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