e," said she; "although I should like, to keep every
thing just as it is, to remember you by; so please take only what you
can not do without. Yet, if I may be permitted to ask, what is it that
lies so near to your heart that you don't wish to give it to me?"

While she was speaking, the young man had opened the knapsack, and now
produced a small red morocco case. "Every thing that belongs to me, you
are welcome to," replied he, smiling; "but this belongs to my dear lady
godmother. I did the work on it myself, and must carry it to her with
my own hands. It is a piece of jewelry, gracious lady," continued he as
he opened the case and held it out to her, "an ornament that I myself
prepared."

She took the case, but hardly had she looked at the ornament when she
started back in surprise.

"Did you say that these stones were intended for your godmother?"
exclaimed she.

"Yes, to be sure," answered Felix; "my lady godmother sent me the
stones, I set them, and am now on the way to deliver them to her
myself."

The countess looked at him with deep emotion; the tears started from
her eyes. "Then you are Felix Perner of Nuremberg?" said she.

"Yes; but by what means did you find out my name so quickly?" asked the
youth, in great perplexity.

"O wonderful dispensation of heaven!" exclaimed she, turning to her
astonished husband. "This is Felix, our little godson, the son of our
maid, Sabine! Felix! I am the one whom you were on your way to see; and
you saved your godmother from the robbers without knowing it."

"What? Are you then the Countess Sandau, who did so much for me and my
mother? And is this the Castle Maienburg, to which I was bound! How
grateful I am to the kind fate that brought us together so strangely;
thus I have been able to prove indeed, even if in small measure, my
great thankfulness to you."

"You did more for me than I shall ever be able to do for you; still
while I live I shall try to show you how deeply indebted to you we all
feel. My husband shall be to you a father, my children shall be as
sisters, while I will be your true mother; and this ornament, that led
you to me in the hour of my greatest need, shall be my most precious
souvenir, for it will always remind me of you and of your noble
spirit."

Thus spake the countess; and well did she keep her word. She gave the
fortunate Felix abundant support on his wanderings, and when he
returned as a clever master of his art she bought a house for h