each other and both fervently
and earnestly longed for her motherly blessing, she gave it me in rich
abundance.

Now was it my part to make known to her that her returned son held fast
to his oath; and I had already begun to tell her this when she waved her
hands, and eagerly broke in: "And do you think I ever looked that he,
who is a Waldstromer and a Behaim both in one, should ever break a vow?
And of a truth he hath given me time enough to consider of it!--But
to-day, this very day, early in the morning I found the right way out of
the matter, albeit it is as like a trick of woman's craft as one egg is
like another.--You know that reckless oath. It requires me never, never
to bid Gotz home again; but yet,"--and now her eyes began to sparkle
brightly with gladness--"what my oath does not forbid is that I should
go forth to meet Gotz, and find him wheresoever he may be."

Hereupon the Chaplain clapped his hands and cried:

"And thus once more the love of a woman's heart hath digged a pit for
Satan's craft."

And I ran forth to bid them harness the sleigh, whereas I knew full well
that no counsel would avail.

And now, as of yore when she had fared into the town for love of Ann,
she was wrapped in a mountain of warm garments, so we clothed her to-day
in a heap of such raiment, and Young Kubbeling would suffer no man but
himself to drive the horses. Thus we went at a slow pace to Grubner's
lodge, and all the way we rode we met not a soul save Cousin Maud, and
she only nodded to me, by reason that she could not guess that a living
human creature was breathing beneath the furs and coverlets at my side.
Young Kubbeling on the box, and the ravens and tomtits and redbreasts in
the woods had not many words from us. While I was thinking with fear
and expectation of the outcome of this meeting of the mother and son,
I scarce spoke more than a kind word of good cheer now and again to my
aunt, to which Kubbeling would ever add in a low voice: "All will come
right!" or "God bless thee, most noble lady!" And each time we thus
spoke I was aware of a small movement about my knees, and would then
press my lips to the outermost cover of the beloved bundle by my side.

At about two hundred paces from the Forester's but the path turned off
from the highway, so that we might be seen from the windows thereof; and
scarce had the sleigh turned into this cross-road, when the door of the
lodge was opened and my uncle and Gotz came forth.