril; and forthwith he rode away. Herdegen gave him Eppelein to +attend him, and to bring back to him such matters as he had need of, and +so my beloved set forth for the town, the serving man riding behind him. + +It rained indeed and lightened and thundered, yet all was well till, nigh +to Saint Linhart, the hail came down, beating on them heavily. At that +moment a burning flash, with a terrible crash of thunder, reft a tree +asunder by the road-way; his powerful horse was maddened with fear, stood +upright, fell back, and crushed his rider against the trunk of a poplar +tree. Never more did I look on the face of the true lover to whom I was +so closely knit--save only in dreams; and I thank those who held me back +from beholding his broken skull. To this day he rises before me, a +silent vision, and I see him as he was in that hour when he gave me a +parting kiss on our threshold, in the pale gleam of early morning, +solemnly glad and in his festal bravery. Yet they could not hinder me +from pressing my lips to the hands of the beloved body in its winding- +sheet. + +It was on a fair and glorious morning--the day of the Assumption of the +Blessed Virgin--when Hans Haller, Knight, Doctor, and Town councillor, +the eldest of his ancient race, my dear lord and plighted lover, was +carried to the grave. The velvet pall wherewith his parents covered the +bier of their beloved and firstborn son was so costly, that the price +would easily have fed a poor household for years. How many tapers were +burnt for him, how many masses said! Favor and good-will were poured +forth upon me, and whereever I might go I was met with the highest +respect. Even in my own home I was looked upon as one set apart and +dedicated, whose presence brought grace, and who should be spared all +contact with the common and lesser troubles of life. Cousin Maud, who +was ever wont to mount the stair with an echoing tread and a loud voice, +now went about stepping softly in her shoes, and when she called or spoke +it was gently and scarce to be heard. + +As for me I neither saw nor heard all this. It did not make me thankful +nor even serve to comfort me. + +All things were alike to me, even the Queen's gracious admonitions. The +diligent humility of great and small alike in their demeanor chilled me +in truth; sometimes meseemed it was in scorn. + +To my lover, if to any man, Heaven's gates might open; yet had he +perished without shrift or sacrament, and I could never bear to be absent +when masses were said for his soul's redemption. Nay, and I was fain to +go to churches and chapels, inasmuch as I was secure there from the +speech of man. All that life could give or ask of me, I had ceased to +care for. + +If, from the first, I had been required to bestir myself and bend my +will, matters had not perchance have gone so hard with me. The first +call on my strength worked as it were a charm. The need to act restored +the power to act: and a new and bitter experience which now befell was as +a draught of wine, making my heavy heart beat high and steady once more. +Nought, indeed, but some great matter could have roused me from that dull +half-sleep; nor was it long in coming, by reason that my brother +Herdegen's safety and life were in peril. This danger arose from the +fact that, not long ere the passage of arms at Altenperg, in despite of +strait enactments, the peace of the realm had many times been broken +under the very eyes of his Majesty by bloody combats, and the Elector +Conrad of Maintz had gone hand in hand with him of Brandenburg to entreat +his Majesty to make an example of this matter. These two were likewise +the most powerful of all the electors; the spiritual prince had, at +the closing of the Diet, been named Vicar of the Empire, and he of +Brandenburg was commander-in-chief of all the Imperial armies. And his +voice was of special weight in this matter, inasmuch as the great +friendship which had hitherto bound him to the Emperor had of late cooled +greatly, and both before and during the sitting of the Diet, his Majesty +had keenly felt what power the Brandenburger could wield, and with what +grave issues to himself. + +Thus, when my lord the Elector and the high constable Frederick demanded +that the law should be carried out with the utmost rigor in the matter of +Herdegen, it was not, as many deemed, by reason that the King was not at +one with our good town and the worshipful council, and that he was well +content to vent his wrath on the son of one of its patrician families, +but contrariwise, that his Majesty, who hated all baseness, had heard +tidings of Herdegen's bloody deeds at Padua and his wild ways at Paris. +Likewise it had come to his Majesty's ears that he had falsely plighted +his troth to two maidens. Nay, and my grand-uncle had made known to King +Sigismund that Ursula, who had been known to the Elector from her +childhood up, had been driven by despair at Herdegen's breach of faith to +give her hand to the sick Bohemian Knight, Sir Franz von Welemisl. + +Moreover the Knight Johann von Beust, father of Junker Henning, had +journeyed to Nuremberg to visit his wounded son; and whereas he learnt +many matters from his son's friends around his sick-bed, he earnestly +besought the Elector so to bring matters about that due punishment should +overtake the Junker's foeman. + +My lord the Elector had many a time showed his teeth to the knighthood of +Brandenburg, appealing to law and justice when he had taken part with the +citizens and humbled the overbearing pride of the nobles. It was now his +part to show that he would not suffer noble blood to be spilt unavenged, +though it were by the devilish skill of a citizen; forasmuch as that if +indeed he should do so all men would know thereby that he was the sworn +foe of the nobles of Brandenburg and kept so tight a hand on them, not +for justice' sake, but for sheer hatred and ill-will. + +When at a later day, I saw the old knight, with his ruddy steel-eaters' +face and great lip-beard, and was told that in his youth he had been a +doughty free booter and highway robber, who by his wealth and power had +made himself to be a mainstay of the Elector in Altmark, I could well +imagine how his threats had sounded, and that all men had been swift to +lend ear to his words. Yet that just King to whom he accused Herdegen +gave a hearing to von Rochow and the other witnesses; they could but +declare that all had been done by rule, and that Rochow had said from the +first that of a certainty the devil himself guided Herdegen's sword. +Muschwitz, indeed, was sure that he had seen his blade flash forth fire. +Hereupon the father was urgent on the King's Majesty that he should seek +to seize my brother, pronounce him a banished outlaw, and that whenever +his person should be taken he was to be punished with death. + +All this I learnt not till some time after, inasmuch as folks would not +add new cause of grief to my present sorrow. + +The way I was going could lead no-whither save to madness or the +cloister; I had so lost my wits in self, that I weened that I had done +my part for my brother when I had humbly entreated their Majesties to +vouchsafe him their gracious pardon, and had signed my name to certain +petitions in favor of the accused. Of a truth I wist not yet in what +peril he stood, and rarely enquired for him when Uncle Conrad had assured +me that he lay in safe hiding. + +Sometimes, indeed, meseemed as though Ann and the others kept somewhat +privy from me; but even all care to enquire was gone from me, nor cared +I for aught but to be left in peace. And thus matters stood till rumor +waxed loud and roused me from my leaden slumber. + +I had passed the day for myself alone, refusing to see our noble guests; +I was sitting in silence and dreaming by my spinning-wheel, which I had +long ceased to turn, when on a sudden there were heavy steps and wrathful +voices on the stairs. The door of the room was thrown open and, in spite +of old Susan's resistance, certain beadles of the city came in, with two +of the Emperor's men-at-arms. My cousin was not within doors, as had +become common of late, and I was vexed and grieved to be thus +unpleasantly surprised. I rose to meet the strangers, making sharp +enquiry by what right they broke the peace of a Nuremberg patrician's +household. Hereupon their chief made answer roundly that he was here by +his Majesty's warrant, and that of the city authorities, to make certain +whether Junker Herdegen Schopper, who had fled from the Imperial ban, +were in hiding or no in the house of his fathers. At first it was all I +could do to save myself from falling; but I presently found heart and +courage. I assured the bailiffs that their search would be vain, albeit +I gave them free leave to do whatsoever their office might require of +them, only to bear in mind that great notables were guests in the house; +and then I drew a deep breath and meseemed I was as a child forgotten and +left in a house on fire which sees its father pressing forward to rescue +it. + +Hitherto no man had told me what fate it was that threatened my brother, +and now that I knew, I hastily filled up the meaning of many a word to +which I had lent but half an ear. My cousin's frequent absence in court +array, Ann's tear-stained eyes and strange mien, and many another matter +was now full plain to me. + +My newly-awakened spirit and restored power asserted their rights, and, +as in the days of old, neither could rest content till it knew for a +certainty what it might do. + +While Susan and the other serving folks, with certain of the retainers +brought by our guests, were searching the house through, I hastily did on +my shoes and garments for out-door wear, and albeit it was already dusk, +I went forth. Yea, and I held my head high and my body straight as I +went along the streets, whereas for these weeks past I had crept about +hanging my head; meseemed that a change had come over my outward as well +as my inner man. And as I reached Pernhart's house, with long swift +steps, more folks would have seen me for what in truth I was: a healthy +young creature, with a long span of life before me yet and filled with +strength and spirit enough to do good service, not to myself alone, but +to many another, and chiefest of all to my dearly beloved brother. + +And when I was at my walk's end and stood before the old mother,--who was +now recovered from her sickness and sitting upright and sound in her arm- +chair with her youngest grandchild in her lap,--I knew forthwith that I +had come to the right person. + +The worthy old dame had not been slow to mark what ailed me; nay, if +Cousin Maud had not besought her to spare my sorrowing soul, she long +since had revealed to me what peril hung over Herdegen. She had not +failed to perceive that my weary submission to ills which might never be +remedied, had broken my power and will to fulfil what good there was in +me. And now I stood before her, freed from that sleepwalking dulness of +will, eager to know the whole truth, and declared myself ready to do all +that in me lay to attain one thing alone, namely to rescue my brother. +On this I learnt from the venerable dame's lips that now I was indeed the +old Margery, albeit Cousin Maud had of late denied it, and with good +reason; and the old woman was right, inasmuch as that the more terrible +and unconquerable the danger seemed, the more my courage rose and the +greater was my spirit. Now, too, I heard that what I had taken for love- +sick weakness in Ann was only too-well founded heart-sickness; and that +she likewise, on her part, had not been idle, but, under the guidance of +Cousin Maud and Uncle Christian, had moved heaven and earth to succor her +lover, albeit alas! in vain. + +In truth the cause was as good as lost; and Uncle Christian, who ever +hoped for the best, made it no secret that, in the most favorable, issue +Herdegen must begin life afresh in some distant land. Yet was neither +Ann nor I disposed to let our courage fail, and it was at that time that +our friendship put forth fresh flowers. We fought shoulder to shoulder +as it were, comrades in the struggle, full of love towards each other and +of love for my brother; and when I bid her farewell and she would fain +walk home with me, all those who dwelt in the coppersmith's house were of +the same mind as men might be in a beleaguered town, who had been about +to yield and then, on a sudden, beheld the reinforcements approaching +with waving banners and a blast of trumpets. + +In truth there was a shrewd fight to be waged; and the stronghold which +day by day waxed harder to conquer was my lord chief Constable, the +Elector Frederick; his peer, the Elector of Maintz, put all on him when +Cardinal Branda, who was Ann's kind patron, besought his mercy. + +Until I had been roused to this new care in life I had never been to +court, in spite of many a gracious bidding from my lady, the Queen. My +supplications found no answer, and when Queen Barbara granted me audience +at my entreaty, though she received me graciously, yet would she not hear +me out. She would gladly help, quoth she, but that she, like all, must +obey the laws; and at last she freely owned that her good will would +come to nought against the demands of the Elector of Brandenburg. The +greatness of that wise and potent prince was plainly set before our eyes +that same day, for on him, as commander-in-chief of the crusade to be +sent forth against the Hussite heresy, the Emperor's own sword was +solemnly bestowed in the church of Saint Sebald. It was girt on to him +by reverend Bishops, after that he had received from the hand of the +Pope's legate a banner which his Holiness had himself blessed, and which +was borne before him by the Count of Hohenlohe as he went forth. + +That it would be a hard matter to get speech with so potent a lord at +such a time was plain to see; howbeit I was able to speak privily at any +rate with his chamberlain, and from him I learned in what peril my +brother was, inasmuch as not the Junker's father alone was bent on +bringing him to extreme punishment, but likewise no small number of +Nuremberg folk, who had of yore been aggrieved by my brother's over- +bearing pride. + +Every one who had ever met him in the streets with a book under his arm, +or had seen him, late at night, through the lighted window-pane, sitting +over his papers and parchments, was ready to bear witness to his study of +the black arts. Thus the diligence which he had ever shown through all +his wild ways was turned to his destruction; and it was the same with the +open-handed liberality which had ever marked him, by reason that the +poor, to whom he had tossed a heavy ducat instead of a thin copper piece, +would tell of the Devil's dole he had gotten, and how that the coin had +burnt in his hand. Nay and Eppelein's boasting of the gold his young +lord had squandered in Paris, and wherewith he had filled his varlet's +pockets, gave weight to this evil slander. Many an one held it for a +certainty that Satan himself had been his treasurer. + +Thus a light word, spoken at first as a figure of speech by the Knight +von Rochow, had grown into a charge against him, heavy enough to wreck +the honor and freedom of a man who had no friends, and even to bring him +to the stake; and I know full well that many an one rejoiced beforehand +to think that he should see that lordly youth with all his bravery +standing in the pointed cap with the Devil's tongue hung round his neck, +and gasping out his life amid the licking flames. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +The Diet was well-nigh over, yet had we not been able to gain aught in +Herdegen's favor. One day my Forest Aunt, who had marked all our doings +with wise counsel and hearty good-will, sent word that he on whose mighty +word hung Herdegen's weal or woe, the Elector Frederich himself, had +promised to visit at the Lodge next day to the end that he might hunt, +and that we should ride thither forthwith. + +By the time we alighted there his Highness had already come and gone +forth to hunt the deer; wherefor we privily followed after him, and at a +sign from Uncle Christian we came out of the brushwood and stood before +him. Albeit he strove to escape from us with much diligence and no small +craftiness, we would not let him go, and kept up with him, pressing him +so closely that he afterwards declared that we had brought him to bay +like a hunted beast. Of a truth no bear nor badger ever found it harder +to escape the hounds than he, at that moment, to shut his eyes and ears +against bright eyes and women's tongues made eloquent by Dame Love +herself. Moreover my mourning array, worn as it was for a youth who had +stood above most others in his love, would have checked any hard words on +his lips; thus was he once more made to know that Eve's power was not yet +wholly departed. Yet were we far from believing in any such power in +ourselves, as we appeared before that great and potent sovereign, whose +manly, calm, and withal fatherly dignity made him, to my mind, more +majestic than the tall but unresting Emperor. + +I can see him as he stood with his booted foot on the hart's neck, and +turned his noble head, with its long, smooth grey hair, gazing at us with +his great blue eyes, kindly at first, but presently with vexation and +well-nigh in wrath. + +We held our hands tight on our hearts, striving to call to mind some few +of the words we had meditated with intent to speak them in defence of +Herdegen. And our love, and our steadfast purpose that we would win +grace and mercy for him came to our aid; and whereas my lord's first +enquiry was to know whether I were that Mistress Margery Schopper who +had been betrothed to his dear Hans Haller, too soon departed, my eyes +filled with tears, but the memory of the dead gave me courage, so that +I dared to meet the great man's eye, and was right glad to find that the +words which in my dread I had forgot, now came freely to my mind. +Likewise meseemed that, in overriding my own fears, I had conquered +Ann's; whereas she had been pale and speechless, clinging to the folds of +my dress, she now stood forth boldly by my side. + +Then, when I had presented her to his Highness as Herdegen's promised +bride, to whom he had been plighted in love from their childhood, I made +known to his lordship that it was not my brother's desire, but that of +my grand-uncle, that Ursula should be his wife. Likewise I strove to +release my brother from the charge of making gold, by diligently showing +that the old Knight had ever showered ducats on him to beguile him to his +will. Then I spoke at length of Herdegen's skill with the sword, and +hereupon Ann made bold to say that it would be well to bid her lover +return in safe-keeping to Nuremberg, and there let him give proof of his +skill with a weapon specially blessed by my lord Cardinal Julianus +Caesarinus, the Pope's legate, which could have no taint of devilish +arts. + +Thus did we give utterance to everything we had meditated beforehand; and +albeit the Elector at first made wrathful answer, and even made as though +he would turn his back on us, each time we made shift to hold him fast. +Nay, or ever we had ceased he had taken his foot from the stag's neck, +and at length we walked with him back to the forest lodge, half amused, +yet half grieved, with the mocking words he tormented us with. Then he +bid us quit him, promising that he would once more examine into the +matter of that young criminal. + +Within doors supper was now ready, but we, as beseemed us, kept out of +the way. My brother's case was now in safe hands, inasmuch as my Uncle +Conrad and Christian sat at table with my lord. Likewise we were much +comforted, whereas my aunt told us that the elder Knight, Junker Henning +von Beust's father, who was here in the Elector's following, had, of his +own free will, said to her that he now rued his deed in so violently +accusing Herdegen, by reason that his son, who was now past all danger, +had earnestly besought him to save this man, whose skill was truly a +marvel, and had likewise said that he whom Hans Haller had honored with +his friendship could not have practised black arts. Also he held me dear +as the widowed maid to whom his friend was to have been wed, and he could +never forgive himself if fresh woe came upon me through him or his kith +and kin. + +All this was glad tidings indeed, not alone for Herdegen's sake, but also +by reason that there are few greater joys than that of finding good cause +to approve one whom we respect, and yet whom we have begun to doubt. + +Ann and I went to our chamber greatly comforted, and in such good heart +as at that time I could be, and when from thence I heard Uncle +Christian's great voice, as full of jollity as ever, I was certain that +matters were all for the best for Herdegen. Our last fears and doubts +were ere long cleared away; while the gentlemen beneath were still over +their cups a heavy foot tramped up the stairs, a hard finger knocked at +our chamber door, and Uncle Christian's deep voice cried: "Are you asleep +betimes or still awake, maidens?" + +Whereupon Ann, foreboding good, answered in the gladness of her heart +that we were long since sleeping sweetly, and my uncle laughed. + +"Well and good," quoth he, "then sleep on, and let me tell you what +meseems your very next dream will be: You will be standing with all of us +out in a green mead, and a little bird will sing: 'Herdegen is freed from +his ban.' At this you will greatly rejoice; but in the midst of your joy +a raven shall croak from a dry branch: 'Can it be! The law must be +upheld, and I will not suffer the rascal to go unpunished.' Whereupon +the little bird will twitter again: 'Well and good; 't will serve him +right. Only be not too hard on him.' And we shall all say the same, and +thereupon you will awake." + +And he tramped down the stair again, and albeit we cried after him, and +besought him to tell us more of the matter, he heard us not at all. + +When we were at home again, lo, the Elector had done much to help us. +I found a letter waiting for me, sealed with the Emperor's signet, +wherein it was said that, by his Majesty's grace and mercy, my brother +Herdegen was purged of his outlawry, but was condemned in a fine of a +thousand Hungarian ducats as pain and penalty. + +Thus the little bird and the raven had both been right. Howbeit, when I +presently betook me to the castle to speak my thanks to the Empress, I +was turned away; and indeed it had already been told to me that at Court +this morning that sorrowful Margery, with her many petitions, was looked +upon with other eyes than that other mirthful Margery, who had come with +flowers and songs whensoever she was bidden. None but Porro the jester +seemed to be of the same mind as ever; when he met me in the castle yard +he greeted me right kindly and, when I had told him of the tidings in the +Emperor's letter, he whispered as he bid me good day: "If I had a fox for +a brother, fair child, I would counsel him to lurk in his cover till the +hounds were safe at home again. In Hungary once I met a certain fellow +who had been kicked by a highway thief after he had emptied his pockets. +I tell you what. A man may well pawn his last doublet, if he may thereby +gain a larger. He need never redeem the first, and it is given some +folks to coin gold ducats out of humbler folks' sins. Ah! If I had a +fox for a brother!" + +He sang the last words to himself as it were, and vanished, seeing +certain persons of the Court. + +Now I took this well-meant warning as it was intended; and albeit Ann and +I were heartsick with longing to see Herdegen and to release him from his +hiding, we nevertheless took patience. The legal guardians of our +estate, having my uncle's consent, took my Cousin Maud's suretyship, +and expressed themselves willing to pay the fine out of the moneys left +by our parents, into the Imperial treasury. And that which followed +thereafter showed us how wise the Fool's admonition had been. + +The knight, Sir Apitz von Rochow, who had served as Junker Henning's +second in the fight, tarried yet in Nuremberg, and this rude, arrogant +youth had devoted himself with such true loving-kindness to the care of +his young cousin, at first in the priest's house at Altenpero and +afterwards in the Deutsch-haus in the town, that he had taken no rest, +day nor night, until the Junker's father came, and then he fell into a +violent fever. It was but of late that the leech had granted him to go +out of doors, and his first walk was to our house to show me his sorrow +for my grief, and to thank my cousin for many pleasant trifles which she +had sent to him and the Junker during their sickness, to refresh them. +At the same time he broke forth in loud and unstinted wrath against Sir +Franz von Welemisl, and gave us to wit that with his whole heart he +grudged him the fair Ursula, whose favor he himself had so diligently +sued for since the first days of the Diet. From our house he went to the +Tetzels', and then he and the Bohemian forthwith came to high words and +defiant glances. + +Shortly after this, and a few hours only after my brother's penalty had +been paid into the Treasury, the two young gentlemen met in the nobles' +wine-room by the Frohnwage, and von Rochow, heated by wine and heeding +neither moderation nor manners, began to taunt Ursula's betrothed. After +putting it to him that he had left the task to Herdegen of picking up the +glove, "which peradventure he had thought was of too heavy leather," to +which the other made seemly reply, he enquired, inasmuch as they were +discoursing of marriage, whether the Church, which forbids the joining of +those who are near of kin, hath not likewise the power to hinder a young +and blooming maid from binding herself for life to a sickly husband. +Such discourse was ill-pleasing by reason of the Bohemian's presence +there: and the Junker went yet further, till to some speech made by old +Master Grolaud, he made answer by asking what then might be a priest's +duty, if the sick bridegroom failed to say "yes" at the altar by reason +of his coughing? And as he spoke he cast a challenging look at Welemisl. + +The hot blood of the Bohemian flew to his brain; or ever any one could +hinder him, his knife was buried to the hilt in the other's shoulder. +All hastened to help the Brandenburger, and when presently some turned to +seize the criminal he was no more to be seen. + +This dreadful deed caused just dismay, and most of all at Court, inasmuch +as the chamberlain and the maid of honor in close attendance on their +Majesties' persons were near kin to the Bohemian, whose mother was of +the noble Hungarian house of Pereny. + +As to the Emperor, he flew into great fury and threatened to cancel the +murderer's coat of arms and punish him with death. Never within the +peace of his realm, nay and under his very eyes, had so much noble blood +been shed in base brawling as here in our sober city, and he would +forthwith make an example of the guilty men. He would make young +Schopper pay some penalty yet more than a mere fine, to that he pledged +his royal word, and as for young Welemisl, he was minded to devise some +punishment that should hinder many an over-bold knight from drawing his +sword! And he commanded that not only his own constables and men-at- +arms, but likewise the town bailiffs, should forthwith seek and take both +those young men. + +Only two days later Sir Franz was brought in by the city watch; he had +dressed himself in the garments of a waggoner, but had betrayed himself +in a tavern at Schwabach by his coughing. Howbeit his Majesty had by +this time come to another mind; nay, Queen Barbara left him less peace +than even the court-folks, for indeed her father, Count Cilly, was near +of kin to the Perenys, and through them to the Welemisl. + +The Emperor Sigismund was a noble-minded and easy-living prince, who +once, when forty thousand ducats had been poured into his ever-empty +treasure chest, divided it forthwith among his friends, saying: "Now +shall I sleep well, for that which broke my rest you bear away with you." +And this light-hearted man, who was ever tossed hither and thither +against his will, now saw that his peace was in evil plight by reason of +Sir Franz. This was ill to bear; and whereas his royal wife called to +mind in a happy hour that Welemisl had been provoked out of all measure +by Rochow's scorn, and had done the deed out of no malice aforethought +but, being heated with wine, in a sudden rage, and that he was in so far +more worthy of mercy than young Schopper, who had shed noble blood with +a guilty intent, counting on his skill as a swordsman, the Emperor +surrendered at discretion. In this he was confirmed by his privy +secretary, Caspar Slick, whom the Queen had beguiled; and this man, +learned in the law, was ready with a decision which the Imperial +magistrate gladly agreed to forthwith, as mild yet sufficient. Matters +in short were as follows: About ten years ago the Knight Sir Endres von +Steinbach had slain a citizen of Nuremberg in a fray with the town, and +had made his peace afterwards with the council under the counsel of the +Abbot of Waldsassen: by taking on himself, as an act of penance, to make +a pilgrimage to Vach and to Rome, to set up stone crosses in four +convents, and henceforth to do service to the town in every quarrel, in +his own person, with a fellowship of ten lances for the space of two +years. All this he had duly done, and it came about that the Emperor now +condemned the Bohemian and my brother both alike to make a pilgrimage, +not only to Rome--inasmuch as their guilt was greater than Steinbach's-- +but likewise to Jerusalem, to the Holy Sepulchre and other sacred places. +Welemisl was to pay the same penalty in money as Herdegen had paid, and +in consideration of their having thus made atonement for the blood they +had shed, and as their victims had escaped death, they were released from +the doom of outlawry. On returning from their pilgrimage they were to be +restored to their rank and estates, and to all their rights, lordships, +and privileges. + +Not long after this sentence was passed the Court removed from Nuremberg +through Ratisbon, where the Emperor strove to make up his quarrel with +the Duke Bavaria and then to Vienna; but ere his departing he gave strait +orders to the chief magistrate to see that the two criminals should fare +forth on their pilgrimage not longer than twenty-four hours after the +declaration of their doom. + + + + +ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: + +All things were alike to me +Fruits and pies and sweetmeats for the little ones at home +Were we not one and all born fools + + + + + + +MARGERY + +By Georg Ebers + +Volume 6. + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +Shall I now set forth how that Ann and I found Herdegen in his hiding- +place, a simple little beekeeper's but in the most covert part of the +Lorenzer wald, a spot whither no horseman might pass; how that even in +his poor peasant's weed my brother was yet a goodly man, and clasped his +sweetheart in his arms as ardently as in that first day on his homecoming +from Italy--and how that the dear, hunted fellow, beholding me in +mourning dress, took his sister to his heart as soon as his plighted love +had left the place free? Yea, for the dead had been dear to him +likewise, and his love for me had never failed. + +When we presently gave ourselves up in peace to the joy of being all +together once more, I weened that his eye was more steadfast, and his +voice graver and calmer than of old; and whensoever he spoke to me it was +in a soft and heartfelt tone, which gave me comforting assurance that he +grieved for my grief. And how sweetly and gravely did he beguile Ann to +make the most of this sad meeting, wherein welcome and God-speed so +closely touched. In the house once more I rejoiced in the lofty flight +which lifted this youth's whole spirit above all things common or base; +and his sweetheart's eyes rested on him in sheer delight as he talked +with my uncle, or with the magistrate who had come forth with us to the +Forest. And albeit it was in truth his duty to the Emperor his master, +to fulfil his behest, nevertheless he gave us his promise that he would +put off the announcement of the sentence till we should return to the +town next day, and prolong our time together and with Cousin Maud as much +as in him lay. + +My aunt's eyes shone with sheer joy when they fell on her darling with +Herdegen at her side, and she could say to herself no doubt that these +two, who, as she conceived, were made for each other, would hardly have +come together again but for her help. Or ever we set forth on the +morrow, she called Herdegen to her once more to speak with him privily, +and bid him bear in mind that if ever in his wanderings he should meet +another youth--and he knew who--he might tell him that at home in the +Lorenzerwald a mother's heart was yet beating, which could never rest +till his presence had gladdened it once more. + +My uncle rode with us into the town. It was at the gate that the +magistrate told Herdegen what his fate should be: that he must leave +Nuremberg on the morrow at the same hour; and to my dying day I shall +ever remember with gladness and regret the meal we then sat down to with +our nearest and dearest. + +Cousin Maud called it her darling's condemnation supper. She had watched +the cooking of every dish in the kitchen, and chosen the finest wine out +of the cellar. Yet the victual might have been oatmeal porridge, and the +noble liquor the smallest beer, and it would have been no matter to our +great, albeit melancholy gladness. And indeed, no man could have gazed +at the pair now come together again after so many perils, and not have +felt his heart uplifted. Ah! and how dear to me were those twain! They +had learnt that life was as nothing to either of them without the other, +and their hearts meseemed were henceforth as closely knit as two streams +which flow together to make one river, and whose waters no power on earth +can ever sunder. They sat with us, but behind great posies of flowers, +as it were in an isle of bliss; yet were they in our midst, and showed +how glad it made them to have so many loving hearts about them. +Notwithstanding her joy and trouble Ann forgot not her duty as +"watchman," and threatened Uncle Christian when he would take more than +he should of the good liquor. He, however, declared that this day was +under the special favor of the Saints, and that no evil could in any wise +befall him. My Forest-uncle and Master Pernhart had been found in +discourse together, and the matter of which they spoke was my Cousin +Gotz. And how it gladdened the father to speak of his far-off son! +More especially when Pernhart's lips overflowed with praise of the +youth to whom his only child owed her early death. + +Most marvellous of all was the Magister. Herdegen's return to his +beloved robbed Master Peter of his last hope; nevertheless his eyes had +never rested on her with fonder rapture. Verily his faithful heart was +warmed as it were by the happiness which surrounded her as with a glory, +and indeed it was not without some doubts that I saw the worthy man, who +was wont to be so sober, raise his glass again and again to drink to Ann, +whether she marked him or not, and drain his glass each time in her +honor. My Uncle Christian likewise filled his cup right diligently, +and seeing him quaff it with such lusty good will I feared lest he should +keep us all night at table, when the time was short for Ann and my +brother to have any privy speech together. But that good man forgot not, +even over the wine-jar, what might pleasure other folks; and albeit it +was hard for him to quit a merry drinking-bout he was the first to move +away. We were alone by sundown. The Magister had been carried to bed +and woke not till noon on the morrow. + +The plighted couple sat once more in the oriel where they had so often +sat in happier days, and seeing them talking and fondling in the +gathering dusk, meseemed for a while that that glad winter season had +come again in which they had rejoiced in the springtide of their love. + +Thus the hours passed, and I was in the very act of enquiry whether it +were not time to light the lamps, when we heard voices on the stairs, and +Cousin Maud came in saying that Sir Franz had made his way into the +house, and that he declared that his weal or woe, nay and his life lay in +Herdegen's hand, so that she had not the heart to refuse to suffer him to +come in. Hereupon my brother started up in a rage, but the chamber door +was opened, and with the maid, who brought the lamp in, the Bohemian +crossed the threshold. We maids would fain have quitted them; but the +knight besought us to remain, saying, as his eyes humbly sued to mine, +that rather should I tarry and speak a good word for him. Then, when +Herdegen called upon him to speak, but did not hold forth his hand, Sir +Franz besought him to suffer him to be his comrade in his pilgrimage. +Howbeit so doleful a fellow was by no means pleasing in my brother's +eyes, and so he right plainly gave him to understand; then the Bohemian +called to mind their former friendship, and entreated him to put himself +in his place and not to forget that he, as a man sound of limb, would +have avenged the scorn put on him by Rochow in fair fight instead of with +a dagger-thrust. They were condemned to a like penance and, if Herdegen +would not suffer him and give him his company, this would be the death- +blow to his blighted honor. + +Hereupon I appealed to my brother right earnestly, beseeching him not to +reject his former friend if it were only for love of me. And inasmuch as +on that day his whole soul was filled with love, his hardness was +softened, and how gladly and thankfully my heart beat when I beheld him +give his hand to the man who had endured so much woe for my sake. + +Presently, while they were yet speaking of their departing, again there +were voices without; and albeit I could scarce believe my ears I mistook +not, and knew the tones for Ursula's. Ann likewise heard and knew +them, and she quitted the chamber saying: "None shall trouble me in such +an hour, least of all shall Ursula!" The angelus had long since been +tolled, and somehap of grave import must have brought us so rare a guest +at so late an hour. My cousin, who would fain have hindered her from +coming in, held her by the arm; and her efforts to shake off the old +lady's grasp were all in vain till she caught sight of Herdegen. Then at +length she freed herself and, albeit she was gasping for breath, her +voice was one of sheer triumph as she cried: "I had to come, and here I +am!" + +"Aye, but if you come as a Mar-joy I will show you the way out, my word +for that!" my cousin panted; but the maid heeded her not, but went +straight toward Herdegen and said: "I felt I must see you once more ere +you depart--I must! Old Jorg attended me, and when I am gone forth again +Dame Maud will speak my 'eulogium'. Only look at her! But it is all one +to me. Find me a place, Herdegen, where I may speak with you and Ann +Spiesz alone. I have a message for you." + +Hereupon my cousin broke in with a scornful laugh, such as I could never +have looked to hear from her, with her kind and single heart; and my +brother told Ursula shortly and plainly that with her he had no more to +do. To this she made answer that it would be a sin to doubt that, +inasmuch as he was now a pious pilgrim and honorably betrothed, +nevertheless she craved to see Ann. That, too, was denied her, and she +did but shrug her shoulders; then she turned to the Bohemian, who had +gone towards her, and asked him with icy politeness to remove from her +presence, inasmuch as he was an offence to her. Hereupon I saw the last +drop of red blood fade away from the young Knight's sickly cheek, and it +went to my heart to see him uplift his hands and implore her right +humbly: "You know, Ursula, all that hath befallen me for your sake, and +how hard a lot awaits me. Three times have I been plighted to you, my +promised bride, and as many times cast off...." + +"To spare you the like fate a fourth time; all good things being in +threes!" she put in, mocking him. "Verily you have cured me of any +desire ever to be your Dame, Sir Knight. And since meseems this day our +speech is free and truthful, I am fain to confess that such a wish was +ever far enough from me, and even when we stood betrothed. A strange +thing is love! 'Here's to fair Margery!' one day, on every noble +gentleman's lips; and on the morrow: 'Here's to sweet Ursula!' In some +folks it grows inwardly, as it were a polypus, and of such, woe is me, +am I. My love, if you would know the truth, my lord Baron von Welemisl, +love such I have known I gave once for all to that man Herdegen Schopper; +it has been his from the time when, in my short little skirts, I learnt +to write; and so it has ever been, till the hour when worthy Dame +Henneleinlein, the noble Junker's new cousin--it is enough to make one +die of laughing!--when that illustrious lady whispered the truth in my +ear that her intending kinsman had thrown me over, and, with me, old Im +Hoff's wealth, for the sake of a scrivener's wench. And to think that as +a boy he was wont to bring me posies, and wear my colors! Nay, and since +that time he has shot many a fiery glance at me. Only lately he wrote to +his uncle from Paris that he was minded to make me his wife. Ah, you may +open your eyes wide, most respected every-one's-cousin Maud, and you +likewise, prim and spotless Mistress Margery! Cross yourselves in the +name of all the Saints! A dead wolf cannot bite, and as for my love for +that man, I may boldly declare that it is dead and buried. But mark me," +and she clapped her hand to her heaving bosom, "mark me, somewhat else +hath made entrance here, with drums and trumpets and high jubilee: Hate! +--I hate you, Herdegen, as I hate death, pestilence, and hell; and I hate +you twice as much since your skill with the rapier brought the combat +with the Brandenburger, into which I entrapped you, to so perverse an +end." + +Hereupon Cousin Maud, wild with rage herself, gripped her again by the +arm to draw her forth from the chamber, but Ursula went on in a milder +tone: + +"Only a few moments longer, I pray you; for by the Blessed Virgin and all +the Saints I swear that I would not have come hither at so late an hour +but to deliver my message to Herdegen." + +My cousin released her, and she drew forth a written paper and again +enquired for Ann; howbeit my brother said that he did not purpose to call +her in, and desired that she would give him the paper, if indeed it +concerned him. To this she answered that he would presently know that +much, inasmuch as it was her intent to read it to the company, only she +would fain have had his fair mistress among the hearers. Howbeit she had +a good loud voice, she thanked the Saints, and the doors in the +Schoppers' house were scarce thicker than in other folks' houses. The +letter in her hand had been given to her to deliver to Herdegen by the +newlymade vicar of his Highness the Elector and Archbishop of Treves, who +was lodged with the Tetzels. He had not been able to find him, no more +than the Emperor's men-at-arms; so he had bidden her take good heed that +she gave it into Junker Schopper's own hand. But verily she would do yet +more, and spare him the pains of reading it. + +Hereupon my brother, in great ire, bid her no longer keep that which was +not her own; yet she refused, and whereas Herdegen seized her hand to +wrench away the paper she shrieked out to the Bohemian: "Give him his +due, for a knave who offends maidens; that outcast for whom I scorned +and misprized you! Help, help, if you are no churl!" + +My brother nevertheless had already snatched the letter from her, and the +Bohemian, who had laid his hand on his dagger, thought better of it as +his eye met my look of warning. + +It was a fearful moment of terror, and Ursula, whose hair had fallen +loose, while her flashing blue eyes, full of hate, shot lightnings on one +and another, stood clinging to the heavy dresser whereon our silver and +glass vessels were displayed, and cried out as loudly as she could shout: +"The letter is from his lady-love in Padua, the Marchesa Bianca Zorzi. +That cunning swordsman's blade made her a widow, and now she bids him +return to her embrace. The fond and ardent lady is in Venice, and her +intent is to revel there in love and pleasure with her husband's +murderer. And he--though he may have sworn a thousand vows to the +scrivener's hussy--he will do the Italian Circe's bidding, and if he may +escape her snares he will fall into those of another. Oh! I know him; +and I feel in my soul that his fate will be to dally with one and another +in delights and raptures, till the Saints fulfil my heart's chiefest +desire, and he comes to despair and anguish and want, and the scrivener's +wench breaks her heart under my very eyes with pining and sheer shame. +Away, away, Herdegen Schopper! Go forth to joy and to misery! Go-with +your pale black-haired mate. Revel and wallow, till you, who have +trampled on this heart's true love, are brought low--as loathsome in the +eyes of men as a leper and a beggar." + +And she shook the dresser so that the precious glass cup which the German +merchants of the Fondaco at Venice had given to my father at his +departing, fell to the floor and was broken to pieces with a loud crash. + +We had hearkened to her ravings as though spellbound and frozen; and when +we at last took heart to put an end to her wild talk, lo, she was gone, +and flying down the stairs with long strides. + +Herdegen, who had turned pale, struggled to command himself. Cousin +Maud, who had lost her breath with dismay, burst into loud weeping; the +wild maid's curse had fallen heavy on her soul. I alone kept my senses, +so far as to go to the window and look out at her. I saw her walking +along, hanging her head; the serving man carried the lantern before her, +and the Bohemian was speaking close in her ear. + +When I came back into the chamber Cousin Maud had her arm round Herdegen, +and was saying to him, with many tears, that the curse of the wicked had +no power over a pious and faithful Christian; yet he quitted her in haste +to seek Ann, who doubtless would have stayed in the next chamber, and +perchance needed his succor. Howbeit the door was opened, and we could +scarce believe our eyes when she came in with that same roguish smile +which she was wont to wear when, in playing hide-and-seek, she had stolen +home past the seeker, and she cried: "Thank the Virgin that the air is +clear once more! You may laugh, but in truth I fled up to the very +garret for sheer dread of Mistress Tetzel. Did she come to fetch her +bridegroom?" + +Herdegen could not refrain from smiling at this question, and we likewise +did the same; even Cousin Maud, who till this moment had sat on the couch +like one crushed, with her feet stretched out before her, made a face and +cried: "To fetch him! Ursula who has caught the Bohemian! She is a +monster! Were ever such doings seen in our good town?