der kisses with the
wife of the most energetic leader of Protestantism?"

"By your permission, your Eminence," Wolf asserted, "only the daughter
offered her her lips. She and her mother made the singer's acquaintance
at the musical exercises established here by the Council. Music is the
only bond between them."--"Yet there is a bond," cried De Soto
suspiciously. "If you see her again before your departure, advise her, in
my name, to sever it. She found a friendly welcome and much kindness in
that house, and here at least--tell her so--only one faith exists. A
prosperous journey, Sir Knight."

The delay caused by this conversation induced Wolf to quicken his pace.
It had grown late, and Erasmus Eckhart had surely been waiting some time
for his school friend in the old precentor's house.

This was really the case, but the Wittenberg theologian, whose course of
study had ended only a fortnight before, and who, with his long, brown
locks and bright blue eyes, still looked like a gay young student, had
had no reason to lament the delay.

He was first received by Ursel, who had left her bed and was moving
slowly about the room, and how much the old woman had had to tell her
young fellow-believer from Wittenberg about Martin Luther, who was now no
longer living, and Professor Melanchthon; but Erasmus Eckhart liked to
talk with her, for as a schoolmate and intimate friend of Wolf he had
paid innumerable visits to the house, and received in winter an apple, in
summer a handful of cherries, from her.

The young man was still less disposed to be vexed with Wolf for his delay
when Barbara appeared in Ursel's room. Erasmus had played with her, too,
when he was a boy, and they shared a treasure of memories of the fairest
portion of life.

When Wolf at last returned and Barbara gave him her hand, Erasmus envied
him the affectionate confidence with which it was done. She was charged
with the warmest messages from her father to the knight, and
conscientiously delivered them. The old gentleman's companion had advised
starting that evening, because experience taught that, on a long ride, it
was better for man and beast to spend the night outside the city.

They were to put up at the excellent tavern in Winzer, an hour's journey
from Ratisbon, and continue the ride from that point.

Wolf knew that many couriers did the same thing, in order to avoid delay
at the gate, and only asked whom her father had chosen for a companion.

"A