so wonderful, that it
broke down the last bar that stood in the way of our close fellowship.
And Ann's well-favored mother likewise won my cousin's good graces,
albeit she was swift to mark that the Italian lady could fall in but ill
with German ways, and in especial with those of Nuremberg, and was ever
ready to let Ann bear the burthen of the household.

All our closest friends, and foremost of these my worshipful godfather
Uncle Christian Pfinzing, ere long truly loved my little Ann; and of all
our fellows I knew of only one who was ill-disposed towards her, and that
was Ursula Tetzel, who marked, with ill-cloaked wrath, that my brother
Herdegen cared less and less for her, and did Ann many a little courtesy
wherewith he had formerly favored her. She could not dissemble her anger,
and when my eldest brother waited on Ann on her name day with the 'pueri'
to give her a 'serenata' on the water, whereas, a year agone, he had done
Ursula the like honor, she fell upon my friend in our garden with such
fierce and cruel words that my cousin had to come betwixt them, and then
to temper my great wrath by saying that Ursula was a motherless child,
whose hasty ways had never been bridled by a loving hand.

As I mind me now of those days I do so with heartfelt thankfulness and
joy. To be sure it but ill-pleased our grand-uncle and guardian, the
knight Im Hoff, that Cousin Maud should suffer me, the daughter of a
noble house, to mix with the low born race of a simple scrivener; but in
sooth Ann was more like by far to get harm in our house, among my
brethren and their fellows, than I in the peaceful home by the river,
where none but seemly speech was ever heard and sweet singing, nor ever
seen but labor and good order and content.

Right glad was I to tarry there; but yet how good it was when Ann got
leave to come to us for the whole of Sunday from noon till eventide; when
we would first sit and chatter and play alone together, and talk over all
we had done in school; thereafter we had my brothers with us, and would
go out to take the air under the care of my cousin or of Magister Peter,
or abide at home to sing or have merry pastime.

After the Ave Maria, the old organist, Adam Heyden, Ann's grand uncle,
would come to seek her, and many sweet memories dwell in my mind of that
worthy and gifted man, which I might set down were it not that I am Ann's
debtor for so many things that made my childhood happy. It was she, for a
certa