ngs 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