young man, in spite of his grey hair, while worthy Master Besserer
followed his ensample.

At the first favorable chance I drew Herdegen apart. Ann had already
told him that I had been witness to their first meeting again; this
indeed pleased him ill, and when I asked him as to how he purposed
to demean himself henceforth towards his betrothed, he answered that
matters had not gone so far with them; and that until he had taken his
Doctor's hood we must keep the secret I had by chance discovered closely
hidden from all the good people of Nuremberg; that much water would flow
into the sea or ere he could bid me wag my tongue, if our grand-uncle
should continue to bear the weight of his years so bravely. For the
present he was one of the happiest of men on earth, and if I loved him
I must help him to enjoy his heart's desire, and often see the lovely
violet which had bloomed so sweetly for him here in the deep heart of
the forest.

His bright young spirit smiled upon my soul once more as it had done
long ago. Only his unloving mention of our grand-uncle, who had been
as a second father to him, struck to my heart, and this I said to him;
adding likewise, that it must be a point of honor with him to give and
take rings with Ann, even though it should be in secret.

This he was ready and glad to do; I gave him the gold ring, with a
hearty good will, which Cousin Maud had given me for my confirmation,
and he put it on his sweetheart's finger that very day, albeit her
silver ring was too small for his little finger. So he bid her wear it,
and solemnly promised to keep his troth, even without a ring, till the
next home-coming; and Ann put her trust in her lover as surely as in
rock and iron.

Many were the guests who came to the forest that fair autumn tide; there
was no end of hunting and sport of all kinds, and Ann was ever ready and
well content to share her lover's fearless delight in the chase; when
she came home from the forest the joy of her heart shone more clearly
than ever in her eyes; and seeing her then and thus, no man could doubt
that she was at the crown and top of human happiness. Albeit, up on that
height meseemed a keen wind was blowing, which she did battle with so
hardly that through many a still night I could hear her sighs. Withal
she showed a strange selfishness such as I had never before marked in
her, which, however, only concerned her lover, with constant unrest when
apart from others whom she loved