Here he paused, for in the darkness he had stumbled into the ditch by the
road.

The whirlwind which preceded the bursting of the storm blew such clouds
of dust and everything it contained into their faces that it was
difficult to advance. But Biberli was glad, for he had not yet found a
fitting answer. He struggled silently on beside his master against the
wind, until it suddenly subsided, and a violent storm of rain streamed in
big warm drops on the thirsty earth and the belated pedestrians. Then,
spite of Heinz's protestations, Biberli hurriedly snatched the long robe
embroidered with the St from his shoulders and threw it over his master,
declaring that his shirt was as safe from injury as his skin, but the
rain would ruin the knight's delicate embroidered doublet.

Then he drew over his head the hood which hung from his coat, and
meanwhile must have decided upon an answer, for as soon as they moved on
he began again: "You must drive your love for the beautiful sleepwalker
out of your mind. Try to do so, my dear, dear master, for the sake of
your lady mother, your young sister who will soon be old enough to marry,
our light-hearted Maria, and the good old castle. For your own
happiness, your lofty career, which began so gloriously, you must hear
me! O master, my dear master, tear from your heart the image of the
little Nuremberg witch, tempting though it is, I admit. The wound will
bleed for a brief time, but after so much mirthful pleasure a fleeting
disappointment in love, I should think, would not be too hard to bear if
it will be speedily followed by the fairest and most enduring happiness."

Here a flash of lightning, which illumined the hospital door close before
them, and made every surrounding object as bright as day, interrupted the