n scarce have their heart in such sport; and for my
part, meseemeth that to play such a part as my aunt had set before Ann
is one of the hardest that can be laid upon a pure-hearted and truthful
maid. At the time I wist not clearly what was the end of such rash
trifling; but now, when I know men better, meseems it was well
conceived, and could not fail of its intent, albeit the course of events
made it plain to my understanding how little the thoughts and plans of
the wisest can avail when Heaven rules otherwise.

The gentlemen in the hall were more than ready to agree to our bidding;
yet none but I could guess what made Ann's lip to quiver from time to
time, while her gay spirit charmed the young men who bore us company
through the woods to the beekeeper's garden.

I and Elsa cut the flowers helped by Jorg Loffelholz, while Ann sat
under a shady lime-tree hard by an arbor of honeysuckle, and showed the
others, who lay on the grass about her; how to wind a garland. Each one
was ready to be taught by lips so sweet, and in guiding of fingers and
words of praise or blame, there was right merry laughing and chatter and
pastime.

Junker Henning lay at her feet, and near him my Hans' brother Paulus,
and young Master Holzschuher. The Knight von Eberstein had fetched him
a stool out from the beekeeper's house, and twisted and tied with great
zeal; the Italian Conte, Fagio di Puppi, struck the mandoline, which
he called "the lady of his heart" from whom he never parted even on the
longest journey.

When Elsa and I had flowers enough, we sat down with the others, and it
was pleasant there to rest in the shade of the lime-tree, whose leaves
fluttered in a soft air, while bees and butterflies hovered above the
flowers in the warm sunshine. The birds sang no more; they had finished
nesting long ago; but we, with our young hearts overfull of love, were
in the right mind for song, and when Puppi had charmed us with a sweet
Italian lay, and I had decked his lute with a rose as a guerdon, my lord
of Eberstein took example from him, and they then besought Ann and me to
do our part; but Junker Henning was the more eager. Whereupon Ann smiled
on him so graciously that I was in pain for him, and she signed to me,
and, I taking the lower part as was our wont, we gave Prince Wizlav's
"Song to Dame Love." It rang out right loud and clear from our throats
over the gentlemen's heads as they sat at our feet, and through the
garden close: