oming, 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 ho