what a day! My heart overflowed as I saw, look
which way I might, no perils, none, nothing, verily nothing that was
not well-ordered and brought to a good end, nothing that was not a
certainty, and such a blessed certainty!

I rose as fresh and thankful as the lark, my Cousin Maud was standing,
as yet not dressed and with screws of paper in her hair, in front of the
pictures of my parents, casting a light on their faces from her little
lamp; and it was plain that she was telling them, albeit without speech,
that her life's labor and care had come to a happy issue, and I was
irresistibly moved to fly to her brave and faithful heart; and although,
while we held each other in an embrace, we found no words, we each knew
full well what the other meant.

After this, in all haste we made ready to set forth, and the Magister
came down to us in the hall, inasmuch as my cousin had called him. He
made his appearance in the motley morning gabardine which gave him so
strange an aspect, and to my greeting of "God be with 'ee!" he gaily
replied that he deemed it wasted pains to ask after my health.

Then, when he had been told all, at first he could not refrain himself
and good wishes flowed from his lips as honey from the honey-comb;
and he was indeed a right merry sight as, in the joy of his heart, he
clapped his arms together across his breast, as a woodhewer may, to warm
his hands in winter. On a sudden, however, he looked mighty solemn, and
when Cousin Maud, bethinking her of Ann, spoke kindly to him, saying
that matters were so in this world, that one who stood in the sun must
need cast a shadow on other folks, the Magister bowed his head sadly and
cried: "A wise saying, worthy Mistress Maud; and he who casts the shade
commonly does so against his will, 'sine ira et studio'. And from that
saying we may learn--suffer me the syllogism--that, inasmuch as all
things which bring woe to one bring joy to another, and vice-versa,
there must ever be some sad faces so long as there is no lack of happy
ones. As to mine own poor countenance, I may number it indeed with those
in shadow--notwithstanding"--here his flow of words stopped on a sudden.
Howbeit, or ever we could stay him, he went on in a loud and well-nigh
triumphant voice. "Notwithstanding I am no wise woeful--no, not in the
least degree. I have found the clue, and who indeed could fail to see
it: Your shadow can fall so black on me only by reason that you stand in
the fullest