work of this kind seemed to her too easy for a young, noble, and powerful
knight, Eva agreed, but added that the saint also required an activity in
which the hands, it is true, remained idle, but which heavily taxed even
the strongest soul. St. Francis himself had set the example of
performing this toil cheerfully and gladly.

Whilst giving this information she had again risen. Sister Hildegard had
announced that her palfrey and the horses of the guests had been led up.

Finally Eva promised to mount at the same time as the Swabians, bade
farewell to Biberli, who looked after her with surprise, yet silently
conjectured that this errand to the Emperor was in his behalf, and then
went into the entry, where Sister Hildegard told her that Father
Benedictus had just died.

The monks were still chanting beside his deathbed. Brother AEgidius, the
friend and comrade of the dead man, however, had left them and approached
Eva.

Deeply agitated, he struggled to repress his sobs as he told her that the
old man's longing was fulfilled and his Saviour had summoned him. To die
thus, richly outweighed the many sacrifices he had so willingly made here
below during a long life. If Eva had witnessed his death she would have
perceived the aptness of the saying that a monk's life is bitter, but his
death is sweet. Such an end was granted only to those who cast the world
aside. Let her consider this once more, ere she renounced the eternal
bliss for which formerly she had so devoutly yearned.

Eva's only answer was the expression of her grief for his friend's
decease. But whilst passing out into the darkness she thought: the holy