t: that he was willing to administer extreme unction to my
grand-uncle Im Hoff, if his life should be in peril when his eminence
returned from England. Our next letters were, by his order, to find him
at Brussels, and when old Dame Pernhart had given her consent to our
journeying to the land of Egypt--whereas Aunt Jacoba held her wisdom and
shrewd wit in high honor,--and had moved her son and Dame Giovanna to do
likewise, Ann wrote a long letter to my lord Cardinal, the venerable head
of the Pernhart family, setting forth in touching words for what cause
and to what end she had dared so bold a venture. She besought his aid and
blessing, and declared that the inward voice, which he had taught her to
obey, gave her assurance that the purpose she had in hand was pleasing in
the eyes of God and the Virgin.

I, for my part, could never have writ so fair a letter; and how calmly
would Ann now fulfil the duties of each day, while Cousin Maud, albeit
her feet scarce might carry her, was here, there, and everywhere, like a
Will-o'-the-Wisp.

Ann it was who first conceived the idea of going with Young Kubbeling to
the Futterers' house and there making enquiries as to the roads to Genoa,
and also concerning the merchants who might there be found ready and
willing to ship his falcons for sale in Alexandria; inasmuch as that it
was only by journeying in a galleon which sailed not from Venice that we
could escape Ursula's spies; and that Kubbeling should suffer loss
through us we could by no means allow. And whereas old Master Futterer
himself was now in Nuremberg, he declared himself willing to buy the
birds on account of his own house, at the same price as the traders in
Venice; nor was the Brunswicker any whit loth, forasmuch as that he might
presently get a better price on the Lido, when it should be known that he
had other ways and means at his command. Also the journey by Genoa gave
us this advantage: that we were bound to no time or season. Old Master
Futterer pledged himself to find a ship at any time when Kubbeling should
need it.

Whereas we purposed to set forth in the middle of December, we went to
the forest-lodge early in that month, and as it was with me at that time,
so, for sure, must it be with the swallows and the nightingales or ever
they fly south over mountains and seas. Never had the pure air been
sweeter, never had I looked forward to the future with greater hope and
strength or higher purpose. And my feeble