--And her mother +was so wise, so worthy a woman! And the hussy is but nineteen!--Merciful +Father, what will she be at forty or fifty, when most women only begin to +be wicked!" And thus she went on for some while. + +Ere long we forgot Ursula and all the hateful to-do, and passed the +precious hours in much content, till after midnight, when the Pernharts +sent to fetch Ann home. Herdegen and I would walk with her. After a +grievous yet hopeful leave-taking I came home again, leaning on his arm, +through the cool autumn night. + +When I now admonished Herdegen as we walked, as to the fair Marchesa and +her letter, he declared to me that in those evil weeks he had spent in +bitter yearning as a serving man in the bee-keeper's hut, he had learned +to know his own mind. Neither the Marchesa, whom he scorned from the +bottom of his heart, inasmuch as, with all her beauty, she was full of +craft and lies, no, nor event Dame Venus herself could now turn him aside +from the love and duty he had sworn to Ann. He would, indeed, take ship +from Genoa rather than from Venice, were it not for shame of such fears +of his own weakness, and that he longed once more to set eyes on our +brother Kunz whom he had not seen for so long a space. + +I found it hard to see clear in this matter. Yet could I not deem it +wise to deny him the first chance of proving himself true and honest; +likewise meseemed that our younger brother's presence would be a safe +guard against temptation. Under the eye of our parent's pictures I bid +him good night for the few hours till he should depart, and when I +pointed up to them he understood me, and clasped me fondly in his arms +saying: "Never fear, little mother Margery!" + +We were with Herdegen again or ever it was morning. While we had been +sleeping he had written a loving letter to my grand-uncle, who had +yesterday forbidden him his presence, to bear witness to his duty and +thankfulness. + +The cocks still were crowing in the yards, and the country-folk were +coming into town with asses and waggons, when I mounted my horse to ride +forth with my brother. He was busied in the courtyard with the new +serving-man he had hired, by reason that Eppelein, who for safety's sake +had not been suffered to go with him into hiding, had vanished as it were +from the face of the earth. Nay, and we knew for what cause and reason, +for Dame Henneleinlein had counselled the King's men to seize him, to the +end that he might be put on the rack to give tidings of where his master +lay hid. If they had caught him his stout limbs would have fared ill +indeed; but the light-hearted varlet was a favorite with the serving men +and wenches of the court-folk, jolly at the wine cup and all manner of +sport, and thus they had bestowed him away. And so, while we were living +from day to day in great fear, an old charcoal wife would come in from +the forest twice or thrice in every week and bring charcoal to the +kitchen wench to sell, and albeit she was ever sent away, yet would she +come again and ask many questions. + +While we were yet tarrying for Herdegen to be ready the old wife came by +with her cart, and when she had asked of some needful matters she pulled +off her kerchief with a loud laugh, and lo, in her woman's weed, there +stood Eppelein and none other. Hereupon was much rejoicing and, in a few +minutes, the crafty fellow was turned again into a sturdy riding man, +albeit beardless. + +Eppelein's return helped Cousin Maud over the grief of leave-taking. +Yet, when at last we must depart, it went hard with her. At the gate we +were met by the Pernharts with Ann and Uncle Christian. My lord the +chief magistrate likewise was there, to bear witness to Herdegen's +departing; also Heinrich Trardorf, his best beloved schoolmate, who had +ever been his faithful friend. + +We had left the walls and moat of the town far behind us, when we heard +swift horses at our heels, and Sir Franz, with two serving-men, joined +the fellowship. My brother had soon found a place at Ann's side, and we +went forward at an easy pace; and if they were minded to kiss, bending +from their saddles, they need fear no witness, for the autumn mist was so +thick that it hid every one from his nearest neighbor. + +Thus we went forth as far as Lichtenhof, and while we there made halt to +take a last leave, meseemed that Heaven was fain to send us a friendly +promise. The mist parted on a sudden as at the signal of a magician, +and before us lay the city with its walls, and towers, and shining roofs, +over-topped by the noble citadel. Thus we parted in better cheer than we +had deemed we might, and the lovers might yet for a long space signal to +each other by the waving of hat and of kerchief. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +Herdegen's departing marks my life's way with another mile-stone. All +fears about him were over, and a great peace fell upon me. + +I had learnt by experience that it was within my power to be mistress of +any heart's griefs, and I could tell myself that dull sufferance of woe +would have ill-pleased him whose judgment I most cared for. To remember +him was what I best loved, and I earnestly desired to guide my steps as +would have been his wish and will. In some degree I was able to do so, +and Ann was my great helper. + +My eyes and ears were opened again to what should befall in the world in +which my lover had lived; all the more so as matters now came about in +the land and on its borders which deeply concerned my own dear home and +threatened it with great peril. + +After the Diet was broken up, the Elector Frederick of Brandenburg was +forced to take patience till the princes, lords, and mounted men-at-arms +sent forth by the townships, five or six from each, could muster at his +bidding to pursue the Hussites in Bohemia. One year was thus idly spent; +albeit the Bohemian rebels meanwhile could every day use their weapons, +and instead of waiting to be attacked marched forward to attack. Certain +troops of the heretics had already crossed the borders, and our good town +had to strengthen its walls and dig its moat deeper to make ready for +storm and siege. Or ever the Diet had met, many hands had already been +at work on these buildings; and in these days every man soul in +Nuremberg, from the boys even to the grey-haired men, wielded the spade +or the trowel. Every serving-man in every household, whether artisan or +patrician--and ours with the rest--was bound to toil at digging, and our +fine young masters found themselves compelled to work in sun or rain, or +to order the others; and it hurt them no more than it did the Magister, +whose feebleness and clumsiness did the works less benefit than the labor +did to his frail body. + +Wheresoever three men might be seen in talk, for sure it was of state- +matters, and mostly of the Hussites. At first it would be of the King's +message of peace; of the resistance made by the Elector Palatine, Ludwig, +in the matter of receiving the ecclesiastical Elector of Mainz as Vicar- +general of the Empire; of the same reverend Elector's loss of dignity at +Boppard, and of the delay and mischief that must follow. Then it was +noised abroad that the Margrave Frederick of Meissen, who now held the +lands of the late departed Elector Albrecht of Saxony in fief from the +King, and whose country was a strong bulwark against the Bohemians, was +about to put an end to the abomination of heresy. Howbeit, neither he +nor Duke Albrecht of Austria did aught to any good end against the foe; +and matters went ill enough in all the Empire. + +The Electors assembled at Bingen made great complaints of the King +tarrying so far away, and with reason; and when he presently bid them to +a Diet at Vienna they would not obey. The message of peace was laughed +to scorn; and how much blood was shed to feed the soil of the realm in +many and many a fight! + +And what fate befell the army whereon so great hopes had been set? The +courage and skill of the leader were all in vain; the vast multitude of +which he was captain was made up of over many parts, all unlike, and each +with its own chief; and the fury of the heretics scattered them abroad. +Likewise among our peaceful citizens there was no small complaining, +and with good cause, that a King should rule the Empire whose Realm of +Hungary, with the perils that beset it from the Ottoman Turks, the +Bohemians, and other foes, so filled his thoughts that he had neither +time, nor mind, nor money to bestow due care on his German States. His +treasury was ever empty; and what sums had the luckless war with Venice +alone swallowed up! He had not even found the money needful to go to +Rome to be crowned Emperor. He had failed to bring the contentious +Princes of the Empire under one hat, so to speak; and whereas his father, +Charles IV., had been called the Arch-stepfather of the German Empire, +Sigismund, albeit a large-hearted, shrewd, and unresting soul, deserved a +scarce better name, inasmuch as that he, like the former sovereign, when +he fell heir to his Bohemian fatherland, knew not how to deal even with +that as a true father should. + +Not a week passed after Herdegen's departing but a letter by his own hand +came to Ann, and all full of faithful love. I, likewise, had, not so +long since, had such letters from another, and so it fell that these, +which brought great joy to Ann, did but make my sore heart ache the more. +And when I would rise from table silent and with drooping head, the +Magister would full often beg leave to follow me to my chamber, and +comfort me after his own guise. In all good faith would he lay books +before my eyes, and strive to beguile me to take pleasure in them as the +best remedy against heaviness of soul. The lives of the mighty heathen, +as his Plutarch painted them, would, he said, raise even a weak soul to +their greatness and the Consolatio Philosophiae of Boetius would of a +surety refresh my stricken heart. Howbeit, one single well-spent hour in +life, or one toilsome deed fruitful for good, hath at all times brought +me better comfort than a whole pile of pig-skin-covered tomes. Yet have +certain verses of the Scripture, or some wise and verily right noble +maxim from the writings of the Greeks or Latins dropped on my soul now +and again as it were a grain of good seed. + +Sad to tell, those first letters from Herdegen, all dipped in sunshine, +were followed by others which could but fill us with fears. The pilgrims +had been over-long in getting so far as Venice, by reason that Sir Franz +had fallen sick after they had passed the Bienner, and my brother had +diligently and faithfully tended him. Thus it came to pass that another +child of Nuremberg, albeit setting forth after them, passed them by; and +this was Ursula Tetzel, whose father deemed it well to send her forth +from the city, where, of a truth, the ground had waxed too hot for her, +inasmuch as she had given cause for two bloody frays; and Cousin Maud, to +be sure, had not kept silence as to her unbridled demeanor in our house. + +Now Mistress Mendel, her aunt, had many years ago gone to the city of St. +Mark, and albeit it was there against the laws for a noble to marry with +a stranger maiden, she had long since by leave of the Republic, become +the wife of Filippo Polani, with whom she was still living in much ease +and honor. In Augsberg, in Ulm, and in Frankfort, there were many noble +families of the Tetzels' kith and kin, yet she had chosen to go to this +aunt in Venice; and doubtless the expectation of meeting Herdegen there, +whether in love or hate, had had its weight with her. + +Thus it came to pass that she found him at Brixen, where he tarried with +the sick knight; and he wrote that, as it fell, he had had more to do +with her and her father than he had cared for, and that in a strange +place many matters were lightly smoothed over, whereas at home walls and +moats would have parted them; nay, that in Italy the Nuremberger would +even call a man of Cologne his countryman. + +For my part, I could in no wise conceive how those two should ever more +speak a kind word to each other, and this meeting in truth pleased me +ill. Howbeit, his next letter gave us better cheer. He had then seen +Kunz, meeting him right joyfully, and was lodged in the Fondaco, the +German Merchants' Hall, where likewise Kunz had his own chamber. + +Herdegen's next letter from Venice brought us the ill tidings that the +plague had broken out, and that he could find no fellowship to travel +with him, by reason that, so long as the sickness raged in Venice, her +vessels would not be suffered to cast anchor in any seaport of the +Levant. And a great fear came over me, for our dear father had fallen a +prey to that evil. + +In his third or fourth letter our pilgrim told us, with somewhat of +scorn, that the Marchesa Zorzi, who had in fact removed thither from +Padua, and had made friends with Ursula in the house of Filippo Polani, +had bidden him to wait on her, by one of her pages; yet might he be +proud--he said--of the high-handed and steadfast refusal he had returned, +once for all. In truth I was moved to deeper fears by what both my +brothers wrote of the black barges, loaded to the gunwale with naked +corpses, which stole along the canals in the silent night, to cast forth +their dreadful freight in the grave yards on the shore, or into the open +sea. The plague was raging nigh to the Fondaco, and my two brothers were +living in the midst of the dead; nay, and Ann knew that Ursula would not +depart from her lover, although the Palazzo Polani, where she had found +lodging, lay hard by the Fondaco. + +Yet, hard as as it is to conceive of it, never had the music sounded with +noisier delights in the dancing-halls of Venice, nor had the money been +more lightly tossed from hand-to-hand over the gaming-tables, nor, at any +time, had there been hotter love-making. It must be that each one was +minded to enjoy, in the short space of life that might yet be his, all +the delights of long years.--And foremost of these was the Marchesa +Bianca Zorzi. + +As for Herdegen, not long did he brook the narrow chambers of the +Fondaco-house; driven forth by impatience and heart-sickness, from +morning till night he was in his boat, or on the grand Piazza, or on the +watery highways; and inasmuch as he ever fluttered to where ladies of +rank and beauty were to be found, as a moth flies to the light, that evil +woman was ever in his path, day after day, and whensoever her hosts would +suffer it, Ursula would be with her. Nay, and the German maiden, who had +learned better things of the Carthusian sisters, was not ashamed to aid +and abet that sinful Italian woman. Thus my brother was in great peril +lest Ursula's prophecy should be fulfilled by his own fault. Indeed he +already had his foot in the springe, inasmuch as that he could not say +nay to the Marchesa's bidding that he would go to her house on her name- +day. It was a higher power that came betwixt them, vouchsafing him +merciful but grievous repentance; the plague, Death's unwearied +executioner, snatched the fair, but sinful lady, from among the living. +Ursula lamented over her as though it were her own sister that had died; +and it seemed that the Marchesa was fain to keep up the bond that had +held them together even beyond the grave, for it was at her funeral that +the son of one of the oldest and noblest families of the Republic first +saw Mistress Ursula Tetzel, and was fired with love for the maiden. She +had many a time been seen abroad with the Marchesa, or with the Polanis, +and the young gentlemen of the Signoria, the painters, and the poets, had +marked her well; the natural golden hue of her hair was an amazement and +a delight to the Italians; indeed many a black-haired lady and common +hussy would sit on her roof vainly striving to take the color out of her +own locks. It was the same with her velvet skin, which even at Nuremberg +had many a time brought to men's minds the maid in the tale of "Snow- +white and Rose-red." + +Thus it fell that Anselmo Guistiniani had heard of her during the +lifetime of his cousin the Marchesa Zorzi, while he was absent from +Venice on state matters. And when he beheld her with his own eyes among +the mourners, there was an end to his peace of heart; he forthwith set +himself to win her for his own. Howbeit Ursula met her noble suitor with +icy coldness, and when he and Herdegen came together at the Palazzo +Polani, where she was lodging, she made as though she saw my lord not at +all, and had no eyes nor ears save for my brother; till it was more than +Guistinani would bear, and he abruptly departed. Herdegen's letter, +which told us all these things, was full of kindly pity for the fair and +hapless damsel who had demeaned herself so basely towards him, by reason +that her fiery love had turned her brain, and that she still was pining +for him to whom she had ever been faithful from her childhood up. She +had freely confessed as much even under the very eyes of so lordly a +suitor as Anselmo Giustiniani; and albeit Ann might be sure of his +constancy, even in despite of Ursula, yet would he not deny that he could +forgive Ursula much in that she had loved much, as the Scripture saith. +Every shadow of danger for him was gone and overpast; he had already bid +Ursula farewell, and was to ride forth next morning to Genoa, leaving the +plague-stricken city behind him, and would take ship there. It was well +indeed that he should be departing, inasmuch as yestereve, when he bid +Ursula good night, Giustiniani had given him to understand that he, +Herdegen, was in his way; at home he would have shown his teeth, and with +good right, to any man who had dared to speak to him, but in Venice every +man who lodged in the Fondaco was forbid the use of weapons, and he had +heard tell of Anselmo Giustiniani that he, unlike the rest of his noble +race, who were benevolent men and patrons of learning, albeit he was a +prudent statesman and serviceable to the city, was a stern and violent +man. This much in truth a man might read in his gloomy black eyes; and +many a stranger, for all he were noble and a Knight, who had fallen out +with a Venetian Signor of his degree had vanished forever, none knew +whither. + +As we read these words the blood faded from Ann's cheek; but I set my +teeth, for I may confess that Herdegen's ways and words roused my wrath. +In Ann's presence I could, to be sure, hide my ire; but when I was alone +I struck my right fist into my left hand and asked of myself whether a +man or a woman were the vainer creature? For what was it that still drew +my brother to that maid who had ever pursued him and the object of his +love with cruel hate--so strongly, indeed, that he would have been ready +to cherish and comfort her--but joy at finding himself--a mere townbred +Junker--preferred above that grand nobleman? For my part, I plainly saw +that Ursula was playing the same game again as she had carried on here +with Herdegen and the Brandenburger. She spoke the man she hated fair +before the jealous Marchese, only to rouse that potent noble's fury +against my brother. + +After all this my heart rejoiced when we received Herdegen's first letter +written from Genoa, nay, on board of the galleon which was to carry him, +Sir Franz and Eppelein to Cyprus. In this he made known that he had +departed from Venice without let or hindrance, and he bid us farewell +with such good cheer, and love, and hope, that Ann and I forgot and +forgave with all our hearts everything that had made us wroth. This last +greeting came as a fragrant love-posy, and it helped us to think of +Herdegen's long pilgrimage as he himself did--as of a ride forth to the +Forest. From this letter we were likewise aware that he had never known +what peril he had escaped; for ere long I learned from Kunz that paid +assassins had fallen on him the very next evening after Herdegen's +departing, in the crooked street called of Saint Chrysostom, at the back +part of the German Merchants' House; yea, and they would easily have +overpowered him but that certain great strong Tyrolese bale-packers of +the Fondaco came to his succor or ever it was too late. And it was right +certain that these murderers were in Giustiniani's pay, and in the dusk +had taken Kunz for his brother, who was some what like him. The younger +had come off unharmed by the special mercy of the Saints, but it might +well have befallen that, as of old in his schooldays, he should have +borne the penalty for Herdegen's misdoings. And whereas I mind me here +of the many ways in which my eldest brother prospered and got the best of +it over the younger, and of other like cases, meseems it is the lot of +certain few to suffer others, not their betters, to stand in their sun, +and eat the fruit that has ripened on their trees. + +Howbeit, Herdegen had by good hap escaped a sharp fray; and when Ann and +I, kneeling side by side in Saint Laurence's church, had offered up a +thanksgiving from the bottom of our hearts, meseemed we were as some +Captain who sings Te Deum after a victory. + +Yet, as ofttimes in the month of May, when for a while the sun bath shone +with summer heat and glory, there comes a gloomy time with dark days and +sharp frost at nights, so did we deem the long space which followed after +that glad and pious church-going. Days grew to weeks and weeks to months +and we had no tidings, no word from our pilgrims, for good or for evil. + +Verily it was well-nigh a comfort and a help when those who were on the +look-out, Kunz and other friends, gave it as certain tidings that the +galleon which was carrying Herdegen to Cyprus, and which belonged to the +Lomellini of Genoa, had been lost at sea. Saracen pirates, so it was +told, had seized the ship; but further tidings were not to be got, as to +what had befallen the crew and the travellers, albeit Kunz forthwith +betook himself to Genoa and the Futterers, who had a house and trade of +their own there, did all they might to find their traces. The eldest and +the finest link of the Schopper chain had, we deemed, been snatched away, +peradventure for ever; the death of her lover had made life henceforth +bitter to the third and least, and only the middle one, Kunz, remained +unhurt and still such as it might have gladdened his parents' hearts to +behold him. Thus I deemed, at least, when after long parting I set eyes +on him once more, a goodly man, tall and of a fair countenance. All that +had ever been good and worthy in him had waxed and sped well at Venice, +that high school of the merchant class; but where was the smiling +mirthfulness which had marked him as a youth? The same earnest calm +shone in his wise and gentle gaze, and rang in the deep voice he had now +gotten. + +My grand-uncle had esteemed him but lightly, so long as Herdegen was his +delight; but whereas Kunz had done good service at Venice and the master +of the Im Hoff house there was dead, and our guardian himself, on whom a +grievous sickness had fallen, gave himself up day and night to meet his +end, he had, little by little, given over the whole business of the trade +to his young nephew; thus it came to pass that Kunz, when he was but just +twenty, was called upon to govern matters such as are commonly trusted +only to a man of ripe years. But his power and wisdom grew with the +weight of his burthens. Whether it were at Nuremberg or at Venice, he +was ever early to rise and ready, if need should be, to give up his +night's rest, sitting over his desk or travelling at great speed; and he +seemed to have no eyes nor ears for the pleasures of youth. Or ever he +was four and twenty I found the first white hair in his brown locks. +Many there were who deemed that the uncommon graveness of his manners +came of the weight of care which had been laid on him so young, and +verily not without reason; yet my sister's heart was aware of another +cause. When I chanced to see his eye rest on Ann, I knew enough; and it +was a certainty that I had not erred in my thought, when old Dame +Pernhart one day in his presence spoke of Ann as her poor, dear little +widow, and the blood mounted to his brow. + +I would fain have spoken a word of warning to Ann when she would thank +him with heartfelt and sisterly love for all the pains he had been at, +with steadfast patience, to find any token of our lost brother. And how +fair was the forlorn bride in these days of waiting and of weary +unsatisfied longing! + +Poor Kunz! Doubtless he loved her; and yet he neither by word nor deed +gave her cause to guess his heart's desire. When, at about this time, +old Hans Tucher died, one of the worthiest and wisest heads of the town +and the council, Kunz gave Ann for her name-day a prayer-book with the +old man's motto, which he had written in it for Kunz's confirmation, +which was as follows: + + "God ruleth all things for the best + And sends a happy end at last." + +And Ann took the gift right gladly; and more than once when, after some +disappointment, my spirit sank, she would point to the promise "And sends +a happy end at last." + +Whereupon I would look up at her, abashed and put to shame; for it is one +thing not to despair, and another to trust with steadfast confidence on a +happy outcome. She, in truth, could do this; and when I beheld her day +by day at her laborious tasks, bravely and cheerfully fulfilling the hard +and bitter exercises which her father-confessor enjoined, to the end that +she might win the favor of the Saints for her lover, I weened that the +Apostle spake the truth when he said that love hopeth all things and +believeth all things. + +Notwithstanding it was not easy to her, nor to us, to hold fast our +confidence; now and again some trace of the lost man would come to light +which, so soon as Kunz followed it up, vanished in mist like a jack-o' +lantern. And often as he failed he would not be overweary; and once, +when he was staying at Nuremberg and tidings came from Venice that a +certain German who might be Herdegen was dwelling a slave at Joppa, he +made ready to set forth for that place to ransom him forthwith. My +grand-uncle, who in the face of death was eagerly striving to win the +grace of Heaven by good works, suffered him to depart, and at my entreaty +he took my squire Akusch with him, inasmuch as he could still speak +Arabic, which was his mother-tongue. Likewise I besought Kunz to make it +his care to restore the lad to his people, if it should befall that he +might find them, albeit hitherto we had made enquiry for them in vain. +This he promised me to do; yet, often as that good youth had longed to +see his native land once more, and much as he had talked in praise of its +hot sun, in our cold winter seasons, it went hard with the good lad to +depart from us; and when he took leave of me he could not cease from +assuring me that in his own land he would do all that in him lay to find +the brother of his beloved mistress. + +Thus they fared forth to the Levant; and this once again we were doomed +to vain hopes. Kunz found not him he sought, but a wild Swiss soldier +who had fallen into the hands of the Saracens. Him he ransomed, as being +a Christian man, for a small sum of money; and as for Akusch he left him +at Joppa, whereas his folk were Egyptians and he deemed he had found some +track of them there. + +Kunz did not go thither with him, inasmuch as in Alexandria all had been +done that might be done to discover and ransom a Frankish captive. Nor +was Akusch idle there, and moreover fate had brought another child of +Nuremberg to that place. + +Ursula had become the wife of the Marchese Anselmo Giustiniani, by +special favor of the great council, and had come with him to Egypt, +whither he was sent by the Republic as Consul. There she now dwelt with +her noble lord, and in many letters to my granduncle she warmly declared +to him that, so far as in her lay, all should be done to discover where +the lover of her youth might be. Her husband was the most powerful Frank +in all the Sultan's dominions, and it was a joy to her to see with what +diligence he made search for the lost youth. Herdegen, indeed, had ill- +repaid her childish love, yet she knew of no nobler revenge than to lay +him under the debt of thanks to her and her husband for release and +ransom. These words doubtless came from the bottom of her heart; she +were no true woman if she could not forgive a man in misfortune for the +sins of a happier time. And above all she was ever of a rash and lawless +mind, and truthful even to the scorn of modesty and good manners, rather +than crafty and smooth of tongue. + +Yet she likewise failed to find the vanished wanderer, and the weeks and +months grew to be years while we waited in vain. It was on the twenty- +second day of March in the second twelve month after Herdegen's departing +that the treasures of the realm, and among them a nail from the Cross and +the point of the spear wherewith they pierced the Lord's side, were to be +brought into the town in a solemn procession, and I, with many others, +rode forth to meet it. They were brought hither from Blindenberg on the +Danube, and the Emperor sent them in token of his grace, that we might +hold them in safe keeping within our strong walls. They had been brought +thus far right privily, under the feint that the waggon wherein they were +carried bore wine vats, and a great throng gathered with shouts of joy to +hail these precious things. Prisoners were set free in honor of their +coming; and for my own part I mind the day full well, by reason that I +put off my black mourning weed and went forth in a colored holiday garb +for the first time in a long while. + +If I had, in truth, been able by good courage to shake off in due time +the oppressing weight of my grief, I owed it in no small measure to the +forest-whither we went forth, now as heretofore, to sojourn in the spring +and autumn seasons--and to its magic healing. How many a time have I +rested under its well-known trees and silently looked back on the past. +And, when I mind me of those days, I often ask myself whether the real +glad times themselves or those hours of calmer joy in remembrance were +indeed the better. + +As I sat in the woods, thinking and dreaming, there was plenty for the +eye to see and the ear to hear. The clouds flew across in silence, and +the soft green at my feet, with all that grew on tree and bush, in the +grass, and by the brink of the pool, made up a peaceful world, innocently +fair and full of precious charm. Here there was nought to remind me of +the stir of mankind, with its haste and noise and fighting and craving, +and that was a delight; nor did the woodland sounds.--The song of birds, +the hum of chafers and bees, the whisper of leaves, and all the rush and +rustle of the forest were its mother-tongue. + +Yet, not so! There was in truth one human soul of whom I was ever minded +while thinking and dreaming in these woods through whom I had first known +the joy of loving, and that was the youth whose home was here, for whose +return my aunt longed day and night, whose favorite songs I was ever +bidden to sing to my uncle when he would take the oars in his strong old +hands of an evening, and row us on the pool-he who peradventure had long +since followed my lover, and was dead in some far-off land. + +Ann, who was ever diligent, took less pleasure in idle dreaming; she +would ever carry a book or some broidery in her hand. Or she would abide +alone with my aunt; and whereas my aunt now held her to be her fellow in +sorrow, and might talk with her of the woe of thinking of the dearest on +earth as far away and half lost, they grew closer to each other, and +there was bitter grief when our duty took us back to the town once more. +At home likewise Herdegen was ever in our minds, nevertheless the +sunshine was as bright and the children's faces as dear as heretofore, +and we could go about the tasks of the hour with fresh spirit. + +If now and again grief cast a darker shade over Ann, still the star of +Hope shone with more comfort for her than for me and Cousin Maud; and it +was but seldom that you might mark that she had any sorrow. Truly there +were many matters besides her every-day duties, and her errands within +and without the house to beguile her of her fears for her lost lover. +First of all there came her stepfather's brother, his Eminence Cardinal +Bernhardi--for to this dignity had his Holiness raised the Bishop--from +Rome to Nuremberg, where he lodged in the house of his fathers. Now this +high prelate was such a man as I never met the like of, and his goodly +face, beardless indeed, but of a manly brown, with its piercing, great +eyes, I weened was as a magic book, having the power to compel others, +even against their will, to put forth all that was in them of grace and +good gifts. Yet was he not grave nor gloomy, but of a happy cheer, and +ready to have his jest with us maidens; only in his jests there would +ever be a covert intent to arouse thought, and whensoever I quitted his +company I deemed I had profited somewhat in my soul. + +He likewise vouchsafed the honor of knowing him to the Magister; and +whereas he brought tidings of certain Greek Manuscripts which had been +newly brought into Italy, Master Peter came home as one drunk with wine, +and could not forbear from boasting how he had been honored by having +speech with such a pearl among Humanists. + +My lord Cardinal was right well pleased to see his home once more; but +what he loved best in it was Ann. Nay, if it had lain with him, he would +have carried her to Rome with him. But for all that she was fain to look +up to such a man with deep respect, and wait lovingly on his behests, yet +would she not draw back from the duty she had taken upon her to care for +her brothers and sisters, and chiefly for the deaf and dumb boy. And she +deemed likewise that she was as a watchman at his post; it was at +Nuremberg that all was planned for seeking Herdegen, and hither must the +first tidings come that could be had of him. The old grand dame also was +more than ever bound up in her, and so soon as my lord Cardinal was aware +that it would greatly grieve his old mother to lose her he renounced his +desire. + +As for me, I was dwelling in a right happy life with Cousin Maud; never +had I been nearer to her heart. So long as she conceived that her +comforting could little remedy my woe, she had left me to myself; and as +soon as I was fain to use my hands again, and sing a snatch as I went up +and down the house, meseemed her old love bloomed forth with double +strength. Meseemed I could but show her my thankfulness, and my ear and +heart were at all times open when she was moved to talk of her best- +beloved Herdegen, and reveal to me all the wondrous adventures he had +gone through in her imagination. And this befell most evenings, from the +hour when we unclothed till long after we had gone to rest; and I was +fain to keep my eyes open while, for the twentieth time, she would +expound to me her far-fetched visions: that the Mamelukes of Egypt, who +were all slaves and whose Sultan was chosen from among themselves, had of +a surety set Herdegen on the throne, seeing him to be the goodliest and +noblest of them all. And perchance he would not have refused this honor +if he might thereby turn them from their heathenness and make of them +good Christians. Nay, nor was it hard for her to fancy Ann arrayed in +silk and gems as a Sultana. And then, when I fell asleep in listening to +these fancies, which she loved to paint in every detail, behold my dreams +would be of Turks and heathen; and of bloody battles by land and sea. + +No man may tell his dreams fasting; but as soon as I had eaten my first +mouthful she would bid me tell her all, to the veriest trifle, and would +solemnly seek the interpretation of every vision. + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +My lord Cardinal had departed from Nuremberg some long while, by reason +that he was charged by his holiness the Pope with a mission which took +him through Cologne and Flanders to England. Inasmuch as he was not +suffered to have Ann herself in his company, he conceived the wish to +possess her likeness in a picture; and he sent hither to that end a +master of good fame, of the guild of painters in Venice. We owed this +good limner thanks for many a pleasant hour. Sir Giacomo Bellini was a +youth of right merry wit, knowing many Italian ditties, and who made good +pastime for us while we sat before him; for I likewise must be limned, +inasmuch as Cousin Maud would have it so, and the painter's eye was +greatly pleased by my yellow hair. + +Whereas he could speak never a word of German, it was our part to talk +with him in Italian, and this exercise to me came not amiss. Also I +could scarce have had a better master to teach me than Giacomo Bellini, +who set himself forthwith to win my heart and turn my head; nay, and he +might have done so, but that he confessed from the first that he had a +fair young wife in Venice, albeit he was already craving for some new +love. + +Thus through him again I learned how light a touch is needed to overthrow +a man's true faith; and when I minded me of Herdegen and Ann, and of this +Giacomo--who was nevertheless a goodly and well-graced man--and his young +wife, meseemed that the woman who might win the love of a highly-gifted +soul must ofttimes pay for that great joy with much heaviness and +heartache. + +Howbeit, I mind me in right true love of the mirthful spirit and manifold +sportiveness which marked our fellowship with the Italian limner; and +after that I had once given him plainly and strongly to understand that +the heart of a Nuremberg damsel was no light thing or plaything, and her +very lips a sanctuary which her husband should one day find pure, all +went well betwixt us. + +The picture of Ann, the first he painted, showed her as Saint Cecelia +hearkening to music which sounds from Heaven in her ears. Two sweet +angel babes floated on thin clouds above her head, singing hymns to a +mandoline and viol. Thus had my lord Cardinal commanded, and the work +was so excellent that, if the Saint herself vouchsafed to look down on it +out of Heaven, of a certainty it was pleasing in her eyes. + +As to mine own presentment; at first I weened that I would be limned in +my peach-colored brocade gown with silver dolphins thereon, by reason +that I had worn that weed in the early morn after the dance, when Hans +spoke his last loving farewell at the door of our house. But whereas one +cold day I went into Master Giacomo's work-chamber in a red hood and a +green cloak bordered with sable fur, he would thenceforth paint me in no +other guise. At first he was fain to present me as going forth to +church; then he deemed that he might not show forth my very look and +seeming if I were limned with downcast head and eyes. Therefor he gave +me the falcon on my hand which had erewhile been my lover's gift. My +eyes were set on the distance as though I watched for a heron; thus I +seemed in truth like one hunting--"chaste Diana," quoth the painter, +minding him of the reproofs I had given him so often. But it would be a +hard task to tell of all the ways whereby the painter would provoke me to +reprove him. When the likeness was no more than half done, he painted +his own merry face to the falcon on my wrist gazing up at me with silly +languor. Thereupon, when he presently quitted us, I took the red chalk +and wrote his wife's name on a clear place in front of the face and +beneath it the image of a birch rod; and on the morrow he brought with +him a right pleasant Sonnet, which I scarce had pardoned had he not +offered it so humbly and read it in so sweet a voice. And, being plainly +interpreted, it was as follows: + + "Upon Olympus, where the gods do dwell + Who with almighty will rule earth and heaven, + Lo! I behold the chiefest of them all + Jove, on his throne with Juno at his side. + A noble wedded pair. In all the world + The eye may vainly seek nor find their like. + The nations to his sanctuary throng, + And kings, struck dumb, cast down their golden crowns. + + "Yet even these are not for ever one. + The god flies from the goddess.--And a swan + Does devoir now, the slave of Leda's charms. + + "Thus I behold the beams of thy bright eye, + And bid my home farewell,--I, hapless wight, + Fly like the god, fair maid, to worship thee !" + +Albeit I suffered him to recite these lines to the end I turned from him +with a countenance of great wrath, and tore the paper whereon they were +writ in two halves which I flung behind the stove. Nor did I put away my +angry and offended mien until he had right humbly besought my +forgiveness. Yet when I had granted it, and he presently quitted the +chamber, I did, I confess, gather up the torn paper and bestow it in my +girdle-poke. Nay, meseems that I had of intent rent it only in twain, to +the end that I might the better join it again. Thus to this day it lieth +in my chest, with other relics of the past; yet I verily believe that +another Sonnet, which Sir Giacomo found on the morrow, laid on his easel, +was not so treasured by him. It was thus: + + "There was one Hans, and he was fain to try, + Like to Olympian Jove, the magic arts + Of witchcraft upon some well-favored maid. + Bold the adventure, but the prize how sweet! + 'Farewell, good wife,' quoth he, 'Or e'er the dawn + Hath broke I must be forward on my way. + Like Jupiter I will be blessed and bless + With love; and in the image of a swan.' + + "The magic spell hath changed him. With a wreath + About his head he deems he lacketh nought + Of what may best beguile a maiden's soul. + + "Thus to fair Leda flies the hapless wight.