t who made it so difficult for him to regard her with
anything save anxiety or secret disapproval.

Perhaps the greatest advantage which the Swiss possessed over him was
his manner of speaking of his family. How could it ever have entered
Wolff Eysvogel's mind to call the tall, stiff woman, who was the feeble
echo of her extravagant, arrogant mother, and who rustled towards him,
even in the early morning, adorned with feathers and robed in rich
brocade, his "dear little mother"?

Whoever spoke in the warm, loving tones that fell from the lips of Sir
Heinz when he mentioned his relatives at home certainly could have no
evil nature. No one need fear, though his usual mode of speech was so
wanton, that he would trifle with a pure, innocent creature like Eva.

How Heinz had succeeded in winning so speedily the devout child, who
was so averse to the idle coquetries of the companions of her own age,
seemed incomprehensible, but he had no time to investigate now.

He must go, for he had long been burning with impatience to depart. The
declaration of peace had taken effect only a few hours before, and the
long waggon trains from Italy, of which he had told Els yesterday, were
still delayed. The freight of spices and Levantine goods, Milan velvets,
silks, and fine Florentine cloths, which they were bringing from the
city of St. Mark, represented a large fortune. If it arrived in time,
the profits would cover a great portion of the losses of the past two
years, and the house would again be secure. If the worst should befall,
how would his family submit to deprivation, perhaps even to penury? He
had less fear of his grandmother's outbursts of wrath, but what would
become of his feeble mother, who was as dependent as a child on her own
mother? Yet he loved her; he felt deeply troubled by the thought of the
severe humiliation which menaced her. His sister Isabella, too, was dear
to him, in spite of her husband, the reckless Sir Seitz Siebenburg, in
whose hands the gold paid from the coffers of the firm melted away, yet
who was burdened with a mountain of debts.

Wolff had left orders at home to have his horse saddled. He had intended
only to wave a greeting to his Els and then ride to Neumarkt, or, if
necessary, as far as Ingolstadt, to meet the wains.

A word of farewell to the new acquaintance, who was probably destined
to be his brother-in, law, and then--But just at that moment Heinz
approached, and in reply to Wolff's low