approval. "If the gold benefits the holy poverty of these pious Brothers
and Sisters, the devil's gift may easily be transformed into a divine
blessing. You both--" he gazed affectionately at Heinz and Eva as he
spoke--"have, as it were, deserted the cloister, and owe it compensation.
But your depriving yourself of your golden treasure, my friend--for two
hundred silver marks are no trifle to a young knight--puts so different
a face upon this matter that--that----" Here he lowered his voice and
continued with affectionate mirthfulness--"that a friend must determine
to do what he can for him. True, my gallant Heinz, I see that your
future father-in-law, the other Nuremberg Honourables, and even your
mother, are ready to pay the sum; but he who is most indebted to you
holds fast this privilege, and that man am I, my brave champion! What
you did for your Emperor and his best work, the peace of the country,
deserves a rich reward and, thanks to the saints, I have something which
will discharge my debt. The Swabian fief of Reichenbach became vacant.
It has a strong citadel, from which we command you to maintain the peace
of the country and overthrow robber knights. This fief shall be yours.
You can enjoy it with your dear wife. It must belong to your children
and children's children forever; for that a Schorlin should be born who
would be unworthy of such a fief and faithless to his lord and Emperor
seems to me impossible. Three villages and broad forests, with fields
and meadows, pertain to the estate. As lord of Reichenbach, it will be
easy for you to pay the blood money, if your father-in-law is not too
importunate a creditor."

The latter certainly would not be that, and it cost Ernst Ortlieb no
effort to bend the knee gratefully before the kindly monarch.

The Emperor Rudolph accepted the homage, but he clasped the young lord of
Reichenbach to his heart like a beloved son, and as he placed Eva's hand