-- + With boisterous mirth the dame beholds the bird. + 'A right fine goose! Thou'lt make a goodly roast.'" + +Howbeit Giacomo would not leave this verse without reply; and to this +day, if you look close into the picture, you may see a goose's head deep +in shade among the shrubs in the back part of it, but clearly to be +discerned. + +Notwithstanding many such little quarrels we liked each other well, and I +may here note that when, in the following year, which was the year of our +Lord one thousand four hundred and twenty-six, a little son was born to +him, since grown to be a right famous painter, known as Giambellini-- +which is to say Giovanni, or Hans, Bellini, I, Margery Schopper, stood +his sponsor at the font. Yea and I was ever a true godsib to him, and +that painter might indeed thank my kith and kin when he was charged with +a certain office in the Fondaco in Venice, which is worth some hundreds +of ducats yearly to him, to this day. + +Thus were the portraits ended, and when I behold my own looking from the +wide frame with so mirthful and yet so longing a gaze, meseems that +Giacomo must have read the book of my soul and have known right well how +to present that he saw therein; at that time in truth I was a happy young +creature, and the aching and longing which would now and again come over +me, in part for him who was gone, and in part I wist not for what, were +but the shadow which must ever fall where there is light. And verily I +had good cause to be thankful and of good cheer; I was in health as sound +as a trout in the brook, and had good chances for making the most of +those humble gifts and powers wherewith I was blessed. + +As to Herdegen, it was no small comfort to us to learn that my lord +Cardinal Bernhardi had taken that matter in hand, and had bidden all the +priests and friars in the Levant to make enquiry for tidings of him. + +The good prelate was to be nine months journeying abroad, and whereas +five months were now spent we were rejoicing in hope of his homecoming; +but there was one in Nuremberg who looked for it even more eagerly than +we did, and that was my grand-uncle Im Iloff. The old knight had, as I +have said, done us thank-worthy service as our guardian; yet had he +never been dear to me, and I could not think of him but with silent +wrath. Howbeit he was now in so sad and cruel a plight that a heart of +stone must have melted to behold him. Thus pity led me to him, although +it was a penance to stay in his presence. The old Baron,--for of this +title likewise he could boast, since he had poured a great sum into the +Emperor's treasury,--this old man, who of yore had but feigned a false +and evil show of repentance--as that he would on certain holy days wash +the feet of beggar folk who had first been cleansed with care, now in +sickness and the near terror of death was in terrible earnest, and of +honest intent would fain open the gates of Heaven by pious exercises. He +had to be sure at the bidding of Master Ulsenius the leech, exchanged the +coffin wherein he had been wont to sleep for a common bedstead of wood; +yet in this even he might get no rest, and was fain to pass his sleepless +nights in his easy chair, resting his aching feet in a cradle which, with +his wonted vain-glory, he caused to be made of the shape and color of a +pearl shell. But his nights in the coffin, and mockery of death, turned +against him; he had ever been pale, and now he wore the very face of a +corpse. The blood seemed frozen in his veins, and he was at all times so +cold that the great stove and the wide hearth facing him were fed with +mighty logs day and night. + +In this fearful heat the sweat stood on my brow so soon as I crossed the +threshold, and if I tarried in the chamber I soon lacked breath. The +sick man's speech was scarce to be heard, and as to all that Master +Ulsenius told us of the seat of his ill, and of how it was gnawing him to +death I would fain be silent. Instead of that Lenten mockery of the foot +washing he now would do the hardest penance, and there was scarce a saint +in the Calendar to whom he had not offered gifts or ever he died. + +A Dominican friar was ever in his chamber, telling the rosary for him and +doing him other ghostly service, especially in the night season, when he +was haunted by terrible restlessness. Nothing eased him as a remedy +against this so well as the presence of a woman to his mind. But of all +those to whom, on many a Christmas eve, he had made noble gifts, few came +a second time after they had once been in that furnace; or, if they did, +it would be no more than to come and depart forthwith. Cousin Maud could +endure to stay longest with him; albeit afterwards she would need many a +glass of strong waters to strengthen her heart. + +As for me, each time when I came home from my grand-uncle's with pale +cheeks she would forbid me ever to cross his threshold more: but when his +bidding was brought me she likewise was moved to compassion, and suffered +me to obey. + +Nevertheless, if I had not been more than common strong, thank the +Saints, long sitting with the sick man would of a certainty have done me +a mischief, for body and soul had much to endure. Meseemed that pain had +loosened the tongue of that hitherto wordless old man, and whereas he had +ever held his head high above all men, he would now abase himself before +the humblest. He would stay any man or woman who would tarry, to tell +of all his sufferings, and of what he endured in mind and body. His +confessor had indeed forbidden him to complain of the evil wherewith +Heaven had punished him, but none could hinder him from bewailing the +evil he had committed in his sinfulness and vanity. And his self- +accusings were so manifold and fearful, that I was fain to believe his +declaration that all he had ever thought or done that was good was, as it +were, buried; and that nought but the ill he had suffered and committed +was left and still had power over him. The death-stroke he had dealt all +unwittingly, in heedless passion, rose before his soul day and night as +an accursed and bloody deed; and every moment embittered by his wife's +unfaith, even to the last hour when, on her death-bed, she cursed him, +he lived through again, night after night. Whereupon he would clasp his +thin hands, through which you might see the light, over his tear-stained +face and would not be still or of better cheer till I could no longer +hide my own great grief for him. + +Howbeit, when I had heard the same tale again and again it ceased from +touching me so deeply; so that at last, instead of such deep compassion, +it moved me only to dull gloom and, I will confess, to unspeakable +weariness. The tears came not to my eyes, and the only use for my +kerchief was to hide my yawning and vinaigrette. Thus it fell that the +old penitent took no pleasure in my company, and at last weeks might pass +while he bid me not to his presence. + +Now, when the pictures were ended, whereas he heard that they were right +good likenesses, and moreover was told that my lord Cardinal was minded +to come home within no long space, he fell into a strange tumult and +desired to behold those pictures both of me and of Ann. At this I +marvelled not: he had long since learned to think of Councillor +Pernbart's step-daughter in all kindness; nay, he had desired me to beg +her to forgive a dying old man. We were well-disposed to do his will, +and the Pernharts no less; on a certain Wednesday the pictures were +carried to his house, and on the morrow, being Thursday, I would go and +know whether he were content. And behold my likeness was set in a corner +where he scarce could see it; but that of Ann was face to face with him +and, as I entered the chamber, his eyes were fixed thereon as though +ravished by the vision of a Saint from Heaven. And he was so lost in +thought that he looked not away till the Dominican Brother spoke to him. + +Thereupon he hastily greeted me, and went on to ask of me whether I duly +minded that he had been a faithful and thankworthy guardian. And when I +answered yes he whispered to me, with a side-look at the friar, that of +a surety my lord Cardinal must hold Ann full dear, if he would bid so +famous a master to Nuremberg that he might possess her image. Now +inasmuch as I wist not yet to what end he sought to beguile me by these +questions, I confirmed his words with all prudence; and then he glanced +again at the monk, and whispered hastily in my ear, and so low that I +scarce might hear him: + +"That fellow is privily drinking up all my old Cyprus wine and Malvoisie. +And the other priests, the Plebian here--do you know their worldly and +base souls? They take up no cross, neither mortify the flesh by holy +fasting, but cherish and feed it as the lost heathen do. Are they holy +men following in the footsteps of the Crucified Lord? All that brings +them to me is a care for my oblations and gifts. I know them, I know +them all, the whole lot of them here in Nuremberg. As the city is, so +are the pastors thereof! Which of them all mortifies himself? Is there +any high court held here? To win the blessing of a truly lordly prelate, +a man must journey to Bamberg or to Wurzburg. Of what avail with the +Blessed Virgin and the Saints are such as these ruddy friars? +Fleischmann, Hellfeld, nay the Dominican prior himself--what are they? +Why, at the Diet they walked after the Bishop of Chiemsee and Eichstadt. +In the matters of the city--its rights, alliances, and dealings--they had +indeed a hand; there is nought so dear to them--in especial to +Fleischmann--as politics, and they are overjoyed if they may but be sent +on some embassy. Aye, and they have done me some service, as a merchant +trader, whensoever I have desired the safe conduct of princes and +knights; but as to charging them with the safe conduct of my soul, the +weal or woe of my immortal spirit!--No, no, never! Aye, Margery, for I +have been a great sinner. Greater power and more mighty mediation are +needed to save and deliver me, and behold, my Margery, meseems--hear me +Margery--meseems a special ruling of Heaven hath sent.... When is it +that his Eminence Cardinal Bernhardi will return from England?" + +Hereupon I saw plainly what was in the wind. I answered him that his +Eminence purposed to return hither in three or four months' time; he +sighed deeply: "Not for so long--three months, do you say?" + +"Or longer," quoth I, hastily; but he, forgetting the Friar, cried out as +though he knew better than I "No, no, in three months. So you said." + +Then he spoke low again, and went on in a confident tone: "So long as +that I can hold out, by the help of the Saints, if I.... Yea, for I have +enough left to make some great endowment. My possessions, Margery, the +estate which is mine own--No man can guess what a well-governed trading- +house may earn in half a century.--Yes, I tell you, Margery, I can hold +out and wait. Two, or at most three months; they will soon slip away. +The older we grow and the duller is life, the swifter do the days fly." + +And verily I had not the heart to tell him that he might have to take +much longer patience, and, whereas I noted how hard he found it to speak +out that which weighed on his mind, I gave him such help as I might; and +then he freely confessed that what he most desired on earth was to +receive absolution and the Viaticum from the hands of the Cardinal. +Meseemed he believed that his Eminence's prayers would serve him better +in Heaven than those of our simple priests, who had not even gained a +bishop's cope; just as the good word of a Prince Elector gains the +Emperor's ear sooner than the petition of a town councillor. Likewise it +soothed his pride, doubtless, to think that he might turn his back on +this world under the good guidance of a prelate in the purple. Hereupon +I promised that his case should be brought to the Cardinal's knowledge by +Ann, and then he gave me to understand that it was his desire that Ann +should come to see him, inasmuch as that her presentment only had brought +him more comfort than the strongest of Master Ulsenius' potions. He +could not be happy to die without her forgiveness, and without blessing +her by hand and word. + +And he pointed to my likeness, and said that, albeit it was right well +done, he could bear no more to see it; that it looked forth so full of +health and hope, that to him it seemed as though it mocked his misery, +and he straitly desired me to send Ann to him forthwith; the Saints would +grant her a special grace for every hour she delayed not her coming. + +Thereupon I departed; Ann was ready to do the dying man's bidding, and +when I presently went with her into his presence he gazed on her as he +had on her portrait, as it were bewitched by her person and manners; and +ever after, if she were absent for more than a day or two, he bid her +come to him, with prayers and entreaties. And he found means to touch +her heart as he had mine; yet, whereas I, ere long, wearied of his +complaining, Ann's compassion failed not; instead of yawning and being +helpless to comfort him, she with great skill would turn his thoughts +from himself and his sufferings. + +Then they would often talk of Herdegen, and of how to come upon some +trace of him, and whereas the old man had in former days left such +matters to other folks, he now showed a right wise and keen experience +in counselling the right ways and means. Hitherto he had trusted to +Ursula's good words and commended us to the same confidence; now, +however, he remembered on a sudden how ill-disposed she had ever been to +my lost brother, and whereas it was the season of the year when the +trading fleet should set sail from Venice for Alexandria in the land of +Egypt, he sent forth a messenger to Kunz, charging him to take ship +himself and go thither to seek his brother. This filled Ann and me +likewise with fresh hope and true thankfulness. Yet, in truth, as for my +grand-uncle, he owed much to Ann; her mere presence was as dew on his +withered heart, and the hope she kept alive in him, that her uncle, my +lord Cardinal, would ere long reach home and gladly fulfil his desires, +gave him strength and will to live on, and kept the feeble spark of life +burning. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +The month of October had come; the Forest claimed us once more, and +indeed at that season I was needed at the Forest lodge. A pressing +bidding had likewise come to Ann; yet, albeit her much sitting in my +grand-uncle's hot chamber had been visited on her with many a headache, +she had made her attendance on him one of her duties and nought could +move her to be unfaithful. + +Moreover, it was known to us that by far the greater half of the Venetian +galleons had sailed from the Lido between the 8th and 25th of the past +month, and were due to be at home again by the middle of October or early +in November. A much lesser fleet went forth from Venice late in the year +and came to anchor there again, loaded with spices, in the month of March +or not later than April. Hence now was the time when we might most +surely look for tidings from the Levant, and Ann would not be out of the +way in case any such might come to Nuremberg. + +I rode forth on Saint Dionysius' day, the 9th day of October, alone with +Cousin Maud; other guests were not long in following us and among them my +brothers-in-law and the young Loffelholz pair; Elsa Ebner having wed, +some months since, with young Jorg Loffelholz. + +Uncle Christian would come later and, if she would consent, would bring +Ann with him, for he held himself bound to give his "little watchman" +some fresh air. Also he was a great friend in the Pernharts' house, and +aught more happy and pleasant than his talks with the old Dame can scarce +be conceived of. + +Never had the well-beloved home in the Forest been more like to a pigeon +cote. Every day brought us new guests, many of them from the city; +still, none had any tidings yet of the Venice ships or of our Kunz, who +should come home with them. And at this my heart quaked for fear, in +despite of the hunting-sports, and of many a right merry supper; and Aunt +Jacoba was no better. The weeks flew past, the red and yellow leaves +began to fall, the scarlet berries of the mountain ash were shrivelled, +and the white rime fell of nights on the meadows and moor-land. + +One day I had ridden forth with my Uncle Conrad, hawking, and when we +came home in the dusk I could add a few birds to the gentlemen's booty. +All the guests at that time present were standing in the courtyard +talking, many a one lamenting or boasting of the spite or favor of Saint +Hubert that day, when the hounds, who were smelling about the game, +suddenly uplifted their voices, and the gate-keeper's horn blew a merry +blast, as though to announce some right welcome guest. + +The housekeeper's face was seen at Aunt Jacoba's window, and so soon +as tidings were brought of who it as that came, the dog-keeper's whips +hastily silenced the hounds and drove them into the kennel. The serving- +men carried off the game, and when the courtyard was presently cleared, +behold, a strange procession came in. + +First a long wain covered in by a tilt so high I trove that meseemed many +a town gate might be over low to let it pass; and it was drawn by four +right small little horses, with dark matted coats and bright, wilful +eyes. A few hounds of choice breed ran behind it. From within the +hangings came a sharp, shrill screaming as were of many gaudy parrots. + +In front of this waggon two men rode, unlike in stature and mien, and a +loutish fellow led the horses. Now, we all knew this wain right well. +Heretofore, in the life-time of old Lorenz Waldstromer, the father of my +Uncle Conrad, it had been wont to come hither once or twice a year, and +was ever made welcome; if it should happen to come in the month of August +it was at that season filled with noble falcons, to be placed on Board +ships at Venice, inasmuch as the Sultan of Egypt and his Emirs were so +fain to buy them that they would give as much as a hundred and fifty +sequins for he finest and best. + +Old Jordan Kubbeling of Brunswick, the father of he man who had now come +hither, was wont to send the birds to Alexandria by the hand of dealers, +to sell them for him there; but his son Seyfried, who was to this day +called Young Kubbeling, albeit he was nigh on sixty, would carry his +feathered wares thither himself. Verily he was not suffered to sell any +other goods in the land, inasmuch as the Republic set strait bounds to +the dealings of German traders. If such an one would have aught from the +Levant he may get it only through the Merchants' Hall or Fondaco in +Venice; and much less is a German suffered to carry his wares, of what +kind soever, out of Venice into the East, inasmuch as every German trader +is bound to sell by the hand of the syndicate all which his native land +can produce or make in Venice itself. And in no other wise may a German +traffic in any matters, great or small, with the Venice traders; and all +this is done that the Republic may lose nought of the great taxes they +set on all things. + +As to Seyfried Kubbeling, the great Council, by special grace, and +considering that none but he could carry his birds over seas in good +condition, had granted to him to go with them to the land of Egypt. +For many and many a year had the Kubbelings brought falcons to the +Waldstromers, and whensoever my uncle needed such a bird, or if he had to +provide one for our lord constable and prince elector the Duke of +Bavaria, or any other great temporal or spiritual prince, it was to be +had from Seyfried--or Young Kubbeling. To be sure no man better knew +where to choose a fine bird, and while he journeyed between Brunswick, +Italy, and the Levant, his sons and brothers went as far as to Denmark, +and from thence to Iceland in the frozen Seas, where the royal falcon +breeds. Yet are there right noble kinds likewise to be found in the Harz +mountains, nigh to their native country. + +The man who was ever Kubbeling's fellow, going with him to the Levant +now, as, erewhile to the far North, was Uhlwurm, who, albeit he had been +old Jordan's serving-man, was held by Seyfried as his equal; and whoso +would make one his guest must be fain to take the other into the bargain. +This was ever gladly done at the Forest-lodge; Uhlwurm was a man of few +words, and the hunting-lads and kennel-men held him to be a wise man, who +knew more than simply which side his bread was buttered. At any rate he +was learned in healing all sick creatures, and in especial falcons, +horses, and hounds, by means of whispered spells, the breath of his +mouth, potions, and electuaries; and I myself have seen him handle a +furious old she-wolf which had been caught in a trap, so that no man +dared go nigh her, as though it were a tame little dog. He was taller +than his master by a head and a half, and he was ever to be seen in a +hood, on which an owl's head with its beak and ears was set. Verily the +whole presence of the man minded me of that nightbird; and when I think +of his Master Seyfried, or Young Kubbeling, I often remember that he was +ever wont to wear three wild-cats' skins, which he laid on his breast and +on each leg, as a remedy against pains he had. And the falcon-seller, +who was thick-set and broad-shouldered, was in truth not unlike a wild- +cat in his unkempt shagginess, albeit free from all craft and guile. His +whole mien, in his yellow leather jerkin slashed with green, his high +boots, and ill-shaven face covered with short, grey bristles, was that of +a woodsman who has grown strange to man in the forest wilds; howbeit we +knew from many dealings that he was honest and pitiful, and would endure +hard things to be serviceable and faithful to those few whom he truly +loved. + +All the creatures he brought with him were for sale; even the Iceland +ponies, which he but seldom led home again, by reason that they were in +great favor with the Junkers and damsels of high degree in the castles +where he found shelter; and my uncle believed that his profits and +savings must be no small matter. + +Scarce had Kubbeling and his fellow entered the court-yard, when the +house wife appeared once more at my aunt's window, and bid him come up +forthwith to her mistress. But the Brunswicker only replied roughly and +shortly: "First those that need my help." And he spoke thus of a wounded +man, whom he had picked up, nigh unto death, by the road-side. While, +with Uhlwurm's help, he carefully lifted the youth from under the tilt, +my uncle, who had long been hoping for his advent, gave him a questioning +look. The other understood, and shook his head sadly to answer him No. +And then he busied himself with the stricken man, as he growled out to my +uncle: "I crossed the pond to Alexandria, but of your man--you know who-- +not a claw nor a feather. As to the Schopper brothers on the other hand +....But first let us try to get between this poor fellow and the grave. +Hold on, Uhlwurm!" And he was about to lift the sick man in doors. +Howbeit, I went up to the Brunswicker, who in his rough wise had ever +liked me well, and whereas meseemed he had seen my brothers, I besought +him right lovingly to give me tidings of them; but he only pointed to the +helpless man and said that such tidings as he had to give I should hear +only too soon; and this I deemed was so forbidding and so dismal that I +made up my mind to the worst; nay, and my fears waxed all the greater as +he laid his big hand on my sleeve, as it might be to comfort me, inasmuch +as that he had never yet done this save when he heard tell of my Hans' +untimely end. + +And then, since he would have none of my help in attending on the sick +man, I ran up to my aunt to tell her with due care of the tidings I had +heard; but my uncle had gone before me, and in the doorway I could see +that he had just kissed his beloved wife's brow. I could read in both +their faces that they were bereft of another hope, yet would my aunt go +below and herself speak with Young Kubbeling. My uncle would fain have +hindered her, but she paid no heed to his admonitions, and while her +tiring-woman arrayed her with great care to appear at table, she thanked +the saints for that Ann was far away on this luckless day. + +Thus the hours sped between our homecoming from the chase and the evening +meal, and we presently met all our guests in the refectory. Aunt Jacoba, +as was her wont, sat on her couch on which she was carried, at the upper +end of the table near the chimneyplace, next to which a smaller table was +spread, where Kubbeling and Uhlwurm took their seats as though they had +never sat elsewhere in their lives; and in truth old Jordan had taken his +meals in that same place, and whenever they came to the Lodge the serving +people knew right well what was due to them and their fellows. And +whereas they did not sit at the upper table, it was only by reason that +old Jordan, sixty years ago, had deemed it a burthensome honor, and more +than his due; and Young Kubbeling would in all things do as his father +had done before him. My seat was where I might see them, and an empty +chair stood between me and my aunt; this was left for Master Ulsenius, +the leech. This good man loved not to ride after dark, by reason of +highway robbers and plunderers, and some of us were somewhat ill at ease +at his coming so late. Notwithstanding this, the talk was not other than +cheerful; new guests had come to us from the town at noon, and they had +much to tell. Tidings had come that the Sultan of Egypt had fallen upon +the Island of Cyprus, and that the Mussulmans had beaten King Janus, who +ruled over it, and had carried him beyond seas in triumph to Old Cairo, a +prisoner and loaded with chains. Hereupon we were instructed by that +learned man, Master Eberhard Windecke, who was well-read in the history +of all the world--he had come to Nuremberg as a commissioner of finance +from his Majesty, and Uncle Tucher had brought him forth to the Forest-- +he, I say, instructed us that the forefather of this King Janus of Cyprus +had seized upon the crown of Jerusalem at the time of the crusades, +during the lifetime of the mighty Sultan Saladin, by poison and perjury, +and had then bartered it with the English monarch Richard Coeur de lion, +in exchange for the Kingdom of Cyprus. That ancestor of King Janus was +by name Guy de Lusignan, and the sins of the fathers, so Master Windecke +set forth with flowers of eloquence, were ever visited on the children, +unto the third and fourth generation. + +I, like most of the assembled company, had hearkened with due respect to +this discourse; yet had I not failed to note with what restless eyes my +aunt watched the two men when, after hardly staying their hunger and +thirst, they forthwith quitted the hall to tend the sick man; she truly +--as I would likewise--would rather have heard some present tidings than +this record of sins of the Lusignans dead and gone. Presently the two +men came back to their seats, and when Master Windecke, who, in speaking, +had forgotten to eat, fell to with double good will, Uncle Conrad gravely +bid Kubbeling to out with what he had to say; and yet the man, who was +lifting the leg of a black-cock to his mouth, would reply no more than a +rough, "All in good time, my lord." + +Thus we had to wait; nor was it till the Brunswicker had cracked his last +nut with his strong teeth, and the evening cup had been brought round, +that he broke silence and told us in short, halting sentences how he had +sailed from Venice to Alexandria in the land of Egypt, and all that had +befallen his falcons. Then he stopped, as one who has ended his tale, +and Uhlwurm said in a deep voice, and with a sweep of his hand as though +to clear the crumbs from the table "Gone!"--And that "Gone" was well-nigh +the only word that ever I heard from the lips of that strange old man. +As he went on with his tale Kubbeling made free with the wine, and albeit +it had no more effect on him than clear water, still meseemed he talked +on for his own easement; only when he told how and where he had vainly +sought the banished Gotz he looked grievously at my aunt's face. And +Kunz, who had crossed the sea in the same ship with him, had helped him +in that search. + +When I then asked him whether Kunz had not likewise come home with him to +Venice, and Kubbeling had answered me no, Uhlwurm said once more, or ever +his master had done speaking, "Gone!" in his deep, mournful voice, and +again swept away crumbs, as it might be, in the air. Hereupon so great a +fear fell upon me that meseemed a sharp steel bodkin was being thrust +into my heart; but Kubbeling had seen me turn pale, and he turned upon +Uhlwurm in high wrath, and to the end that I might take courage he cried: +"No, no, I say no. What does the old fool know about it! It is only by +reason that the galley tarried for Junker Schopper and weighed anchor +half a day later, that he forbodes ill. The delay was not needed. And +who can tell what young masters will be at? They get a fancy in their +green young heads, and it must be carried out whether or no. He swore to +me with a high and solemn oath that he would not rest till he had found +some trace of his brother, and if he kept the galleon waiting for that +reason, what wonder? Is it aught to marvel at? And you, Mistress +Margery, have of a surety known here in the Forest whither a false scent +may lead.--Junker Kunz! Whither he may have gone to seek his brother, +who can tell? Not I, and much less Uhlwurm. And young folks flutter +hither and thither like an untrained falcon; and if Master Kunz, who is +so much graver and wiser than others of his green youth, finds no one to +open his eyes, then he may--I do not say for certain, but peradventure, +for why should I frighten you all?--he may, I say, hunt high and low to +all eternity. The late Junker Herdegen. . . ." + +And again I felt that sharp pang through my heart, and I cried in the +anguish of my soul: "The late Junker--late Junker, did you say? How came +you to use such a word? By all you hold sacred, Kubbeling, torture me no +more. Confess all you know concerning my elder brother!" + +This I cried out with a quaking voice, but all too soon was I speechless +again, for once more that dreadful "Gone!" fell upon my ear from +Uhlwurm's lips. + +I hid my face in my hands, and sitting thus in darkness, I heard the +bird-dealer, in real grief now, repeat Uhlwurm's word of ill-omen: +"Gone." Yet he presently added in a tone of comfort: "But only +perchance--not for certain, Mistress Margery." + +Albeit he was now willing to tell more, he was stopped in the very act. +Neither he nor I had seen that some one had silently entered the hall +with my Uncle Christian and Master Ulsenius, had come close to us, and +had heard Uhlwurm's and Kubbeling's last words. This was Ann; and, as +she answered to the Brunswicker "I would you were in the right with that +'perchance'. How gladly would I believe it!" I took my hands down from +my face, and behold she stood before me in all her beauty, but in deep +mourning black, and was now, as I was, an unwedded widow. + +I ran to meet her, and now, as she clung to me first and then to my aunt, +she was so moving a spectacle that even Uhlwurm wiped his wet cheeks with +his finger-cloth. All were now silent, but Young Kubbeling ceased not +from wiping the sweat of anguish from his brow, till at last he cried: +"'Perchance' was what I said, and 'perchance' it still shall be; aye, by +the help of the Saints, and I will prove it. . . ." + +At this Ann uplifted her bead, which she had hidden in my aunt's bosom, +and Cousin Maud let drop her arms in which she held me clasped. The +learned Master Windecke made haste to depart, as he could ill-endure such +touching matters, while Uncle Conrad enquired of Ann what she had heard +of Herdegen's end. + +Hereupon she told us all in a low voice that yestereve she had received a +letter from my lord Cardinal, announcing that he had evil tidings from +the Christian brethren in Egypt. She was to hold herself ready for the +worst, inasmuch as, if they were right, great ill had befallen him. +Howbeit it was not yet time to give up all hope, and he himself would +never weary of his search: Young Kubbeling, who had meanwhile sent +Uhlwurm with the leech to see the sick man and then taken his seat again +with the wine-cup before him, had nevertheless kept one ear open, and had +hearkened like the rest to what Ann had been saying; then on a sudden he +thrust away his glass, shook his big fist in wrath, and cried out, to the +door, as it were, through which Uhlwurm had departed, "That croaker, that +death-watch, that bird of ill-omen! If he looks up at an apple-tree in +blossom and a bird is piping in the branches, all he thinks of is how +soon the happy creature will be killed by the cat! 'Gone! gone' indeed; +what profits it to say gone! He has befogged even my brain at last with +his black vapors. But now a light shines within me; and lend me an ear, +young Mistress, and all you worshipful lords and ladies; for I said +'perchance' and I mean it still." + +We listened indeed; and there was in his voice and mien a confidence +which could not fail to give us heart. My lord Cardinal's assurance that +we were not to rest satisfied with the evil tidings he had received, +Kubbeling had deemed right, and what was right was to him a fact. +Therefore had he racked his brain till the sweat stood on his brow, and +all he had ever known concerning Herdegen had come back to his mind and +this he now told us in his short, rude way, which I should in vain try to +set down. + +He said that, since the day when they had landed in Egypt, he had never +more set eyes on Kunz, but that he himself had made enquiry for Herdegen. +Anselmo Giustiniani was still the Republic's consul there, and lodging at +the Venice Fondaco with Ursula his wife; but the serving men had said +that they had never heard of Schopper of Nuremberg; nor was it strange +that Kunz's coming should be unknown to them, inasmuch as, to be far from +Ursula, he had found hospitality with the Genoese and not with the +Venetians. When, on the eve of sailing for home, the Brunswicker had +again waited on the authorities at the Fondaco, to procure his leave to +depart and fetch certain moneys he had bestowed there, he had met +Mistress Ursula; and whereas she knew him and spoke to him, he seized the +chance to make enquiry concerning Herdegen. And it was from her mouth, +and from none other, that he had learned that the elder Junker Schopper +had met a violent death; and, when he had asked where and how, she had +answered him that it was in one of those love-makings which were ever the +aim and business of his life. Thus he might tell all his kith and kin in +Nuremberg henceforth to cease their spying and prying, which had already +cost her more pains and writing than enough. + +This discourse had but ill-pleased Kubbeling, yet had he not taken it +amiss, and had only said that she would be doing Kunz--who had come to +Egypt with him--right good service, if she would give him more exact +tidings of how his brother had met his end. + +"Whereupon," said the bird-seller, "she gave me a look the like of which +not many could give; for inasmuch as the lady is, for certain, over eyes +and ears in love with Junker Kunz......" + +But I stopped him, and said that in this he was of a certainty mistaken; +Howbeit he laughed shortly and went on. "Which of us saw her? I or you? +But love or no love--only listen till the end. Mistress Ursula for sure +knew not till then that Junker Kunz was in Alexandria, and so soon as she +learnt it she began to question me. She must know the day and hour when +he had cast anchor there, wherefor he had chosen to lodge in the Genoa +Fondaco, when I last had seen him, nay, and of what stuff and color his +garments were made. She went through them all, from the feather in his +hat to his hose. As for me, I must have seemed well nigh half witted, +and I told her at last that I had no skill in such matters, but that I +had ever seen him of an evening in a white mantle with a peaked hood. +Hereupon the blood all left her face, and with it all her beauty. She +clapped her hand to her forehead like one possessed or in a fit, as +though caught in her own snare, and she would have fallen, if I had not +held her upright. And then, on a sudden, she stood firm on her feet, bid +me depart right roughly, and pointed to the door; and I was ready and +swift enough in departing. When I was telling of all this to Uhlwurm, +who had stayed without, and what I had heard concerning Junker Herdegen, +he had nought to say but that accursed 'Gone!' And how that dazes me, +old mole that I am, you yourselves have seen. But the demeanor of +Mistress Tetzel of Nuremberg, I have never had it out of my mind since, +day or night, nor again, yesterday." + +He rubbed his damp brow, drank a draught, and took a deep breath; he was +not wont to speak at such length. But whereas we asked him many +questions of these matters, he turned again to us maidens, and said +"Grant me a few words apart from the matter you see, in time a man gets +an eye for a falcon, and sees what its good points are, and if it ails +aught. He learns to know the breed by its feathers, and breastbone, and +the color of its legs, and many another sign, and its temper by its eye +and beak;--and it is the same with knowing of men. All this I learned +not of myself, but from my father, God rest him; and like as you may know +a falcon by the beak, so you may know a man or a woman by the mouth. And +as I mind me of Mistress Ursula's face, as I saw it then, that is enough +for me. Aye, and I will give my best Iceland Gerfalcon for a lame crow +if every word she spoke concerning the death of Junker Herdegen was not +false knavery. She is a goodly woman and of wondrous beauty; yet, as I +sat erewhile, thinking and gazing into the Wurzburg wine in my cup, I +remembered her red lips and white teeth, as she bid me exhort his kin at +home to seek the lost man no more. And I will plainly declare what that +mouth brought to my mind; nought else than the muzzle of the she-wolf you +caught and chained up. That was how she showed her tusks when Uhlwurm +wheedled her after his wise, and she feigned to be his friend albeit she +thirsted to take him by the throat.--False, I say, false, false was every +word that came to my ears out of that mouth! I know what I know; she is +mad for the sake of one of the Schoppers, and if it be not Kunz then it +is the other, and if it be not with love then it is with hate. Make the +sign of the cross, say I; she would put one or both of them out of the +world, as like as not. For certain it is that she would fain have had me +believe that the elder Junker Schopper had already come to a bad end, and +it is no less certain that she had some foul purpose in hand." + +The old man coughed, wiped his brow, and fell back in his seat; we, +indeed, knew not what to think of his discourse, and looked one at the +other with enquiry. Jung Kubbeling was the last man on earth we could +have weened would read hearts. Only Uncle Christian upheld him, and +declared that the future would ere long confirm all that wise old +Jordan's son had foretold from sure signs. + +The dispute waxed so loud that even our silent Chaplain put in his word, +to express his consent to the Brunswicker's opinion of Ursula, and to put +forward fresh proofs why, in spite of her statement, Herdegen might yet +be in the land of the living. + +At this moment the door flew open, and the housekeeper--who was wont to +be a right sober-witted widow--rushed into the refectory, followed by my +aunt's waiting-maid, both with crimson cheeks and so full of their matter +that they forgot the reverence due to our worshipful guests, and it was +hard at first to learn what had so greatly disturbed them. So soon as +this was clear, Cousin Maud, and Ann and I at her heels, ran off to the +chamber where Master Ulsenius still tarried with the sick traveller, +inasmuch as that if the women were not deceived, the poor fellow was none +other than Eppelein, Herdegen's faithful henchman. The tiringwoman +likewise, a smart young wench, believed that it was he; and her opinion +was worthy to be trusted by reason that she was one of the many maids who +had looked upon Eppelein with favor. + +We presently were standing by the lad's bedside; Master Ulsenius had just +done with bandaging his head and body and arms; the poor fellow had been +indeed cruelly handled, and but for the Brunswicker's help he must have +died. That Kubbeling should not have known him, although they had often +met in past years, was easy to explain; for I myself could scarce have +believed that the pale, hollow-eyed man who lay there, to all seeming +dying, was our brisk and nimble-witted Eppelein. Yet verily he it was, +and Ann flung herself on her knees by the bed, and it was right piteous +to hear her cry: "Poor, faithful Eppelein!" and many other good words in +low and loving tones. Yet did he not hear nor understand, inasmuch as he +was not in his senses. For the present there was nought of tidings to be +had from him, and this was all the greater pity by reason that the +thieves had stripped off his clothes, even to his boots, and thus, if he +were the bearer of any writing, he might now never deliver it. Yet he +had come with some message. When the men left us there Ann bent over him +and laid a wet kerchief on his hot head, and he presently opened his eyes +a little way, and pointed with his left hand, which was sound, to the end +of the bed-place where his feet lay, and murmured, scarce to be heard and +as though he were lost: "The letter, oh, the letter!" But then he lost +his senses; and presently he said the same words again and again. So his +heart and brain were full of one thing, and that was the letter which +some one--and who else than his well-beloved Master--had straitly charged +him to deliver rightly. + +Every word he might speak in his fever might give us some important +tidings, and when at midnight my aunt bid us go to bed, Ann declared it +to be her purpose to keep watch by Eppelein all night, and I would not +for the world have quitted her at such a moment. And whereas she well +knew Master Ulsenius, and had already lent a helping hand of her own free +will to old Uhlwurm, the tending the sick man was wholly given over to +her; and I sat me down by the fire, gazing sometimes at the leaping +flames and flying sparks, and sometimes at the sick-bed and at all Ann +was doing. Then I waxed sleepy, and the hours flew past while I sat wide +awake, or dreaming as I slept for a few minutes. Then it was morning +again, and there was somewhat before my eyes whereof I knew not whether +it were happening in very truth, or whether it were still a dream, yet +meseemed it was so pleasant that I was still smiling when the house- +keeper came in, and that chased sleep away. I thought I had seen Ann +lead ugly old Uhlwurm to the window, and stroke down his rough cheeks +with her soft small hand. This being all unlike her wonted timid +modesty, it amused me all the more, and the old man's demeanor likewise +had made me smile; he was surly, and notwithstanding courteous to her and +had said to her I know not what. Now, when I was wide-awake, Ann had +indeed departed, and the house-wife had seen her quit the house and walk +towards the stables, following old Uhlwurm. + +Hereupon a strange unrest fell upon me, and when Kubbeling presently +answered to my questioning that old Uhlwurm had craved leave to be absent +till noon, to the end that he might go to the very spot where they had +found Eppelein, and make search for that letter which he doubtless had +had on his person, I plainly saw wherefor Ann had beguiled the old man. + + + + +ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: + +Forty or fifty, when most women only begin to be wicked +Shadow which must ever fall where there is light +Woman who might win the love of a highly-gifted soul (Pays for it) + + + + + + +MARGERY + +By Georg Ebers + +Volume 7. + + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +"The old owl! I will give him somewhat to remember me by till some one +else can say 'Gone' over him!" This was what my Uncle Christian growled +a little later, out near the stables, where Matthew was putting the +bridle on my bay nag, while the other serving-men were saddling the +horses for the gentlemen. I had stolen hither, knowing full well that +the old folks would not have suffered me to ride forth after Ann, and my +good godfather even now ceased not from railing, in his fears for his +darling. "What else did we talk of yestereve, Master leech and I, all +the way we rode with the misguided maid, but of the wicked deeds done in +these last few weeks on the high roads, and here in this very wood? With +her own ears, she heard us say that the town constable required us to +take seven mounted men as outriders, by reason that the day before +yesterday the whole train of waggons of the Borchtels and the Schnods was +overtaken, and the convoy would of a certainty have been beaten if they +had not had the aid, by good-hap, of the fellowship marching with the +Maurers and the Derrers.