gh esteem. This young lord, who was in attendance on his
Majesty--who never held his court for more than a few days at the
same place--or ever he left Vienna to go to Ratisbon, had made a close
friendship with my plighted master, and had been serviceable to him in
all things wherein he might; and Hans had said of him that he was one
in whom there was no guile, with the open heart and bright temper of
a child. Such an one, indeed, was his; yet, in the midst of the gayest
mirth, his grief of heart would so mightily come upon him that he fell
into a sudden gloom; and out of the fulness of his sorrow he confessed
to Hans that he could never cease to think of Ann. Whereupon my dear
love conceived that it must be his woeful duty to tell his friend
that the lady of his choice had no free heart to give him. Yet to the
Junker's question whether she were plighted to another, and whether he
were minded to wed her, Hans was forced in truth to say nay. This gave
the lovesick youth new courage, and at length he went so far as that
Hans enquired of me whether Ann might not after all be willing to give
up Herdegen, who well deserved it at her hands, and to take pity on so
brave and true-hearted a lover as the Junker.

To this I could make no answer other than: "Never--never;" inasmuch as,
having shown Ann this letter, and, moreover, loudly sung the praise of
her suitor, she asked me right sadly whether I was weary of confirming
her in her love for my brother; and when I eagerly denied this,
she cried: "And you know me well! And you must know that nothing on
earth--nor you, nor Mistress Jacoba, nor all Nuremberg, could turn my
heart from my love!"

This did I forthwith write to Hans; but that letter never reached him,
and thus was he delivered from the grievous duty of robbing the Junker
of his last hope.

Alas, my Hans! How sorely I did long for thee every hour! And yet shall
I ever remember the month of June in that year with thankfulness.

Day after day did we maidens sit in the Hallers' garden, for Hans'
worthy mother had soon taken Ann into her heart, and it became a fear
to me ere long lest her rare beauty should turn the head of his younger
brother Paulus, a likely lad of nineteen. As the summer waxed hot we
went into the forest at the bidding of my uncle and aunt, who took great
joy in seeing their favorite in right good heart and wondrous beauty,
Mistress Giovanna having provided her with seemly and brave apparel.
Nor was t