d asunder, or if--Merciful
Virgin!--if his sickness should increase, and he himself should shrink
from fettering her blooming young life to his own--then, oh, then it
might be my turn, then. . . .

And on a sudden there was a cry from the depths of my heart, but heard by
none: "Look on this side. Look on me, my one and only beloved! Turn from
him who once turned from thee, and hearken to Kunz who loves thee with a
more faithful and fervent love than that man, who to this day knows not
what thy true worth is, whose heart is as fickle as mine is honest and
true. Here I stand, a strong and stalwart man, the friend of every good
man, willing and able to carry you in my strong hands through a life
crowned with wealth and happiness!"

And while the voice of the Evil One whispered this and much more, my
gaze, meseemed, was spellbound to her countenance, and the light of her
eyes from afar shone deep into mine. And on a sudden I flung up my arms
and, without knowing what I did, stretched them forth, as though beside
myself, towards that hotly-loved maiden. Whether she saw this or no I may
never learn. And the grace of the Blessed Virgin or of my guardian Saint,
preserved me from evil and disgrace, for whereas all that was in me
yearned for that beloved one, a clear voice called to me by name, and
when I turned, behold it was Margery, who had leaped her light palfrey
into the ditch and now had sprung up the grassy bank. It was a breakneck
piece of horsemanship, to which she had been driven by longing and
sisterly love; and behind her came a man, my cousin Gotz, whose
newly-married wife's daring leap was indeed after his own heart. One more
plunge, and their horses were on the highroad, and I had lifted Margery
out of her saddle and we held each other clasped, stammering out foolish
disconnected words, while we first laughed and then wept.

This went on for some while till I was startled by an outcry, and behold,
Eppelein, in his impatience to greet his dear master, had been fain to do
as Margery and Gotz had done, but with less good fortune, inasmuch as
that he had fallen under his horse, which had rolled over with him. His
lamentable outcry told me that he needed help, and once more in my life I
fulfilled my strange fate, which has ever been to cast to the winds that
for which my soul most longed, for another to take it up. While Margery
turned to greet Herdegen I hastened down the bank to rescue the faithful
fellow who had e