--And it was pitch dark, owls were flitting, +foxes barking; it was enough to make even an old scarred soldier's blood +run cold. It is a sin and a shame how the rogues ply their trade, even +close under the walls of the city! They cut off a bleacher's man's ears, +and when I wished that young Eber of Wichsenstein, and all the rout that +follows him might come to the gallows, Ann made bold to plead for them, +by reason that he only craved to visit on the Nurembergers the cruel +death they brought upon his father the famous thief. As if she did not +know full well that, since Eppelein of Gailingen was cast into prison, +our land has never been such a den of murder and robbery as at this day. +If there is less dust to be seen on the high-ways, said the keeper, it is +by reason that it is washed away in blood. And notwithstanding all this +the crazy maid runs straight into the Devil's arms, with that old dolt." + +Then, when I went into the stable to mount, Uncle Conrad turned on +Kubbeling in stormy ire for that he had suffered Uhlwurm to lead Ann +into such peril; howbeit the Brunswicker knew how to hold his own, and +declared at last that he could sooner have looked to see a falcon grow a +lion's tail in place of feathers, than that old death-watch make common +cause with a young maiden. "He had come forth," quoth he, "to counsel +their excellencies to take horse." But my uncle's question, whether he, +Kubbeling, believed that they had come forth to the stables to hear mass, +put an end to his discourse; the gentlemen called to the serving-men to +make speed, and I was already in the saddle. Then, when I had commanded +Endres to open the great gate, I bowed my head low and rode out through +the stable door, and bade the company a hearty good-day. To this they +made reply, while Uncle Conrad asked whether I had forgotten his +counsels, and whither it was my intent to ride; whereupon I hastily +replied: "Under safe guidance, that is to say yours, to follow Ann." + +My uncle slashed his boot with his whip, and asked in wrath whether I had +considered that blood would perchance be shed, and ended by counselling +me kindly: "So stay at home, little Margery!" + +"I am as obedient as ever," was my ready answer, "but whereas I am now +well in the saddle, I will stay in the saddle." + +At this the old man knew not whether to take a jest as a jest, or to give +me a stern order; and while he and the others were getting into their +stirrups he said: "Have done with folly when matters are so serious, +madcap child! We have enough to do to think of Ann, and more than +enough! So dismount, Margery, with all speed." + +"All in good time," said I then, "I will dismount that minute when we +have found Ann. Till then the giant Goliath shall not move me from the +saddle!" + +Hereupon the old man lost patience, he settled himself on his big brown +horse and cried out in a wrathfill and commanding tone: "Do not rouse me +to anger, Margery. Do as I desire and dismount." + +But that moment he could more easily have made me to leap into the fire +than to leave Ann in the lurch; I raised the bridle and whip, and as the +bay broke into a gallop Uncle Conrad cried out once more, in greater +wrath than before: "Do as I bid you!" and I joyfully replied "That I +will if you come and fetch me!" And my horse carried me off and away, +through the open gate. + +The gentlemen tore after me, and if I had so desired they would never +have caught me till the day of judgment, inasmuch as that my Hungarian +palfrey, which my Hans had brought for me from the stables of Count von +Cilly, the father of Queen Barbara, was far swifter than their heavy +hook-nosed steeds; yet as I asked no better than to seek Ann in all peace +with them, and as my uncle was a mild and wise man, who would not take +the jest he could not now spoil over seriously, I suffered them to gain +upon me and we concluded a bargain to the effect that all was to be +forgotten and forgiven, but that I was pledged to turn the bay and make +the best of my way home at the first sign of danger. And if the +gentlemen had come to the stables in a gloomy mood and much fear, the +wild chase after me had recovered their high spirits; and, albeit my own +heart beat sadly enough, I did my best to keep of good cheer, and verily +the sight of Kubbeling helped to that end. He was to show us the way to +the spot where he had found Eppelem, and was now squatted on a very big +black horse, from which his little legs, with their strange gear of +catskins, stuck out after a fashion wondrous to behold. After we had +thus gone at a steady pace for some little space, my confidence began to +fail once more; even if Ann and her companion had been somewhat delayed +by their search, still ought we to have met them by this time, if they +had gone to the place without tarrying, and set forth to return +unhindered. And when, presently, we came to an open plot whence we might +see a long piece of the forest path, and yet saw nought but a little +charcoal burner's cart, meseemed as though a cold hand had been laid on +my heart. Again and again I spied the distance, while a whole army of +thoughts and terrors tossed my soul. I pictured them in the power of the +vengeful Eber von Wichsenstein and his fierce robber fellows; methought +the covetous Bremberger had dragged them into his castle postern to exact +a great ransom--nor was this the worst that might befall. If Abersfeld +the wildest freebooter of all the plundering nobles far or near were to +seize her? My blood ran cold as I conceived of this chance. Ann was so +fair; what lord who might carry her off could she fail to inflame? And +then I minded me of what I had read of the Roman Lucretia, and if I had +been possessed of any magic art, I would have given the first raven by +the way a sharp bodkin that he should carry it to her. + +In my soul's anguish, while I held my bridle and whip together in my left +hand, with the right I lifted the gold cross on my breast to my lips and +in a silent heartfelt prayer I besought the Blessed Virgin, and my own +dear mother in Heaven to have her in keeping. + +And so we rode on and on till we came to the pools by Pillenreuth. Hard +by the larger of these, known as the King's pool, was a sign-post, and +not far away was the spot where they had found Eppelein, stripped and +plundered; and in truth it was the very place for highwaymen and +freebooters, lying within the wood and aside from the highway; albeit, if +it came to their taking flight, they might find it again by Reichelstorf. +Nor was there any castle nor stronghold anywhere nigh; the great building +with walls and moats which stood on the south side of the King's pool was +but the peaceful cloister of the Augustine Sisters of Pillenreuth. All +about the water lay marsh-ground overgrown with leafless bushes, rushes, +tall grasses, and reeds. It was verily a right dismal and ill-boding +spot. + +The boggy tract across which our path lay was white with fresh hoar- +frost, and the thicket away to the south was a haunt for crows such as I +never have seen again since; the black birds flew round and about it in +dark clouds with loud shrieks, as though in its midst stood a charnel and +gallows, and from the brushwood likewise, by the pool's edge, came other +cries of birds, all as full of complaining as though they were bewailing +the griefs of the whole world. + +Here we stayed our horses, and called and shouted; but none made answer, +save only toads and crows. "This is the place, for certain," said Young +Kubbeling, and Grubner the head forester, sprang to his feet to help him +down from his tall mare. The gentlemen likewise dismounted, and were +about to follow the Trunswicker across the mead to the place where +Eppelein had been found; but he bid them not, inasmuch as they would mar +the track he would fain discover. + +They, then, stood still and gazed after him, as I did likewise; and my +fears waxed greater till I verily believed that the crows were indeed +birds of ill-omen, as I saw a large black swarm of them wheel croaking +round Kubbeling. He, meanwhile, stooped low, seeking any traces on the +frosted grass, and his short, thick-set body seemed for all the world one +of the imps, or pixies, which dwell among the roots of trees and in the +holes in the rocks. He crept about with heedful care and never a word, +prying as he went, and presently I could see that he shook his big head +as though in doubt, nay, or in sorrow. I shuddered again, and meseemed +the grey clouds in the sky waxed blacker, while deathly pale airy forms +floated through the mist over the pools, in long, waving winding-sheets. +The thick black heads of the bulrushes stood up motionless like grave- +stones, and the grey silken tufts of the bog-grass, fluttering in the +cold breath of a November morning, were as ghostly hands, threatening or +warning me. + +Ere long I was to forget the crows, and the fogs, and the reed-grass, and +all the foolish fears that possessed me, by reason of a real and well- +founded terror; again did Kubbeling shake his head, and then I heard him +call to my Uncle Conrad and Grubner the headforester, to come close to +him, but to tread carefully. Then they stood at his side, and they +likewise stooped low and then my uncle clasped his hands, and he cried in +horror, "Merciful Heaven!" + +In two minutes I had run on tip-toe across the damp, frosted grass to +join them, and there, sure enough, I could see full plainly the mark of a +woman's dainty shoe. The sole and the heel were plainly to be seen, and, +hard by, the print of a man's large, broad shoes, with iron-shod heels, +which told Kubbeling that they were those of Uhlwurm's great boots. Yet +though we had not met those we sought, the forest was full of by-ways, by +which they might have crossed us on the road; but nigh to the foot-prints +of the maid and the old man were there three others. The old woodsman +could discern them only too well; they had each and all been made in the +hoar-frost by men's boots. Two, it was certain, had been left by finely- +cut soles, such as are made by skilled city cordwainers; and one left a +track which could only be that of a spur; whereas the third was so flat +and broad that it was for sure that of the shoe of a peasant, or charcoal +burner. + +There was a green patch in the frost which could only be explained as +having been made by one who had lain long on the earth, and the back of +his head, where he had fallen, had left a print in the grass as big as a +man's fist. Here was clear proof that Ann and her companion had, on this +very spot, been beset by three robbers, two of them knights and one of +low degree, that Uhlwurm had fought hard and had overpowered one of them +or had got the worst of it, and had been flung on the grass. + +Alas! there could be no doubt, whereas Kubbeling found a foot-print of +Ann's over which the spurred mark lay, plainly showing that she had come +thither before those men. And on the highway we found fresh tracks of +horses and men; thus it was beyond all doubt that knavish rogues had +fallen upon Ann and Uhlwurm, and had carried them off without bloodshed, +for no such trace was to be seen anywhere on the mead. + +Meanwhile the forester had followed the scent with the bloodhounds, +starting from the place where the man had lain on the grass, and scarce +were they lost to sight among the brushwood when they loudly gave tongue, +and Grubner cried to us to come to him. Behind a tall alder bush, which +had not yet lost its leaves, was a wooden lean-to on piles, built there +by the Convent fisherman wherein to dry his nets; and beneath this +shelter lay an old man in the garb of a serving-man, who doubtless had +lost his life in the struggle with Uhlwurm. But Kubbeling was soon +kneeling by his side, and whereas he found that his heart still beat, he +presently discovered what ailed the fellow. He was sleeping off a +drunken bout, and more by token the empty jar lay by his side. Likewise +hard by there stood a hand-barrow, full of such wine-jars, and we +breathed more freely, for if the drunken rogue were not himself one of +the highway gang, they must have found him there and seized the good +liquor. + +Now, while Kubbeling fetched water from the pool, Uncle Christian tried +the quality of the jars in the barrow, and the first he opened was fine +Malvoisie. Whether this were going to the Convent or no the drunken +churl should tell, and a stream of cold November-water ere long brought +him to his wits. Then was there much mirth, as the rogue thus waked on +a sudden from his sleep let the water drip off him in dull astonishment, +and stared at us open-mouthed; and it needed some patience till he was +able to tell us of many matters which we afterwards heard at greater +length and in fuller detail. + +He was a serving-man to Master Rummel of Nuremberg, who had been sent +forth from Lichtenau to carry this good liquor to the nuns at +Pillenreuth; the market-town of Lichtenau lieth beyond Schwabach and had +of yore belonged to the Knight of Heideck, who had sold it to that city, +of which the Rummels, who were an old and honored family, had bought it, +with the castle. + +Now, whereas yestereve the Knight of Heideck, the former owner of the +castle, a noble of staunch honor, was sitting at supper with Master +Rummel in the fortress of Lichtenau, a rider from Pillenreuth had come in +with a petition from the Abbess for aid against certain robber folk who +had carried away some cattle pertaining to the convent. Hereupon the +gentlemen made ready to go and succor the sisters, and with wise +foresight they sent a barrow-load of good wine to Pillenreuth, to await +them there, inasmuch as that no good liquor was to be found with the +pious sisters. When the gentlemen had, this very morning, come to the +place where the highwaymen had fallen on Eppelein, they had met Ann who +was known to them at the Forest lodge, where she was in the act of making +search for Herdegen's letter, and they, in their spurred boots, had +helped her. At last they had besought her to go with them to the +Convent, by reason that the men-at-arms of Lichtenau had yesternight gone +forth to meet the thieves, and by this time peradventure had caught them +and found the letter on them. Ann had consented to follow this gracious +bidding, if only she might give tidings of where she would be to those +her friends who would for certain come in search of her. Thereupon +Master Rummel had commanded the servingman, who had come up with the +barrow, to tarry here and bid us likewise to the Convent; the fellow, +however, who had already made free on his way with the contents of the +jars, had tried the liquor again. And first he had tumbled down on the +frosted grass and then had laid him down to rest under the fisherman's +hut. + +Rarely indeed hath a maiden gone to the cloister with a lighter heart +than I, after I had heard these tidings, and albeit there was yet cause +for fear and doubting, I could be as truly mirthful as the rest, and or +ever I jumped into my saddle again I had many a kiss from bearded lips as +a safe conduct to the Sisters. My good godfather in the overflowing joy +of his heart rushed upon me to kiss me on both cheeks and on my brow, and +I had gladly suffered it and smiled afterwards to perceive that he would +allow the barrow-man to tarry no longer. + +In the Convent there was fresh rejoicing. The mist had hidden us from +their sight, and we found them all at breakfast: the gentlemen and Ann, +the lady Abbess and a novice who was the youngest daughter of Uncle +Endres Tucher of Nuremberg, and my dear cousin, well-known likewise to +Ann. Albeit the Convent was closed to all other men, it was ever open to +its lord protector. Hereupon was a right happy meeting and glad +greeting, and at the sight of Ann for the second time this day, though it +was yet young, the bright tears rolled over Uncle Christian's round +twice-double chin. + +Now wheresoever a well-to-do Nuremberg citizen is taking his ease with +victuals and drink, if others join him they likewise must sit down and +eat with him, yea, if it were in hell itself. But the Convent of +Pillenreuth was a right comfortable shelter, and my lady the Abbess a +woman of high degree and fine, hospitable manners; and the table was made +longer in a winking, and laid with white napery and plates and all +befitting. None failed of appetite and thirst after the ride in the +sharp morning air, and how glad was my soul to have my Ann again safe and +unharmed. + +We were seated at table by the time our horses were tied up in the +stables, and from the first minute there was a mirthful and lively +exchange of talk. For my part I forthwith fell out with the Knight von +Heideck, inasmuch as he was fain to sit betwixt Ann and me, and would +have it that a gallant knight must ever be a more welcome neighbor to a +damsel than her dearest woman-friend. And the loud cheer and merrymaking +were ere long overmuch for me; and I would gladly have withdrawn with Ann +to some lonely spot, there to think of our dear one. + +At last we were released; Jorg Starch, the captain of the Lichtenau +horsemen, a tall, lean soldier, with shrewd eyes, a little turned-up +cock-nose, and thick full beard, now came in and, lifting his hand to his +helmet, said as sharply as though he were cutting each word short off +with his white teeth: "Caught; trapped; all the rabble!" + +In a few minutes we were all standing on the rampart between the pools +and the Convent, and there were the miserable knaves whom Jorg Starch and +his men-at-arms had surrounded and carried off while they were making +good cheer over their morning broth and sodden flesh. They had declared +that they had been of Wichsenstein's fellowship, but had deserted Eber by +reason of his over-hard rule, and betaken themselves to robbery on their +own account. Howbeit Starch was of opinion that matters were otherwise. +When he had been sent forth to seek them he had as yet no knowledge of +the attack on Eppelein; now, so soon as he heard that they had stripped +him of his clothes, he bid them stand in a row and examined each one; in +truth they were a pitiable crew, and had they not so truly deserved our +compassion their rags must have moved us to laughter. One had made his +cloak of a woman's red petticoat, pulling it over his head and cutting +slits in it for arm-holes, and another great fellow wore a friar's brown +frock and on his head a good-wife's fur turban tied on with an infant's +swaddling band. Jorg Starch's enquiries as to where were Eppelein's +garments made one of them presently point to his decent and whole jerkin, +another to his under coat, and the biggest man of them all to his hat +with the cock's feather, which was all unmatched with his ragged weed. +Starch searched each piece for the letter, and meanwhile Uhlwurm stooped +his long body, groping on the ground in such wise that it might have +seemed that he was seeking the four-leaved clover; and on a sudden he +laid hands on the shoes of a lean, low fellow, with hollow cheeks and a +thrifty beard on his sharp chin, who till now had looked about him, the +boldest of them all; he felt round the top of the shoes, and looking him +in the face, asked him in a threatening voice: "Where are the tops?" + +"The tops?" said the man in affrighted tones. "I wear shoes, Master, +and shoes are but boots which have no tops; and mine. . . ." + +"And yours!" quoth Uhlwurm in scorn. "The rats have made shoes of your +boots and have eaten the tops, unless it was the mice? Look here, +Captain, if it please you......" + +Starch did his bidding, and when he had made the lean knave put off his +left shoe he looked at it on all sides, stroked his beard the wrong way, +and said solemnly: "Well said, Master, this is matter for thought! +All this gives the case a fresh face." And he likewise cried to the +rogue: "Where are the tops?" The fellow had had time to collect himself, +and answered boldly: "I am but a poor weak worm, my lord Captain; they +were full heavy for me, so I cut them away and cast them into the pool, +where by now the carps are feeding on them." And he glanced round at his +fellows, as it were to read in their faces their praise of his quick wit. +Howbeit they were in overmuch dread to pay him that he looked for; nay, +and his bold spirit was quelled when Starch took him by the throat and +asked him: "Do you see that bough there, my lad? If another lie passes +your lips, I will load it with a longer and heavier pear than ever it +bore yet? Sebald, bring forth the ropes.--Now my beauty; answer me three +things: Did the messenger wear boots? How come you, who are one of the +least of the gang, to be wearing sound shoes? And again, Where are the +tops?" + +Whereupon the little man craved, sadly whimpering, that he might be asked +one question at a time, inasmuch as he felt as it were a swarm of humble- +bees in his brain, and when Starch did his will he looked at the others +as though to say: "You did no justice to my ready wit," and then he told +that he had in truth drawn off the boots from the messenger's feet and +had been granted them to keep, by reason that they were too small for the +others, while he was graced with a small and dainty foot. And he cast a +glance at us ladies on whom he had long had an eye, a sort of fearful +leer, and went on: "The tops--they. . . ." and again he stuck fast. +Howbeit, as Starch once more pointed to the pear-tree, he confessed in +desperate terror that another man had claimed the tops, one who had not +been caught, inasmuch as they were so high and good. Hereupon Starch +laughed so loud and clapped his hand with such a smack as made us maidens +start, and he cried: "That's it, that is the way of it! Zounds, ye +knaves! Then the Sow--[Eber, his name, means a boar. This is a sort of +punning insult]--of Wichsenstein was himself your leader yesterday, and +it was only by devilish ill-hap that the knave was not with you when I +took you! You ragged ruffians would never have given over the tops in +this marsh and moorland, to any but a rightful master, and I know where +the Sow is lurking--for the murderer of a messenger is no more to be +called a Boar. Now then, Sebald! In what hamlet hereabout dwells there +a cobbler?" + +"There is crooked Peter at Neufess, and Hackspann at Reichelstorf," was +the answer. + +"Good; that much we needed to know," said Starch. "And now, little +one," and he gave the man another shaking, "Out with it. Did the Sow-- +or, that there may be no mistake--did Eber of Wichsenstein ride away to +Neufess or to Reichelstorf? Who was to sew the tops to his shoes, Peter +or Hackspann?" + +The terrified creature clasped his slender hands in sheer amazement, and +cried: "Was there ever such abounding wisdom born in the land since the +time of chaste Joseph, who interpreted Pharaoh's dreams? The man who +shall catch you asleep, my lord Captain, must rise earlier than such +miserable hunted wretches as we are. He rode to Neufess, albeit +Hackspann is the better cobbler. Reichelstorf lies hard by the highway +by which you came, my lord; and if Eber does but hear the echo of your +right glorious name, my lord Baron and potent Captain. . . ." + +"And what is my name--your lord Baron and potent Captain?" Starch +thundered out. + +"Yours?" said the little man unabashed. "Yours? Merciful Heaven! +Till this minute I swear I could have told you; but in such straits a +poor little tailor such as I might forget his own father's honored name!" +At this Starch laughed out and clapped the little rogue in all kindness +behind the ears, and when his men-at-arms, whom he had commanded to make +ready, had mounted their horses, he cried to Uhlwurm: "I may leave the +rest to you, Master; you know where Barthel bestows the liquor!--Now, +Sebald, bind this rabble and keep them safe.--And make a pig-sty ready. +If I fail to bring the boar home this very night, may I be called Dick +Dule to the end of my days instead of Jorg Starch!" + +And herewith he made his bow, sprang into his saddle, and rode away with +his men. + +"A nimble fellow, after God's heart!" quoth Master Rummel to my Uncle +Conrad as they looked after him. And that he was in truth; albeit we +could scarce have looked for it, we learned on the morrow that he might +bear his good name to the grave, inasmuch as he had taken Eber of +Wichsenstein captive in the cobbler's work-place, and carried him to +Pillenreuth, whence he came to Nuremberg, and there to the gallows. + +Starch had left a worthy man to fill his place; hardly had he departed +when old Uhlwurm pulled off the tailor's right shoe, and now it was made +plain wherefor Eppelein had so anxiously pointed to his feet; the letter +entrusted to him had indeed been hid in his boot. Under the lining +leather of the sole it lay, but only one from Akusch addressed to me. +Howbeit, when we had threatened the now barefoot knave with cruel +torture, he confessed that, having been an honest tailor till of late, +he had soft feet by reason that he had ever sat over his needle. And +when he pulled on the stolen shoes somewhat therein hard hurt his sole, +and when he made search under the leather, behold a large letter closely +folded and sealed. This had been the cause and reason of his being ill +at ease, and he had opened it, being of an enquiring mind, and, inasmuch +as he was a schoolmaster's son he could read with the best. Howbeit, at +that time the gang were about to light a fire to make their supper, and +whereas it would not burn by reason of the wet, they had taken the dry +paper and used it to make the feeble flame blaze up. + +Thus there was nought more to be hoped for, save that the tailor might by +good hap remember certain parts of the letter; and in truth he was able +to tell us that it was written to a maid named Ann, and in it there were +such words of true love in great straits and bitter parting as moved him +to tears, by reason that he likewise had once had a true love. + +While he spoke thus he perceived that Ann was the maiden to whom the +letter had been writ, and he forthwith poured forth a great flow of fiery +love-vows such as he may have learned from his Amadis, but never, albeit +he said it, from that letter. + +One thing at least he could make known to us from Herdegen's letter; and +that was that the writer said much concerning slavery and a great ransom, +and likewise of a malignant woman who was his foe, and of her husband, +whose wiles could by no means be brought to nought unless it were by +cunning and prudent craft. This, indeed, he could repeat well-nigh word +for word, by reason that he had conceived the plan of urging Eber to set +forth for the land of Egypt with his robber-band, and deliver that +guiltless slave from the hands of the misbelieving heathen. Albeit he +had made himself a highway thief, it was only by reason that he had been +told that von Wichsenstein had no other end than to restore to the poor +that of which the rich had robbed them, and to release the oppressed from +the power of the mighty. All this had not suffered him to rest on his +tailor's bench till he had laid down the needle and seized the cook's +great roasting spit. Ere long he had discovered that, like master +like man, each man cared for himself alone. He himself had been forced +to do many cruel and knavish deeds, sorely against his will and all that +was good in him. From his pious and gentle mother he had come by a soft +and harmless soul, so that in the winter season he would strew sugar for +the flies when they were starving, and it had even gone against him to +stick his needle into a flesh-colored garment for sheer fear of hurting +it. When the others had left the messenger-lad stripped on the road, he +had gone back alone and had bound up the wound in his head with his own +kerchief, and more by token that he spoke the truth the kerchief bore his +Christian name in the corner of it, "Pignot," which his good mother, God +rest her, had sewn there. He was but a poor orphan, and if .... Here +his voice failed him for sobs. But ere long he recovered his good cheer; +for Ann had indeed marked the letter P on the cloth about Eppelein's +head, and the poor wight was of a truth none other than he had declared. +Hereupon we made bold to speak for him, and it was to his own act of +mercy and the letters set in his kerchief by that pious mother that he +owed it. He afterwards came to be an honest and worthy master-tailor at +Velden, and instead of taking up the cudgels for his oppressed fellow +men, he suffered stern treatment in much humility at the hands of the +great woman whom he chose to wife, notwithstanding he was so small a man. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +Herdegen's letter was burnt with fire, and the letter from Akusch was to +me, and contained little besides thanks and assurances of faithfulness +due to me his "beloved mistress," with greetings to Cousin Maud, who had +ever with just reproofs kept him in the right way, and to every member of +the household. The Pastscyiptum only contained tidings of great import; +and it was as follows: + +"Moreover I declare and swear to you, my gracious lady, that my kindred +take as good care of my Lord Kunz as though he were at home in Nuremberg. +His wounds are bad, yet by faithful care, and by the grace and help of +God the all-merciful, they shall be healed. He lacks for nothing. In +the matter of my lord Herdegen's ransom there are many obstacles. + +"Had God the all-merciful but granted to my dear father to hold his high +estate a few weeks longer, it would have been a small matter to him to +release a slave; but now he is cast into a dungeon by the evil malice of +his enemies. Oh! that the all-wise God should suffer such malignant men +to live as his foes and as that shameless woman whom you have long known +by the name of Ursula Tetzel! But you will have learnt by my lord +Herdegen's letter all I could tell, and you will understand that your +humble servant will daily beseech the Most High God to prosper you, and +cause you to send hither some wise and potent captain to the end that we +may be delivered; inasmuch as the craft and fury of our foes are no less +than their power. They are lions and likewise poisonous serpents." + +These lines were signed with the name of Akusch, and the words, Ibn Tagri +Verdi al-Mahmudi, which is to say: Akusch, Son of Tagri Verdi al-Mahmudi. + +We were at home at the Forest-lodge or ever the sun had set; there we +found Aunt Jacoba more calm than we had hoped for, inasmuch as that not +only had her husband sent her brief tidings of us, but likewise she had +heard more exactly all that had kept us away. Kubbeling, albeit the lady +Abbess had bidden him to her table, had privily stolen forth to send a +messenger to the grieving lady, whereas the thought of her gave him no +peace among the feasters. Eppelein was neither better nor worse. But, +in his stead, Master Windecke the Imperial Councillor, who was learned in +the trading matters of all the world and who, in our absence, had wholly +won the heart of the other women and, above all, of Cousin Maud by his +good discourse, was able to interpret somewhat which had been dark to us +in Akusch's letter. When I showed it to him he started to his feet in +amazement and declared that my squire's father, Tagri Verdi al-Mahmudi, +had been one of the most famous Captains of the host who had struck the +great blow in Cyprus and carried off King Janus to the Sultan at Cairo. +Nay, and he could likewise tell us what had led to the overthrow of this +same Tagri Verdi, inasmuch as he had heard the tale from a certain noble +gentleman of Cyprus, who had come to the court of Emperor Sigismund to +entreat him to provide moneys for the ransom of King Janus, as follows: +When Akusch's glorious father was raised to the dignity of a chief +Mameluke, together with Burs Bey, now the Sultan of Egypt, they were both +cast into prison during a certain war and lay in the same dungeon. There +had Tagri Verdi dreamed one night that his fellow, Burs Bey, would in due +time be placed on the throne, and had revealed this to him. Then, when +this prophecy was fulfilled, and Burs Bey was Sultan, Tagri Verdi rose +step by step to high honor, and had won many glorious fights as his +Sovereign's chief Emir and Captain. The Sultan heaped him with honors +and treasure, until he learned that his former companion had dreamed +another dream, and this time that it was to be his fate to mount the +throne. Hereupon Burs Bey was sore afraid; thus he had cast the +victorious Captain into prison, and many feared for Tagri that his +life would not be spared. + +And Master Windecke could tell us yet more of the matter; and whereas +from him we heard that our Emperor, by reason that his coffers were +empty, could do nought to ransom King Janus, and that the Republic of +Venice was fain to take it in hand, we were in greater fear than ever, +inasmuch as this must need add yet more to the high respect already +enjoyed by the Republic in the land of Egypt, and to that in which its +Consul Giustiniani was held; and thereby his wife Ursula might, with the +greater security, give vent to that malice she bore in her heart against +Herdegen. + +Thus we went to our beds silent and downcast; and after we had lain there +a long time and found no sleep the words would come, and I said: "My +poor, dear Kunz! to be there in that hot Moorish land, wounded and +alone! Oh, Ann, that must be full hard to bear." + +"Hard indeed!" quoth she in a low voice. "But for a free man, and so +proud a man as Herdegen, to be a slave to a misbelieving Heathen, far +away from all he loves, and chidden and punished for every unduteous +look; Oh, Margery! to think of that!" And her voice failed. + +I spoke to her, and showed that we had much to make us thankful, inasmuch +as we now at last knew that he we loved was yet alive. + +Then was there silence in the chamber; but I minded me then of what +Akusch had written, that he besought some wise and mighty gentleman to +set forth from Nuremberg to overpower the foe, and now I racked my brain +to think whom we might send to take my brothers' cause in hand--yet still +in vain. None could I think of who might conveniently quit home for so +long, or who was indeed fit for such an enterprise. + +Which of us twain first fell asleep I wist not; when I woke in the +morning Ann had already quitted the chamber; and while Susan braided my +hair, all I had been planning in the night grew plainer to me, and I went +forth and down stairs full of a great purpose which made my heart beat +the faster. When I entered the ball, behold, I saw the same thing, +albeit I was now awake, as I had seen yestermorn in my half-sleep. Yet +was it not Uhlwurm, but Kubbeling, to whom Ann was paying court. As he +stood facing her, she looked him trustfully in the eyes, and held his +great hand in hers; nay, and when she saw me she did not let it go, but +cried out in a clear and thankful voice: "Then so it is, Father Seyfried; +and if you do as I beseech you, all will come to a good end and you will +remember so good a deed with great joy all your life long." + +"As to "great joy' I know not," replied he. "For if I be not the veriest +fool in all the land from Venice to Iceland, my name is not Kubbeling. +I scarce know myself! Howbeit, let that pass: I stand by my word, albeit +the pains I shall endure in the winter journey." + +"The Saints will preserve you on so pious an errand," Ann declared. "And +if they should nevertheless come upon you, dear Father, I will tend you +as your own daughter would. And now again your hand, and a thousand, +thousand thanks." + +Whereupon Kubbeling, with a melancholy growl, and yet a smile on his +face, held forth his hand, and Ann held it fast and cried to me: "You are +witness, Margery, that he has promised to do my will. Oh, Margery, I +could fly for gladness!" + +And verily meseemed as though the wings had grown, and her eyes sparkled +right joyfully and thankfully. And I had discerned from her very first +words whereunto she had beguiled Kubbeling; and verily to me it was a +marvel, inasmuch as I myself had imagined the self-same thing in the +watches of the night, and while my hair was doing: namely, to beseech +Kubbeling to be my fellow and keeper on a voyage to Egypt. Who but he +knew the way so well? Howbeit, Ann had prevented me, and now, whereas I +heard the sound of voices on the stair, I yet found time to cry to her: +"We go together, Ann; that is a settled matter!" + +Hereupon she looked at me, at first in amazement and then with a blissful +consenting smile, and said "You had imagined the same thing, I know. +Yes, Margery, we will go." + +The others now trooped in, and I had no more time but hastily to clasp +her hand. Howbeit, when most of our guests had gone into the refectory, +where the morning meal was by this time steaming on the board, none were +left with us save Cousin Maud and Uncle Conrad and Uncle Christian; and +Uncle Conrad enquired of the Brunswicker whether he purposed indeed to +set forth this day, and the man answered No, if so be that his lordship +the grand-forester would grant him shelter yet awhile, and consent to a +plan to which he had been just now beguiled. + +And my uncle gave him his hand, and said the longer he might stay the +better. And then he went on to ask with some curiosity what that plan +might be. Howbeit, I took upon me to speak, and I told him in few words +how that we had been thinking whom we might best send forth to help my +brethren, and that, with the morning sun, light had dawned on our minds, +and that whereas we had found a faithful and experienced companion, it +was our firm intent.... + +Here Cousin Maud broke in, having come close to me with open ears, crying +aloud in terror: "What?" Howbeit I looked her in the eyes and went on: + +"When our mind is set, Cousin, the thing will be done, of that you and +all may make certain--that stands as sure as the castle on the rock. And +be it known to you all, with all due respect, that this time I will +suffer none to cross my path. Once for all, I, Margery, and Ann with me, +are going forth to the land of Egypt in Kubbeling's company, and to Cairo +itself!" + +The worthy old woman gave a scream, and while the Brunswicker shut the +dining-hall door, that we might not be heard, she broke out, with glowing +eyes, beside herself with wrath: "Verily and indeed! So that is your +purpose! Thanks be to the Virgin, to say and to do are not one and the +same, far from it. Do you conceive that you hold all love for those two +youths yonder in sole fief or lease? As though others were not every +whit as ready as you to give their best to save them. A head that runs +at a wall cracks its skull! Maids should never touch matters which do +not beseem them! What next for a skittle-witted fancy!--That it should +have come into the brain of a Schopper is no marvel, but Ann, prudent +Ann! Would any man have dreamed of such a thing in our young days, +Master Cousin? There they stand, two well born Nuremberg damsels, who +have never been suffered to go next door alone after Ave Maria! And they +are fain to cross the seas to a dark outlandish place, into the very jaws +of the dreadful Heathen who butcher Christian people!" Whereupon she +clapped her hands and laughed aloud, albeit not from her heart, and then +raved on: "At least is it a new thing, and the first time that the like +hath ever been heard of in Nuremberg!" + +If the whole of the holy Roman Empire had risen up to make resistance and +to mock us, it would have failed to move Ann or me, and I answered, loud +and steadfast: "Everything right and good that ever was done in +Nuremberg, my heart's beloved Cousin, was done there once for the first +time; and it is right and good that we should go, and we mean to do it!" +Whereupon Cousin Maud drew back in disgust and amazement, and gazed from +one to the other of us with enquiring eyes, and as wondering a face as +though she were striving to rede some dark riddle. Then her vast bosom +began to heave up and down, and we, who knew her, could not fail to +perceive that somewhat great and strange was moving her. And whereas she +presently shook her heavy head to and fro, and set her fists hard on her +hips, I looked for a sudden and dreadful storm, and my Uncle Conrad +likewise gazed her in the face with expectant fear; yet it was long in +breaking forth. What then was my feeling when, at last, she took her +hands from her sides and struck her right hand in her left palm so that +it rang again, and burst forth eagerly, albeit with roguish good humor +and tearful eyes: "If indeed everything good and right that ever was done +in Nuremberg must have once been done there for the first time, our good +town shall now see that a grey-headed old woman with gout in her toes can +sail over seas, from the Pegnitz even to the land of the barbarian +Heathen and Cairo! Your hand on it, Young Kubbeling, and yours, Maidens. +We will be fellow-travellers. Signed and sealed. Strew sand on it!" + +Hereupon Ann, who was wont to be still, shrieked loudly and cast herself +first on my cousin's neck and then on mine and then on my uncle's; he +indeed stood as though deeply offended, as likewise did my good godfather +Christian. Yet they would not speak, that they might not mar our joy, +albeit Uncle Pfinzing growled forth that our plan was sheer youthful +folly, wilfulness, and the like. "At any rate it is an unlaid egg, so +long as my wife has not added mustard to the peppered broth," Uncle +Conrad declared, and he departed to carry tidings to my aunt of what +mad folly these women's heads had brewed. + +Even Kubbeling shook his head, albeit he spoke not, inasmuch as he knew +that it was hard to contend with the powers beyond seas. + +He and Cousin Maud had ever been on terms of good-fellowship with Uncle +Christian, but to-day my uncle was ill to please; neither look nor word +had he for his heart's darling, Ann; and when he presently recovered +somewhat, be stormed around, with so red a face and such furious ire +that we feared lest he should have another dizzy stroke, saying "that +Kubbeling and Cousin Maud might be ashamed of themselves, inasmuch as +they were old enough to know better and were acting like a pair of +young madcaps." And thus he went on, till it was overmuch for the +Brunswicker's endurance, and on a sudden he cried out in great wrath that +that he had promised was in truth not wise, forasmuch as that he would +gain nought but mischief thereby, yet that it concerned him alone and he +took it all on himself, although Master Pfinzing might yet ask for why +and to what end he should risk a hurt by it, whereas, to his knowledge, +the ill-starred Junker Schopper could be little more to him than the man +in the moon. He was wont, quoth he, to take good care not to risk his +skin for other folks, but in this matter it seemed to him not too dear a +bargain. Neither the stoutest will nor the strongest fist might avail +against Mistress Ursula, the veriest witch in all the land of Egypt; +a better head was needed for that, than the heavy brain-pan which God +Almighty had set on his short neck, and yet he had sworn to bring her +knavery to nought. Our faithful hearts and shrewd heads would be the aid +he needed. He trusted to Cousin Maud to dare to dance with old Nick +himself, if need should arise. And he was man enough to protect us all +three. And now Master Pfinzing knew all about it and, if he yet craved +to hear more, he would find him among the birds, whereas Uhlwurm was to +depart on his way with them that very day, without him. + +And he turned his back on my uncle, and quitted the chamber with a heavy +tread; but he turned on the threshold and cried: "Yet keep your lips from +telling what you have in your mind, Master, and in especial to those who +are at their meal in there, as touching that Tetzel-adder; for the wind +flies over seas faster than we can." + +While he spoke thus Uncle Christian had recovered his temper, and he +followed after Kubbeling with such a haste as his huge body would allow, +nor was it to quarrel with him any more. + +The rest, who had sat at breakfast, had by good hap heard nought of our +disputing, by reason that Master Windecke had so much new matter for +discourse that every ear hung on his words; and he, again, forgot to eat +while he talked. In Cousin Maud, indeed, as she hearkened to my +godfather's wrathful speech, certain doubts had arisen; yet even stronger +resistance would never have turned her aside from anything she deemed +truly good and right; howbeit she was more than willing to leave it to us +to settle matters with Aunt Jacoba. We went up-stairs to her, and at her +chamber door our courage failed us, inasmuch as we could hear through the +door my uncle's angry speech, and that laugh which my aunt was wont to +utter when aught came to her ears which she was not fain to hear. + +"And if she were to say No?" said I to Ann. Hereupon a right sorrowful +and painful cloud overspread her face, and it was in a dejected tone that +she answered me that then indeed all must be at an end, and her fondest +hopes nipped, by reason that she owed more to Mistress Waldstromer than +ever she could repay, and whatsoever she might undertake against her will +would of a certainty come to no good end. And we heard my aunt's laugh +again; but then I took heart, and raised the latch, and Ann led the way +into the chamber. + +Howbeit, if we had cherished the smallest hope without, within it failed +us wholly. As we went in my uncle was standing close by my aunt; his +back was towards us, and he saw us not; but his mien alone showed us that +he was wroth and provoked: his voice quaked as he cried aloud with a +shrug of his shoulders and his hand uplifted: "Such a purpose is sheer +madness and most unseemly!" + +Then, when for the third time I coughed to make our presence known to +him, he turned his red face towards us, and cried out in great fury: +"Here you are to answer for yourselves; and come what may, this at least +shall be said: 'If mischief comes of it, I wash my hands in innocence!'" + +Whereupon he went in all haste to the door and had lifted his hand to +slam it to, when he minded him of his beloved wife's sick health and +gently shut it and softly dropped the latch. + +We stood in front of Aunt Jacoba, and could scarce believe our eyes and +ears when she opened wide her arms and, with beaming eyes, cried in a +voice of glad content: "Come, come to my heart, children! Oh, you good, +dear, brave maids! Why, why am I so old, so fettered, so sick a +creature? Why may I not go with you?" + +At her first words we had fallen on our knees by her side, and she +fervently clasped our heads to her bosom, kissed our lips and foreheads, +and cried, with ever-streaming eyes: "Yes, children, yes! It is brave, +and the right way; Courage and true love are not dead in the hearts of +the women of Nuremberg. Ah, and how many a time have I imagined that I +might myself rise and fly after my froward, dear, unduteous exile, my own +Gotz, be he where he may, over mountains and seas to the ends of the +earth!--I, a hapless, suffering skeleton! Yet what is denied to the +old, the young may do, and the Virgin and all the Saints shall guard you! +And Kubbeling, Young-Kubbeling, that bravest, truest Seyfried! Bring him +up to speak with me. So rough and so good!--My old man, to be sure, must +storm and rave, but then his feeble and sickly nobody of a little wife +can wind him round her finger. Leave him to me, and be sure you shall +win his blessing." After noon Uhlwurm and the waggon of birds set forth +to Frankfort, where Kubbeling's eldest son was tarrying to meet his +father with fresh falcons. Or ever the grim old grey-beard mounted his +horse, he whispered to Ann: "Truest of maidens, find some device to move +Seyfried to take me in your fellowship to the land of Egypt, and I will +work a charm which shall of a surety give your lover back to you, if +indeed he is not. . . ." and he was about to cry "gone" as was his +wont; yet he refrained himself and spoke it not. Young Kubbeling tarried +at the Forest-lodge; and as for my uncle, it was soon plain enough that +my aunt had been in the right in the matter; nay, when we went home to +the city, meseemed as though he and his wife had from the first been of +one mind. Our purpose pleased him better as he learned to believe more +surely that our little women's wits would peradventure be able to find +his wandering son, and to tempt him to return to his father's forest +home. