use Abenberger had besought him to keep silence and
not to bring him to an evil end. But as he had gone past the school
of arms he had learnt that an apprentice was missing, and that it was
feared lest he had been waylaid by pillagers, or had fallen into evil
hands; so he now deemed it his plain duty to keep no longer silence
concerning the finding of the body, and desired to be advised by me and
Ann. While I, for my part, shortly and clearly declared that information
must at once be laid before his worship the Mayor, a strange trembling
fell on Ann, and notwithstanding she could not say me nay, she was in
such fear that grave mischief might overtake Herdegen by reason of his
thoughtless deed, that tears ran in streams down her cheeks, and it cost
me great pains or ever I could comfort her, so brave and reasonable
as she commonly was. But Herdegen was greatly pleased by her too great
terrors; and albeit he laughed at her, he called her his faithful,
fearful little hare, and stuck the pink he wore in his jerkin into her
hair. At this she was soon herself again; she counselled him forthwith
to do that it was his duty to do; and when thereafter the authorities
had made inquisition, it came to light that our lads had in truth come
upon the body of the slain apprentice. And though Herdegen did his best
to keep silence as touching Abenberger's evildoings, they nevertheless
came out through other ways, and the poor wight was dismissed from the
school.

By the end of two years after this, matters had changed in our
household.

The twelve 'pueri' had been our guests at dinner, and were in the garden
singing merry rounds well known to us, and I joined in, with Ann and
Ursula Tetzel. Now, while Herdegen beat the time, his ear was intent
on Ann's singing, as though there were revelation on her lips; and his
well-beloved companion, Heinrich Trardorf, who erewhile had, with due
modesty, preferred me, Margery, seemed likewise well affected to her
singing; and when we ceased he fell into eager talk with her, for he
had bewailed to her that, albeit he loved me well, as being the son of
simple folk he might never lift up his eyes so high.

Herdegen's eyes rested on the twain with some little wrath; then he
hastily got up! He snatched the last of Cousin Maud's precious roses
from her favorite bush and gave them to Ursula, and then waited on her
as though she were the only maid there present. But ere long her father
came to fetch her, a