when homesickness tortured her she thought she would be unable to survive
the parting. Meanwhile Biberli nursed his master with faithful zeal, as
if nothing bound him to Nuremberg, and even after his departure Katterle
remained in good health.

Now she had him again. Directly after the Emperor Rudolph's entrance,
five days before, Biberli had come openly to the Ortlieb house and
presented himself to Martsche,--[Margaret]--the old house keeper, as the
countryman and friend of the waiting maid, who had brought her a message
from home.

True, it had been impossible to say anything confidential either in the
crowded kitchen or in the servants' hall. To-night's meeting was to
afford the opportunity.

The menservants, carrying sedan chairs and torches, had all gone out with
their master, who had taken his younger daughter, Eva, to the dance.
They were to wait in front of the Town Hall, because it was doubtful
whether the daughter of the house, who had been very reluctant to go to
the entertainment, might not urge an early departure. Count von
Montfort, whose quarters were in the Ortlieb mansion, and his whole train
of male attendants, certainly would not come back till very late at night
or even early morning, for the Countess Cordula remained at a ball till
the close, and her father lingered over the wine cup till his daughter
called him from the revellers.

All this warranted the lovers in hoping for an undisturbed interview.
The place of meeting was well chosen. It was unsatisfactory only to the
moon for, after Biberli had closed the heavy door of the house behind
him, Luna found no chink or crevice through which a gliding ray might