The matron's remark that she, too, was invited to the reception at the
imperial residence that evening brought an earnest entreaty from Eva to
accept the invitation for her sake, and the Swabian promised to gratify
her if nothing occurred to prevent. At any rate, they would ride to the
city together.

Biberli's astonished enquiry concerning the cause of Eva's visit to the
fortress was answered evasively, and she was glad when the singing in the
next room led the Swabian to ask whether it was true that the master of
her suffering friend on the couch, who intended to devote himself to a
monastic life, meant to enter the order of the Minorite whom she had just
left and become a mendicant friar. When Eva assented, the lady remarked
that members of this brotherhood had rarely come to her castle; but
Biberli said that they were quiet, devout men who, content with the alms
they begged, preached, and performed other religious duties. They were
recruited more from the people than from the aristocratic classes. Many,
however, joined them in order to live an idle life, supported by the
gifts of others.

Eva eagerly opposed this view, maintaining that true piety could be most
surely found in the order of St. Francis. Then, with warm enthusiasm,
she praised its founder, asserting that, on the contrary, the Saint of
Assisi had enjoined labour upon his followers. For instance, one of his
favourite disciples was willing to shake the nuts from the rotten
branches of a nut tree which no one dared to climb if he might have half
the harvest. This was granted, but he made a sack of his wide brown
cowl, filled it with the nuts, and distributed them amongst his poor.

This pleased the mother and daughter; yet when the former remarked that