of her soul; and when I promised my friend to
support her, she gave the wise lady, who had shown her such plain proofs
of her devoted friendship, her word that she would in every point obey
her.

Many a time have we seen, in the churches of Nuremberg, certain acting of
plays wherein right honest and worthy persons have appeared as Judas
Iscariot, or even as the very Devil himself; and at Venice likewise have
I seen such plays, called there Boinbaria, wherein men and women,
innocent of all guilt, were made to stand for Calumny, Cruelty, and
Craft; and that so cunningly that a man might swear that they were
reprobate Knaves full ripe for the gallows. From this it may be seen that
men are fit and able to seem other than they are by nature; nay, such
feigning is a pleasure to most folks, as we plainly see from the delight
taken by great and small alike in mummery at Carnival tide. Howbeit, they
can scarce have their heart in such sport; and for my part, meseemeth
that to play such a part as my aunt had set before Ann is one of the
hardest that can be laid upon a pure-hearted and truthful maid. At the
time I wist not clearly what was the end of such rash trifling; but now,
when I know men better, meseems it was well conceived, and could not fail
of its intent, albeit the course of events made it plain to my
understanding how little the thoughts and plans of the wisest can avail
when Heaven rules otherwise.

The gentlemen in the hall were more than ready to agree to our bidding;
yet none but I could guess what made Ann's lip to quiver from time to
time, while her gay spirit charmed the young men who bore us company
through the woods to the beekeeper's garden.

I and Elsa cut the flowers helped by Jorg Loffelholz, while Ann sat under
a shady lime-tree hard by an arbor of honeysuckle, and showed the others,
who lay on the grass about her; how to wind a garland. Each one was ready
to be taught by lips so sweet, and in guiding of fingers and words of
praise or blame, there was right merry laughing and chatter and pastime.

Junker Henning lay at her feet, and near him my Hans' brother Paulus, and
young Master Holzschuher. The Knight von Eberstein had fetched him a
stool out from the beekeeper's house, and twisted and tied with great
zeal; the Italian Conte, Fagio di Puppi, struck the mandoline, which he
called "the lady of his heart" from whom he never parted even on the
longest journey.

When Elsa and I had flowers enough, w