y, for her uncle had ridden to
the city and, Frau Gertrude said, was one of the party who accompanied
the Emperor to the beekeeper's, whilst her aunt had just gone to
Nuremberg to see Els, who had besought her, in a despairing letter, to
let her come to Schweinau, for her power of endurance was exhausted.

How gladly Eva would have accompanied her aunt to her sister to exhort
her to take courage! What a strange transformation of affairs! Ever
since she could think Els had sustained her by her superior strength and
perseverance. Now she was to be the stronger, and teach her to exercise
patience.

She thought she had gained the right to do so. Whilst Eva was still
explaining her plan to Frau Gertrude, she herself perceived that she had
taken no account of time.

It was nearly noon, and if she ordered a sedan-chair to convey her to
the city and back again to Schweinau, it would be too late to approach
the Emperor as a petitioner. She could fulfil her design only by
riding; but the warder's wife reminded her that it would be contrary to
custom--nay, scarcely possible--to appear before the Emperor, or even
his sister, in a riding habit.

But the young girl speedily found a way to fulfil her ardent wish to
aid. On her swift palfrey, which her uncle had sent to Schweinau long
before that she might refresh herself, after her arduous duties, by a
ride, she would go to the city, stop at her own home, and have her
new expensive mourning clothes taken to the castle. The only doubt was
whether she could change her garments in the quarters of the Swiss, and
whether Frau Gertrude would help her do so.

The latter gladly assented. There was no lack of room in her apartments,
nor did Frau Gertrude, who had served the Burgravine as waiting maid
many years before her marriage, lack either skill or good will.

So she went directly home on her mule; but Eva, after promising her
patients to return soon, hastened to her uncle's residence.

There she mounted the palfrey and reached the city gate a long time
before the Swiss. The clothes she needed were soon found in the Ortlieb
mansion, and she was then carried in a sedan-chair to the castle with
her wardrobe, whilst the groom led her palfrey after her. Countess
Cordula was not at home; she, too, had ridden to the forest with the
Emperor.

The Burgravine Elizabeth willingly consented to receive the charming
child whose fate had awakened her warm interest. She had just been
hearing th