ifted his voice in singing of madrigals, she
besought him that he would make proof of some ballad or song. The rest of
the company joining in her entreaties she left him no peace till he gave
way to her desire, and after that he had protested that his singing was
no better than the twitter of a starling or a bullfinch, and his ditty
only such as he remembered from his boyhood's time, he sang the song "It
rained on the bridge and I was wet" in a voice neither loud nor fine, but
purely, and with great modesty.

Ann highly lauded this simple and right childish ditty, and said that she
felt certain that she, by her teaching, could make a fine singer of the
Junker.

The others were of the same opinion, and Herdegen, meanwhile, who was
standing somewhat apart, with Ursula, looked on, marvelling greatly as
though he could not believe what his ear heard and his eye beheld.

Then, inasmuch as my lord duke desired to hear more music made, we were
ready enough to obey and uplifted our voices, while he leaned on an easy
couch, listening diligently, and gave us the guerdon of his gracious
praise.

Still, as heretofore, many were obedient to Ann's lightest sign, but
never till now had I seen her proud of her power and so eager to use it.
Now and again she would turn to Herdegen with some light word and a free
demeanor, yet he, it was plain, would not vouchsafe to take his seat
before her with the rest.

Nay, meseemed that he and Ursula had no part with us; inasmuch as that
she was arrayed in velvet and rich brocade, and a bower, as it were, of
yellow and purple ostrich plumes curled above her riding-hat.

Herdegen likewise was in brave array, after the fashion of the French,
and a bunch of tall feathers stood up above his head, being held in a
silken fillet that bound his hair. His cross-belt was set with gems and
hung with little bells, tinkling as he moved and jarring with our song;
and in this hot summer-tide it could not have been for his easement that
he wore the tagged lappets, which fell, a hand-breadth deep, from his
shoulders over the sleeves of his velvet tunic.

The more gleefully we sang and the more it was made plain that we, to all
seeming, were only to obey the wishes of Ann and of his highness the
duke, the less could my brother refrain himself to hide his ill-pleasure;
and when presently the Junker besought Ann that she would sing
"Tanderadei," which she very readily did, Herdegen could bear no more; he
asked