ll more against Ulrich, who was half a servant,
yet presumed to play the master and offer them violence.

The monks employed in the school soon noticed the ill terms, on which the
new pupil stood with his companions, and did not lack reasons for shaking
their heads over him.

Benedictus had not been able to conceal, who had been Ulrich's teacher in
Richtberg; and the seeds the Jew had planted in the boy, seemed to be
bearing strange and vexatious fruit.

Father Hieronymus, who instructed the pupils in religion, fairly raged,
when he spoke of the destructive doctrines, that haunted the new
scholar's head.

When, soon after Ulrich's reception into the school, he had spoken of
Christ's work of redemption, and asked the boy: "From what is the world
to be delivered by the Saviour's suffering?" the answer was: "From the
arrogance of the rich and great." Hieronymus had spoken of the holy
sacraments, and put the question: "By what means can the Christian surely
obtain mercy, unless he bolts the door against it--that is, commits a
mortal sin?" and Ulrich's answer was: "By doing unto others, what you
would have others do unto you."

Such strange words might be heard by dozens from the boy's lips. Some
were repeated from Hangemarx's sayings, others from the doctor's; and
when asked where he obtained them, he quoted only the latter, for the
monks were not to be allowed to know anything about his intercourse with
the poacher.

Sharp reproofs and severe penances were now bestowed, for many a word
that he had thought beautiful and pleasing in the sight of God; and the
poor, tortured young soul often knew no help in its need.

He could not turn to the dear God and the Saviour, whom he was said to
have blasphemed, for he feared them; but when he could no longer bear his
grief, discouragement, and yearning, he prayed to the Madonna for help.

The image of the unhappy woman, about whom he had heard nothing but ill
words, who had deserted him, and whose faithlessness gave the other boys
a right to jeer at him, floated before his eyes, with that of the pure,
holy Virgin in the church, brought by Father Lukas from Italy.

In spite of all the complaints about him, which were carried to the
abbot, the latter thought him a misguided, but good and promising boy, an
opinion strengthened by the music-teacher and the artist Lukas, whose
best pupil Ulrich was; but they also were enraged against the Jew, who
had lured this nobly-gifted chil