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every power of his being to win this wonderful maiden, for whom his
heart glowed with such ardent love. When she persisted in her refusal to
take the veil because she had learned that it is possible in the world
to live at peace with one's self, feel in harmony with God, and follow
in love and fidelity the footsteps of the Saviour, she had heard many
a kindly word of admonition, many a sharp reproof, and many a fierce
threat from the Dominicans, but she did not allow herself to be led
astray, and understood how to defend herself so cleverly and forcibly
that his heart dilated, and he asked himself how a girl of eighteen
could maintain her ground so firmly, so shrewdly, and with such thorough
knowledge of the Scriptures, against devout, highly educated men--nay,
the most learned and austere.

The Abbess Kunigunde had also appeared sometimes at his bedside, and
Eva's conversations with her revealed to him that she had obtained her
armour against the Dominicans from the Sisters of St. Clare. True, at
first the former had laboured with the utmost earnestness to win her
back to the convent, but two days before she had met two Dominicans, and
the evident efforts of one who seemed to hold a distinguished position
among his brother monks to gain Eva for his own order and withdraw her
from the Sisters of St. Clare, whom he believed to be walking in paths
less pleasing to God, had so angered the abbess that she lost the power,
and perhaps also the will, to maintain her usual composure. Therefore,
yesterday she had opposed her niece's wish to remain in the world less
strongly than before; nay, on parting with her she had clasped her in
her arms and, as it were, restored her freedom by admitting that various
paths led to the kingdom of heaven.

This was balm to the convalescent's wounds; for he cherished no wish
more ardent than to accompany his master to the marriage altar, where
Eva would give her hand to Heinz Schorlin as her faithful husband, and
the abbess's last visit seemed to favour this desire. Besides, he who
had gazed at life with open eyes had never yet beheld a brave young
warrior, soon after reaping well-earned renown, yearn for the monk's
cowl. Doubt, suffering, and a miraculous escape from terrible peril had
inspired the joyous-hearted Heinz with the desire to renounce the world.
Now, perhaps, Heaven itself was showing him that he had not received the
boon of life to bury himself in a monastery, but to be blessed