ad at last set his heart hard
against young Waldstromer, whom he had loved as his own son, and forced
him to go far away from his sweetheart. I, in my heart, was strangely
wroth with my cousin in that he had not staked his all to win so fair a
maid; nay, and I made so bold as to confess that in Gertrude's place I
should have gone after my lover whithersoever he would, even against my
father's will.

And again that proud smile came upon Ulman Pernhart's bearded lips, and
his eye flashed fire as he said: "My life moves in a narrow round, but
all that dwell therein bend to my will as the copper bends under my
hammer. If you think that the Junker gave in without a struggle you are
greatly mistaken; after I had forbidden him the house, he had tempted
Gertrude to turn against me and was ready to carry her off; nay, and
would you believe it, my own mother sided with the young ones. The
priest even was in readiness to marry them privily, and they would
have won the day in spite of me. But the eyes of jealousy are ever
the sharpest; my head apprentice, who was madly in love with the maid,
betrayed the plot, and then, Mistress Margery, were things said and
done--things concerning which I had best hold my peace. And if you crave
to know them, you may ask my mother. You will see some day, if you do
not scorn to enter my house and if you gain her friendship--and I doubt
not that you will, albeit it is not granted to every one--she will be
glad enough to complain of my dealings in this matter--mine, her
own son's, although on other points she is wont to praise my virtues
over-loudly."

This discourse raised my cousin once more to his old place in my
opinion, and I knew now that the honest glance of his blue eyes, which
doubtless had won fair Gertrude's heart, was trustworthy and true.

Master Ulman Pernhart was married in a right sober fashion to fair
Mistress Giovanna, and I remember to this day seeing them wed in Saint
Laurence's Church. It was a few months before this that I was taken
for the first time to a dance at the town hall. There, as soon as I had
forgotten my first little fears, I took my pleasure right gladly to the
sound of the music, and I verily delighted in the dance. But albeit I
found no lack of young ladies my friends, and still less of youths who
would fain win my favor, I nevertheless lost not the feeling that I had
left part of my very being at home; nay, that I scarce had a right to
these joys, since my bro