ut one true bliss, and but one Ann, and the best
of all joys is to clasp her to my heart and kiss her lips. I will keep
faith with her; I will have nought to say to the rest. But how shall I
keep them away from me? Can I wish that those rascals had put my eyes
out, had crippled my limbs, had thrashed me to a scare-crow, to the
end that the maids should turn their backs on me? Nay, and even no
rain-torrent could cool the hot blood of the Schoppers; no oak staff nor
stone pitcher could kill the wild cravings within. There is nothing for
it but to cast my body among thorns like Saint Francis. But what would
even that profit me? You see yourself how well this skin heals of the
worst wounds!"

Hereupon I earnestly admonished him of his devoir to that lady who was
so truly his, and with whom he had exchanged rings. But he cried: "Do
you believe that I did not tell myself, every hour of the day, that she
was a thousand-fold more worth than all the rest put together? Never
could I deem any maid so sweet as she has been ever since we were
children together; nay, and if I lost her I should utterly perish, for
it is from her that I, a half-ruined wretch, get all that yet is best in
me!"

And many a time did I hear him utter the like; and when I saw his large
blue eyes flash as he spoke, while he pushed the golden curls back from
his brow, verily he was so goodly a youth to look upon that it was easy
to view that the daughters of Eve might be ready to cast themselves into
his arms.

This evening, as it fell, Aunt Jacoba was not with her guests, but
unwillingly, inasmuch as we were to depart homewards next morning, and
the gentlemen sat late over their farewell cups. It had become Cousin
Maud's care to hinder Uncle Christian from drinking more freely than he
ought; but this evening he had made the task a hard one; nay, when she
steadfastly forbade him a third cup he got it by craft and in spite of
her, nor could she persuade him to forego the dangerous joy. When he had
cried, as has been told, that "there was stuff" in my brother, it was by
reason of his having perceived that Herdegen had already filled his cup
for the fourteenth time, and when the youth had drunk it off the old man
sang out in high glee:

"Der Eppela Gaila von Dramaus
Reit' allezeit zu vierzeht aus!"

[An old popular rhyme in Nuremberg. "Eppela (Apollonius) Gaila of
Dramaus--or Drameysr--could always go as far as fourteen cups."