praised! my faith and my hope remain above."

"Good Rolf," said the priest, "I cannot clearly understand what you
say about the unhappy Sintram; for I do not know when and how this
affliction came upon him. If no oath or solemn promise bind you to
secrecy, will you make known to me all that is connected with it?"

"Most willingly," replied Rolf. "I have long desired to have an
opportunity of so doing; but you have been almost always separated
from us. I dare not now leave the sleeping boy any longer alone; and
to-morrow, at the earliest dawn, I must take him to his father. Will
you come with me, dear sir, to our poor Sintram?"

The chaplain at once took up the small lamp which Rolf had brought
with him, and they set off together through the long vaulted
passages. In the small distant chamber they found the poor boy fast
asleep. The light of the lamp fell strangely on his very pale face.
The chaplain stood gazing at him for some time, and at length said:
"Certainly from his birth his features were always sharp and strongly
marked, but now they are almost fearfully so for such a child; and
yet no one can help having a kindly feeling towards him, whether he
will or not."

"Most true, dear sir," answered Rolf. And it was evident how his
whole heart rejoiced at any word which betokened affection for his
beloved young lord. Thereupon he placed the lamp where its light
could not disturb the boy, and seating himself close by the priest,
he began to speak in the following terms:--"During that Christmas
feast of which my lord was talking to you, he and his followers
discoursed much concerning the German merchants, and the best means