THE KNIGHT RETURNS TO THE CITY


Now all this time the lady Bertalda had been very unhappy because of
the knight's long absence. Indeed, she had no sooner sent Huldbrand
forth into the haunted forest than she began to wish that she had kept
him by her side. As day after day passed and he did not return, she
grew fearful lest he had lost his way and perished in the mazes of the
wood. When a little later she heard of the floods that had made the
country around impassable, she wellnigh lost all hope of his return.

In spite of this, however, she begged the knights who had taken part
in the tournament to go in search of Huldbrand, but this they were
unwilling to do.

As for the knight's own servants, they would not leave the city
without their master, yet neither would they follow him into the
dreaded forest. They lingered on at an inn of the city, lamenting his
absence, but doing nought to bring him back.

It was now, when there seemed but little hope of his return, that
Huldbrand, to the surprise of every one, appeared in the city,
bringing with him a wife of wondrous beauty, as well as Father
Heilman, the priest who had married them.

Huldbrand's servants rejoiced to see their young master alive and
well. And the town folk, who had heard of his disappearance, were glad
that the light-hearted knight, who had always treated them with
courtesy, had suffered no harm in his adventure.