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +We carefully obeyed Kubbeling's counsel that we should keep our purpose +dark, and it remained hidden even from the guests at the lodge. On the +other hand they had been told all that Herdegen's letter had contained, +and that it was Ursula who was pursuing him with such malignant spite. +Yet albeit we bound over each one to hold his peace on the matter in +Nuremberg, no woman, nor perchance no man either, could keep such strange +doings privy from near kith and kin; and whereas we might not tell what +in truth it was which stood in the way of our brothers' homecoming, it +was rumored among our cousins and gossips that some vast and unattainable +sum was needed to ransom the two young Schoppers. And other marvellous +reports got abroad, painting my brother's slavery in terrible colors. + +At first this made me wroth, but presently it provoked me less, inasmuch +as that great compassion was aroused; and those very citizens and dames +who of old were wont to chide Herdegen as a limb of Satan, and would have +gladly seen him led to the gallows, now remembered him otherwise. Yea, +fellow-feeling hath kindly eyes, widely open to all that is good, and +willing to be shut to all that is evil, and so it came to pass that the +noble gifts of the poor slave now lost to the town, were lauded to the +skies. Hereupon came a letter from my lord Cardinal with these tidings +of good comfort: that he was willing to administer extreme unction to my +grand-uncle Im Hoff, if his life should be in peril when his eminence +returned from England. Our next letters were, by his order, to find him +at Brussels, and when old Dame Pernhart had given her consent to our +journeying to the land of Egypt--whereas Aunt Jacoba held her wisdom and +shrewd wit in high honor,--and had moved her son and Dame Giovanna to do +likewise, Ann wrote a long letter to my lord Cardinal, the venerable head +of the Pernhart family, setting forth in touching words for what cause +and to what end she had dared so bold a venture. She besought his aid +and blessing, and declared that the inward voice, which he had taught her +to obey, gave her assurance that the purpose she had in hand was pleasing +in the eyes of God and the Virgin. + +I, for my part, could never have writ so fair a letter; and how calmly +would Ann now fulfil the duties of each day, while Cousin Maud, albeit +her feet scarce might carry her, was here, there, and everywhere, like a +Will-o'-the-Wisp. + +Ann it was who first conceived the idea of going with Young Kubbeling +to the Futterers' house and there making enquiries as to the roads to +Genoa, and also concerning the merchants who might there be found ready +and willing to ship his falcons for sale in Alexandria; inasmuch as that +it was only by journeying in a galleon which sailed not from Venice that +we could escape Ursula's spies; and that Kubbeling should suffer loss +through us we could by no means allow. And whereas old Master Futterer +himself was now in Nuremberg, he declared himself willing to buy the +birds on account of his own house, at the same price as the traders in +Venice; nor was the Brunswicker any whit loth, forasmuch as that he might +presently get a better price on the Lido, when it should be known that he +had other ways and means at his command. Also the journey by Genoa gave +us this advantage: that we were bound to no time or season. Old Master +Futterer pledged himself to find a ship at any time when Kubbeling should +need it. + +Whereas we purposed to set forth in the middle of December, we went to +the forest-lodge early in that month, and as it was with me at that time, +so, for sure, must it be with the swallows and the nightingales or ever +they fly south over mountains and seas. Never had the pure air been +sweeter, never had I looked forward to the future with greater hope and +strength or higher purpose. And my feeble, sickly Aunt Jacoba, meseemed, +was like-minded with me. In spirit, ever eager, she was with us already +in that distant region, and albeit of old she ever had preferred Ann +above me, now on a sudden the tables were turned; she could never see +enough of me, and when at last Ann was fain to go home to town with Uncle +Christian, she besought so pressingly that I would stay with her that I +was bound to yield; and indeed I was well content to tarry there, the +forest being now in all its glory. + +The daintiest lace was hung over the frosted trees. They had been +dipped, meseemed, in melted silver and crystal, and the whole forest was +broidered over with shining enamel and thickly strewn with clear diamond +sparks. And how brightly everything glittered when the sun rose up from +the morning mist, and blazed down on all this glory from a blue sky! +At night the moon lighted up the frosted forest with a softer and more +loving ray, and till a late hour I would gaze forth at it, or up at the +starry vault where the shooting stars came flying across from the dark +blue deep. Now it is well-known to many who are still in their green +youth that, whensoever it befalls that we are in the act of thinking of +some heartfelt wish just as a star falls, it is sure of fulfilment; and +behold, on the very next night, as I was gazing upwards and wondering in +my heart whether indeed we might be able to rescue my brothers, and to +find my Cousin Gotz as his sick mother so fervently hoped, a bright star +fell, as it were right in front of me. Whereupon I went to bed in such +good cheer and so sure of myself as I have rarely felt before or since +that night. + +And next morning, as I went to my aunt in high spirits and happy mood, +she perceived that some good hap had befallen me. Then, when I had told +her what I had had in my mind as the star fell which, as little children +believe, is dropped from the hand of an angel blinded by the glory of +Almighty God, she looked me in the face with a sad smile and bid me sit +down by her side. And she took my hand in hers and opened her heart so +wide as she had never done till this hour. It was plain to see that she +had long been biding her time for this full and free discourse, and she +confessed that she had never shown me such love and care as were indeed +my due. The mere sight of me had ever hurt the open wound, inasmuch as +long ago, or ever I first went to school, her fondest hopes had been set +on me. She had looked on me ever as her only son's future wife, and Gotz +himself had been of the same mind, whereas in his boyhood, and even when +his beard was coming, he loved nought better than little Margery in her +red hood. + +And she reminded me now of many a kind act her son had done me, and how +that once on a time, when my lord the High Constable had bidden him with +other lads to Kadolzburg, which she and my uncle took as a great honor, +he had said, No, he would not go from home, by reason that Cousin Maud +was to come that day and bring me with her. + + [Kadolzburg--A country lodge belonging to the High Constables of the + city of Nuremberg, and their favorite resort, even after they had + became Electors of Brandenburg. It was at about three miles and a + half west of the town] + +Whereupon arose his first sharp dispute with his parents, and when my +uncle threatened that he would carry him thither by force he had stolen +away into the woods, and stayed all night with some bee-keeper folk, and +not come home till midday on the morrow, when it was too late to ride to +the Castle in good time. 'To punish him for this he was locked up; but +hearing my voice below he had let himself down by the gutter-pipe, seized +my hand, and ran away to the woods with me, nor did he come back till Ave +Maria. And hereupon he was soundly thrashed, albeit he was even then a +great lad and of good counsel in all matters. + +My uncle's wrath at that time had dwelt in my mind, but my share in the +matter was new to me and brought the color to my face. Howbeit, I deemed +it might have been better if my aunt had never told me; for though it was +indeed good to hear and gladdened my soul, yet it would hinder me from +looking Gotz freely in the face if by good hap I should meet him. + +Then she went on to tell me in full all that had befallen my cousin +until he had gone forth to wander. When they had parted in wrath, he had +written to her from the town to say that if she were steadfast in her +displeasure he should seek a new home for himself and his sweetheart in a +far country; and she had sent him a letter to tell him that her arms were +ever open to receive him, but that rather than suffer the only son and +heir of the old and noble race of Waldstromer to throw himself away on a +craftsman's daughter, she would never more set eyes on him whom she loved +with all her heart. Never more, and she swore it by the Saviour's wounds +with the crucifix in her hand, should his parents' doors be opened to him +unless he gave up the coppersmith's daughter and besought his mother's +pardon. + +And now the sick old woman bewailed her stern hardness and her over-hasty +oath with bitter tears; Gotz had been faithful to his Gertrude in despite +of her letter, and when, three years later, the tidings reached him that +his sweetheart had pined away for grief and longing, and departed this +life with his name on her lips, he had written in the wild anguish of his +young soul that, now Gertrude was dead, he had nought more to crave of +his parents; and that whereas his mother had sworn with her hand on the +image of the Saviour never to open her doors to him till he had renounced +his sweet, pure love, he now made an oath not less solemn and binding, +by the image of the Crucified Christ, that he would never turn homewards +till she bid him thither of her own free will, and owned that she +repented her of that innocent maid's early death, whereas there was not +her like among all the noble maidens of Nuremberg, whatever their names +might be. + +This letter I read myself, and I plainly saw that these twain had sadly +marred their best joy in life by over-hasty ire. Albeit, I knew full +well how stubborn a spirit was Aunt Jacoba's, I nevertheless strove to +move her to send a letter to her son bidding him home; yet she would not, +though she bewailed herself sorely. + +"Only one thing of those he requires of me can I in all truth grant him," +quoth she. "If you find him, you may tell him that his mother sends her +fondest blessing, and assure him of my heart's deepest devotion; nay, and +let him understand that I am pining with longing for him, and that I obey +his will inasmuch as that I truly mourn the death of his beloved; +for that is verily the truth, the Virgin and the Saints be my witness. +Yet I may not and I will not open my doors to him till he has craved my +forgiveness, and if I did so he must think of his own mother as a +perjured woman." + +Hereupon I showed her--and my eyes overflowed--that his oath stood forth +as against her oath, and that one was as weighty as the other in the +sight of the Most High. + +"Set aside that cruel vow, my dear aunt," cried I, "I will make any +pilgrimage with you, and I know full well that no penance will seem +overhard to you." + +"No, no, of a surety, Margery, no!" she replied with a groan. "And the +Chaplain said the like to me long ago; and yet I feel in my heart that +you and he are in the wrong. An oath sworn by Christ's wounds!--Moreover +I am the elder and his mother, he is the younger and my son. It is his +part to come to me, and if he then shall make a pilgrimage it shall be to +Rome and the Holy Sepulchre. He has time before him in which to do any +penance the Holy Church may require of him. I--I would lay me on the +rack only to see him once more, I would fast and scourge myself till my +dying day; but I am his mother, and he is my son, and it is his part to +take the first step, not mine who bore him." + +How warmly I urged her again and again, and how often was she on the +point of yielding to her heart's loud outcry! Yet she ever came back to +the same point: that it ill-beseemed her to be the first to put forth her +hand, albeit her every feeling drove her to it. + +The letters sent to Gotz had reached him through a merchant's house in +Venice. This his parents knew, and they had long since charged Kunz to +inquire where he dwelt. Yet had his pains been for nought, inasmuch as +the banished youth had forbidden the traders to tell any one, whosoever +might ask. Howbeit my uncle had implored his son in many a letter to +mind him of his mother's sickness, and come home; and in his answers +Gotz had many a time given his parents assurance of his true and loving +devotion; yet had he kept his oath, and tarried beyond seas. These +letters likewise did my aunt show me, and while I read them she charged +me to make it my duty not to quit that merchant's house and to take no +rest until I had learned where her son was dwelling: saying that what an +Italian might deny to a man a fair young maiden might yet obtain of him. + +It was not yet dusk when Master Ulsenius came and broke off our +discourse. He had come forth in part to see Eppelein, and presently, +when a lamp was brought, as we stood by the faithful lad he called me by +name, and then Uncle Conrad, and said that albeit he was weary of limb he +was easy and comfortable; that he felt a smart now and then, and in +especial about his neck, yet that troubled him but little, inasmuch as +that it plainly showed him that the thought which had haunted him, that +he was really killed and in a darksome hell, was but a horrible dream. + +Then when he had spoken thus much, with great pains, his pale face turned +red on a sudden, and again he asked, as he had many times in his +sickness, where was his master's letter. Hereupon I hastily told him +that we had hunted down the robbers and rescued it, and it was a joy to +see how much comfort and delight this was to him. And when he had +swallowed a good cup of strong Malvoisie, he could sit up, and enquired +if the Baron von Im Hoff were minded to satisfy the Sultan's over-great +demand. And to this I replied, to give him easement, that we had good +reason to hope so. And was his mind now clear enough to enable him to +remember how great a sum was demanded for ransom? + +He smiled craftily, and said that even as a dead man he could scarce have +forgotten that, by reason that he had muttered the words to himself on +his way oftener than any old monk mumbles his Paternoster. And when +Uncle Conrad laughed and bid him jestingly repeat it, he said, like a +school boy who is sure of his task: "For Master Herdegen Schopper, slave +of the said unbeliever Abou Sef--[Father of the scimitar]--in the armory +of Sultan Burs Bey in the Castle of Cairo, a ransom is demanded of +twenty-four thousand Venice sequins. George--Christina! Death and fire +on the head of the misbelieving wretch!" + +When we heard this we all believed that he had of a surety been wrong as +to the sum or the coin, likewise we thought his last strange words were +due to a wandering mind; howbeit, we were soon to learn that verily his +tidings were the truth. He forthwith went on to say with some pains that +his master had made him to use a means by which he might remember the +number from all others in case, by ill-hap, the letter should be lost. +And on this wise he gave us to know for certain that the vast sum +demanded was not an error on his part. It was to this end that he had +stamped on his memory the names of Saint George and Saint Christina, +whose days in the calendar are on the 24th of April and the 24th of July, +and the number of thousands named for the ransom was likewise four and +twenty. Also Herdegen had bid him think of twice the twelve apostles, +and of the twenty-four hours from midnight till midnight again. It would +seem beyond belief to most folks, he said, yet it was indeed twenty-four +thousand, and not hundred, sequins which that devilish Sultan has asked, +as indeed we must know from the letter. Presently, when he had rested a +while, we made him tell us more, and we learned that the Sultan had been +minded to set Herdegen free without price, and he would have had him led +forthwith to the imprisoned King Janus of Cyprus, to whom he thought he +might thus do a pleasure, but that Ursula Tetzel, who was standing by +with her husband, had whispered to the Sultan that she would not see him +robbed of a great profit forasmuch as that yonder Christian slave--and +she pointed to my brother--was of one of the richest families of her +native town, who could pay a royal ransom for him and find it no great +burthen; and that the same was true of Sir Franz, who was likewise to +have been set free. Hereupon the Sultan, who at all times lacked moneys, +notwithstanding the heavy tribute he levied on all merchandise, commanded +that Herdegen and the Bohemian should be led away again and then he asked +this overweening ransom. Then Ursula took upon herself of her own free +will to send tidings of the Sultan's demands to the slaves' kith and kin, +and of her deep malice had never done so. + +That evening we might not hear how and on what authority Eppelein knew +all this, for much talking had wearied him. All we could then learn was +that it was Ursula, and none other, whom the lad would still speak of as +the She-devil, who had plotted the snare which had well nigh cost my +other brother his life. Yet had he left him so far amended that he, +Eppelein, would be glad to be no worse. + +Albeit these tidings of Kunz were good to cheer us, our hopes of +ransoming Herdegen were indeed far away, or rather in the realm of +nevermore; even if my grand-uncle were possessed of so great a sum, it +was a question whether he would be willing to pay it; and as for us, we +could never have raised it at the cost of all our fortune. At that time +the Venice sequin and Nuremberg gulden were not far asunder in value, and +what the sum of twenty-four thousand gulden meant any man may imagine +when I say that, no more than twelve years sooner, the liberty of coining +for the whole city was granted by the Emperor Sigismund to Herdegen +Valzner for four thousand Rhenish gulden; and that Master Ulman Stromer +purchased his fine dwelling-house behind the chapel of Our Lady, with the +houses pertaining thereto, and his share in the Rigler's house for two +thousand eight hundred gulden. For such a sum as was demanded a whole +street in Nuremberg might have been sold; nay, the great castle of +Malmsbach on the Pegnitz would lately have been bought by the city for a +thousand Rhenish gulden, but that Master Ulrich Rummel, whose it was, +would not part with it. And we were now required to pay the price of two +dozen such strongholds! It was indeed an unheard-of and devilish +extortion; and when Kubbeling came to hear of it he turned his wild-cat- +skin pocket inside out, and fell to raging and storming. + +Aunt Jacoba turned pale when she heard the great sum named, and she +likewise was of opinion that old Im Hoff, who had of late been spending +much money in vows and foundations, would never give forth so vast a sum. +The richest families in Nuremberg might be moved to pay fifty, and at the +most a hundred gulden for the ransom of a Christian and a fellow- +countryman, but if even twenty might be found so open-handed, which was +not to be looked for, and if my godfather Christian Pfinzing, and the +Waldstromers, and the Hallers should do their utmost, and we should give +the greater part of all our possessions, we could scarce make it up to +twenty-four thousand sequins if my grand-uncle did not help. + +Thus after a day of hope came a first night of despairing, and many +another must follow, and I was to know once more that misfortunes never +come singly. + +I had hoped of a surety to speak with Eppelein once more or ever I +departed at noon, and to ask him of many matters; howbeit, when I went up +to his chamber Master Ulsenius met me with a face of care and told me +that the poor fellow was again wandering in his wits. When I presently +went forth from the house, a bee-keeper's waggon was slowly moving from +the court-yard. The housewife waved her hand, and from beneath the tilt +the face of Dame Henneleinlein looked at me with a scornful grin. Since +her evil demeanor at the Pernbarts' they had closed their house on her, +and when she had dared once to go to the Schopperhof, thence likewise had +she been shut out, and thus she felt no good-will towards us. Now when I +enquired of the housekeeper what might be the end and reason for this +visit, the woman hid beneath her apron a jar of honey which the old dame +had given her as a sweetmeat for the children; and she gave me to +understand that the worthy lady had come forth to the forest to collect +her widow's dues of honey, and had tarried on her way for a little +friendly discourse. But methought that "little" must have had some +strange meaning, inasmuch as the housewife's withered cheeks were of the +color of a robin's breast. Hereupon I threatened her with my finger, and +enquired of her whether she had not betrayed more to the evil-tongued +old woman than she ought, but she eagerly denied the charge. + +My ride home to the town after noon was not altogether a pleasant one, +by reason that icy rain poured from heaven in streams, mingled with snow. +The further we went the worse the roads were, and yet when my companions +turned at the city-gate to ride homewards again, a strange, fierce +confidence came upon me. Whether it were that the wet which ran off from +me and my stout horse had singularly refreshed me, or whether it was the +steadfast purpose I had set as I rode along, to risk my all to the end +that I might redeem my brethren, I know not. But to this hour I mind me +that, as I rode in through the dark streets, my heart beat high with +contentment, and that had I been such another man as Herdegen I might +have been ready enough to pick a quarrel with the first who should have +said me nay. + +Thus I fared on past my grand-uncle's house; there I beheld from afar a +lighted lantern, as it were a glow-worm at midsummer, moving along the +street, and when I perceived that it was none other than old +Henneleinlein who carried it, I put my horse, which till now had been +wading through the mire step by step, to a swift gallop, as fast as he +might go, and the servingman behind me, passing close by her. And what +simple glee was mine when our horses splashed the old woman from head to +foot, inasmuch as I wist for certain that she could have stolen to my +grand-uncle's house at that late hour to no end but to reveal whatsoever +she might have picked up from her friend and gossip at the forest-lodge. + +Thus I reached home in better cheer than I had hoped; and when Susan told +me that Cousin Maud was in the kitchen ordering the supper, I crept up- +stairs, hastily changed my wet raiment, sent forth my man to tell Ann +that she was to come to me, and then, in the best chamber, I fetched +forth the elecampane wine which I had ever found the best remedy when my +cousin needed some strength. Nor was my care in vain; for when I had +told her, little by little, as it were in small doses, all the tidings I +had heard yesterday, and ended with the great and cruel price demanded by +the Sultan, she shrieked aloud and clasped her hands to her heart in such +wise that I was verily in great fear. Then the elecampane wine did good +service; yet was it not till she had drunk of it many times that her +tongue spoke plainly again. And presently, when she was able to wag it, +it went on for a long time with no pause nor rest, in sheer impatience +and godless railing. + +When she had thus relieved her mind, she began pacing up and down the +floor on one and the same plank, like a lion in its cage, and to call to +mind, one by one, all our earthly possessions, and to reckon at how we +might attain to selling it for gold. The whole sum was not much to +comfort us, for her worldly estate, like that of the Waldstromers, was in +land, and in these days of peril from the Hussites it was hard enough to +sell landed property, and her best portion was in meads and pasture and a +few vineyards near Wurzburg. + +It was from the first her fixed intent, as though it were a matter of +course, to give everything she had, down to her jewels; and whereas she +conceived, and rightly, that for Herdegen's sake I should be like-minded, +she asked me no questions but added to it in her mind, the Schopper +jewels which had come to me from my father and mother, and then began to +count and reckon. It might perchance come to so much as eleven thousand +sequins if we sold all we had to sell; yet our inheritance lay in +Chancery, and, as she knew full well, not a farthing thereof might be +given up but with the full and well-proven authority of Herdegen and +Kunz. Nor might I even have that which was mine own, by reason that our +inheritance had never been shared, and our houses and lands had not been +valued at a price. Thus I must have long patience or ever I came by my +own; all the more so whereas the gentlemen of the Chancery were required +to answer for the wealth of orphans in their keeping with their own. + +Hereupon we again thought of my grand-uncle, and Cousin Maud declared +that he would of a certainty be ready to pay half the required ransom for +a purpose so pleasing in the eyes of God, and that the other half might +be raised by the help of our friends. Then she was fain to think of the +future. And the longer she did so, even when Ann had come to us and had +been told all our tidings, the better cheer she showed; nay, it might +have been conceived that it would be a far more easy and delightful +matter to live in narrow poverty than in superfluous riches, and +thereupon she put me in mind how that many a time, when the men-folks +were away from home, she and I had been content to make good cheer with +some sweet porridge, and had very gladly dined without flesh-meat, which +was so costly. We should be free from the vexation of so many serving- +men and wenches; and whereas of late she had been forced to turn Brigitta +out of the house, had she not herself scarce escaped a fever from sheer +worry of mind. Susan would ever be true to us; she would be ready to +share our poverty with us, and the unresting up-stairs and down had long +been a torment to her old feet. + +The Magister was a well-disposed man, and if he found it an over-hard +matter to depart from us we might very gladly let him board with us, if +he could be content to live with us in her little house in the +Grassmarket, in which Rosmuller now dwelt. There was no lack of good +home-spun cloth in Nuremberg; nay, and if we should never again have new +garments that would be all the better for our souls' health. As for me, +I might perchance have fewer suitors, but if one should pay his court to +me, he would have no thought but for Margery, and how she looked and +moved. Nay, take it for all in all, we owed much thanks to Ursula and +the reprobate heathen Sultan if we were by their means brought low from +ill-starred wealth and ease to God-pleasing poverty. + +Ann was far less horror-struck at the fearful sum of the ransom than we +had been, by reason that she was ever possessed by the assurance that +Heaven had created her and Herdegen for each other, and would bring them +together at last. + +Moreover she had good cause to build her hopes on my grand-uncle's help. +In a letter from the Cardinal to her he said that now, as of old, he +could only counsel her to follow the voice of her heart; that he would +put no hindrance in the way of our departing, albeit he urgently prayed +us to put it off till after his homecoming, which should now be in a +short space. She was to let Baron Im Hoff know that he was ready to do +his will, albeit he hoped at his coming to find him in mended health. +She had forthwith carried these good tidings to my grand-uncle, and they +had so uplifted and comforted his heart that verily it seemed as though +my lord Cardinal's good hopes might find fulfilment. And this very +morning she had seen him, and a right strange mind had come over him; he +had enquired of her straitly, and as though it was to him a great matter, +all that she could tell him of my lord Cardinal's way of life, of the +duties of his office and the like; and whereas she answered him that of +all these matters she knew but little, yet had she heard from his own +mouth that his eminence was bound in thankfulness to his Holiness the +Pope, by reason that he had made him to be high Almoner of the Papal +treasury and thus put it into his power to do many good works; and this +she deemed, had brought great easement to my granduncle. Then when she +rose to depart from him, he had sent his serving-man to bid Master +Holzschuher, the notary, to come to him, and to bring with him two +trustworthy witnesses duly sworn to secrecy. As he bid her farewell he +had laughed, and whispered to her that his Eminence the Cardinal would be +well-content with old Im Hoff, yea, and she likewise, and her lover. + +All this gave us matter for thought, and also gave us good heart; only it +weighed upon our souls that our departing was not to be yet for some +weeks. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +Next morning Cousin Maud let me see in a right pleasant way how truly she +was in earnest in the matter of thrift henceforth; she would take but one +small pat of butter from the country wench who brought it, she sent away +the butcher's man and would have no flesh meat, and at breakfast she +abstained from butter on her bread, as she was wont to eat it. Likewise +the chain and the great gold pin which she ever wore from morning till +night, flashing on her bosom like a watchman's lantern, were now laid +aside, and while I was eating my porridge she showed me the coffer +wherein she had bestowed all she possessed of rings, pins, and the like, +which she would presently take to the weigh-house to be weighed and then +to a goldsmith to be valued. Howbeit, when I was fain to do likewise +with my jewels she would not have it so, inasmuch as youth, quoth she, +needed such bravery, and first we must learn how great a portion of the +ransom my grand-uncle would take upon himself to pay. + +Hereupon, in fulfilment of my purpose yestereve, I made it my hard duty +to carry the evil tidings to the old baron, and humbly to remind him of +his promise to take care for Herdegen's ransom. It was raining heavily, +and a wet west wind whistled along the miry streets. It was weariful to +wade through them, and when at last I reached the Im Hoff house Master +Ulsenius called to me down the stairs: "Silence, Mistress Margery; there +is worse weather in here than without doors!" + +Thus as I went into the overheated chamber, I saw there was no good to be +hoped for: yet were matters worse than I had looked to find them. So +soon as my grand-uncle set eyes on me he frowned darkly, his hollow eyes +had an angry glare and, without answering my good-day, he croaked at me: +"You hoped that the old man might have passed away into eternity or ever +you set forth on your wild adventure? Hah, hah But you are mistaken. I +shall yet be granted time enough to show you whom you have to deal with, +as it has likewise been enough to show me what you truly are! Whereas I +trusted to have found a faithful and wise brain, what have I seen? +Loveless and malignant privity, miserable folly, and such schemes as +might have been dreamed of in a mad-house!" + +"But, uncle, only hearken," I tried to say, and forthwith the idea fell +into my mind, which I afterwards found to be a true one, that either +Henneleinlein, had yestereve betrayed to him or to her gossip his +housekeeper, all she had heard at the Forest Lodge. He would not suffer +me to speak to the end, but went on to chide and complain, and broke in +again and again, even when at last I found words and made it plain to him +that we had kept our purpose privy from him to no end but to save him +from grieving so long as we might; and albeit he might be wroth with us, +yet he must grant that heretofore we had ever been modest and seemly +maidens; but now, when it was a matter of life and freedom for those who +were nearest and dearest to our hearts.... + +Here he broke in with scornful laughter, and cried out that he, for his +part, might not indeed hope to be numbered among those chosen few. He +had ever known full well that when we did him any Samaritan service it +had been to no end save to draw from his purse the money to ransom my +brothers and Ann's lover. Every kind word had been pure lies and +falseness; yea, and worse than either of us were that crafty witch out +in the forest, and the old scarecrow who made boast of having been as a +mother to me. Thus far had I suffered his railing in patience, but now +it was too much for the hot blood of the Schoppers; I could refrain +myself no longer, and broke out in great wrath and reproaches for so vile +an accusation. If it were not that his age and infirmities claimed our +compassion, I would, said I, after such evil treatment, desire of Ann +that she should never more cross the threshold of a man who could so +cruelly defame us, and those two good women to whom we owed so much. + +I spoke right loudly, beside myself with rage, and my face aglow; nor was +it till I marked that my uncle was staring at me as at some marvel that I +recovered myself, and on a sudden held my peace, inasmuch as the thought +flashed through my brain that I was denying my brother even as Peter +denied the Lord, albeit not indeed through any fear of man, but by giving +way to my angered pride. Howbeit I had not long ceased when the stern +old man cried out in pitiful entreaty. + +"Nay, Margery, in the name of the Saints I pray you! You will not make +Ann my foe. How hardhearted you can be, and how wroth, and against an +old man sick unto death on the edge of the grave!--what was it, in truth, +that brought the bitter words to my tongue, but my care and fears for +you, who are verily and indeed my only comfort and all I have to love on +earth? And now when I say again: I will not suffer you to depart. +I will sacrifice all, everything to keep you from running into certain +death, will you even then threaten to leave me alone in my misery, and +to beguile Ann to desert me likewise?" + +Hereupon I spoke him fair and as lovingly as in truth I might, and +pledged my word that Ann should not set foot without the city gates or +ever my lord Cardinal had come into them, and had given him the comfort +of his blessing. And then he was of better cheer, and of his own free +will he minded me of his promise to pay certain moneys for Herdegen's +ransom; and all this he spoke full lovingly and my heart overflowed with +true and fervent thankfulness, so that I took his thin hand and kissed +it. Howbeit, he knew not yet how great a sum was needed: and whereas I +was about to prepare his mind for the worst, Ann came into the chamber, +and as soon as my grand-uncle saw her he cried out in glad good cheer: +"Thank God, sweet maid, all is peace between us again. You forego your +mad purpose, and I--I will pay the ransom." At this Ann flew to his side +and thanked him, with overflowing eyes, and little by little we led him +on, till he cried out: "Well, well, children, they surely cannot set the +price of a kingdom on that young scapegrace Schopper's head!" + +So Ann took courage, and told him that Ursula had, of her deep malice, +declared that Herdegen was one of the richest youths of Germany, and that +by reason of this the Sultan had demanded the great price of twenty-four +thousand sequins. + +The truth was out; I marvelled to mark that my grand-uncle was not +dismayed as I had looked to see him; nay, but he laughed aloud and said: +"That would indeed be somewhat new and strange! You children would ever +rack your brains over the Italian poets rather than over matters of mine +and thine, albeit that is the axis on which the world turns. There +would, in truth, be no justice in so vast a sum, but that in the markets +of Egypt they reckon in Venice sequins with none but the Franks; nigh +upon thirteen of their dirhems go to the gold sequin, and thus we have- +let me reckon--the old trader has not forgotten his skill on his sick- +bed--we have one thousand eight hundred and forty and six sequins; and +that is a vast ransom still such as is never paid but for lords of the +highest degree. Four and twenty thousand sequins!" And again he laughed +aloud. "It is easily spoken, children, but you cannot even guess what it +would mean. Believe me when I tell you that many a well-to-do merchant +in Nuremberg, who is at the head of a fine trade, would be at his wits' +end if he were desired to pay down half of your four and twenty thousand +sequins in hard coin!" + +Then I took up my parable and told him how Eppelein had stamped the sum +on his mind, and that he for certain was in the right, both as to the sum +and as to the Venice sequins, forasmuch as that Herdegen, to the end that +he might know it rightly, had told him that they should be ducats such as +he had three in a red stuff wrapper, and Kunz and I likewise each two, in +our money-boxes as christening-gifts. + +Now while I thus spoke the old man was sorely troubled, and his wax-white +face turned paler at each word. He raised himself up, leaning on the +arms of the great chair, so high that we were filled with amazement, and +he gazed about him with his glassy eyes and then said, still holding +himself up: "That, that.... And yesterday, only yesterday.... The +captive himself.... Four and twenty thousand sequins, do you say?.... +and I--oh, what were my words?.... But what old Im Hoff promises that he +will do.... And yet.... If you maids had but been duteous children, if +you had but come to me first, as trustful daughters.... Only yesterday I +might--Yes, perchance I might...." And then he stormed forth: "But who +is there indeed to care for me? Who ever comes nigh me with true love +and honest trustfulness? Not one, no, not one!.... Ursula--the lad whom +from an infant--and you--both of you, what have you done?.... Yesterday, +only yesterday!.... But to-day .... Four and twenty thousand sequins!" +His arms on a sudden failed him, and he sank back in a deep swoon, his +colorless face drooping on his shoulder. Now, while we did all in our +power to revive him, and while one serving-man ran for the leech and +another for the friar, meseemed that the old man's left side was +strangely stiff and numb; yet the low flame of his feeble life was still +burning. + +Howbeit, when Master Ulsenius had let blood the old man opened his right +eye; and when presently he was able to say: "Book," and then again +"Book," we perceived by sundry signs that what he craved was water, and +that he spoke one word for another. And thus it was till his chief +confessor, Master Leonard Derrer, the reverend Prior of the Dominicans, +came in with the sacristan, to administer to him extreme unction. But +now, when the reverend Father came toward the dying man with the Body of +the Lord, there was so dreadful and sorrowful a sight to be seen as I may +never forget to my latter day. Instead of receiving that Holy Sacrament +in all thankful humility, my grand-uncle thrust away my lord Prior--a +whitebearded old man, of a venerable and commanding presence--with great +fury and ungoverned rage, storming at him in strangely-mingled words, +which for sure, he meant for others, but in a voice and with a mien which +plainly showed that he would have nought of that Messenger of Grace. And +from time to time he turned that eye he could use on Ann, and albeit he +spoke one word for another, he made shift many times to repeat the +Cardinal's name with impatient bidding, so that it was not hard to +understand his meaning and his intent to receive the Viaticum from none +other than that high prelate. + +Howbeit, to us it seemed nothing less than treason to the dying man to +interpret this to my lord Prior, in especial since my grand-uncle had, +but now, shown us so much favor. Indeed we were moved to show him all +loving kindness. Ann held his hand in hers, and whispered to him again +and again that he should take patience, and that his Eminence was already +on his way and would ere long be here. The reverend Prior showed indeed +true Christian forbearance, thinking that the departing soul was more +sorely troubled than was in truth the fact. He heeded not the old man's +threats and struggles, but stood in silence at his post, and when +presently the old Baron's hand dropped lifeless from Ann's grasp he sent +us from the chamber. + +We could hear through the door the good priest's voice in prayer and +benediction, pronouncing absolution over the dying man, and at times my +grand uncle's wrathful tones, feeble indeed, but terrible to hear. Each +time he broke in on the Prior's pious words we shuddered, and when at +last the priest rang his little bell a great terror fell upon us, whereas +this ordinance is wont to bring comfort and edification to the soul. + +We had been on our knees some long space, praying fervently for that +hapless, imperilled soul, when the door was opened, and my lord Prior +declared in a loud voice that the noble Baron and Knight Sebald Im Hoff +had made a good end after receiving the most holy Sacrament. + +Then thought I, a good end peradventure, by the grace of Christ and the +Virgin, but a peaceful end alas! by no means. And this might be seen +even in the dead man's face. In later years, whensoever it has been my +lot to gaze on the face of the dead, I have ever perceived that death +hath lent them an aspect of peaceful calm so that the saying of common +folk, that the Angel of Death hath kissed them is right fitting; but my +grand-uncle's face was as that of a man whose dignity is broken by a +mightier than he, and who hath suffered it in silent, gloomy rebellion. + +With all our might and soul we prayed for him again and again; howbeit, +as must ever befall, other cares came crowding in, to swallow up that +one. As soon as the tidings of the old noble's death were rumored +abroad, those who had known him in life came pouring in, and messengers +from the town-council, notaries with sealing-wax and seals, priests for +the burying, neighbors, and other good folk, and among them many friars +and nuns. Lastly came Doctor Holzschuher of the council, my grand- +uncle's notary, and one of our own father's most trusted friends, in all +points a man of such worth and honesty that no words befit him so well as +the Cardinal's saying: that he reminded him of an oak of the German +forests. + +When, now, this man, who in his youth had been one of the goodliest in +all Nuremberg, and who was still of noble aspect with his long silver- +grey hair lying on his shoulders--when he now greeted us maids well-nigh +gloomily, and with no friendly beck or nod, we knew forthwith that he +must have great and well-founded fears for our concerns. Yea, and so it +was. Presently, when he had held grave discourse with the High Treasurer +and the other chief men of the council, he called to him Cousin Maud and +me, and told us that old Im Hoff's latest dealing was such, to all +seeming, as to take from us all hope that our inheritance from him should +help us to pay the ransom for Herdegen. And on the morrow his will would +be opened and read and we should learn thereby in what way that old man +had cared for those who were nearest and dearest to him. + +Hereupon we had no choice but to bury many a fair hope in the grave; and +notwithstanding this, we might owe no grudge to the departed; for albeit +he had cared first and chiefly for the salvation of his own sinful soul, +he nevertheless had taken thought to provide for my brothers and likewise +for Ann and to keep the pledge he had given. Never in all his days--and +this was confessed even by his enemies, of whom he had many--had he +broken his word, and it was plain to be seen from all his instructions +that the true cause of the deadly blow which had killed him was the +sudden certainty that, by his own act, he had bereft himself of the power +to redeem Herdegen by paying the ransom as he had promised. + +And this was my uncle's will: + +When he had heard from Ann that my lord Cardinal was minded to hasten his +home-coming and give him extreme unction, and had likewise had tidings +that that high Prelate took great joy in his liberty of dealing with the +Papal treasury for alms, he had bidden to him, that very evening, Doctor +Holzschuher, his notary, and certain sworn witnesses, and had in all due +form cancelled his former will, and in a fine new one had devised his +estate as follows: + +Ursula Tetzel was to have the five thousand gulden which he had promised +her when he had unwittingly killed young Tetzel. + +To Kunz he bequeathed the great trade both in Nuremberg and Venice, with +all that pertained thereto and certain moneys in capital for carrying it +on; likewise his fine dwelling-house, inasmuch as Herdegen would have our +house for his own. And Kunz should be held bound to carry on the said +trade in the same wise as my grand-uncle had done in his life-time, and +pay out of it two-third parts of the profits to Herdegen and Ann; and +that these two should wed was the dearest wish of his old age. Not a +farthing was to be taken from the moneyed capital for twenty years to +come, and this was expressly recorded; nor might the trade be sold, or +cease to be carried on. If Kunz should die within that space, then he +charged the head clerk of the house to conduct the business under the +same pledge. And if and when Kunz should wed, then should he pay only +half the profits to his brother instead of two-thirds. + +The eldest son of Herdegen and Ann was to fall next heir to the business; +but if this marriage came to nought, or they had no male issue, then +Herdegen's son-in-law, or my son, or Kunz's. + +Likewise he believed that he had made good provision for the maintenance +of the young pair, inasmuch as though it could scarce be hoped that +Herdegen would be able to take the lead of the trading house, yet his +own fortune was not so great as to assure to Ann a life so free from +burthens, and in all ways so easy as he desired for her, and as beseemed +the mistress of so ancient a Nuremberg family. + +His landed estates he had for the most part devised to the holy Church, +and the remainder in equal halves to Herdegen and to me. + +Three thousand gulden, which he had lent to the Convent of +Vierzehnheiligen, and of which he might at any time require the +repayment, he had set apart to ransom Herdegen and pay for his home- +coming. + +Of his possessions in hard coin, three thousand gulden were for +Herdegen's share, and one thousand each for Ann and me as a bride-gift, +and he had devised goodly sums of money to the hospitals and poor of the +city, and the serving-folk and retainers of the household. + +But then where was the great and well-nigh royal treasure of which old Im +Hoff had, not so long since, been possessed; so that in the time of the +Diet he had paid down in hard coin thirty thousand Hungarian ducats to +buy himself a Baron's title? Master Holzschuher could tell us well +enough. When that old man had once said to Ann that she could scarce +believe how great profit might be gained in a few years by well-directed +trading with Venice, he spoke not without book. After endowing many +churches and