lding her head away, "I meant it
only in joke--I beseech you!" But Ulerich would not be deterred from
his purpose, and wrung his debt with interest from her pretty mouth.

The knight of Lichtenstein during this scene looked angrily, first at
the Duke and then at his daughter, fearing his son-in-law might perhaps
take umbrage at the liberty, as Ulerich von Hutten had done in a
similar case. The chancellor appeared to enjoy a malicious pleasure
upon the occasion, at the expense, as he thought, of the young man's
feelings. "Hi! hi! hi! I'll empty my glass to your good health," said
he to him. "A pretty woman is an excellent petitioner in necessity; I
wish you prosperity, dear and most worthy sir;--hi! hi! hi! there is no
harm done in the presence of the husband."

"No doubt of it," replied Albert, calmly; "and so much the more
innocent because I was present when my wife promised his Grace this
proof of her gratitude. The Duke himself proposed to intercede for us
with her father to make me his son-in-law, stipulating for this reward
on the day of our nuptials."

The Duke started in surprise at these words, and Bertha blushed again,
when she thought of the scene which had occasioned the promise. Neither
of them, however, contradicted him, deeming it perhaps unseemly, or
rather impossible, to charge him with an untruth, or, what was more
likely, suspecting they had been overheard.

The Duke could not forbear asking him aside how he came to know the
circumstance. Albert acquainted him with it in a few words.

"You are a strange fellow," whispered the Duke, smiling; "what would
have been the consequence had I committed the trespass?"

"As I did not know you at that time," replied the other as softly, "I
should have run you through on the spot, and hung your body on the
nearest oak."

The Duke bit his lips and felt annoyed; but he took his friend's hand,
and said, "You would have been perfectly justified, and we should have
been justly carried off in our sins. But look, they are bringing more
offerings to the bride."

The attendants of the knights and nobles who had been invited to the
wedding, appeared, carrying all kinds of curious household utensils,
stuffs for wearing apparel, and such like. It being known in Stuttgardt
that the feast was given in honour of the Duke's favourite, an embassy
of burghers, worthy respectable men, dressed in black, with swords by
their sides, short hair and long beards, had been appointe