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