convents in Franconia while he was yet living, with truly +lordly generosity, and providing for masses for his soul and other pious +offices, he had still a sum of forty and four thousand Hungarian ducats +to dispose of. And these moneys, notwithstanding Master Holzschuher's +entreaties that he would devise at least half of these vast possessions +to his own town and near of kin, he had bequeathed to the alms-coffers of +his Holiness the Pope, to be dealt with at the pleasure of his Eminence +Cardinal Bernliardi, with this sole condition: that every year, on his +name-day, mass should be said by some high Prelate for his miserable +soul, which sorely needed such grace. Moreover he had provided that the +document, duly attested by the notary and witnesses, should be sent to +Rome on the morrow by a specially appointed messenger; thus it was long +since far away and out of reach when my grand-uncle had learnt that all +his remaining possessions were not enough to release Herdegen. And this, +as I have already said, had fallen heavy on his soul. + +Verily there hath been no lack of fervent prayers for his soul on our +part; and at a later time, when I came to know to how many hapless +wretches his testament had brought a blessing, little by little I forgave +this strange bestowal of his wealth, and could pronounce over his grave a +clear "Requiescat in pace!" May he rest in peace! + +When we had presently duly weighed and reckoned with Master Holzschuher +what we had indeed inherited from our rich kinsman, and how much we might +ere long hope to collect of our own and from Cousin Maud, we had it +before our eyes in plain writing that a large portion of the ransom was +yet lacking. The trade of the Im Hoffs' was to be sure of great money +value; but by my grand-uncle's will we might not touch it for twenty +years. Likewise Master Holzschuher pointed out to us by many an example +how wrong it would be, and in especial at this very time, to sell landed +estate at any price, that is to say at about one-third of its real worth. +And finally he told us that the Chancery guardians were not at that +present time suffered to pay down one farthing of our inheritance from +our father. Thus we were heavy at heart, while Doctor Holzschuher was +discoursing in a low voice with Uncle Christian and Master Pernhart, and +noting certain matters on paper. + +Then those gentlemen rose up; and whereas I looked in the face of the +worthy notary meseemed it was as withered grass well bedewed with rain; +and glad assurance beamed on me from his goodly and noble features. And +I read the same promise in the looks of Uncle Christian and Master +Pernhart, and where three such men led the fray methought the victory was +certain. + +And now we were told what was the matter of their discourse. If they +might find a fitting envoy, they might perchance move the Sultan to +forego some portion of the ransom; yet would they bear in mind what the +whole sum was. Much of our possessions we were indeed not suffered to +sell, yet might we borrow on them or pledge them, and the good feeling of +our friends and fellow citizens would, for sure, help us to the +remainder. Nay, and these gentlemen methought had some privy purpose; +yet, inasmuch as they told us nought of their own free will, we were +careful to put no questions. As we took leave they besought us yet to +delay our departing and to suffer them to be free to do what they would. +And we were fain to yield, albeit the blood of the Schoppers boiled at +the thought that I must tarry here idle, and others go round as it were +with the beggars' staff, in our name, and for the sake of a son of our +house who had done no good to any man. Howbeit, I knew full well that +pride and defiance were now out of place; and while I was walking +homewards with Ann and Cousin Maud, on a sudden my cousin asked me: If +Lorenz Stromer were in Herdegen's plight would I not gladly give of my +estate; and when I said yes, quoth she: "Then all is well." And inasmuch +as she was of the same mind she could, without a qualm, suffer the +gentlemen to ask from door to door in Herdegen's name and in her own. +It was our part only to show that we, as his nearest and dearest, were +foremost in giving. And on that same day Ann brought all she possessed +in gold and jewels, even to her christening coins which she had kept in +her money-box, and among them likewise a costly cross of diamonds which +my lord Cardinal had given her a few months ago. + +That evening, again, as dusk was falling, Ann once more knocked at our +door, and the reason of her coming was in truth a sad one: her grand- +uncle, old Adam Heyden the organist, our friend of the tower, felt that +his last hour was nigh, and bid us go to see him. Thus it came to pass +that in two following days we had to stand by a death-bed. On each lay +an old man departing to the other world, and meseemed their end had +fallen so close together to yield warning and meditation to our young +souls. Now, as I toiled up the steep turret-stair, after flying, +yesterday, up the matted steps of the wealthy house of the Im Hoffs, +meseemed that the two men's lives had been like to these staircases, and, +young as I was, I nevertheless could say to myself that the humbler man's +steep stair, which of late he could not mount without much panting, led +up to a higher and brighter home than the wide steps of the rich +merchant's palace. + +Howbeit, when I had presently closed that good old man's eyes, I would +not suffer myself to think thus of the twain, by reason that I could not +endure to mar my remembrance of that other, to whom, after all, we owed +much thanks. + +The old organist had received the Holy Sacrament at mid-day from the hand +of his old friend Nikolas Laister, the Vicar of Saint Sebald's. He would +have no one to see him save ourselves and Hans Richter the churchwarden, +a man after his own heart, and the Pernharts; and at first he marked not +our coming, inasmuch as he was just then giving a toy to the deaf-mute +boy, which he had carved with his own hand, and Dame Giovanna had much +pains to carry away the child, who had cast himself on the old man with +passionate love. Everything that moved the little one's soul he was +forced, as it were, to express with unreasoning violence; and now, when +the child was so boisterous as to disturb the peace of the others, his +mother took him by the hand to lead him away into another chamber; but +the dying man signed to him with a look which none may describe, and that +moment the little fellow set his teeth hard and stood in silence by the +door. Whereupon the old man nodded to him as though the child had done +him some kindness. + +Then he shut his eyes for a good while, and presently asked for some of +the fine Bacharach wine which Cousin Maud had sent him; but his voice +could scarce be heard. Ann reached him the glass, and at a sign from him +she tasted of it; then he drank it with much comfort while Dame Giovanna +held him sitting. The old, sweet smile was on his lips, and as he yet +held the stem of the glass with a shaking hand, and suffered that I +should help him, he cried in a clear voice: "Once more, Prosit, Elsie! +You have waited long enough up there for your old man. And Prosit, +likewise, to my dear old home, the fair city of Nuremberg." Then he took +breath and added according to his wont: "Prosit, Adam! Thanks, Heyden!" +And emptied the cup which I tilted up for him, to the very bottom. Then, +when he fell back and gazed before him in silence, I found speech, and +noted, albeit it struck me in truth as somewhat strange, that he bore our +good town in mind then, in drinking his old pledge. Hereupon he nodded +kindly and added, with an enquiring glance at the churchwarden: "It is +rightly the duty of every true Christian man to pray for all mankind! +Well, well; but they are so many, so infinitely many; and I, like every +other man, have my own little world, inside the great world, as it were, +and that is my dear old, staunch town of Nuremberg. Never have I been +beyond its precincts, and it contains all on earth that is dear and +precious to me. To me the citizens of Nuremberg are all mankind, and our +city and so much as the eye can see from this tower all my world, small +though it may be. I could ever find some good matter for thought in +Nuremberg, something noble and well-compact, a fine whole. I have never +sought the boundaries of the other, greater world." + +Yet, that his world was in truth wider than he weened, was plain to us +from the prayer he murmured wherein we could hear my brothers' names, +albeit land and seas parted them from him. And after that, for a space +all were silent, and he lay gazing at the bone crucifix on the wall; and +at last he besought Dame Giovanna to lift him somewhat higher, and he +drank again a little more, and said right softly as he cast a loving +glance upon us each in turn: "I have looked into my own heart and gazed +on Him on the Cross! That is our ensample! And I depart joyfully--and +if you would know what maketh death so easy to me; it is that I have +needed but little, and kept little for myself; and whereas I was wont to +give away what other men save, I came to know of a certainty that all the +good we do to others is the best we can do for ourselves. It is that, it +is that!" + +And he stretched forth his hand, and when we had all kissed it, he cried +out: "My God, I now can say I thank Thee! What to-morrow may bring, Thou +alone canst know! Margery, Ann, my poor children! May the bright day of +meeting dawn for you! May Heaven in mercy protect the youths beyond +seas! Here, close at hand is Mistress Kreutzer with her orphan children, +you know them--you and Master Peter--they are in sore need of help--and +the good we do to others. But come close to me, come all of you--and the +little ones likewise." + +And we fell upon our knees by the bed, and he spread forth his hands and +said in a clear voice: "The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord lift up +his countenance upon you and be merciful unto you." + +And then he sighed deeply, and his hands fell, and Dame Giovanna closed +his eyes. + +Yea! Death had come easy to this simple soul. Never knew I any man who +gave so much out of a little, and never have I seen a happier or more +peaceful face on a death-bed. + +My grand-uncle's burial was grand and magnificent. All the town-council, +and many of the nobles joined in the funeral-train. Bells tolling and +priests chanting, crape, tapers, incense and the rest of it--we had more +than enough of them all. Only one thing was lacking, namely, tears--not +those of the hirelings who attended it, but such as fall in silence from +a sorrowing eye. + +In the Im Hoffs' great house all was silence till the burying was done; +up in the tower, where old Adam Heyden lay asleep, the bells rang out as +they did every day, for wedding and christening, for mass and mourning; +yet by the low door which led to the narrow turret-stair I saw a crowd of +little lads and maids with their mothers; and albeit the leaves were off +the trees and the last flowers were frozen to death, many a child had +found a green twig or carried a little bunch of everlasting flowers in +its little hand to lay on the bier of that kind old friend. It was all +the sacristan could do to keep away the multitudes who were fain to look +on his face once more; and when he was borne to the grave-yard, not above +two hours after my grand-uncle, there was indeed a wondrous great +following. The snow was falling fast in the streets, and the fine folks +who had attended him to the grave were soon warming themselves at home +after the burying of old Im Hoff. But there came behind Adam Heyden's +bier many right honest and respected folk, and a throng, reaching far +away, of such as might feel the wind whistling cold through the holes in +their sleeves and about their bare heads. And among these was there many +a penniless woman who wiped her eyes with her kerchief or her hand, and +many a widow's child, who tightened its little belt as it saw him who had +so often given it a meal carried to the grave. + + + + +ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: + +Marred their best joy in life by over-hasty ire +Misfortunes never come singly + + + + + + +MARGERY + +By Georg Ebers + +Volume 8. + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +Our good hope of going forth with good-speed into the wide world to risk +all for our lover and brother was not to be yet. We were fain to take +patience; and if this seemed hard to us maidens, it was even worse for +Kubbeling; the man was wont to wander free whither he would, and during +these days of tarrying at the forest-lodge, first he lost his mirthful +humor, and then he fell sick of a fever. For two long weeks had he to he +abed, he, who, as he himself told, had never to this day needed any +healing but such as the leech who medicined his beasts could give him. +We awaited the tidings of him with much fear; and at this time we +likewise knew not what to think of those gentlemen who heretofore had +been such steadfast and faithful friends to us, inasmuch as that Doctor +Holzschuher gave no sign, and soon after my grand-uncle's burying Uncle +Christian and Master Pernhart had set forth for Augsburg on some privy +matters of the town council. Yet we could do nought but submit, by +reason that we knew that every good citizen thinks of the weal of the +Commonwealth before all else. + +Even our nearest of kin had laid our concerns on the shelf, while day and +night alike it weighed on our souls, and we made ready for a long time to +come of want and humble cheer. The Virgin be my witness that at that +time I was ready and willing to give up many matters which we were forced +to forego; howbeit, we found out that it was easier to eat bread without +butter and no flesh meat, than to give up certain other matters. As for +my jewels, which Cousin Maud would not sell, but pledged them to a +goldsmith, I craved them not. Only a heart with a full great ruby which +I had ever worn as being my Hans' first lovetoken, I would indeed have +been fain to keep, yet whereas Master Kaden set a high price on the stone +I suffered him to break it out, notwithstanding all that Cousin Maud and +Ann might say, and kept only the gold case. It was hard likewise to send +forth the serving-folk and turn a deaf ear to their lamenting. Most of +the men, when they heard how matters stood, would gladly have stayed to +serve us for a lesser wage, and each and all went about looking as if the +hail had spoilt their harvest; only old Susan held her head higher than +ever, by reason that we had chosen her to share our portion during the +years of famine. Likewise we were glad to promise the old horse-keeper, +who had served our father before us, that we would care for him all his +days; he besought me eagerly that I would keep my own Hungarian palfrey, +for, to his mind, a damsel of high degree with no saddle nor steed was as +a bird that cannot rise on its wings. Howbeit, we found those who were +glad to buy the horse, and never shall I forget the hour when for the +last time I patted the smooth neck of my Bayard, the gift of my lost +lover, and felt his shrewd little head leaning against my own. Uncle +Tucher bought him for his daughter Bertha, and it was a comfort to me to +think that she was a soft, kind hearted maid, whom I truly loved. All +the silver gear likewise, which we had inherited, was pledged for money, +and where it lay I knew not; yet of a truth the gifts of God taste better +out of a silver spoon than out of a tin one. Cousin Maud, who would have +no half measures, carried many matters of small worth to the pawn-broker; +yet all this grieved us but lightly, although the sky hung dark over the +town, by reason that other events at that time befell which gave us +better cheer. + +The Magister, as soon as he had tidings of our purpose, came with right +good will to offer us his all, and declared his intent to share our +simple way of life, and this was no more than we had looked for, albeit +we steadfastly purposed only to take from him so much as he might easily +make shift to spare. But it was indeed a joyful surprise when, one right +dreary day, Heinz Trardorf, Herdegen's best-beloved companion in his +youth, who had long kept far from the house, came to speak with us of +Herdegen's concerns. He had now followed his father, who was dead, as +master in his trade, and was already so well thought of that the Council +had trusted his skilled hands to build a new great organ for the Church +of Saint Laurence. I knew full well, to be sure, that when Herdegen had +come back from Paris in all his bravery, he had cared but little for +Trardorf's fellowship; but I had marked, many a time in church, that his +eyes were wont to rest full lovingly on me. + +And now, when I gave him my hand and asked him what might be his will, +at first he could scarce speak, albeit he was a man of substance to whom +all folks would lift their hat. At last he made bold to tell me that he +had heard tidings of the sum demanded to ransom Herdegen, and that he, +inasmuch as that he dwelt in his own house and that his profits +maintained him in more than abundance, could have no greater joy +than to pay the moneys he had by inheritance to ransom my brother. + +And as the good fellow spoke the tears stood in his eyes, and mine +likewise were about to flow; and albeit Cousin Maud here broke in and, +to hide how deeply her heart was touched, said, well-nigh harshly, that +without doubt the day was not far off when he would have a wife and +family, and might rue the deed by which he had parted with his estate, +never perchance to see it more, I freely and gladly gave him my hand, and +said to him that for my part his offering would be dearest to me of any, +and that for sure Herdegen would be of the same mind. And a beam as of +sunshine overspread his countenance, and while he shook my hand in +silence I could see that he hardly refrained himself from betraying more. +After this, I came to know from his good mother that this offer of moneys +had cost him a great pang, but only for this cause: that he had loved me +from his youth up, and his noble soul forbid him to pay court to me when +he had in truth done me so great a service. + +Still, and in despite of these gleams of light, I must ever remember +those three weeks as a full gloomy and sorrowful time. + +Kubbeling's eldest son and his churlish helpmate had fared forth to +Venice instead of himself. They might not sail for the land of Egypt, +and this chafed Uhlwurm sorely, by reason that he was sure in himself +that he, far better than his master or than any man on earth, could do +good service there to Ann, on whom his soul was set more than on any +other of us. + +Towards the end of the third week we rode forth to spend a few days again +at the lodge, and there we found Young Kubbeling well nigh healed of his +fever, and Eppelein's tongue ready to wag and to tell us of his many +adventures without overmuch asking. Howbeit, save what concerned his own +mishaps, he had little to say that we knew not already. + +The Saracen pirate who had boarded the galleon from Genoa which was +carrying him and his lord to Cyprus, had parted him from Herdegen and Sir +Franz, and sold him for a slave in Egypt. There had he gone through many +fortunes, till at last, in Alexandria, he had one day met Akusch. At +that time my faithful squire's father was yet in good estate, and he +forthwith bought Eppelein, who was then a chattel of the overseer of the +market, to the end that the fellow might help his son in the search for +Herdegen. This search they had diligently pursued, and had discovered +my brother and Sir Franz together in the armory of the Sultan's Palace, +in the fort over against Cairo, whither they had come after they had both +worked at the oars in great misery for two years, on board a Saracen +galley. + +But then Herdegen had made proof, in some jousting among the young +Mamelukes, of how well skilled he was with the sword, and thereby he had +won such favor that they were fain to deliver sundry letters which he +wrote to us, into the care of the Venice consul. Whereas he had no +answer he had set it down to our lack of diligence at home, till at last +he was put on the right track by Akusch, and it was plainly shown that +those letters had never reached us, and that by Ursula's malice. To +follow up these matters Akusch had afterwards betaken himself again to +Alexandria; notwithstanding by this time his father had fallen on evil +days. And behold, on the very evening after their return, as they were +passing along by the side of the Venice Fondaco, whither they had gone to +see the leech who attended the Consul--having heard that he was a German +by birth--they were aware of a loud outcry hard by, and presently beheld +a wounded man, whom they forthwith knew for Kunz. + +At first they believed that their eyes deceived them; and that it should +have been these two, of all men, who found their master's brother lying +in his blood, I must ever deem a miracle. To be sure, any man from the +West who was fain to seek another in the land of Egypt, must first make +enquiry here at the Fondaco. + +A few hours later Kunz was in bed and well tended in the house of +Akusch's mother, and it was on their return to Cairo, to speak with my +eldest brother of these matters, that Eppelein was witness to Ursula's +vile betrayal and the vast demand of the Sultan. Then my brother, by the +help of some who showed him favor, had that letter conveyed to Akusch of +which Eppelein had been robbed hard by Pillenreuth. More than this the +good fellow had not to tell. + +As I, on my ride home through the wood, turned over in my mind who might +be the wise and trusty friend to whom we could confide our case and our +fears, if Kubbeling should leave us in the lurch, verily I found no +reply. If indeed Cousin Gotz--that wise and steadfast wayfaring man, +rich with a thousand experiences of outlandish life--if he were willing +to make common cause with his Little Red-riding-hood, and the companion +of his youth! But a terrible oath kept him far away, and where in the +wide world might he be found? + +Ann likewise had much to cause her heaviness, and I thanked the Saints +that I was alone with Eppelein when he told me that his dear lord was +sorely changed, albeit having seen him only from afar, he could scarce +tell me wherein that change lay. + +Thus we rode homewards in silence, through the evening dusk, and as we +came in sight of the lights of the town all my doubting and wandering +fears vanished on a sudden in wonderment as to who should be the first +person we might meet within the gate, inasmuch as Cousin Maud had ever +set us the unwise example of considering such a meeting as a sign, or +token, or Augury. + +Now, as soon as we had left the gate behind us, lo, a lantern was lifted, +and we saw, by the light twinkling dimly through the horn, instead of old +Hans Heimvogel's red, sottish face, a sweet and lovely maiden's; by +reason that he had fallen into horrors, imagining that mice were rushing +over him, so that his fair granddaughter Maria was doing duty for him. +And I greeted her right graciously, inasmuch as Cousin Maud held it to be +a good sign when a smiling maid should be the first to meet her as she +came into the city gates. + +As for Ann, she scarce marked that it was Maria; and when, after we were +come home, I spoke of this token of good promise, she asked me how, in +these evil days, I could find heart to think of such matters; and she +sighed and cried: "Oh, Margery, indeed I am heavy at heart! For three +long years have I taken patience and with a right good will. But the +end, meseems, is further than ever, and he who should have helped us is +disabled or ever he has stirred a finger, and even my lord Cardinal's +home-coming is put off, albeit all men know that Herdegen is as a man in +a den of lions--and I, my spirit sinks within me. And even my wise +grandmother can give me no better counsel than to 'wait patiently' and +yet again 'Wait' . . ." + +Whereupon Susan, who had taken off from us our wet hoods, broke in with: +"Aye, Mistress Ann, and that has ever from the days of Adam and Eve, been +the best of all counsel. For life all through is but waiting for the +end; and even when we have taken the last Sacrament and our eyes are dim +in death then most of all must we take Patience, waiting for that we +shall find beyond the grave. Here below! By my soul, I myself grew grey +waiting in vain for one who long years ago gave me this ring. Others had +better luck; yet if the priest had wed us, would that have made an end of +Patience? I trow not! It might have been for weal or it might have been +for woe. A wife may go to mass every day in the month. But is that +an end of Patience? Will the storks bring her a babe or no? Will it be +a boy or a maid? And if the little one should come, after the wife has +told her beads till her fingers are sore, what will the waiting babe turn +out? Such an one as Junker Herdegen grows up to be the delight of every +eye and heart, and if that make less need of Patience meseems we know +full well! And Mistress Waldstromer, out in the forest, a lady, she, of +stern stuff, she could tell a tale; and I say, Mistress Ann, if old Dame +Pernhart's answer sinks into your heart, God's blessing rest on it!--I am +waiting, as you are waiting. We each and all are waiting for one; if by +the merciful help of the Saints he ever comes home, yet never dream, +Mistress Ann, that Patience will be out of court." + +And with such comfort as this the old woman hung our garments to dry +while we bowed our heads and went up-stairs. + +Up in the guest-chamber we heard loud voices, and as we went in a strange +sight met our eyes. Uncle Christian and Doctor Holzschuher were sitting +face to face with Cousin Maud, and she was laughing so heartily that she +could not control herself, but flung up her arms and then dropped them on +her knees, for all the world as she had taught us children to play at a +game of "Fly away, little birds." + +When she marked my presence she forgot to greet me, and cried to me well +nigh breathless: + +"A drink of wine, Margery, and a morsel of bread. I am ready to split--I +shall die of laughing!" + +Then, when I heard my good Godfather Christian's hearty laughing, and +saw that Master Holzschuher had but just ceased, I was fain to laugh +likewise, and even Ann, albeit she had but now been so sad, joined in. +This lasted a long while till we learned the cause of such unwonted +mirth; and this was of such a kind as to afford great comfort and new +assurance, and we were bound to crave our good friends' pardon for having +deemed them lacking in diligence. Master Holzschuher had indeed made the +best use of the time to move every well-to-do man in Nuremberg who had +known our departed father, and the Abbots of the rich convents, and many +more, to give of their substance as they were able, to redeem Herdegen +from the power of the heathen; and the other twain had worked wonders +likewise, in Augsburg. + +But that which had moved Cousin Maud to mirth was that my Uncle Christian +had related how that he and Master Pernhart, finding old Tetzel, Ursula's +father, at Augsburg, had agreed together to make him pay a share towards +Herdegen's ransom; and my godfather's face beamed again now, with +contentment in every feature, as he told us by what means he had won the +churlish old man over to the good cause. + +Whereas the three good gentlemen had considered that all of Jost Tetzel's +great possessions must presently fall to his daughter, and that it would +be a deed pleasing to God to bring some chastisement on that traitorous +quean, they had laid a plot against her father; and it was for that alone +that Uncle Christian, who could ill endure the ride in the winter-season, +had set forth, with Master Pernhart, for Augsburg. And there he had +achieved a rare masterpiece of skill, painting Dame Ursula's reprobate +malice in such strong colors to her father that Master Pernhart was in +fear lest he should bring upon himself another fit. And he had +furthermore sworn to lay the whole matter before the Emperor, with whom, +as all men knew, he enjoyed much privilege, inasmuch as he had been as it +were his host when his Majesty held his court at Nuremberg. Ursula, +to be sure, was no subject now of his gracious Majesty's; yet would he, +Christian Pfinzing, know no rest till the Emperor had compelled her +father, Jost Tetzel, to cut off from her who had married an Italian, the +possessions she counted on from a German city. + +Thereupon Pernhart had spoken in calm but weighty words, threatening that +his brother, the Cardinal, would visit the heaviest wrath of the Pope on +the old man and his daughter, unless he were ready and willing to make +amends and atonement for his child's accursed sin, whereby a Christian +man had fallen into the hands of the godless heathen. And when at last +they had conquered the churlish old man's hardness of heart and stiff- +necked malice, they drove him to a strange bargain. Old Tetzel was +steadfast in his intention to give up as little as he might of his +daughter's inheritance, while his tormentors raised their demands, and +claimed a hundred gulden and a hundred gulden more, up to many hundreds, +which Tetzel was forced to yield; till at last he gave his bond, signed +and sealed, to renounce all his daughter's estate, and to add thereto two +thousand gulden of his own moneys, and to hold the sum in readiness to +ransom Herdegen. + +Thus, at one stroke, all our fears touching the moneys were at an end; +and when the notary showed us the parchment roll on which each one had +set down the sum he would give, we were struck dumb; and when we reckoned +it all together, the sum was far greater than that which had cost us so +many sleepless nights. + +By this time we scarce could read for tears, and our souls were so moved +to thankfulness as we marked the large sums set forth against the names +of the noble families and of the convent treasurers, that we had never +felt so great a love for our good city and the dear, staunch friends who +dwelt therein. Nay, and many simple folk had promised to pay somewhat of +their modest store; and although my soul overflowed with thankful joy +over the great sums to be given by our kith and kin, I rejoiced no less +over the five pounds of farthings promised by a cordwainer, whom we had +holpen some years ago when he had been sick and in debt. + +And then was there hearty embracing and kissing, and the men, as was +befitting after a deed so well done, craved to drink. Cousin Maud +hastened with all zeal to do honor to friends and guests so dear; but as +she reached the door she stood still as in doubt, and signed to me so +that I perceived that somewhat had gone wrong. And so indeed it had, +inasmuch as our silver vessels, down to the very least cup, had gone to +the silversmith in pledge, and Uncle Tucher, the Councillor, who had +bought my palfrey, had also been fain to have all our old wine, whereof +many goodly rows of casks, and jars sealed with pitch, lay in our +cellars. A few hams still hung in the chimney by good luck; and there +were chickens and eggs in plenty; but of all else little enough, even of +butter. When Cousin Maud set forth all this with a right lamentable face +I could not refrain my mirth, and I promised her that if she could send +up a few dainty dishes from the kitchen, I would make shift to please our +beloved guests. That as for the wine, I would take that upon myself, and +no Emperor need be ashamed of our Venice glasses. And herewith I sent +her down stairs; but I then frankly confessed to our friends how matters +stood; and when they had heard me, now laughing heartily, and now in +amazement and shaking their heads, I enquired of Doctor Holzschuher, as a +man of law, how I might deal with the wine, inasmuch as it had already +found a purchaser? Hereupon arose much jocose argument and discussion, +and at last the learned notary and doctor of laws declared that he held +it to be his duty, as adviser to the Council and administrator of the +Schopper estates, to taste and prove with all due caution whether the +price promised by Tucher, and not yet paid down, were not all too little +for the liquor, inasmuch as his clients, being but women-folk, had no +skill in the good gifts of Bacchus, and could not know their value. To +abstain from such testing he held would be a breach of duty, and whereas +he did not trust his own skill alone, he must call upon Master Christian +Pfinzing as a man of ripe experience, and Master Councillor Pernhart, +who, as brother to a great prelate, had doubtless drunk much good liquor, +in due form to proceed with him to the Schoppers' cellar, and there to +mark those vessels or jars out of which the wine should be drawn for the +testing. Moreover, to satisfy all the requirements of the case, a +serving-man should be sent to call upon Master Tucher, as the purchaser, +to be present in his own person at the ceremony. Inasmuch as it yet +lacked two hours of midnight, he would, without doubt, be found in the +gentlemen's tavern; and it might be enjoined on the messenger to add, +that if Master Tucher were fain to bring with him one skilled in such +matters to bear him witness on his part, such an one would be made right +welcome at the Schopperhof. + +Thus within a quarter of an hour the three worthy gentlemen, and Ann and +I, were seated with the winejars before us, they having chosen for +themselves of the best our cellar could afford; and when the meats which +Cousin Maud sent up were set on the table, albeit there were but earthen +plates and crocks, and no silver glittered on the snow-white cloth, yet +God's good gifts lacked not their savor. + +And presently Uncle Tucher came in, and with him, as his skilled witness, +old Master Loffelholz; and when they likewise had sat down with us, and +when we had bidden the Magister to join us, there was such hearty and +joyful emptying of glasses and friendly discourse that Master Tucher +declared that the happy spirit of our father, the singer, still dwelt +within our walls. Howbeit, Ann had to do her duty as watcher over my +uncle more often that evening than for a long time past. + +In the course of that right joyful supper many weighty matters were +discussed, and the gentlemen, meseemed, were greatly more troubled than +Cousin Maud or I that we should so hastily have parted with sundry +matters which should not be lacking in a house of good family, but which, +as we had learned by experience, were in no wise needful in life. And +many a jesting word was spoken concerning our poor platters and dishes, +and tin spoons, and empty stables. The bargain over the wine was +declared to be null and void, and my cousin took heart to assure the +gentlemen, in right seemly speech, that now again she was happy, when she +knew that what she had set before such worshipful and welcome guests was +indeed our own, and not another's. + +By the time of their departing it was nearer to cockcrow than to +midnight; and when, on the morrow, I went into the chamber in the +morning, to look forth into the street, the sun was shining brightly in a +blue sky. I minded me with silent thanksgiving of all the good cheer +yestereve had brought us, and of the wisdom and faithfulness of our good +friends. Many a wise and a witty word uttered over their wine came back +to me then; and I was wondering to myself what new plot had been brewing +between my godfather and Uncle Tucher, whereas I had marked them laying +their heads together, when behold, the stable-lad from the Tuchers' +coming down the street, leading my own dear bayhorse; and as I saw him +closer I beheld that his mane and flowing tail were plaited up with fine +red ribbons. He stood still in front of our door and, when I flew down +to greet the faithful beast, the lad gave me a letter wherein nought was +written save these Latin words in large letters: "AMICITIA FIDEI" which +is to say: "Friendship to Fidelity." + +Thus the pinch and sacrifice were on a sudden ended; and albeit a snow- +storm ere long came down on us, yet the sunshine in my bosom was still as +bright as though Spring had dawned there in the December season, and all +care and fear were banished. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +It was noon. Master Peter could not come to table for a bad headache, +and Cousin Maud scarce opened her lips. The sudden turn of matters had +upset her balance, and so dazed her brain that she would answer at cross- +purposes, and had ordered so many pats of butter from the farm wench as +though she had cakes to bake for a whole convent full of sisters. +Likewise a strange unrest kept her moving to and fro, and this was +beginning to come upon me likewise, by reason that Ann came not, albeit +in the morning she had promised to be here again at noon. + +I was about to make ready to seek her, when I was stopped, first by a +message from the forest bidding me, albeit I had scarce left the lodge, +to return thither no later than on the morrow; and next by an unlooked- +for guest, who had for long indeed been lost to sight. This was Lorenz +Abenberger, the apothecary's son, erewhile a companion of Herdegen in his +youth, and he who, after he had beguiled the other pueri to dig for +treasure, had been turned out of the school. Since those days, when +likewise he had cast nativities for us maidens, and many a time amused us +with his magic arts, we had no knowledge of him but that, after his +parents' death, he had ceased to ply the apothecary's trade, and had +given himself up to the study of Alchemy. If folks spoke truth he had +already discovered the philosopher's stone, or was nigh to doing so: but +notwithstanding that many learned men, and among them the Magister had +assured me, that such a thing was by no means beyond the skill of man, +Lorenz Abenberger for certain had not attained his end, inasmuch as that, +when he appeared in my presence, his aspect was rather that of a beggar +than of a potent wise-head at whose behest lead and copper are transmuted +into gold. + +He had heard of the great sum needed for Herdegen's ransom, and he now +came to assure me of the warm friendship he had ever cherished for his +old school-mate, and that he had it in his power to create the means of +releasing him from bondage. Then, marking that I gazed pitifully on his +thread-bare, meagre, and by no means clean raiment, whence there came a +sour, drug-like smell, he broke into a foul laugh and said that, to be +sure, it would seem strange that so beggarly a figure should make bold to +promise so great a treasure; howbeit, he stood to his word. So sure as +night follows day, he could reach the goal for which he had consumed all +his father's and mother's estate, nay all he had in the world, if he +might but once have three pounds of pure gold to do whatsoever he would +withal. If I would yield to his entreaties and be moved to grant what he +needed, he was ready to pledge his body and soul to death and damnation, +and sign the bond with his heart's blood, if by the end of the thirteenth +day he had not found the red Lion, and through its aid 'Aurum potabile' +and the panacea against every evil of body or soul. This would likewise +give him the power of turning every mineral, even the most worthless, +into pure gold, as easily as I might turn my spinning-wheel or say a +Paternoster. + +All this he poured forth with rolling eyes and panting breath, and that +he spoke every word in sacred earnest none could doubt; and indeed the +fervent, eager longing which appealed to my compassion and charity from +every fibre of his being, might have moved me to bestow on him that which +he craved, if I had possessed such wealth; but, as it was, I was forced +to say him nay; and whereas at this minute Susan came in with the tidings +that a man had come from the Pernharts', bidding me go forthwith to Ann, +I threw over me my cloak and gave him to understand how matters stood +with me, bidding him farewell with all gentleness yet of set purpose. + +The blood mounted into his pale cheeks; he came close up to me, and set +his teeth, and said wrathfully that I must and I should save him, and +with him my own brother, if I did but clearly understand the sense and +purpose of his entreaty. And he began with a flood of speech to tell me +how near he was to his end, with a number of outlandish, magical words +such as "the great Magisterium," "the Red Lion," "the Red Tincture," and +the like, till meseemed my brain reeled with the sinful gibberish; +notwithstanding, to this day I believe that in all truth he was nigh +attaining his purpose; and he might have done so at last were it not +that, a short space after this, he was choked by the vapor from an +alembic which burst. + +But whence might I at that day procure the means to succor him? + +Again and again I strove to check his fiery zeal, but in vain, till I +told him plainly that I had not at my command three pounds of brass +farthings, much less three pounds of gold, and that he must apply +elsewhere and no longer keep me tarrying. + +And I gave him my hand to bid him farewell; howbeit he seized it with +both of his, and wrung and shook my arm till it ached; and being beside +him self with rage, he admonished me with threatening words and gestures +not to ruin his life's work, and him, and those dear to me, by my base +avarice. When I had got over my first fear I snatched myself free from +the miserable little man, and turned my back upon him; but he leaped in +front of me, spread forth his arms to bar the doorway, and shrieked, +foaming with fury: + +"Away, away, down to the depths! Away with us all! Woe unto thee, +mean, blind fool that thou art! Woe unto us all! Take away that hand! +Verily even if my mouth were gagged, yet shouldst thou hear what is +coming upon thee and all thy race! I could have hindered it, and I would +have hindered it; but now it shall be fulfilled. Oh, it was not for +nothing that we were young together! I read thy horoscope and that +arrogant brawler thy brother's long ago, and when I interpret it to thee, +if the blood does not curdle in thy veins. . . ." + +Hereupon the blood of the Schoppers surged up; I laid hands on the mad +wight, whose strength was scarce greater than mine, but he hit and +stamped about like one bereft, crying: "Your planets stand over the +houses of Death, Captivity, and Despair. The fulfilment thereof began on +Saint Lazarus' day, and on this day it falls first on thee; and thus the +doom shall run its course till it hath an end on Saint John's eve, by +reason that ye will then have nought left to lose!" + +Here Abenberger's raving came to a sudden end. His outcry had brought up +Cousin Maud, and when she opened the door behind him and saw a man +standing in my way, she clutched him from behind, throwing her arms about +him, and dragged him out of the chamber. Meanwhile she shrieked aloud +"Fire!" and "Murder!" and again "Fire!" and all the men and wenches +ran up in hot haste and had the gold-maker down the stairs fast enough. + +Howbeit, I felt truly grieved for him; yet, as I gazed down on him from +the window, I saw that he had taken his stand without in the street, and +was shaking his fist up at me till a constable saw it and sent him +homewards. + +Then I must first comfort Cousin Maud for this untoward scene, and suffer +her to rub my wrists with wine and spirit of balm, forasmuch as they +tingled like fire and were scratched by the hapless wight's nails. She +was beside herself with rage, and the evil prediction of the master of +the black arts and of star-gazing filled her with unbounded terrors. +Thus it was my part, though; the younger, to give her courage, +notwithstanding the awful curse haunted me likewise, and rang in my ears +even when at last I made my way through the dark streets, followed by the +serving-man, to do Ann's bidding. My heart was heavier than it had been +for many a day; for my fears were mingled with pity for that hapless +soul, so skilled in much learning. I had learned to feel other woes and +joys besides my own, and I could full well picture in my mind the despair +which at this hour, must wring the soul of that poor fellow. I was glad +to think that the serving-man might believe that I put my kerchief to my +eyes only to wipe away the whirling snow. At the same time, methought +that for certain some new and terrible sorrow hung over us nay, never so +clearly as then, after Abenberger's violent attack, had I perceived how +much alone and without protection I stood in the world. And wherefor had +Ann not come to me? For what reason or matter had she sent for me at so +late an hour? + +Then, when I looked up at the Pernharts' house; saw that the windows of +the first floor which had be made ready as guest chambers some days ago, +for my lord Cardinal, were lighted up, so he must have come home and now +be lodging there again. + +But Ann knew full well how truly I honored the reverend and illustrious +uncle, and for sure if he had brought her good tidings she would +forthwith have sent me word, or have come to me herself. + +What then was now the matter? In what form had the misfortune come upon +us which Abenberger had read in the stars? + +I lifted the knocker with a faint heart, and could scarce breathe when I +had to knock three times or ever the door was opened. + +How swiftly my Ann was wont to fly to me when she heard my tap! Was she +then afraid to meet me with the message of woe which my lord Cardinal had +perchance received from Cairo through his chaplains there? We had the +ransom ready to be sure; yet Ursula would be almost forced, after her +treacherous deed, to pursue Herdegen to his death; what could she look +for if he ever came home again? Come what might then, and were it the +worst, I must set out, and that forthwith, even if I found no fellowship +but Cousin Maud and Eppelein. And to this purpose I