s made known to two pious citizens
of Torgau, Leonard Koppe and Wolff Tomitzsch, who offered their
assistance. "It was accepted as coming from God Himself," says an
historian of that time. Without opposition they left the convent, and
Koppe and Tomitzsch received them in their waggon, and conveyed them to
the old Augustine convent in Wittemburg, of which Luther at that time
was the sole occupant.

"This is not my doing," said Luther, as he received them; "but would to
God that I could thus rescue all captive consciences, and empty all the
cloisters. The breach is made."

Catharine Bora, who afterwards became his wife, found a welcome in the
family of the burgomaster of Wittemburg, and the other nuns, as soon as
their arrival was known, were gladly received in other families of
similar position. It may here be remarked that the facts of the case
completely refute the vulgar notion, put forth by the enemies of the
Reformation, that Luther commenced the work of the Reformation for the
sake of enabling himself and other monks and priests to marry. His mind
was long in doubt whether monks ought to marry. Many months after he
became acquainted with the excellent Catharine, when his friends pressed
him to marry, he replied:

"God may change my heart if it is His pleasure, but I have no thought of
taking a wife. Not that I feel no attractions in that state, but every
day I expect the death and punishment of an heretic."

Not till more than a year after Catharine Bora had escaped from the
convent did she become the wife of Martin Luther.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

The Count von Lindburg had been anxiously waiting news from Eric, but
none had arrived. The Lady Margaret had been assured by Father Nicholas
that his message had been safely delivered to the Abbess of Nimptsch,
and that, in spite of all master Eric and his plausible friend might do,
she would take very good care her little prisoner should not escape her.

The Knight was growing anxious; he was afraid that something had gone
wrong, when, one afternoon, a light waggon, the horses which drew it
covered with foam, drove up to the gate of the Castle. Over the
drawbridge it dashed, for the porter did not hesitate to admit it, and a
venerable-looking old gentleman, habited as a merchant, descending,
handed out two young girls in peasants' dresses. The Knight caught
sight of the waggon, and hurrying down, one of the girls was soon in his
arms.

"My own Ava! My