ees some long space, praying fervently for that
hapless, imperilled soul, when the door was opened, and my lord Prior
declared in a loud voice that the noble Baron and Knight Sebald Im Hoff
had made a good end after receiving the most holy Sacrament.

Then thought I, a good end peradventure, by the grace of Christ and the
Virgin, but a peaceful end alas! by no means. And this might be seen even
in the dead man's face. In later years, whensoever it has been my lot to
gaze on the face of the dead, I have ever perceived that death hath lent
them an aspect of peaceful calm so that the saying of common folk, that
the Angel of Death hath kissed them is right fitting; but my
grand-uncle's face was as that of a man whose dignity is broken by a
mightier than he, and who hath suffered it in silent, gloomy rebellion.

With all our might and soul we prayed for him again and again; howbeit,
as must ever befall, other cares came crowding in, to swallow up that
one. As soon as the tidings of the old noble's death were rumored abroad,
those who had known him in life came pouring in, and messengers from the
town-council, notaries with sealing-wax and seals, priests for the
burying, neighbors, and other good folk, and among them many friars and
nuns. Lastly came Doctor Holzschuher of the council, my grand-uncle's
notary, and one of our own father's most trusted friends, in all points a
man of such worth and honesty that no words befit him so well as the
Cardinal's saying: that he reminded him of an oak of the German forests.

When, now, this man, who in his youth had been one of the goodliest in
all Nuremberg, and who was still of noble aspect with his long
silver-grey hair lying on his shoulders--when he now greeted us maids
well-nigh gloomily, and with no friendly beck or nod, we knew forthwith
that he must have great and well-founded fears for our concerns. Yea, and
so it was. Presently, when he had held grave discourse with the High
Treasurer and the other chief men of the council, he called to him Cousin
Maud and me, and told us that old Im Hoff's latest dealing was such, to
all seeming, as to take from us all hope that our inheritance from him
should help us to pay the ransom for Herdegen. And on the morrow his will
would be opened and read and we should learn thereby in what way that old
man had cared for those who were nearest and dearest to him.

Hereupon we had no choice but to bury many a fair hope in the grave; and
notwiths