e I beheld Gotz, and
saw how, as he leaned against a pillar, he held his gaze fixed on one
certain spot. My eyes followed his, and at once I saw whither they were
drawn, for I saw a young maid of the citizen class in goodly, nay--in
rich array, and she was herself of such rare and wonderful beauty that
I myself could not take my eyes off her. And I remembered that I had
met the wench erewhile on the feast-day of St. John, and that uncle
Christian Pfinzing, my worshipful godfather, had pointed her out to
Cousin Maud, and had said that she was the fairest maid in Nuremberg
whom they called, and rightly, Fair Gertrude.

Now the longer I gazed at her the fairer I deemed her, and when Ann
discovered to me, what I had at once divined, that this sweet maid was
the daughter of Pernhart the coppersmith, my child's heart was glad, for
if my cousin was without dispute the finest figure of a man in the whole
assembly Fair Gertrude was the sweetest maid, I thought, in the whole
wide world.

If it had been possible that she could be of yet greater beauty it would
but have added to my joy. And henceforth I would go as often as I might
to St. Laurence's, and past the coppersmith's house to behold Fair
Gertrude; and my heart beat high with gladness when she one day saw me
pass and graciously bowed to my silent greeting, and looked in my face
with friendly inquiry.

After this when Gotz came to our house I welcomed him gladly as
heretofore; and one day, when I made bold to whisper in his ear that
I had seen his fair Gertrude, and for certain no saint in heaven could
have a sweeter face than hers, he thanked me with a bright look and it
was from the bottom of his soul that he said: "If you could but know her
faithful heart of gold!"

For all this Gotz was dearer to me than of old, and it uplifted me in my
own conceit that he should put such trust in a foolish young thing as
I was. But in later days it made me sad to see his frank and noble face
grow ever more sorrowful, nay, and full of gloom; and I knew full well
what pained him, for a child can often see much more than its elders
deem. Matters had come to a sharp quarrel betwixt the son and the
parents, and I knew my cousin well, and his iron will which was a
by-word with us. And my aunt in the Forest was of the same temper;
albeit her body was sickly, she was one of those women who will not bear
to be withstood, and my heart hung heavy with fear when I conceived of
the outcome of