during your rude scoffs I felt as though you had set fire to the house
over my head. But from this I perceive in what a sacred, inviolable spot
her image had found a place. True, it is denied you to follow the lofty,
heavenward aspiration of a pure soul--"

"O my lord," interrupted the servitor with hands uplifted in defence,
"who besought you not to measure this innocent daughter of a decorous
household, who was scarcely beyond childhood, by the standard you applied
to others? Who entreated you to spare her fair fame? And if you deem
the stuff of which the servant is made too coarse to understand what
moves so pure a soul, you do Biberli injustice, for, by my patron saint,
though duty commanded me to interpose doubts and scruples between you and
a passion from which could scarcely spring aught that would bring joy to
your mother's heart I, too, asked myself the question why, in these days,
a devout maiden should not long to try her skill in conversion upon a
valiant knight who served her. Ever since St. Francis of Assisi appeared
in Italy, barefooted monks and grey-robed nuns, who follow him,
Franciscans and Sisters of St. Clare stream hither as water flows into a
mill-race when the sluice-gates are opened. With what edification we,
too, listened to the old Minorite whom we picked up by the wayside, at
the tavern where we usually found pleasure in nothing but drinking,
gambling, shouting, and singing! Besides, I know from my sweetheart with
what exemplary devotion the lovely Eva follows St. Clare."

"Who is now and will remain my patron saint also, old Biber," interrupted
Heinz with joyful emotion, as he laid his hand gratefully on his
follower's shoulder; then rising and beckoning to the bar-maid, added:
"The stuff of which you are made, old comrade, is inferior to no man's.
Only now and then the pedagogue plays you a trick. Had you uttered your
real opinion in the first place, the wine would have tasted better to us