fted 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 th