lads and maids with their mothers; and albeit the leaves were off
the trees and the last flowers were frozen to death, many a child had
found a green twig or carried a little bunch of everlasting flowers in
its little hand to lay on the bier of that kind old friend. It was all
the sacristan could do to keep away the multitudes who were fain to look
on his face once more; and when he was borne to the grave-yard, not above
two hours after my grand-uncle, there was indeed a wondrous great
following. The snow was falling fast in the streets, and the fine folks
who had attended him to the grave were soon warming themselves at home
after the burying of old Im Hoff. But there came behind Adam Heyden's
bier many right honest and respected folk, and a throng, reaching far
away, of such as might feel the wind whistling cold through the holes in
their sleeves and about their bare heads. And among these was there many
a penniless woman who wiped her eyes with her kerchief or her hand, and
many a widow's child, who tightened its little belt as it saw him who had
so often given it a meal carried to the grave.

ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:

Marred their best joy in life by over-hasty ire
Misfortunes never come singly

MARGERY

By Georg Ebers

Volume 8.

CHAPTER XIV.

Our good hope of going forth with good-speed into the wide world to risk
all for our lover and brother was not to be yet. We were fain to take
patience; and if this seemed hard to us maidens, it was even worse for
Kubbeling; the man was wont to wander free whither he would, and during
these days of tarrying at the forest-lodge, first he lost his mirthful
humor, and then he fell sick of a fever. For two long weeks had he to be
abed, he, who, as he himself told, had never to this day needed any
healing but such as the leech who medicined his beasts could give him. We
awaited the tidings of him with much fear; and at this time we likewise
knew not what to think of those gentlemen who heretofore had been such
steadfast and faithful friends to us, inasmuch as that Doctor Holzschuher
gave no sign, and soon after my grand-uncle's burying Uncle Christian and
Master Pernhart had set forth for Augsburg on some privy matters of the
town council. Yet we could do nought but submit, by reason that we knew
that every good citizen thinks of the weal of the Commonwealth before all
else.

Even our nearest of kin had laid our concerns on the shelf, whil