ed to cloud her fearless joyousness, let her forget
it, for the matter now to be considered concerned the happiness of two
human lives.

That was what she was saying to herself, Barbara replied in a more
friendly tone, and, with newly awakened hope, the young knight informed
her that the time had now come when, without offending against modesty,
he might call himself a "made man."

With increasing eagerness and confidence he then told her what the
councillor had offered. Without concealing her father's scruples,
he added the assurance that he felt perfectly secure against the
temptations of which there would certainly be no lack while he was in
the service of a Protestant magistracy.

"And when you, devout, pure, true girl, stand by my side," he concluded
with an ardour which surprised Barbara in this quiet, reserved man,
"when you are once mine, my one love, then I shall conquer the hardest
obstacle as if it were mere pastime, then I would not change places with
the Emperor, for then my happiness would be----"

Hitherto she had silently permitted him to speak, but now her cheeks
suddenly flamed with a deep flush, and she warmly interrupted: "You
deserve to be happy, Wolf, and I could desire nothing more ardently than
to see you glad and content; but you would never become so through me.
How pale you grow! For my sake, do not take it so much to heart; it
grieves me to see you suffer. Only believe that. It cuts me to the heart
to inflict such great sorrow upon one so loyal, good, and dear, who
values me so much more than I deserve."

Here Wolf, deeply agitated, wildly called her name, and besought her
not to cast aside so harshly the wealth of love and fidelity which he
offered.

His own anguish of soul, and the pain inflicted by the cruel blow which
crushed his dearest hopes, robbed him of fortitude and calmness. With
tears in his eyes, he threw himself on his knees before her and gazed
into her face with anxious entreaty, exclaiming brokenly: "Do not--do
not inflict this suffering upon me, Wawerl! Rob me of everything except
hope. Defer your acceptance until I can offer you a still fairer future,
only be merciful and leave me hope!"

Tears now began to glitter in Barbara's eyes also, and Wolf, noticing
it, hastened with reviving courage to assure her how little it would
cost him to reject, once for all, to please her, the tempting position
offered to him here. He could soon obtain a good office elsewhere, since