Though she believed herself justified in
hating the little mischief-maker, the prayer uttered before her fall did
not burden her soul much less heavily than a crime. Suppose the Sister
was right, and that the saints heard every earnest petition?

She shuddered at the thought. The child was so young, so delicate. Though
she had caused her misfortune, the evil was not done intentionally. Such
thoughts often induced Kuni to clasp her hands and pray to the saint not
to fulfil the prayer she uttered at that time; but she did not continue
the petition long, a secret voice whispered that every living
creature--man and beast--felt the impulse to inflict a similar pang on
those who caused suffering, and that she, who believed the whole world
wicked, need not be better than the rest.

Meanwhile she longed more and more eagerly to know the name of the little
creature that had brought so much trouble upon her, and whether she was
still forcing herself between Lienhard and his beautiful wife.

As soon as she was able to talk again, she began her inquiries. The
Sister, who was entirely absorbed in her calling and never left the scene
of her wearisome toil, had little to tell; but the leech and the priest,
in reply to her questions concerning what had happened during the period
of her unconsciousness, informed her that the Emperor had ordered that
she should receive the most careful nursing, and had bestowed a donation
upon the convent for the purpose. He had thought of her future, too. When
she recovered, she would have the five heller pounds which the generous
sovereign had left for her as a partial compensation for the injuries
sustained while employing her rare skill for the delight of the multitude
and, above all, himself. A wealthy Nuremberg Honourable, Lienhard
Groland, a member of the Council, had also interested himself in her and
deposited the same amount with the abbess, in case she should recover the
use of her limbs and did not prefer to spend the remainder of her life
here, though only as a lay sister. In that case he would be ready to
defray the cost of admission.

"That the lofty convent walls might rise between him and the sight of
me!" Kuni said to herself at this information, with a bitter smile. On
the--other hand, her eyes filled with tears of genuine emotion and
sincere shame, when she learned from the leech that Herr Lienhard
Groland's lovely wife had come daily to the convent to inquire about her,
and had e