ly in the hope of being ere long kin to a noble family, that its
wrecking filled her heart with bitter rage, and in all the houses whither
she carried her honey she never failed to speak slander of Herdegen.

All this would never have troubled me, if only I might have rejoiced in
the presence of my dear love; but alas! no more than three weeks after
our betrothal he was sent, as squire to Master Erhart Schurstab, away to
court, where they were to lay before the Emperor Sigismund in the name of
Nuremberg the various hindrances in the way of our trafficking with
Venice, whereas since the late war his Majesty had been mightily
ill-disposed towards that great and famous city.

There was no remedy but patience; my lover wrote to me often, and his
loving letters would have filled me with joy, if it had not been that in
each one there was ever some sad tidings of Junker Henning, whom I yet
held in high esteem. This young lord, who was in attendance on his
Majesty--who never held his court for more than a few days at the same
place--or ever he left Vienna to go to Ratisbon, had made a close
friendship with my plighted master, and had been serviceable to him in
all things wherein he might; and Hans had said of him that he was one in
whom there was no guile, with the open heart and bright temper of a
child. Such an one, indeed, was his; yet, in the midst of the gayest
mirth, his grief of heart would so mightily come upon him that he fell
into a sudden gloom; and out of the fulness of his sorrow he confessed to
Hans that he could never cease to think of Ann. Whereupon my dear love
conceived that it must be his woeful duty to tell his friend that the
lady of his choice had no free heart to give him. Yet to the Junker's
question whether she were plighted to another, and whether he were minded
to wed her, Hans was forced in truth to say nay. This gave the lovesick
youth new courage, and at length he went so far as that Hans enquired of
me whether Ann might not after all be willing to give up Herdegen, who
well deserved it at her hands, and to take pity on so brave and
true-hearted a lover as the Junker.

To this I could make no answer other than: "Never--never;" inasmuch as,
having shown Ann this letter, and, moreover, loudly sung the praise of
her suitor, she asked me right sadly whether I was weary of confirming
her in her love for my brother; and when I eagerly denied this, she
cried: "And you know me well! And you must know that