in his belief: that his favourite virtues were really
the fairest of all, because--one will answer for all--man never felt
happier than when he had succeeded in keeping his fidelity inviolate and
maintaining his steadfastness. He had learned, too, from Fraulein Eva
that the Redeemer Himself promised the crown of eternal life to those who
remain faithful unto death. In this confidence he awaited the jailers,
who perhaps would come very soon to lead him into the most joyless of all
apartments--the Nuremberg torture chamber.

Then he told the ladies what he knew of the love which united Heinz and
Eva. The four Fs which he had advised his master to heed in his
wooing--Family, Figure, Favor, and Fortune--he no longer deemed the right
touch-tones. Whilst he was forced to lie idly here he had found that they
should rather be exchanged for four Ss--Spirituality, Steadfastness,
Stimulation, and Solace--for the eyes and the heart.

All these were united in Eva and, moreover, there could be no objection
to the family to which she belonged.

Thereupon he had commenced so enthusiastic a eulogy of his beloved nurse
and preserver that more than once Lady Wendula, smiling, stopped him,
accusing him of permitting his grateful heart to lead him to such
exaggeration that the maiden he wished to serve would scarcely thank him.

Yet Eva's personal appearance had disappointed neither the experienced
mother nor the easily won daughter. Nay, when Maria Schorlin gazed at her
through the half-open door of the Minorite's room, because she did not
want to lose sight of the girl who had already attracted her on account
of her hard battle in the cause of love, and who specially charmed her
because it was her Heinz whom she loved, she thought no human being could
resist the spell which emanated from Eva.

With her finger on her lip she beckoned to her mother, and she, too,
could not avert her eyes from the wonderful creature whom she hoped soon
to call daughter, as she saw Eva standing, with eyes uplifted to heaven,
beside the old man's couch, and heard her, in compliance with his wish,
as she had often done before, half recite, half sing in a low voice the
Song of the Sun, the finest work of St. Francis.

The words were in the Italian language, in which this song had flowed
from the poet heart of the Saint of Assisi, so rich in love to God and
all animate nature; for she had learned to speak Italian in the Convent
of St. Clare, to which severa