ions had fully subsided,
and his mind had become calm, he wrote to Herr Tschertte of Vienna,
and gave the following arraignment of the widow Duerer: "Truly I lost
in Albert the best friend I ever had in the world, and nothing grieves
me so much as to think that he died such an unhappy death; for after
the providence of God I can ascribe it to no one but his wife, who so
gnawed at his heart, and worried him to such a degree, that he
departed from this world sooner than he would otherwise have done. He
was dried up like a bundle of straw, and never dared to be in good
spirits, or to go out into society. For this bad woman was always
anxious, although really she had no cause to be; and she urged him on
day and night, and forced him to hard work only for this,--that he
might earn money, and leave it to her when he died. For she always
feared ruin, as she does still, notwithstanding that Albert has left
her property worth about six thousand gulden. But nothing ever
satisfied her; and in short she alone was the cause of his death.
I have often myself expostulated with her about her suspicious,
blameworthy conduct, and have warned her, and told her beforehand
what the end of it would be; but I have never met with any thing but
ingratitude. For whoever was a friend of her husband's, and wished him
well, to him she was an enemy; which troubled Albert to the highest
degree, and brought him at last to his grave. I have not seen her
since his death: she will have nothing to do with me, although I have
been helpful to her in many things; but one cannot trust her. She is
always suspicious of anybody who contradicts her, or does not take her
part in all things, and is immediately an enemy. Therefore I would
much rather she should keep away from me. She and her sister are not
loose characters, but, as I do not doubt, honorable, pious, and very
God-fearing women; but one would rather have to do with a light
woman who behaved in a friendly manner, than with such a nagging,
suspicious, scolding, pious woman, with whom a man can have no peace
day or night. We must, however, leave the matter to God, who will be
gracious and merciful to our good Albert, for he lived a pious and
upright man, and died in a very Christian and blessed manner;
therefore we need not fear his salvation. God grant us grace, that
we may happily follow him when our time comes!"

It is said that Raphael, after studying Duerer's engravings, exclaimed,
"Of a truth this