en market-place. The other wives and the courtiers
followed the high example. The poor infatuated people likewise joined
in the dance and sprang actively about, notwithstanding their empty
stomachs; and from all mouths arose the cry of jubilee; 'glory be to
God in the highest!'

CHAPTER XXIII.

The disease which Hanslein had invented, in his well intended eagerness
to save Alf, had seized him in good earnest. The disquiet of mind in
which the youth had been kept through the most diverse and almost
always terrible occurrences,--the storm, so every way affecting, which
had lacerated the deepest recesses of his heart,--above all, the daily
increasing conviction of the flagitiousness of the new doctrines to
which he had adhered so strongly,--and the remorse of conscience for
the part which he had acted,--all this had destroyed the freshness of
his youthful vigor; and only the tension in which his mind was kept by
the constantly recurring horrors of every succeeding day, gave him the
artificial support, which had hitherto kept him up. The last act of
Johannes, the tender interest which Alf still felt for the fair victim,
and the frustration of his just vengeance upon the infamous murderer,
had weighed down the poor youth with resistless power, and he lay many
weeks in Trutlinger's house in a high fever, carefully waited upon and
nursed by the pale and pensive Clara.

The energies of youth finally prevailed over the fever. When once the
crisis had passed, his strength returned as quickly as it had flown;
and Alf had even left his room for the first time, to enjoy the mild
air and warm sun of summer, when he encountered his friend Hanslein,
who, in spite of all resistance, cordially embraced and congratulated
him on his recovery.

'Go thy way!' said Alf, angrily. 'With the defender of tyrants I have
no more to do in this life.'

'Always precipitate,' laughed Hanslein; 'and always letting your heart
run away with your head. It was ever your way when a boy. I considered
for you better than you considered for yourself. The poor queen once
dead, we could do nothing more to help her. You might indeed have
destroyed the king, but the fanatical people would have torn you to
pieces for it on the spot; that would have been paying a greater price
than his majesty's life was worth. Nor would Munster have gained any
thing. Knipperdolling & Co. would have possessed themselves of the
government, an