had come, when at +last the door was opened. + +Below stairs nought was stirring. I hastily flung my wet mantle to +Mario, the deaf-mute, who had let me in, and ran up stairs. Hardly had I +reached the second floor when Ann met me, well and of good cheer; and +when I began, in the outer chamber, to beseech her to be no less +steadfast than I was in departing for the East, she nodded consent, and +pointed the way into the inner chamber, where we might be more at our +ease. I was amazed to see her in such good heart, and all the more so +when she told me that my lord Cardinal had come home that morning. + +There was above stairs, she hastily told me, a noble Italian Knight, who +had desired to see our pictures; so we went into the guest chamber, which +was all lighted up as when company was bidden. Nay, it was of such +festal aspect as well nigh dazzled me, and I discerned at once that my +portrait, which only a few days ago had been hanged on the wall by the +side of Ann's for my lord Cardinal, was now placed on two chairs and +leaning against the high backs. + +All this and more I perceived in a few hasty glances, and when I enquired +where might this stranger from Italy be, I was told that he had gone with +Master Pernhart into the chamber which had been fitted for his Eminence +with the magnificent stuffs from Rome and Florence which he had brought +as a gift for his old mother. The finest of these were certain hangings +of fine tissue and of many colors, which hung over the wide opening +between the great guest chamber and that next to it. And the Italian +must likewise have seen these, inasmuch as that they hung down, whereas +they were wont to be drawn to the sides. Behind them, all was dark; thus +the Master and his wife, with their strange guest, must have withdrawn +into the chamber at the back of the house, where the Cardinal had loved +to work, and wherein there were sundry works of art to be seen, and +choice Greek manuscripts which he had brought with him to show to the +learned doctors in his native town; as being rare and precious. + +None was here save the old grandam, and her countenance beamed with joy +as she held out her hands to me from her arm-chair, in glad and hearty +greeting. She was dressed in her bravest array, and there was in her +aspect likewise somewhat solemn and festal. + +Albeit I was truly minded at all times to rejoice with those who were +rejoicing, all this bravery, at this time, was sorely against the grain +of my troubled heart and its forebodings of ill. I could not feel at +ease, and meseemed that all this magnificence and good cheer mocked my +hapless and oppressed spirit. + +In truth, I could scarce bring myself to return the old dame's greeting +with due gladness; and her keen eyes at once discerned how matters were +with me. She held me by the hand, and asked me in a hearty voice whence +came the clouds that darkened my brow. When her bright, high-spirited +Margery, whom she had never known to be in a gloomy mood, looked like +this, for sure some great evil had befallen. + +Whereupon what came over me I know not. Whether it were that the +blackness and the terror in my bosom were too great a contrast with the +gladness and splendor about me, or what it was that so tightly gripped my +heart, I cannot tell to this day; but I know full well that all which had +oppressed me since Abenberger denounced me came rushing down on my soul +as it were, and that I burst into tears and cried out "Yes, grandmother +dear, I have gone through a dreadful, terrible hour! I have had to +withstand the attack of a madman, and hear a horrible curse from his +lips. But it is not that alone, no, verily and indeed! I can, for that +matter, make any man to know his place, were he twice the man that little +Abenberger is; and as to curses, I learnt from a child to mind my dear +father's saying: "Curse me if you will! What matters it if I may earn +God's blessing!" + +"And you have earned it, honestly earned it," quoth she, drawing me down +to kiss my forehead. Hereupon I ceased weeping and bid my heart take +fresh courage, and went on, still much moved: "It is nought but a woman's +shameless craft that troubles me so sorely. Ursula's hate hangs over my +brothers like a black storm-cloud; and on my way hither meseemed I saw +full plainly that the ransom is not the end of the matter. Nay, if we +had twice so much, yet Herdegen will never come home alive if we fail to +cross Ursula's scheming; has she not cause to fear the worst, if ever he +comes home in safety? But where is the envoy who would dare so much? +Kunz lies wounded in a strange land, Young Kubbeling would doubtless be +ready to cross the seas, notwithstanding his fever, but good-will would +not serve him, so little is he skilled in such matters. Our other +friends are over old, or forced to stay in Nuremberg. Thus do matters +stand. What then is left to us--to Ann and me, Grandmother? I ask you-- +what, save to act on our first and only wise intent? And that which it +is our part to do, which we may not put off one day longer than we need, +is to take ship, under the grace of the Blessed Virgin, and ourselves to +carry fresh courage to those who are nearest and dearest to us. Of a +truth I am but an orphaned maid; my lover and my guardian are both dead; +and yet do I not fear to depart for a land beyond seas; true and faithful +love is the guiding-star which shall lead us, and we have seen in Ann how +true is the Apostle's saying that love conquereth all things. Any +creature who stands straight on a pair of strong legs, and who is sound +in soul and body, and who looks up to Heaven and trusts in God's grace +with joyful assurance, even if it be but a weak maiden, may rescue a +fellow-creature in need; and I, thank God, am sound and whole. Nay, and +I will even pledge my word that I will tear asunder the subtlest web +which Ursula may spin, in especial if I have Ann's keen wit to aid me. +So I will go forth, and away, through frost and snow, to find my +brethren; and if his pains keep Kubbeling at home in spite of his +catskins, and if Master Ulsenius should forbid Eppelein to ride so far, +yet will we find some other to be our faithful squire." + +And with this I drew a deep breath; and when I turned to seek Ann, with +a lighter heart, to the end that she should signify her consent, on a +sudden me seemed as though the floor of the chamber rose up beneath my +feet, and I was nigh falling, by reason that the fine hangings which hid +the Cardinal's chamber from my eyes were drawn asunder, and a tall man, +tanned brown by the sun, came forth, and said in a deep voice: "Wilt thou +trust these hands, Margery? They are ready and willing to serve thee +faithfully." + +Hereupon a cry of joy broke from me: "Gotz," and again "Gotz!" + +And albeit meseemed as though the walls, and tables, and chairs were +whirling round me, and as though the ceiling, nay and the blue sky above +it had yawned above me, yet I fell not, but hastened to meet this new- +comer, and grasped his kind, strong hand. + +Yet was not this all; or ever I was rightly aware how it befell, he had +clasped me in his arms, and I was leaning on his breast, and his warm +bearded lips were for the first time set on mine. + +Master Pernhart and his wife had come out of the further chamber with my +cousin, and Ann, and the grandam, and the elder children gazed at us; yet +neither he nor I paid heed to them and, as each looked into the other's +eyes, and I saw that his face was the same as of old, albeit of a darker +brown, and more well-favored and manly; then my heart sang out in joyful +triumph, and I made no resistance when he held me closer to him and +whispered in my ear: "But Margery, how may a cousin, who is not an old +man, go forth as squire to a fair young maid, and so further on through a +lifetime, and not rouse other folks to great and righteous wrath?" + +At this the blood mounted to my face; and albeit I by no means doubted of +my reply, he spared my bashfulness and went on with deep feeling: "But if +he did so as your wedded husband, what aunt or gossip then might dare to +blame him and his honored wife, Dame Margery Waldstromer?" + +Whereat I smiled right gladly up at my new lover, and answered him in a +whisper: "Not one, Gotz, not one." + +Thus I plighted my troth to him that very evening; and as for the costly +jewels which he had bought on the Rialto at Venice to bring to his dear +Red-riding-hood, and now gave me as his first love-tokens, what were they +to me as compared with the joyful news wherewith he could rejoice our +hearts? So presently we sat with the Pernharts after that Cousin Maud +and Uncle Christian Pfinzing, my dear godfather, had been bidden to join +us. Gotz sat with his arm round me, and my hand rested in his. + +For how long a space had lands and seas lain betwixt us, how swift and +sudden had his wooing been and my consent! And yet, meseemed as though +I had but now fulfilled the purpose of Providence for me from the +beginning; and there was singing and blossoming in my breast and heart, +as though they were an enchanted garden wherein fountains were leaping, +and roses and tulips and golden apples and grapes were blooming and +ripening among pine-trees and ivy-wreaths. + +Nevertheless I lost no word of his speech, and could have listened to +him till morning should dawn again. And while we thus sat, or paced +the room arm-in-arm, I heard many matters, and yet not enough of Gotz's +adventurous fate, and of the happy turn my brothers' concerns had taken +with his good help. And what we now learned from his clear and plain +report, answering our much questioning, was that, after separating from +his home, he had taken service as a soldier of the Venice Republic, and +had done great deeds under the name of Silvestri, which is to say "of the +Woods." Of all the fine things he had done before Salonica and +elsewhere, fighting against Sultan Mourad and the Osmanli, yea, and in +many fights against other infidels, thereby winning the favor of his +general, the great Pietro Loredano--of all this he would tell us at great +length another day. Not long since he had been placed as chief, at the +head of the armed force on board the fleet sent forth by the Republic to +Alexandria to treat with the Sultan as concerning the King of Cyprus, who +was held a prisoner. With him likewise, on the greatest of the galleys, +were there sundry great gentlemen of the most famous families of Venice, +and chief of them all, Marino Cavallo, Procurator of Saint Mark; inasmuch +as that the Council desired to ransom the King of Cyprus with Venice +gold, and to that end had sent Angelo Michieli with the embassy, he being +the Senior of one of the most powerful and wealthy merchants' houses in +the East. + +With all of these Gotz, as a hero in war, was on right friendly terms, +and when they landed at Alexandria, Anselmo Giustiniani, the Consul, had +given them all fine quarters in the Fondaco. + +Here, then, my new lover had met Ursula; howbeit, he made not himself +known to her, by reason that already he had heard an evil report of her +husband's dealings as Consul, and of her deeds and demeanors. Yet was +there one man dwelling in the Fondaco to whom he confessed his true name, +and that was Hartmann Knorr, a son of Nuremberg and of good family, who, +after gaining his doctor's degree at Padua, had taken the post of leech +to the Consul, provided and paid by the Republic. In this, his fellow +countryman's chamber, the two, who had been schoolmates, had much privy +discourse, and inasmuch as that Master Knorr knew of old that Gotz was +near of kin to the Schoppers, he forthwith made known to him that he had +been bidden to the house of Akusch's parents to tend and heal Kunz, and +had learnt from him many strange tidings; accusing Ursula of the guilt +of having concealed and kept back the letters written by Herdegen and Sir +Franz to their kindred at home, of having set her husband's hired knaves +on himself, to murder him, and lastly, of having maliciously increased +the sum for his brother's ransom. Hereupon the worthy leech was minded +to sail to Venice in the next homeward-bound galleon, to do what he might +for his countrymen in sore straits; howbeit, Gotz might now perchance +work out their release from grief and slavery in some other wise. And +whereas Master Knorr could give him tidings of other criminal deeds +committed by Giustiniani, my new lover had forthwith written a petition +of accusation to the Council at Venice, and forthwith Marino Cavallo, in +his rights as procurator of Saint Mark, had commanded the Consul and his +wife to depart for Venice and present themselves before the Collegium of +the Pregadi, which hath the direction of the Consuls beyond seas. + +Likewise Gotz had taken in hand the cause of Herdegen and Sir Franz and +forasmuch as he was held in great respect, Master Angelo Michieli was not +hardly won to do what he might for them, taking Gotz and Kunz for surety. +The Venice embassy went forth to Cairo, and whereas Master Michieli, who +was skilled in such matters, beat down the ransom demanded for King Janus +to the sum of two hundred thousand ducats, and paid it down for the royal +captive, he likewise moved the Sultans to be content with fifteen +thousand ducats each for Herdegen and Sir Franz, and my brother and his +fellow in misfortune were set free. + +All through this tale my heart beat higher; I secretly hoped that +peradventure my brothers had come home with Gotz, and were hiding +themselves away, only for some reason privy to themselves. Howbeit, +I presently heard that they had set forth with their faces to Jerusalem; +to the end that they might, at their homecoming, tell the Emperor with +the greater assurance, that they had taken upon themselves the penance of +going at last to the Holy Places whither they had been bidden to go. + +When Gotz had ended these great and comforting tidings, and I enquired of +him what then had at last brought him homewards, he freely confessed that +my brothers' discourse had recalled to him so plainly his fathers' house, +his parents, and all that was dear and that he had left, that he could no +longer endure to stay away beyond seas. Then he looked me in the eyes +and whispered: "The images of my sick mother and my grey-headed father +drew me most strongly; yet was a third; a dear, sweet, childish face; the +very same as now looks into mine so gladly and lovingly. Yes, it is the +very face I had hoped to find it; and when, erewhile, I saw your likeness +in the red hood, and heard your speech as you poured forth your inmost +soul to grandmother Pernhart, I knew my own mind." + +How dear the newcomer was, in truth, to all in the Pernhart household I +might mark that evening. The old grandam's eyes rested on him as though +he were a dear son, and Master Pernhart would come close to him now and +again, and stroke his arm. Twice only did he hastily turn away and +privily wipe his eyes. Nevertheless he saw our love-making with no +jealousy; nay, when Gotz could scarce tear himself away from my picture, +Master Pernhart whispered to him that if ever a maid should stand in his +Gertrude's place it should be Margery, and the grandam had cried Amen. + +It was already midnight when horses' hoofs were heard in the street, and +when they stopped Gotz rose, and then presently all the others vanished +from the chamber. Yet were we not long suffered to enjoy each other's +fellowship, inasmuch as he himself had ordered his horse, to the end that +he might ride forth spite of the lateness of the hour to the forest. His +servingman, himself the son of a forester, had been there already to +desire Grubner, the headman, to bid my uncle to his dwelling early on the +morrow, and the good son purposed there to gladden himself by meeting his +father, after that he had greeted the house unseen in the darkness. + +But how hard it was to part after so brief a meeting from this newly- +found and best-beloved lover, and to see the weary traveller fare forth +once more into the dark night. And how few words in secret had we as yet +spoken, how little had we discussed what might befall on the morrow, and +how he should demean himself to his mother! + +To my humble entreaty that he would set aside the unnatural and sinful +oath which forbade him to enter his parents' house he had turned a deaf +ear. Yet how lovingly had he given me to understand his stern refusal, +which I justly deserved, inasmuch as I knew full well the meaning of an +oath; and yet I besought him with all my heart to send away his horse, +and bid me not farewell when welcome had scarce been spoken. On the +morrow it would be a joy to me to ride forth with him, and my uncle could +never chafe at a few short hours' delay. + +All this poured from my lips smoothly and warmly enough, and he calmly +heard me to the end; but then he solemnly declared to me that, sweet as +he might deem it to have me by his side to keep him company, it might not +be; and he set forth clearly and fully how he had ordered the matter +yestereve, and I looked up at him as to a general who foresees and +governs all that may befall, to the wisest ends. So steadfast and clear +a purpose I had never met; howbeit, Mother Eve's part in me was ill- +content. It was too much for me to suffer that he should depart, and, +like the fool that I was, the desire possessed me to bend to my will this +man of all men, whose stiff-necked will was ever as firm as iron. + +I began once more to beseech him, and this time he broke in, declaring +that, say what I would, he must depart, and therewith he pulled the hood +of his cloak over his head so that his well-favored, honest brown face, +with its pointed beard, framed as it were in the green cloth, looked down +on me, the very image of manly beauty and mild gravity. + +My heart beat higher than ever for joy and pride at calling the heart of +such a man mine own, and therewith my desire waxed stronger to exert my +power. And I knew right well how to get the upper-hand of my lovers. My +Hans had never said me nay when I had entreated him with certain wiles. +And whereas I had in no wise forgotten my tricks, I took Gotz by the hem +of his hood and drew his dear head down to my face. Then I rubbed my +nose against his as hares do when they sniff at each other, put up my +lips for a kiss, stood on tip-toe, offered him my lips from afar, and +whispered to him right sweetly and beseechingly: + +"And, in spite of all, now you are to be my good, dear heart's treasure, +and will do Margery's bidding when she entreats you so fondly and will +give you a sweet kiss for your pains." + +But I had reckoned vainly. The reward for which my Hans modestly served +me, this bold warrior cared not to win. His bearded lips, to be sure, +were ready enough to meet mine, nor was he content with one kiss only; +but, as soon as he had enjoyed the last, he took both my hands tight in +his own, and said solemnly but sweetly: + +"Do you not love me, Margery?" And when I had hastily declared that I +did, he went on in the same tone, and still holding my bands: "Then you +must know, once for all, that I could refuse you nought, neither in great +matters nor small, unless it were needful. Yet, when once I have said," +and he spoke loud, "nothing can move me in the very least. You have +known me from a child, and of your own free will you have given yourself +over to this iron brain. Now, kiss me once more, and bear me no malice! +Till to-morrow. Out in the forest, please God, we will belong to each +other for many a long day!" + +Therewith he clasped me firmly and truly in his arms, and I willingly and +hotly returned his kiss, and or ever I could find a word to reply he had +quitted the chamber. I hastened to the window, and as he waved his hand +and rode off down the street facing the snow-storm, I pressed my hand to +my breast, and rarely has a human being so overflowed with pure gladness +at being twice worsted in the fray, albeit I had forced it on myself. + +How I returned home I know not; but I know that I had rarely knelt at my +prayers with such fervent thanksgiving, and that meseemed as though my +mother in Heaven and my dead Hans likewise must rejoice at this which had +befallen me. + +As I lay in bed, or ever I slept, all that was fairest in my past life +came back to me as clearly as if it were living truth, and first and +chiefest I saw myself as little Red-riding-hood, under the forest-trees +with Gotz, who did me a thousand services and preferred me above all +others till, for Gertrude's sake, he departed beyond seas, and set my +childish soul in a turmoil. + +Then came the joy and the pain I had had by reason of the loves of +Herdegen and Ann, and then my Hans crossed my path, and how glad I was to +remember him and the bliss he had brought me! But or ever I had come to +the bitterest hour of my young days, sleep overcame me, and the manly +form of Gotz, steeled by much peril and strife for his life, came to me +in my dreams; and he did not, as Hans would have done, give me his hand; +Oh no! He snatched me up in his arms and carried me, as Saint +Christopher bears the Holy Child, and strode forward with a firm step +over plains and abysses, whithersoever he desired; and I suffered him to +go as he would, and made no resistance, and felt scarce a fear, albeit +meseemed the strong grip of his iron arm hurt me. And thus we went on +and on, through ancient mountain-forests, while the boughs lashed my face +and I could look into the nests of the eagles and wood-pigeons, of the +starlings and squirrels. It was a wondrous ramble; now and then I gasped +for breath, yet on we went till, on the topmost bough of an oak, behold, +there was Lorenz Abenberger, and the evil words he spoke made me wake up. + +After this I could sleep no more, and in thought I followed Gotz through +the snow-storm. And in spirit I saw Waldtrud, the fair daughter of +Grubner, the chief forester, bidding him welcome, and giving him hot +spiced wine after his cold ride, and sipping the cup with her rosy lips. +Hereupon a pang pierced my heart, and methought indeed how well favored +a maid was the forester's daughter, and not more than a year older than +I, and by every right deemed the fairest in all the forest. And the evil +fiend jealousy, which of yore had had so little hold over me that I could +bear to see my Hans pay the friendliest court to the fairest maidens, now +whispered wild suspicions in mine ear that Gotz, with his bold warrior's +ways, might be like enough to sue for some light love-tokens from the +fair and mirthful Waldtrud. + +Howbeit, I presently called to mind the honest eyes of my new heart's +beloved, and that brought me peace; and how I was struck with horror to +think that I had known the sting of that serpent whom men call jealousy. +Must it ever creep in where true love hath found a nest? And if indeed +it were so, then--and a hot glow thrilled through me--then the love which +had bound me to Hans Haller had been a poor manner of thing, and not the +real true passion. + +No, no! Albeit it had worn another aspect than this brand new flame, +which I now felt burning and blazing up from the early-lighted and long +smouldering fire, nevertheless it had been of the best, and faithful and +true. Albeit as the betrothed of Hans Haller I had been spared the pangs +of jealousy, I owed it only to the great and steadfast trust I had gladly +placed in him. And Gotz, who had endured so much anguish and toil to be +faithful to his other sweetheart, was not less worthy of my faith, and it +must be my task to fight against the evil spirit with all the strength +that was in me. + +Then again I fell asleep; and when, as day was breaking, I woke once more +and remembered all that had befallen me yestereve, I had to clutch my +shoulders and temples or ever I was certain that indeed my eyes were open +on another day. And what a day! My heart overflowed as I saw, look +which way I might, no perils, none, nothing, verily nothing that was not +well-ordered and brought to a good end, nothing that was not a certainty, +and such a blessed certainty! + +I rose as fresh and thankful as the lark, my Cousin Maud was standing, +as yet not dressed and with screws of paper in her hair, in front of the +pictures of my parents, casting a light on their faces from her little +lamp; and it was plain that she was telling them, albeit without speech, +that her life's labor and care had come to a happy issue, and I was +irresistibly moved to fly to her brave and faithful heart; and although, +while we held each other in an embrace, we found no words, we each knew +full well what the other meant. + +After this, in all haste we made ready to set forth, and the Magister +came down to us in the hall, inasmuch as my cousin had called him. He +made his appearance in the motley morning gabardine which gave him so +strange an aspect, and to my greeting of "God be with 'ee !" he gaily +replied that he deemed it wasted pains to ask after my health. + +Then, when he had been told all, at first he could not refrain himself +and good wishes flowed from his lips as honey from the honey-comb; and he +was indeed a right merry sight as, in the joy of his heart, he clapped +his arms together across his breast, as a woodhewer may, to warm his +hands in winter. On a sudden, however, he looked mighty solemn, and when +Cousin Maud, bethinking her of Ann, spoke kindly to him, saying that +matters were so in this world, that one who stood in the sun must need +cast a shadow on other folks, the Magister bowed his head sadly and +cried: "A wise saying, worthy Mistress Maud; and he who casts the shade +commonly does so against his will, 'sine ira et studio'. And from that +saying we may learn--suffer me the syllogism--that, inasmuch as all +things which bring woe to one bring joy to another, and vice-versa, there +must ever be some sad faces so long as there is no lack of happy ones. +As to mine own poor countenance, I may number it indeed with those in +shadow--notwithstanding"--here his flow of words stopped on a sudden. +Howbeit, or ever we could stay him, he went on in a loud and well-nigh +triumphant voice. "Notwithstanding I am no wise woeful--no, not in the +least degree. I have found the clue, and who indeed could fail to see +it: Your shadow can fall so black on me only by reason that you stand in +the fullest sunshine! As for me, it is no hard matter for me to endure +the blackness of night; and may you, Mistress Margery, for ever and ever +stand in the glory of light, henceforth till your life's end." + +As he spoke he upraised his eyes and hands to heaven as in prayer, and +without bidding us "Vale," or "Valete," as was his wont, he gathered his +gaudy robe and fled up-stairs again. + +The storm was yet as heavy as it had been yestereve; howbeit, though +Bayard sank into the snow so deep that I swept it with the hem of my +kirtle, yet the ride to the forest-lodge meseemed was as short as though +I had flown. Cousin Maud would ride slowly in the sleigh, so I suffered +her to creep along, and presently outstripped her. + +Gotz and I had yestereve agreed that I should first see Aunt Jacoba, and +then meet him at Grubner's lodge to report of what mind she might seem to +be. Ann had no choice but to stay at home, inasmuch as she must be in +attendance at the Cardinal's homecoming. + +No one in all the dear old forest home was aware of my coming save the +gate warden. My uncle had ridden forth at an early hour, and was not yet +returned, but my aunt I found below stairs, strange to say, against her +wont, dressed and in discourse with the chaplain. Peradventure then her +husband had already made known to her what had taken him forth to +Grubner's dwelling, and if so he had lifted a heavy task from me, for +indeed my whole soul yearned to this dearly-beloved aunt, yet meseemed it +was no light matter to prepare her, who was so feeble and yet so self- +willed, for the joy and the strife of soul which awaited her. The board +was spread for them as it were, and yet she and Gotz, by their baleful +oath, had barred themselves from tasting of that bread and that cup. + +I crossed the threshold in trembling, and as soon as she beheld me she +cried out, with burning cheeks, which glowed not so, for sure, from the +blaze in the chimney: "Margery, Margery! And so happy as she looks! +You have seen your uncle, child, and can tell me wherefor he is gone +forth?" + +I told her truly that I had not; and then bid her rejoice with me, +inasmuch as that all the price of Herdegen's ransom had been paid and, +best of all, that we had good tidings of our brothers' well-being. + +Then she was fain to know when and through whom, and made enquiry in such +wise as though she had some strong suspicion; and I answered her as +calmly as I might, that a pilgrim from the East had come to us yestereve, +a right loyal and worthy gentleman, whom, indeed, I hoped to bring to her +knowledge. + +But I might say no more by reason that her eyes on a sudden flashed up +brightly, and she vehemently broke in: + +"Chaplain, Chaplain! Now what do you say? When the old man rode forth +so early this morning, and bid me farewell in so strange a wise, then-- +hear me, Margery--he likewise spoke to me of a messenger from the East +who rode into the city yestereve--just as you say. But it was not of +Herdegen that he brought tidings, but of him--of him--of Gotz that he +had sure knowledge. And when the old man told me so much as that, for +certain somewhat lay behind it.--And now, Margery--when I see you--when I +consider. . . ." Here, as I cast a meaning glance at the Chaplain, on +a sudden she shrieked with such a yell as pierced my bones and marrow; +and or ever I saw her, her weak, lean hand had clutched my wrist, and she +cried in a hoarse voice: + +"Then you, you have hid somewhat from me! The look wherewith you warned +the Chaplain, oh! I marked it well.--And you hesitate--and now--you-- +Margery--Margery! By Christ's wounds I ask you, Margery. What is it?-- +What of Gotz? Has he.... out with it--out with the truth.... Has he +written?--No.--You shake your head.... Merciful Virgin! He--he--Gotz is +on his way Home wards." And she clapped her hands over her face. I fell +on my knees by her side, dragged first her left hand and then her right +hand away from her eyes, covered them with kisses, and whispered to her: +"Yes, yes, Aunt, Mother, sweet, dear little mother! Only wait--You shall +hear all. Gotz is weary of wandering; he had not forgotten his father +and mother, nor me, his little Red-riding-hood--I know it, I am sure of +it. Patience! only a little patience and he will be here--in Germany, in +Franconia, in Nuremberg, in the forest, in the house, in this hall, here, +here where I am kneeling, at your feet, in your arms!" + +Then the deeply-moved dame, who had listened to me breathless, flung her +hands high in the air as if she were seeking somewhat, and it was as +though her eyes turned inside out; and I was seized with sudden terror, +inasmuch as I deemed that she had drunk death out of the overfull cup of +joy that my hand had put to her lips. Howbeit, it was but a brief swoon +which had come upon her, and as soon as she had come to herself again and +I had told her the whole truth, little by little and with due caution, +even that Gotz and I had found each other and both fervently and +earnestly longed for her motherly blessing, she gave it me in rich +abundance. + +Now was it my part to make known to her that her returned son held fast +to his oath; and I had already begun to tell her this when she waved her +hands, and eagerly broke in: "And do you think I ever looked that he, who +is a Waldstromer and a Behaim both in one, should ever break a vow? And +of a truth he hath given me time enough to consider of it!--But to-day, +this very day, early in the morning I found the right way out of the +matter, albeit it is as like a trick of woman's craft as one egg is like +another.--You know that reckless oath. It requires me never, never to +bid Gotz home again; but yet,"--and now her eyes began to sparkle +brightly with gladness--"what my oath does not forbid is that I should go +forth to meet Gotz, and find him wheresoever he may be." + +Hereupon the Chaplain clapped his hands and cried: + +"And thus once more the love of a woman's heart hath digged a pit for +Satan's craft." + +And I ran forth to bid them harness the sleigh, whereas I knew full well +that no counsel would avail. + +And now, as of yore when she had fared into the town for love of Ann, she +was wrapped in a mountain of warm garments, so we clothed her to-day in a +heap of such raiment, and Young Kubbeling would suffer no man but himself +to drive the horses. Thus we went at a slow pace to Grubner's lodge, and +all the way we rode we met not a soul save Cousin Maud, and she only +nodded to me, by reason that she could not guess that a living human +creature was breathing beneath the furs and coverlets at my side. Young +Kubbeling on the box, and the ravens and tomtits and redbreasts in the +woods had not many words from us. While I was thinking with fear and +expectation of the outcome of this meeting of the mother and son, I +scarce spoke more than a kind word of good cheer now and again to my +aunt, to which Kubbeling would ever add in a low voice: "All will come +right!" or "God bless thee, most noble lady!" And each time we thus +spoke I was aware of a small movement about my knees, and would then +press my lips to the outermost cover of the beloved bundle by my side. + +At about two hundred paces from the Forester's but the path turned off +from the highway, so that we might be seen from the windows thereof; and +scarce had the sleigh turned into this cross-road, when the door of the +lodge was opened and my uncle and Gotz came forth. + +The son had his arm laid on his father's shoulder and they gazed at us. +And indeed it was a noble and joyful sight as they stood there, the old +man and the young one, both of powerful and stalwart build, both grown +strong in wind and weather, and true and trustworthy men. The slim young +pine had indeed somewhat overtopped the gnarled oak, but the crown of the +older tree was the broader. Such as the young man was now the old man +must have been, and what the son should one day be might be seen--and I +rejoiced to think it--in his father's figure and face. Howbeit, as a +husband Gotz gave no promise of treading in his father's footsteps, and +when I thought of this, and of the lesson I had yestereve received, my +cheeks grew redder than they had already turned in the sharp December +air, or under the gaze of my new lover. + +Howbeit I had no time for much thought; the sleigh was already at the +door, and or ever I was aware the old man had me in his arms and kissed +my lips and brow, and called me his dear and well-beloved daughter. Then +the younger man pressed forward to assert his claims, and when he bent +over me I threw my arms round his neck, and he lifted me up, for all that +I was none of the lightest in my winter furs and thick raiment, out of +the sleigh like a child, and again his lips were on mine. But we might +not suffer them to meet for more than a brief kiss. Uncle Conrad had +discovered my aunt's face among all her wrappings, and gave loud +utterance to his well-founded horror, while my aunt cried out to her +long-lost son by name again and again, with all the love of a longing +and long-robbed mother's heart. + +I gladly set my lover free, and at the next minute he was on his knees in +the snow and his trembling hands removed wrap after wrap from the beloved +head, Kubbeling helping him from the driving-seat with his great hands, +purpled by the cold. + +And again in a few minutes the mother was covering her only son's head +with tender kisses, so violently and so long that her strength failed her +and she fell back on the pillows, overdone. + +Hereupon Gotz bowed over her, and as he had erewhile lifted his +sweetheart out of the sleigh, so now he lifted his mother; and while he +held her thus in his arms and bore her into the house, not heeding the +kerchiefs which dropped off by degrees and lay in a long line covering +the ground behind her, as coals do which are carried in a broken scuttle, +she cried in a trembling voice: "Oh you bad, only boy, you my darling and +heart-breaker, you noble, wicked, perverse fellow! Gotz my son, my own +and my All!" + +And when she had found a place in the warm room, in the head forester's +wife's arm-chair by the fire, I removed her needless raiment and Gotz +sank down at her feet, and she took his head in her hands, and cried: + +"I did not wait for you to come, but flew to meet you, my lad, by reason +that, as you know--I took a sinful oath never to bid you to come home. +But oath and vow are nought; they are null and void! I have learned from +the depths of my heart that Heaven had nought to do with them--that it +was pure pride and folly; and I bid you home with my whole heart and +soul, and beseech your forgiveness for all the sorrow we have brought +upon each other, and I will have and keep you henceforth, and nought +else here on earth! Ah, and Gertrude, poor maid! She would have been +heartily, entirely welcome to me as at this day, were it not that there +is another maiden who is dearest to my heart of all the damsels on +earth!" + +Then was there heartfelt embracing and kissing on both parts, and, as I +saw her weep, I made an unspoken vow that if the eyes of this mother and +her son should ever shed tears again I would be the last to cause them, +and that I would ever be ready and at hand to dry them carefully away. + +I mind me likewise that I then beheld fair Waldtrud, the forester's +daughter, inasmuch as she full heartily wished me joy; yet I remember +even better that I felt no pang of jealousy, and indeed scarce looked at +the wench, by reason that there were many other matters of which the +sight gave me far greater joy. + +It was a delightful and never-to-be-forgotten hour, albeit over-short; +by my uncle's desire we ere long made ready to go homewards. Now when +Gotz was carrying his mother from the hot chamber to the sleigh, +and I was left looking about me for certain kerchiefs of my aunt's, +I perceived, squatted behind the great green-tiled stove, Young Kubbeling +in a heap, and with his face hidden in his hands. He moved not till I +spoke to him; then he dried his wet eyes with his fur hood, and when I +laid my hand on his shoulder he drew a deep breath, and said: + +"It has been a moving morning, Mistress Margery. But it will all come +right. It has come upon me as a sharp blow to be sure; and I have no +longer any business here in the forest, all the more so by reason that I +have children and grandchildren at home who have looked over-long for the +old man's home-coming. I will set forth to-morrow early. To tell the +truth to none but you, I cannot endure to be away from the old place a +longer space than it takes to go to Alexandria and back. My old heart +is grown over-soft and weary for an absence of two journeys. And yet +another matter for your ear alone: You will be the wife of a noblehearted +man, but mind you, he has long been free to wander whithersoever he +would. Take it to heart that you make his home dear and happy, else it +will be with you as it is with my old woman, who hath never mastered that +matter, and who lives alone for more days in the year than ever we +dreamed the morning we were wed." + +Hereupon we went forth together; and I took his counsel to heart, and +Gotz never left me for any long space of time, save when he must. + +As for Kubbeling, he kept his word and departed from us on the morrow +morning; yet we often saw him again after that time, and the finest +falcon in our mews is that he sent us as a wedding gift; and after our +marriage Ann received a fine colored parrot as a gift from old Uhlwurm, +and the old man had made it speak for her in such wise that it could say +right plainly: "Uhlwurm is Ann's humble servant." + +We now spent two days at the forest lodge in bliss, as though paradise +had come down on earth; and albeit it is a perilous thing to rejoice in +the love of a man who has wandered far beyond seas, yet has it this good +side: that many matters which to another seem far away and out of reach, +he deems near at hand, and half the world is his as it were. And how +well could Gotz make me to feel as though I shared his possession! + +On the morning of the third day after his coming, my lord Cardinal rode +forth to the forest with Ann; and, inasmuch as the duties of his office +now led, him to sojourn in Wurzberg and Bamberg, he could promise us that +he would bless our union or ever he departed to Italy. Albeit methought +it would be a happy chance if we might stand at the altar at the same +time with Herdegen and Ann, Gotz's impatience, which had waxed no lesser +even during his journeyings, was set against our waiting for my brother's +coming. Likewise he desired that we might live together a space as man +and wife, before he should go to Venice to get his release from the +service of the Republic. + +At the same time he deemed it not prudent to take me with him on that +journey, howbeit, after that we were wed, when he was about to depart, I +made so bold as to beseech him; and he plainly showed me that I had not +made him wroth or troubled him whereas he willingly granted me to journey +with him, and without reproof. Thus I fared with him to the great and +mighty city of Saint Mark, which I had ever longed to behold with my +bodily eyes. I never went beyond seas, yet we journeyed as far as Rome, +and there, under the protection and guidance of my lord Cardinal, I spent +many never-to-be-forgotten days by the side of my Gotz. + +But one thing at a time; some day, if my many years may suffer, I will +write more concerning these matters. + +How well my aunt and the Cardinal were minded towards each other would be +hard to describe, albeit now and again they fell to friendly strife; the +reverend prelate found it hard to depart from the lodge and from that +strange woman, whose clear and busy brain in her sickly body came, in +after times, to be accounted as one of the great marvels of her native +town. Howbeit, it was his duty to pass Christmas-eve with his venerable +mother. He plighted Gotz and me as he had promised us, and to his life's +end he was ever a kind and honored friend and patron to us and to our +children. + +Ann was ever his favorite, and ere he quitted Nuremberg, he bestowed on +her a dowry such as few indeed of our richest nobles could give with +their daughters. + +Christmas-eve, which we spent at the lodge with our parents and the +Chaplain and my dear godfather, uncle Christian Pfinzing, was a right +glorious festival, bringing gladness to our souls; yet was it to end with +the first peril that befell our love's young joy. After the others had +gone to their chambers, and Gotz had indeed given me a last parting kiss, +he stayed me a moment and besought me to be ready early in the morning to +ride with him to the hut of Martin the bee keeper, whose wife had been +his nurse. On many a Christmas morning had he greeted the good woman +with some little posy, and now he had not found one hour to spare her +since his home-coming. Now I would fain have granted this simple request +but that I had privily, with the Chaplain's help, made the school +children to learn a Christmas carol wherewith to wake the parents and +Gotz from their slumbers. Thus, when he bid me hold myself in readiness +at an early hour, I besought him to make it later. This, however, by no +means pleased him; he answered that the good dame was wont of old to look +for him full early on Christmas morning, and he had already too long +deferred his greeting. Yet the surprise I had plotted was uppermost in +my mind, and I craved of him right duteously that he would grant me my +will. Whereupon his eyebrows, which met above his nose, were darkly +knit, and he gave me to wit, shortly and well-nigh harshly, that he would +abide by his own. + +At this the blood rose to my head, and a wrathful answer was indeed on my +tongue when I minded me of the evening when we had come together, and I +asked of him calmly whether he verily deemed that I was so foolish or +evil-minded as to hinder him in a pious and kindly office if I had not +some worthy reason. And herein I had hit on the right way; he recovered +himself, his brow cleared, and saying only "Women, women!" he shook his +head and clasped me to him; and as I fervently returned his kiss, and +opened my chamber door, he called after me: "We will see in the morning, +but as early as may be." + +When I presently was in my bed I minded me of the carol the little ones +were to sing; and then I remembered my own school-days, and how the +Carthusian Sisters had explained to us those words of Scripture: "And the +times shall be fulfilled." They were written, to be sure, of a special +matter, of the birth of our Saviour and Redeemer; yet I applied them to +myself and Gotz, and wondered in my heart whether indeed anything that +had ever befallen me in life, whether for joy or for sorrow, had been in +vain, and how matters might have stood with me now if, as a young +unbroken thing, or ever I had gone through the school of life, I had been +plighted to this man, whom the Almighty had from the first fated to be my +husband. If the wilful blood of the Schoppers, unquelled as it had then +been, had come into strife with Gotz's iron will, there would have been +more than enough of hard hitting on both sides, and how easily might all +our happiness have been wrecked thereby. + +It was past midnight when at last I slept; and in the dim morning +twilight the Christmas chorus rang through the house in the words the +Shepherds heard in Angels' voices: "Glory to God in the highest, and on +earth peace." It woke Gotz, and when we presently got into the sleigh, +he whispered to me: "How piously glad was your hymn, my sweetheart! And +you were right yestereve, and peace shall indeed reign on earth, and +above all betwixt