aith and my hope remain above."

"Good Rolf," said the priest, "I cannot clearly understand what you
say about the unhappy Sintram; for I do not know when and how this
affliction came upon him. If no oath or solemn promise bind you to
secrecy, will you make known to me all that is connected with it?"

"Most willingly," replied Rolf. "I have long desired to have an
opportunity of so doing; but you have been almost always separated
from us. I dare not now leave the sleeping boy any longer alone; and
to-morrow, at the earliest dawn, I must take him to his father. Will you
come with me, dear sir, to our poor Sintram?"

The chaplain at once took up the small lamp which Rolf had brought with
him, and they set off together through the long vaulted passages. In the
small distant chamber they found the poor boy fast asleep. The light of
the lamp fell strangely on his very pale face. The chaplain stood gazing
at him for some time, and at length said: "Certainly from his birth his
features were always sharp and strongly marked, but now they are almost
fearfully so for such a child; and yet no one can help having a kindly
feeling towards him, whether he will or not."

"Most true, dear sir," answered Rolf. And it was evident how his whole
heart rejoiced at any word which betokened affection for his beloved
young lord. Thereupon he placed the lamp where its light could not
disturb the boy, and seating himself close by the priest, he began to
speak in the following terms:--"During that Christmas feast of which my
lord was talking to you, he and his followers discoursed much concerning
the German merchants, and the best means of keeping down the increasing
pride and power of the trading-towns. At length Biorn laid his impious
hand on the golden boar's head, and swore to put to death without mercy
every German trader whom fate, in what way soever, might bring
alive into his power. The gentle Verena turned pale, and would have
interposed--but it was too late, the bloody word was uttered. And
immediately afterwards, as though the great enemy of souls were
determined at once to secure with fresh bonds the vassal thus devoted
to him, a warder came into the hall to announce that two citizens of a
trading-town in Germany, an old man and his son, had been shipwrecked
on this coast, and were now within the gates, asking hospitality of the
lord of the castle. The knight could not refrain from shuddering; but
he thought himself bound by his ra