he treasures contained in the
home of the Hallers'. In this fine house, with its broad fair gardens--a
truly lordly dwelling, for which many a prince would have been fain
to exchange his castle and hunting demesne--I was to rule as wife and
mistress at the right hand of my Hans' mother, whose kind and dignified
countenance pleased me well indeed, and by whose friendly lips I, an
orphan, was so glad to be called "Child" and daughter. Nor were his
worshipful father and his younger brethren one whit less dear to me.
I was to become a member--nay, as the eldest son's wife, the female
head--of one of the highest families in the town, of one whose sons
would have a hand in its government so long as there should be a
town-council in Nuremberg.

My lover had indeed been elected to sit in the minor council soon after
his homecoming, being no longer a boy, but near on thirty years of
age. And his manners befitted his years; dignified and modest, albeit
cheerful and full of a young man's open-minded ardor for everything that
was above the vulgar. With him, for certain, if with any man, might I
grow to be all I desired to become; and could I but learn to rule my
fiery temper, I might hope to follow in the ways of his mother, whom
he held above all other women. The great dance, of which I have already
made mention, and whither Ann had agreed to come with us, was the first
I should go to with my well-beloved Hans. The worshipful Council had
taken care to display all their best bravery in honor of the Emperor's
envoys; they had indeed allied themselves with the constable of the
Castle, the Prince Elector, to do all in their power to have the
Assembly held at Nuremberg, rather than at Ratisbon, and to that end it
was needful to win the good graces of the Ambassadors.

All the patricians and youth of the good city were gathered at the
town-hall, and the beginning of the feast was pure enjoyment. The guests
were indeed amazed at the richness of our great hall and civic treasure,
as likewise at the brave apparel and great show of jewels worn by the
gentlemen and ladies.

There were six envoys, and at their head was Duke Rumpold of Glogau; but
among the knights in attendance on him I need only name that very Baron
Franz von Welemisl who had been so sorely hurt out in the forest garden
for my sake, and a Junker of Altmark, by name Henning von Beust, son of
one of the rebellious houses who strove against the customs, laws, and
rights over