ceive
them, and when the fiddlers and other musicians had re-tuned their
instruments, and began a solemn march, a long brilliant procession
moved forward in the hall. Pages of honour led the train, carrying
embossed gold tankards and female ornaments of jewelry, as gifts from
the Duke to the happy couple.

"May these tankards," said Ulerich, addressing them, "filled with
generous liquor, circulate at the marriage feast of your children, and
remind you of a man whom both of you served with truth and fidelity in
his misfortune, of a Prince who in prosperity forgets not his faithful
friends."

Albert was astonished at the value of the presents. "Your Grace's
generosity overpowers us," he replied; "love and fidelity claim no
reward but the approval of conscience, else they would be too often the
price of venality."

"Yes, truly, unless they spring from a source unadulterated by the
alloy of all selfish motives, they are but pearls fit only to be thrown
to swine," replied the Duke, casting a look of reproof down the length
of the table. "We rejoice the more, therefore, to reward your
disinterested fidelity, when all seemed to be lost to us. But look,
your bride is in tears! I think I know their cause; they are produced
by the remembrance of our late painful fate, which I have now recalled
to her mind. But away with these tears; they are unpropitious to the
day of your wedding. With permission! of your husband," said he,
turning to Bertha, "I will now claim payment of an old debt."

Bertha blushed, and cast an anxious look at Albert, fearing the
repetition of a liberty which had once highly offended her. He,
however, well knew what the Duke meant, for the scene which he had
witnessed behind the door was still fresh in his recollection. Amused
with the idea of rallying the Duke and his wife upon the subject, he
said, "My lord Duke, my wife and I being now one body and one soul, she
has my permission to liquidate the debt which I know she owes you."

"Answered as a fine young fellow," returned Ulerich, goodnaturedly;
"and I have no doubt that many of our ladies here at table would have
no objection to require payment of a similar debt from your handsome
mouth; but my demand being addressed solely to the rosy lips of your
wife, it refers to her alone."

With these words, he rose and approached Bertha, who looked at her
husband in a state of confusion and agitation. "My lord Duke," she
said, in a low tone of voice, and ho