ing the cup with her rosy lips.
Hereupon a pang pierced my heart, and methought indeed how well favored a
maid was the forester's daughter, and not more than a year older than I,
and by every right deemed the fairest in all the forest. And the evil
fiend jealousy, which of yore had had so little hold over me that I could
bear to see my Hans pay the friendliest court to the fairest maidens, now
whispered wild suspicions in mine ear that Gotz, with his bold warrior's
ways, might be like enough to sue for some light love-tokens from the
fair and mirthful Waldtrud.

Howbeit, I presently called to mind the honest eyes of my new heart's
beloved, and that brought me peace; and how I was struck with horror to
think that I had known the sting of that serpent whom men call jealousy.
Must it ever creep in where true love hath found a nest? And if indeed it
were so, then--and a hot glow thrilled through me--then the love which
had bound me to Hans Haller had been a poor manner of thing, and not the
real true passion.

No, no! Albeit it had worn another aspect than this brand new flame,
which I now felt burning and blazing up from the early-lighted and long
smouldering fire, nevertheless it had been of the best, and faithful and
true. Albeit as the betrothed of Hans Haller I had been spared the pangs
of jealousy, I owed it only to the great and steadfast trust I had gladly
placed in him. And Gotz, who had endured so much anguish and toil to be
faithful to his other sweetheart, was not less worthy of my faith, and it
must be my task to fight against the evil spirit with all the strength
that was in me.

Then again I fell asleep; and when, as day was breaking, I woke once more
and remembered all that had befallen me yestereve, I had to clutch my
shoulders and temples or ever I was certain that indeed my eyes were open
on another day. And what a day! My heart overflowed as I saw, look which
way I might, no perils, none, nothing, verily nothing that was not
well-ordered and brought to a good end, nothing that was not a certainty,
and such a blessed certainty!

I rose as fresh and thankful as the lark, my Cousin Maud was standing, as
yet not dressed and with screws of paper in her hair, in front of the
pictures of my parents, casting a light on their faces from her little
lamp; and it was plain that she was telling them, albeit without speech,
that her life's labor and care had come to a happy issue, and I was
irresistibly moved to f