Superior of the Sisters of St. Clare, who idly witnessed the estrangement
from the Church of the soul of a maiden belonging to a distinguished
family; and Doria had told the sovereign of this provoking matter, and
expressed the prior's hope that Sir Heinz Schorlin, who enjoyed the
monarch's favour, would be won for the monastic life. Opposition to this
marriage, which he approved, and therefore desired to favour, was also to
be expected from another quarter. Therefore he must act with the utmost
caution, and in a manner which his antagonists could not oppose.

At this reflection a peculiar smile, familiar to the courtiers as an omen
of a gracious impulse, hovered around his lips, which during the past
month had usually revealed by their expression the grief that burdened
his soul and, raising his long forefinger in playful menace, he began:

"Aha, Jungfrau Eva Ortlieb! What have you been doing since I had the boon
of meeting so rare a beauty at the dance? Do you know that you have
caused a turmoil amongst both ecclesiastical and secular authorities, and
that many a precious hour has been shortened for me on your account? You
have disturbed both the austere Dominican Fathers and the devout Sisters
of St. Clare. The former think the gentle nuns treat you too indulgently,
and the latter charge the zealous followers of St. Domingo with too much
strictness concerning you.

"And, besides, if you were not so well aware of it yourself, you would
scarcely believe it: for the sake of an insignificant serving man, who is
under your special protection, I, who carry the burden of so many serious
and weighty affairs, am beset by those of high and low degree. How much,
too, I have also suffered on account of his master, Sir Heinz
Schorlin--again in connection with you, you lovely disturber of the
peace! To say nothing of the rest, your own father brings a charge
against him. The accusation is made in a letter which Meister Gottlieb,
our protonotary, was to withhold by Herr Ortlieb's desire, but through a
welcome accident it fell into my hands. This letter contains statements,
my lovely child, which I--Nay, don't be troubled; the roses on your
cheeks are glowing enough already, and for their sake I will not mention
its contents; only they force me to ask the question--come
nearer--whether, though it caused you great annoyance that a certain
young Swiss knight forced his way into your father's house under cover of
the darkness, you d