, the hosanna which poured its waves of sound towards
him, whilst the eyes of the woman he loved met his for the second
time, seemed to revive the waning joy of existence. The shout which had
greeted the Saviour on his entry into Jerusalem reached the "called" man
like a command from love to open wide the gate of the heart, and whether
he willed it or not, love, amidst the solemn melody of the hosanna,
made a new and joyous entrance into his grateful soul. But during
the Benedictus he was already making the first attempt to resist
this emotion; and whilst Eva, first offering thanks for the cheering
decision, and then earnestly striving to enter with her whole soul into
the sacred service, modestly denied herself the pleasure of looking
across at her lover, Heinz was endeavouring to crush the hopes which had
again mastered the soul resolved on renunciation.

Yet he found the conflict harder than he expected and as, at the close
of the mass, the Dona nobis pacem (grant us peace) began, he joined
beseechingly in the prayer.

It was not granted, for even during the high mass for the soul of his
dearest friend, which also detained the Ortliebs in church, he sought
Eva's glance only too often, but always in vain. Once only, when the
Dona nobis pacem pealed forth again, this time for the prince, his eyes
met those of the woman he loved.

The young Duchess Agnes noticed whither he looked so often, but when
Countess Cordula knelt beside the Ortliebs, cordially returned every
glance of the knight's, and once even nodded slightly to him, the young
Bohemian believed the report that Heinz Schorlin and the countess were
the same as betrothed, and it vexed her--nay, spoiled the whole of the
day which had just begun.

When Heinz left the church Eva's image filled his heart and mind. He
went directly from the sanctuary to his lodgings; but there neither Frau
Barbara, his pretty young hostess, nor Biberli would believe their eyes
or ears, when the former heard in the entry, the latter in the adjoining
room, the lash of a scourge upon naked limbs, and loud groans. Both
sounds were familiar to Barbel through her father, and to Biberli from
the time of penance after his stay in Paris, and his own person.

Heinz Schorlin, certainly for the first time in his life, had scourged
himself.

It was done by the advice of Father Benedictus but, although he followed
the counsel so earnestly that for a long time large bloody stripes
covered his