you and me, everywhere and at all times till the +E N D." + + .......................... + + + +A POSTSCRIPTUM BY KUNZ SCHOPPER + +The children entreat me to write more of Margery's unfinished tale. +Howbeit I am nigh upon eighty years of age, and how may I hope to win +favor in the exercise of an act to which I am unskilled save in matters +of business? Yet, whereas I could never endure to say nay to any +reasonable prayer of those who are dearest to my heart, I will fulfil +their desire, only setting down that which is needful, and in the +plainest words. + +They at whose bidding I sit here, all knew my dear sister well. Margery, +the widow of the late departed Forest-ranger, the Knight Sir Gotz +Waldstromer, Councillor to his Imperial Majesty and Captain of the men- +at-arms in our good city; and each profited during a longer or shorter +space by her loving-kindness, and her wise and faithful counsel. + +Many of them can likewise remember the late Anna Spiesz, sometime wife of +Herdegen Schopper; and as to the said Herdegen Schopper, my dear brother, +Margery's book of memorabilia right truly shows forth the manner of his +life and mind in the bloom of his youth, and verily it is a sorrowful +task for me to set forth the decay and end of so noble a man. + +As to myself, the last remaining link of the Schopper chain whereof +Margery hath many times made mention, I am still with you, my dear ones; +and I remain but little changed, inasmuch as that my life has ever flowed +calmly and silently onward. + +How it came to pass that Margery should so suddenly have brought her +memories to an end most of you know already; howbeit I will set it down +for the younger ones. + +Till she reached the age of sixty and seven years, she never rode in a +litter, but ever made her journeyings on horseback. For many years past +she and her husband abode in the forest during the summer months only, +and dwelt in their town-house the winter through. Now on a day, when in +her written tale she had got as far as the time when she and Gotz, her +dear husband, were wed, she besought him to ride forth with her to the +forest, inasmuch as that she yearned once more to see the spot in the +winter season which had seen the happiest days of her life in that long- +past December. Thus they fared forth on horseback, although it was nigh +on Christmas-tide, and when they waved their hands to me as they passed +me by in sheer high spirits and mirthfulness, meseemed that in all +Nuremberg, nay in Franconia or in the whole German Empire a man might +scarce find an old white-haired pair of lovers to match these for light- +heartedness and goodly mien. Some few happy and glad days were at +that time vouchsafed to them in the old well-known forest; but on the +ride home Margery's palfrey stumbled close without the city gates on the +frozen ground. Her arm-bone was badly broken and her right hand remained +so stiff, notwithstanding Master Hartmann Knorr's best skill, that she +could no more use the pen save with great pain, albeit she often after +this rode on horseback. Thus the little book lay aside for a long space; +and while she was yet diligently striving to write with her left hand +death snatched from her Ann Schopper, the widow of our late dear brother +Herdegen Schopper and her heart's best friend, and this fell upon her +soul as so cruel a grief that she never after could endure to take up the +pen. + +Then, when she lost her dearly-beloved husband, a few months after their +golden wedding day, all was at an end for her; the brave old woman gave +up all care for life, and died no more than three months after him. And +indeed often have I seen how that, when one of a pair, who have dwelt +together so many years in true union of hearts, departs this life, this +earth is too lonely for the other, so that one might deem that their +hearts had grown to be as it were one flesh, and the one that is left +hath bled to death inwardly from the Reaper's stroke. + +Then I read through this book of memories once more, and meseemed that +Margery had written of herself as less worthy than of a truth she was in +her life's spring-tide. + +Most of you can yet remember how that my lord the Mayor spoke of the +bride with the golden chaplet crowning her thick silver hair, as the +pride of our city, the best friend and even at times the wisest +counsellor of our worshipful Council, the comforter and refuge of the +poor; and you know full well that Master Johannes Lochner, the priest, +spoke over her open grave, saying that, as in her youth she had been +fairest, so in old age she was the noblest and most helpful of all the +dames of the parish of Saint Sebald; and you yourselves have many a time +been her almoners, or have gazed in silence to admire her portrait. + +And at Venice I have heard from the lips of the very master who limned +her, and who was one of the greatest painters of the famous guild to +which he belonged, that such as she had he imagined the stately queen of +some ancient German King defeated by the Romans, or Eve herself, if +indeed one might conceive of our cold German fatherland as Paradise. +Yea, the most charming and glowing woman he had ever set eyes on was +your mother and grandmother. + +And whensoever she went to a dance all the young masters of noble birth, +and the counts and knights, yea even at the Emperor's court, were of one +mind in saying that Margery Schopper was the fairest and likewise the +most happy-tempered maid and most richly endowed with gifts of the mind, +in all Nuremberg. None but Ann could stand beside her, and her beauty +was Italian and heavenly rather than German and earthly. + +Margery's manuscript ends where she had reached a happy haven; howbeit +there were others of whom she makes mention who were not so happy as to +cast anchor betimes, and if I am to set forth my own tale I must go back +to Alexandria in the land of Egypt. + +The dagger hired by Ursula to kill Herdegen struck me; howbeit, by the +time when my cousin Gotz brought my dear brother to see me, himself a +free man, I was already healed of my wound and ready to depart. The +worthy mother of Akusch had tended me with a devotion which would have +done honor to a Christian woman, and it was under her roof that first I +saw Herdegen and my cousin once more. And how greatly was I surprised to +see Gotz, taller than of old, appear before me in the magnificent array +and harness of a chief captain in the army of the all-powerful Republic +of Venice! Instead of an exiled adventurer I found him a stalwart +gentleman, in every respect illustrious and honored, whose commanding eye +showed that he was wont to be obeyed, albeit his voice and mien revealed +a compassionate and friendly soul. Yea, and meseemed that at his coming +a fresher, purer air blew about me; and as soon as he had made Herdegen's +cause his own and stood surety for him, the chief of the great trading +house of Michieli paid the ransom, which to me, knowing the value of +money, must have seemed never to be compassed, unless my grand-uncle had +been fain to help us. Howbeit, my cousin would not do the like service +for the Knight of Welemisl, in whose mien and manners he put less trust, +wherefore I became his surety, out of sheer pity and at Herdegen's +prayer. + +Here you will ask of me wherefore I do not first speak of my meeting +again with my dear long-suffering brother. And indeed my heart beat high +with joy and thanksgiving, when we held each other clasped; but alack +what changes had come over him in these years of slavery! When he came +into my chamber, his head bowed and his hands behind his back, after that +we had greeted I turned from him and made as though I had some matter to +order, to the end that he might not see me dry my tears; inasmuch as that +he who stood before me was my Herdegen indeed, and yet was not. + +For eighteen long months had he plied the oars on board of a Saracen +galley, while Sir Franz, who was overweak for such toil, served as keeper +of slaves on the benches, himself with chains on his feet. And it was +this long, hard toil which had made my brother diligently to hide his +hands behind his back, as though he were ashamed of them; whereas those +strong hands of his with their costly rings he had ever been wont to deem +a grace, and now of a truth they were grown coarse and as red as a brick, +and were like to those of a hewer in the woods. And whereas men are apt +often to pay less heed to another's face than to the shape and state of +his hands, I ever mind me of Herdegen's as I saw them on that day, and a +star and a crescent were branded in blue on the back of his right, so +that all men must see it. + +Likewise his deep breast had lost some of its great strength, and he held +himself less stately than of old. Meseemed as though the knight had laid +some part of his sickness upon him, inasmuch that many a time he coughed +much. Likewise the long golden hair, which had flowed in rich abundance +down over his shoulders, had been shorn away after the manner of the +unbelievers, and this gave to his well-favored face a narrow and right +strange appearance. Only the shape of his countenance and his eyes were +what they had ever been; nay, meseemed that his eyes had a brighter and +moister light in them than of yore. + +One thing alone was a comfort to me, and that was that my heart beat with +more pitiful and faithful love for him than ever. And when evening fell, +as we brethren sat together with Gotz and Master Knorr and Akusch, +drinking our wine, which only Akusch would not touch, this comforting +assurance waxed strong within me, by reason that Herdegen's voice was as +sweet as of old, both in speech and in song; and when he set forth all +the adventures and sufferings he had gone through in these last past +years I was fain to listen, and even so was Gotz; and first he drew tears +from our eyes and presently made us laugh right mirthfully. And what had +he not gone through? + +I betook me to bed that night in hope and contentment; howbeit, on the +morrow Master Knorr told me privily that whereas my brother's lungs had +never been of the strongest, if now, in the cold December season, he +should fare north of the Alps after such long sojourning under a warmer +sky, it could not fail to do him a serious mischief, as it likewise would +to Sir Franz. Thus it must be my part to delay our homecoming; and +albeit the leech's tidings made me heavy at heart I was fain to yield, +inasmuch as that Herdegen might not appear in the presence of his +sweetheart in his present guise. + +To this end we made him to believe that he might not come home in safety +unless he had performed the penance laid upon him by the Emperor; and +albeit felt it a hard matter to refrain the craving of his heart, +nevertheless be gave way to our pressing admonitions. + +Now, while Gotz fared back to Venice, the galleon which carried Don +Jaime, Prince of Catalonia, as far Joppa, brought us likewise to the +Promised Land to the holy city of Jerusalem. From thence we made our +pilgrimage to many other Holy Places, under the protection of the great +fellowship of that royal Prince who ever showed us much favor. + +At last we journeyed homewards, passing by Naples and Genoa; at Damietta, +in the land of Egypt, Sir Franz departed from our company to make his way +to Venice. It was with care and grief that I saw him set forth on his +way alone, and Herdegen was like-minded; in their misfortune he had +learned to mark much that was good in him, and during our long journeying +had seen that not only was he sick in body, but likewise that a shroud +hung over his soul and brain. Also, if Ursula were yet free to work her +will, the very worst might haply befall him in Venice, by reason that the +Giustinianis were of a certainty evil-disposed towards him, and the power +and dignity of that family were by no means lessened, although, as at +that time Antonio Giustiniani had dishonored his name in Albania, and had +been punished by the Forty with imprisonment and sundry penalties. Yet +his cousin Orsato was one of the greatest and richest of the signori at +Venice, and Ursula's husband would have found in him a strong upholder, +as in truth we heard at Naples, where tidings reached us that the +Pregadi, who had passed judgment upon him, had amerced him in a penalty +of no more than two thousand ducats, which Orsato paid for him by reason +that he would not suffer that his kinsman should he in prison. + +At Genoa we found many letters full of good tidings of our kindred at +home, all overflowing with love and the hope of speedily seeing us there. +Hereupon Herdegen could not refrain himself for impatience and, if I had +suffered it, he would have ridden onward by day and by night with no +pause nor rest, taking fresh horses as he might need them; for my part +what I chiefly cared for was to bring him home as fresh and sound as I +might, and so preserve Ann from grief of heart. Herdegen had given me +her letters to read, and how true and deep a love, how lofty and pure a +soul spoke in those lines! Howbeit, when I heard her, as it were, cry +out by those letters, how that she longed for the moment when she might +again stroke his flowing locks and press his dear faithful hand to her +lips as his dutiful maid, my heart beat with fresh fears. He held him +more upright, to be sure, and his countenance was less pale and hollow +than it had been; but nevermore might he be a strong man. His light eyes +were deep in their sockets, his hair was rarer on his head, and there +were threads of silver among the gold. Ah, and those luckless hands! +It was by reason of his hands--albeit you will doubtless smile at the +confession--that I moved him to refrain his longing, even when we were so +near our journey's end as Augsburg, and to grant me another day's delay, +inasmuch as that I cared most that he should at first hide them in gloves +from the womankind at home. And in all the great town was there not a +pair to be and that would fit him, and it would take a whole day to make +him a pair to his measure. Thus were we fain to tarry, and whereas we +had in Augsburg, among other good friends, a faithful ally in trading +matters at the Venice Fondaco, Master Sigismund Gossenprot, we lodged in +his dwelling, which was one of the finest that fine city; and, as good- +hap ruled it, he had, on the very eve of that day, come home from Venice. + +He and his worthy wife had known Herdegen of old, and I was cut to the +heart to see how the sight of him grieved them both. Nay, and the fair +young daughter of the house ne'er cast an eye on the stranger guest, +whose presence had been wont to stir every maiden's heart to beat faster. +Howbeit, here again I found comfort when I marked at supper that the +sweet damsel no longer heeded my simple person, whereas she had at first +gazed at me with favor, but hearkened with glowing cheeks to Herdegen's +discourse. At first, to be sure, this was anything rather than gay, +inasmuch as Master Gossenprot was full of tidings from Venice, and of +Sir Franz's latter end, which, indeed, was enough to sadden the most +mirthful. + +When the Bohemian had come to Venice he had lodged at a tavern, by name +"The Mirror," and there mine host had deemed that he was but a gloomy and +silent guest. And it fell that one day the city was full of a dreadful +uproar, whereas it was rumored that in the afternoon, at the hour when +Dame Ursula Giustiniani was wont to fare forth in her gondola, a strange +man clad in black had leaped into it from his own and, before the +serving-men could lay hands on him, he had stabbed her many times to the +heart with his dagger. Then, as they were about to seize him, he had +turned the murderous weapon still wet with his victim's blood, on +himself, and thus escaped the avenging hand of justice. + +As soon as the host of The Mirror heard this tale, he minded him of that +strange, dark man and, when that way-farer came not home to his inn, he +made report thereof to the judges. Then, on making search in his wallet, +it was discovered that he had entered there under a false name, and that +it was Sir Franz von Welemisl who had taken such terrible vengeance on +Ursula for her sins against himself and Herdegen. + +From Augsburg we now made good speed, and when, one fine June morning, +our proud old citadel greeted our eyes from afar, and I saw that +Herdegen's eyes were wet as he gazed upon it, mine eyes likewise filled +with tears, and as we rode we clasped hands fervently, but in silence. + +I sent forward a messenger from our last halting-place to give tidings of +our coming; and when, hard by Schweinau, behold a cloud of dust, our eyes +met and told more than many and eloquent words. + +Great and pure and thankful joy filled and bore up my soul; but presently +the cloud of dust was hid by a turn in the road behind the trees, and +even so, quoth my fearful heart, the shroud of the future hid what next +might befall us. + +The cruel blows of fate which had fallen on Herdegen had not been all in +vain, and the growing weakness of his frame warned him not to spend his +strength and eagerness on new and ever new things. Yet what troubled me +was that he was not aware of the changes that had come upon him within +and without. From all his speech with me I perceived that, even now, +he might not conceive that life could be other than as he desired: +notwithstanding it gave me secret joy to look upon this dear fellow, for +whom life should have had no summer heats nor winter frosts, but only +blossoming spring-tide and happy autumn days. + +But now we had got round the wood, and we might see what the cloud of +dust had concealed. Foremost there came a train of waggons loaded with +merchandise and faring southwards, and the first waggon had met a piled- +up load of charcoal coming forth from the forest at a place in the road +where they were pent between a deep ditch on one hand and thick brushwood +and undergrowth on the other; thus neither could turn aside, and their +wheels were so fast locked that they barred the road as it had been a +wall. Thus the second waggon likewise had come to hurt by the sudden +stopping of the first, and it was but hardly saved from turning over into +the ditch. There was a scene of wild turmoil. The waggons stopped the +way, and neither could the rest of the train, nor their armed outriders, +nor our own folks come past, by reason that the ditch was full deep and +the underwood thick. We likewise were compelled to draw rein and look on +while the six fine waggon horses which had but just come from the stable, +their brown coats shining like mirrors, were unharnessed, and likewise +the draughtoxen were taken out of the charcoal-waggon; which was done +with much noise and cursing, and the brass plates that decked the +leathern harness of the big horses jingling so loud and clear that we +might not hear the cries of our kinsfolks. Nay, it was the plume in +Gotz's hat, towering above the throng, which showed us that they were +come. + +Now, while Herdegen was vainly urging and spurring his unwilling horse to +leap down into the ditch and get round this fortress of waggons, two of +the others--and I instantly saw that they were Ann and her father, on +horseback--had made their way close to the charcoal waggon; howbeit, they +could get no further by reason that it had lurched half over and strewed +the way with black charcoal-sacks. + +My heart beat as though it would crack, and lo, as I looked round to +point them out to Herdegen, he had put forth his last strength to make +his horse take the leap, and could scarce hold himself in the saddle; his +anguish of mind, and the foolish struggle with the wilful horse, had +exhausted the strength of his sickly frame. His face was pale and his +breath came hard as he sat there, on the edge of the ditch, and held his +great hand to his breast as though he were in pain. Hereupon I likewise +felt a deep pang of unspeakable torment, albeit I knew from experience +that for such ills there was no remedy but perfect rest. I looked away +from him and beheld, a little nearer now, Ann high on her saddle, +diligently waving her kerchief, and at her side her father, lifting his +councillor's hat. + +In a few moments we were united once more. But no.... + +As I wrote the foregoing words with a trembling hand I vowed that I would +set down nought but the truth and the whole truth. And inasmuch as I +have not shrunk from making mention of certain matters which many will +deem of small honor to Herdegen, who was, by the favor of Heaven, so far +more highly graced in all ways than I, who have never been other than +middling gifted, it would ill-become me to shrink from relating matters +whereof I myself have lived to repent. + +There, by the ditch, was my dear only brother, weary and pale, a man +marked for an early grave; and in front of me, within a few paces, the +woman to whom my heart's only and fervent love had been given even as a +child. She sat like a King's daughter on a noble white horse with rich +trappings. A magnificent garment of fine cloth, richly broidered with +Flanders velvet, flowed about her slender body. The color thereof was +white and sapphire-blue, and so likewise were the velvet cap and finely- +rounded ostrich feather, which was fastened into it with a brooch of +sparkling precious stones. I had always deemed her fairest in sheeny +white, and she knew it, while Herdegen had taken blue for his color; and +behold she wore both, for love per chance of both brothers. Never had I +seen her fairer than at this minute and she had likewise waxed of a buxom +comeliness, and how sweet were her red cheeks, and swan-white skin, and +ebony-black hair, which flowed out from beneath her little hat in long +plaits twined with white and sapphire-blue velvet ribbon. + +Never did a maid seem more desirable to a man. And her father on his +great brown horse--he was no more a craftsman! In his councillor's robes +bordered with fur, with the golden chain round his neck, his well- +favored, grave, and manly countenance, and the long, flowing hair down to +his shoulders, meseemed he might have been the head of some ancient and +noble family. None in Nuremberg might compare with these two for manly +dignity and womanly beauty, and was that sickly, bent horseman by the +ditch worthy of them? "No, no," cried a voice in my heart. "Yes, Yes!" +cried another; and in the midst of this struggle I could but say to +myself: "He has an old and good right to her, and as soon as he has found +breath he will claim it." + +But she? What will she do; how will she demean her; is she aware of his +presence? Will she shrink from him as Dame Gossenprot did at Augsburg, +and the inn-keeper's smart wife at Ingolstadt, who of old was so over- +eager to be at his service? Would Ann, who had rejected many a lordly +suitor, be as sweet as of yore to that breathless creature? And if she +were to follow the example which he long since set her, if she now cut +the bond which he of old had snatched asunder, or if--Merciful Virgin!-- +if his sickness should increase, and he himself should shrink from +fettering her blooming young life to his own--then, oh, then it might be +my turn, then .... + +And on a sudden there was a cry from the depths of my heart, but heard by +none: "Look on this side. Look on me, my one and only beloved! Turn +from him who once turned from thee, and hearken to Kunz who loves thee +with a more faithful and fervent love than that man, who to this day +knows not what thy true worth is, whose heart is as fickle as mine is +honest and true. Here I stand, a strong and stalwart man, the friend of +every good man, willing and able to carry you in my strong hands through +a life crowned with wealth and happiness!" + +And while the voice of the Evil One whispered this and much more, my +gaze, meseemed, was spellbound to her countenance, and the light of her +eyes from afar shone deep into mine. And on a sudden I flung up my arms +and, without knowing what I did, stretched them forth, as though beside +myself, towards that hotly-loved maiden. Whether she saw this or no I +may never learn. And the grace of the Blessed Virgin or of my guardian +Saint, preserved me from evil and disgrace, for whereas all that was in +me yearned for that beloved one, a clear voice called to me by name, and +when I turned, behold it was Margery, who had leaped her light palfrey +into the ditch and now had sprung up the grassy bank. It was a breakneck +piece of horsemanship, to which she had been driven by longing and +sisterly love; and behind her came a man, my cousin Gotz, whose newly- +married wife's daring leap was indeed after his own heart. One more +plunge, and their horses were on the highroad, and I had lifted Margery +out of her saddle and we held each other clasped, stammering out foolish +disconnected words, while we first laughed and then wept. + +This went on for some while till I was startled by an outcry, and behold, +Eppelein, in his impatience to greet his dear master, had been fain to do +as Margery and Gotz had done, but with less good fortune, inasmuch as +that he had fallen under his horse, which had rolled over with him. His +lamentable outcry told me that he needed help, and once more in my life I +fulfilled my strange fate, which has ever been to cast to the winds that +for which my soul most longed, for another to take it up. While Margery +turned to greet Herdegen I hastened down the bank to rescue the faithful +fellow who had endured so much in my brother's service, ere the worst +should befall him. + +And this, with no small pains, I was able to do; and when I was aware +that he had suffered no mortal hurt, I clambered up on to the road again, +and then once more my heart began to beat sadly. Ann and Herdegen had +met again, and once for all. How was she able to refrain herself as she +beheld the changed countenance of her lover, and to be mistress of her +horror and dismay? + +Now, when I had climbed the bank with some pains, in my heavy riding- +boots, I saw that the waggon-men had harnessed the six brown horses to +their cart once more, and behind them, on the skirt of the wood, were the +pair that I sought; and as I went nearer to them Ann had drawn the glove, +for which we had tarried so long in Augsburg, from off her lover's +battered right hand, and was gazing at it lovingly, with no sign of +horror, but with tears in her eyes; and she cried as she kissed it again +and again: "Oh, that poor, dear, beloved hand, how cruelly it has +suffered, how hard it must have tolled! And that? That is where the +blue brand-mark was set? But it is almost gone. And it is in my color, +blue, our favorite sapphire-blue!" And she pointed joyously to her +goodly array, and she confessed that it was for him alone, that he might +see from afar how well she loved and honored him, that she had arrayed +herself in the color of fidelity in which he had ever best loved to see +her. And he clasped her to him, and when she kissed his thin, streaked +hair, and spoke of those dear flowing curls, to which love and care would +restore their beauty, I swore a solemn vow before God that I would never +look on the union of Herdegen and Ann but with thanksgiving and without +envy, and ever do all that in me lay for those two and for their welfare. + +Of the glad meeting with our other kith and kin I will say nought. As to +Cousin Maud, she had remained at home to welcome her darling at the gate +of the Schopperhof, which she had decked forth bravely. Yea, her warm +heart beat more fondly for him than for us. She could not wholly conceal +her dismay at seeing him so changed. She would stroke him from time to +time with a cherishing hand, yet she went about him as though there were +somewhat in him of which she was afeard. + +Howbeit, in the evening it was with her as it had been with me in the +land of Egypt, and she found him again for whom her heart yearned so +faithfully. Now, that which had seemed lacking came to light once more, +and from that hour she no longer grieved for what he had lost and which a +true mother peradventure might never have missed; indeed as his bodily +health failed, and she shared the care of tending him with Ann, none +could have conceived that he was not verily and indeed her own son. + +The evil monster which had crept into my brother's breast grew, thank +Heaven, but slowly; and when the young pair had been wed, with a right +splendid feast, and my brother had taken Ann home to the Schoppers' house +as his dear wife, a glad hope rose up in me that Master Knorr had taken +an over-gloomy view of the matter, and that Herdegen might blossom again +into new strength and his old hearty health. Howbeit it was but his +heart's gladness which lent him so brave and glad an aspect; the sickness +must have its course, and it was as it were a serpent, gnawing silently +at my joy in life, and its bite was all the more cruel by reason that I +might tell no man what it was that hurt me save the old Waldstromers. +But they likewise grew young again after their son's homecoming, and +notwithstanding her feeble frame, Aunt Jacoba saw Margery's eldest son +grow to be six years of age. And she sent him his packet of sweetmeats +the first day he went to school; but when the little lad went to thank +his grandmother, the old dame was gone to her rest; and her husband lived +after her no more than a few months. + +One grief only had darkened the latter days of this venerable pair, in +truth it was a heavy one; it was the death of my dear brother Herdegen, +which befell at the end of the fifth year after he was happily married. + +At the end of the fourth year his sickness came upon him with more +violence, yet he went forth and back, and ever hoped to be healed, even +when he took to his bed four weeks before the end. + +On the very last day, on a certain fine evening in May, it was that he +said to Ann: "Hearken, my treasure, I am surely better! On the day after +tomorrow we will go forth into the sweet Spring, to hear Dame Nightingale +who is singing already, and to see Margery. Oh, out in the forest +breezes blow to heal the sick!" + +Yet they went not; two hours later he had departed this life. By ill +fortune at that very time I was at Venice on a matter of business, and +when the tidings came to me that my only beloved brother was dead, +meseemed as though half my being were torn away, aye, and the nobler and +better half; that part which was not content to grieve and care for none +but earthly estate and for all that cometh up and passeth away here +below, but which hath a position in the bliss of another world, where we +ask not only of what use and to what end this or that may be, as I have +ever done in my narrow soul. + +When Herdegen's eyes closed in death, my wings were broken as it were; +with him I lost the highest aim and end of all my labors. For five hard +years had I toiled and struggled, often turning night into day, and not +for myself, but for him and his, ever upheld and sped forward by the +sight of his high soul and great happiness. Our grand-uncle Im Hoff had +left me his house and the conduct of his trade, as you have learned +already from Margery's little book; and during my long journeyings many +matters had not been done to my contentment, and the sick old man had +taken out overmuch moneys from the business. A goodly sum came to us +from our parents' estate, and my brother and sister and Cousin Maud were +fain to entrust me with theirs; but how much I had to do in return! + +Moreover a great care came upon me from without, by reason that Sir +Franz's kin and heirs refused to repay the moneys for the ransom which +Master Michieli of Venice had laid down, and for which Herdegen and I had +been sureties. Albeit in this matter we had applied to the law, we might +not suffer Michieli to come to loss by reason of his generosity, so I +took upon me the whole debt, and that was a hard matter in those times +and in my case; and the fifteen thousand ducats which were repaid me by +judgment of law, thirty years afterwards, made me small amends, inasmuch +as by that time I had long been wont to reckon with much greater sums. + +I made good my friend's payment of Herdegen's ransom to the last +farthing; yet what pressed me most hardly, so long as my brother lived, +was his housekeeping; few indeed in Nuremberg could have spent more. + +My eldest brother was the only one of us three who might keep any +remembrance of our father, whose trade with Venice and Flanders had +yielded great profits, and he could yet mind him how full the house had +ever been of guests, and the stables of horses. Now, therefor, he was +fain to live on the same wise, and this he deemed was right and seemly, +inasmuch as he took the moneys which I gave him as half the clear profits +of the Im Hoff trade, which were his by right. And I was fain to suffer +him to enjoy that belief, albeit at that time concerns looked but badly. +It was I, not he, whose part it was to care for those concerns; and +I rejoiced with all my heart when he and his lovely young wife rode +forth in such bravery, when he sat as host at the head of a table well- +furnished with guests, and won all hearts by his lofty and fiery spirit, +which conquered even the least well-disposed. Yet was it not easy to +supply that which was needed, or to refrain from speech or reproof when, +for instance, my brother must need have from the land of Egypt for Ann +such another noble horse as the Emirs there are wont to ride. Or could I +require him to pay when, after that Heaven had blessed him with a first +born child, Herdegen, radiant with pride and joy, showed me a cradle all +of ivory overlaid with costly carved work which he had commanded to be +wrought for his darling by the most skilled master known far and wide, +for a sum which at that time would have purchased a small house? Albeit +it was nigh upon quarter day, I would have taken this and much more upon +me rather than have quenched his heart's great gladness; and when I saw +thee, Margery the younger, who art now thyself a grandmother, sleeping +like a king's daughter in that precious cradle, and perceived with how +great joy it filled thy parents to have their jewel in so costly a bed, +I rejoiced over my own patience. + +It did my heart good, though I spoke not, to hear the Schoppers' house +praised as the friendliest in all Nuremberg; yet at other times meseemed +I saw shame and poverty standing at the door; and whereas, indeed, those +years of magnificence, which for sure were the hardest in all my life, +came to no evil issue, I owe this, next to Heaven's grace, to the trust +which many folks in Nuremberg placed in my honesty and judgment, far +beyond my desert. And when once, not long before my brother's over-early +death, I found myself to the very brow in water, as it were, it was that +faithfulest of all faithful friends, Uncle Christian Pfinzing, who read +the care in my eyes and face during the very last great banquet at +Herdegen's table, and led me into the oriel bay, and offered me all his +substance; and this is a goodly sum indeed and saved my trade from +shipwreck. + +Next to him it is Cousin Maud that we three links the Schopper chain +ought ever to hold dearest in memory; and it was by a strange chance that +he and she died, not only on the same day, but, as it were, of the same +death. Death came upon him at the Schoppers' table with the cup in his +hand, after that Ann, his "watchman" had warned him to be temperate; and +this was three years after her husband's death. And Cousin Maud, as she +came forth from the kitchen, whither she had gone to heat her famous +spiced wine for Uncle Christian, who was already gone, fell dead into +Margery's arms when she heard the tidings of his sudden end. + +Among the sundry matters which long dwelt in the minds both of Margery +and Ann, and were handed down to their grandchildren, were the Magister's +Latin verses in their praise. It is but a few years since Master Peter +Piehringer departed this life at a great age, and when Gotz's boys went +through their schooling so fast and so well they owed it to his care and +learning. But chiefly he devoted himself to Ann's daughters, Margery and +Agnes, and indeed it is ever so that our heart goeth forth with a love +like to that for our own sons or daughters to the offspring of the woman +we have loved, even when she has never been our own. + +Eppelein Gockel, my brother's faithful serving-man, was wed to Aunt +Jacoba's tiring-woman. After his master's death I made him to be host +in the tavern of "The Blue Sky," and whereas his wife was an active soul, +and his tales of the strange adventures he had known among the Godless +heathen brought much custom to his little tavern parlor, he throve to be +a man of great girth and presence. + +By the seventh year after our home-coming my hardest cares for the +concerns of my trade were overpast, albeit I must even yet keep my eyes +open and give brain and body no rest. Half my life I spent in +journeying, and whereas I perceived that it was only by opening up other +branches of trade that I might fulfil the many claims which ever beset +me, I set myself to consider the matter; and inasmuch as that I had seen +in the house of Akusch how gladly the women of Egypt would buy hazel-nuts +from our country, I began to deal in this humble merchandise in large +measure; and at this day I send more than ten thousand sequins' worth of +such wares, every year, by ship to the Levant. Likewise I made the furs +of North Germany and the toys of Nuremberg a part of my trade, which in +my uncle's life-time had been only in spices and woven goods. And so, +little by little, my profits grew to a goodly sum, and by God's favor +our house enjoyed higher respect than it ever had had of old. + +And it is a matter of rejoicing to me that at this time there is again an +Im Hoff at its head with me, so that the old name shall be handed down; +Ann's oldest daughter, Margery Schopper, having married one Berthold Im +Hoff, who is now my worthy partner. + +The sons of the elder Margery, the young Waldstromers, had much in them +of the hasty Schopper temper, and a voice for song; and all three have +done well, each in his way. Herdegen is now the Hereditary Ranger, and +held in no less honor than Kunz Waldstromer, my beloved godson, who is a +man of law in the service of our good town. Franz, who dedicated himself +to the Church at an early age, under the protection of my lord Cardinal +Bernhardi, has already been named to be the next in office after our +present aged and weakly Bishop. + +The son of Agnes, Herdegen's younger daughter, is Martin Behaim, a high- +spirited youth in whom his grandfather's fiery and restless temper lives +again, albeit somewhat quelled. + +And if you now enquire of me how it is that I, albeit my heart beats +warmly enough for our good town and its welfare and honor, have only +taken a passing part in the duties of its worshipful Council, this is my +answer: Inasmuch as to provide for the increase of riches for the +Schopper family took all the strength I had, I lacked time to serve the +commonwealth as my heart would have desired; and by the time when my dear +nephew Berthold Im Hoff came to share the conduct of the trade with me I +was right willing to withdraw behind my young partner, Ann's son-in-law, +and to take his place in the business, while he and Kunz Waldstromer were +chosen to high dignity on the Council. Nevertheless it is well-known +that I have given up to the town a larger measure of time and labor and +moneys than many a town-mayor and captain of watch. Of this I make +mention to the end that those who come after me shall not charge me with +evil self-seeking. + +Likewise some may ask me wherefor I, the last male offspring of the old +Schopper race, have gone through life unwed. Yet of a certainty they may +spare me the answer to whom I have honestly confessed all my heart's +pangs at the meeting of Herdegen with Ann. + +After the death of her best-beloved lord the young widow was overcome +with brooding melancholy from which nothing could rouse her. At that +time you, my Margery and Agnes, her daughters, clung to me as to your own +father; and when, at the end of three years, your mother was healed of +that melancholy, it had come about that you had learned to call me father +while I had sported with you and loved you in "your" mother's stead, and +taught you to fold your little hands in prayer and led you out for air +walking by your side. Your mother had heeded it not; but then, when she +bloomed forth in new and wondrous beauty, and I beheld that Hans Koler +and the Knight Sir Henning von Beust, who had likewise remained unwed, +were again her suitors, the old love woke up in my heart; and one fair +May evening, out in the forest, the question rose to my lips whether she +could not grant me the right to call you indeed my children before all +the world, and her.... + +But to what end touch the wound which to this day is scarce healed? + +In this world and the next she would never be any man's but his to whom +her heart's great and only love had been given. But from that evening +forth I, the rejected suitor, must suffer that you children should no +longer call me father, but Uncle Kunz; and when afterwards it came to be +dear little uncle you may believe that I was thankful. She no less +rejected the suit of Koler and of von Beust; but the last-named gentleman +made up for his dismissal by marrying a noble damsel of Brandenburg. +At a later time when he came to Nuremberg he was made welcome by Margery, +and then, meeting with Ann once more, he showed himself to be still so +youthful and duteous in his service to her, in despite of her grey hairs, +that for certain it was well for his happiness at home that he should +have come without his wife. + +Not long after Ann's rejection I confessed to Margery what had befallen, +and when she heard it, she cast her arms about my neck and cried: "Why, +ne'er content, must you crave a new home and family? Are not two warm +hearths yours to sit at, and the love and care of two faithful house- +wives; and are you not the father and counsellor, not alone of your +nephews and nieces, but of their parents likewise?" All this she said in +an overflow of sisterly love; and if it comforted me, as I here make +record of it, by reason that I sorely needed such good words, if I here +recall how sad life often seemed to me. + +Nay, nay! It was sweet, heavenly sweet, and worthy of all thanksgiving +that I, who of the three Schopper links was so far the most humbly +gifted, was suffered by Fate to be of some use to the other two, and even +to their children and grandchildren, and to help in adding to their well- +being. In this--insomuch I may say with pride--in this I have had all +good-speed; thus my life's labor has not been in vain, and I may call my +lot a happy one. And thus I likewise have proved the truth of old Adam +Heyden's saying, that he who does most for other folks at the same time +does the best for himself. + +THE END. + + + + +ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: + +Ever creep in where true love hath found a nest--(jealousy) +One who stood in the sun must need cast a shadow on other folks +We each and all are waiting + + + + + + +ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS FOR THE ENTIRE "MARGERY": + +A small joy makes us to forget our heavy griefs +All I did was right in her eyes +All things were alike to me +As every word came straight from her heart +Be cautious how they are compassionate +Be happy while it is yet time +Beware lest Satan find thee idle! +Brought imagination to bear on my pastimes +Comparing their own fair lot with the evil lot of others +Especial gift to listen keenly and question discreetly +Ever creep in where true love hath found a nest--(jealousy) +Faith and knowledge are things apart +Flee from hate as the soul's worst foe +For the sake of those eyes you forgot all else +Forty or fifty, when most women only begin to be wicked +Fruits and pies and sweetmeats for the little ones at home +Germans are ever proud of a man who is able to drink deep +Happiness should be found in making others happy +Have never been fain to set my heart on one only maid +Her eyes were like open windows +Hopeful soul clings to delay as the harbinger of deliverance +Last Day we shall be called to account for every word we utter +Laugh at him with friendly mockery, such as hurts no man +Love which is able and ready to endure all things +Maid who gives hope to a suitor though she has no mind to hear +Marred their best joy in life by over-hasty ire +May they avoid the rocks on which I have bruised my feet +Men folks thought more about me than I deemed convenient +Misfortunes never come singly +No man gains profit by any experience other than his own +No false comfort, no cloaking of the truth +On with a new love when he had left the third bridge behind him +One Head, instead of three, ruled the Church +One who stood in the sun must need cast a shadow on other folks +One of those women who will not bear to be withstood +Shadow which must ever fall where there is light +The god Amor is the best schoolmaster +The not over-strong thread of my good patience +They who will, can +Though thou lose all thou deemest thy happiness +Vagabond knaves had already been put to the torture +We each and all are waiting +Were we not one and all born fools +When men-children deem maids to be weak and unfit for true sport +Woman who might win the love of a highly-gifted soul (Pays for it) +Wonder we leave for the most part to children and fools + + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARGERY, BY GEORG EBERS, ENTIRE *** + +********** This file should be named g121v10.txt or g121v10.zip ********** + +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, g121v11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, g121v10a.txt + +This eBook was produced by David Widger <widger@cecomet.net> + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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