n all honesty speak the praises of the coppersmith;
Herdegen turned a deaf ear, even as my uncle and aunt had done.
The thought that his wife should ever be required to honor this
handicraftsman, if only as a step-father, and that he should hear
himself addressed by him as "Son," was too shrewd a thrust.

The next morning the Junkers had carried him off to the school of arms
and then to the gentlemen's tavern to take his part in the masquerade;
and when, at a later hour, after the throng had scattered, Ann came
to our house, her lover was not at home: he had gone off again to
the revels at the tavern where he would meet such workingmen as his
sweetheart's future step-father.

At the same time, as it fell, Brother Ignatius, of the order of Grey
Friars, had come many times to hold forth at our house, by desire of my
grand-uncle whose almoner he was, and when Herdegen announced to us on
Ash Wednesday that the holy man had craved to be allowed to travel in
his company as far as Ingolstadt, I foresaw no good issue; for albeit
the Father was a right reverend priest, whose lively talk had many a
time given me pleasure, it must for certain be his intent to speed my
uncle's wishes.

In spite of all, Herdegen was in such deep grief at departing that I put
away all doubts and fears.

Ann, who felt in all matters as he felt and put her whole trust in him,
was wise enough to know that he could have no bond with her kith and
kin; nay, that it must be hard on him to have to call such a woman
as Mistress Henneleinlein his aunt. Also he and she had agreed that
hereafter he should dwell no more at Nuremberg, but seek some office and
duty in the Imperial service; and Sir Franz had been diligent in asking
his uncle's good word, he being one of those highest in power at the
Emperor's court.

Now, when a short time before his departing they were alone with me,
Ann, bearing in mind this pact they had made, cried out: "You promise me
we shall build our nest in some place far from hence; and be it where
it may, wherever we may be left to ourselves and have but each other, a
happy life must await us."

At this his eyes flashed, and he cried with a lad's bold spirit:

"With a doctor's hood, at the Emperor's court, I shall ere long be
councillor, and at last, God willing, Chancellor of the Realm!"

After this they spoke yet many loving and touching words, and when he
was already in the saddle and waved her a last farewell, tears flowed
f