ein had poured into his ear was to me not so much unpleasing as
a cause of well-grounded fears, inasmuch as the old body had told him
that the man who was fain to pay his court to Mistress Giovanna was none
other than the coppersmith, Ulman Pernhart, the father of the fair maid
for whose sake Aunt Jacoba had banished her only son.

In vain did I in all honesty speak the praises of the coppersmith;
Herdegen turned a deaf ear, even as my uncle and aunt had done. The
thought that his wife should ever be required to honor this
handicraftsman, if only as a step-father, and that he should hear himself
addressed by him as "Son," was too shrewd a thrust.

The next morning the Junkers had carried him off to the school of arms
and then to the gentlemen's tavern to take his part in the masquerade;
and when, at a later hour, after the throng had scattered, Ann came to
our house, her lover was not at home: he had gone off again to the revels
at the tavern where he would meet such workingmen as his sweetheart's
future step-father.

At the same time, as it fell, Brother Ignatius, of the order of Grey
Friars, had come many times to hold forth at our house, by desire of my
grand-uncle whose almoner he was, and when Herdegen announced to us on
Ash Wednesday that the holy man had craved to be allowed to travel in his
company as far as Ingolstadt, I foresaw no good issue; for albeit the
Father was a right reverend priest, whose lively talk had many a time
given me pleasure, it must for certain be his intent to speed my uncle's
wishes.

In spite of all, Herdegen was in such deep grief at departing that I put
away all doubts and fears.

Ann, who felt in all matters as he felt and put her whole trust in him,
was wise enough to know that he could have no bond with her kith and kin;
nay, that it must be hard on him to have to call such a woman as Mistress
Henneleinlein his aunt. Also he and she had agreed that hereafter he
should dwell no more at Nuremberg, but seek some office and duty in the
Imperial service; and Sir Franz had been diligent in asking his uncle's
good word, he being one of those highest in power at the Emperor's court.

Now, when a short time before his departing they were alone with me, Ann,
bearing in mind this pact they had made, cried out: "You promise me we
shall build our nest in some place far from hence; and be it where it
may, wherever we may be left to ourselves and have but each other, a
happy life must await