ufficient for the bold young
lover, tortured by his ardent longing, to form another idea.

"Look yonder, Biberli!" he exclaimed. "The holy-water basin on the
door-post, the escutcheon on the lintel above, the helmet, which would
probably bear my weight. From there I can reach the window-sill with my
hand, and once I have grasped it, I need only make one bold spring and,
hurrah! I'm on it."

"May our patron saint have mercy on us!" cried the servant in horror.
"You can get there as easily as you can spring on your two feet over
two horses; but the coming down would certainly be a long distance lower
than you would fancy--into the 'Hole,' as they call the prison here,
and, moreover, though probably not until some time later, straight to
the flames of hell; for you would have committed a great sin against a
noble maiden rich in every virtue, who deemed you worthy of her love.
And, besides, there are two Es. They occupy the same room, and the house
is full of men and maid servants."

"Pedagogue!" said the knight, peevishly.

"Ay, that was Biberli's calling once," replied the servant, "and, for
the sake of your lady mother at home, I wish I were one still, and you,
Sir Heinz, would have to obey me like an obedient pupil. You are well
aware that I rarely use her sacred name to influence you, but I do so
now; and if you cherish her in your heart and do not wish to swoop down
on the innocent little dove like a destroying hawk, turn your back upon
this place, where we have already lingered too long."

But this well-meant warning seemed to have had brief influence upon the
person to whom it was addressed. Suddenly, with a joyous: "There she
is!" he snatched his cap from his head and waved a greeting to the
window.

But in a few minutes he replaced it with a petulant gesture of the hand,
saying sullenly: "Vanished! She dared not grant me a greeting, because
she caught sight of you."

"Let us thank and praise a kind Providence for it," said his servitor
with a sigh of relief, "since our Lord and Saviour assumed the form of a
servant, that of a scarecrow, in which he has done admirable service, is
far too noble and distinguished for Biberli."

As he spoke he walked on before the knight, and pointing to the tavern
beside the Frauenthurm whose sign bore the words "For Thirsty Troopers,"
he added: "A green bush at the door. That means, unless the host is a
rogue, a cask fresh broached. I wonder whether my tongue is cleaving to