And his speech sounded so warm and true, so full of deep and tender
desires, that at any other time I might have yielded. But at that hour I
was minded to trust no man; for, if Herdegen's love were not the truth,
whereas it had grown up with him and was given to one above me in so many
ways, what man's mind could I dare to build on? Yea, and I was too full
of care for the happiness of my brother and of my friend to be ready to
think of my own; so I could only speak him fair, but say him nay. Hardly
had I said the words when a strange change came over him; his calm, sad
face suddenly put on a furious aspect, and in his eyes, which hitherto
had ever been gentle, there was a fire which affrighted me. Nay and even
his voice, as he spoke, had a sharp ring in it, as though the bells had
cracked which erewhile had tolled so sweet a peal. And all he had to say
was a furious charge against me who had, said he, led him on by eye and
speech, only to play a cruel trick upon him, with words of dreadful
purpose against the silent knave who had come between him and me to
defraud him; and by this he meant the Swabian, Junker von Kalenbach.

I was about to upbraid him for his rude and discourteous manners when we
heard, outside, a loud outcry, and Ann ran in to fetch me. All in the
Lodge who had legs came running together; all the hounds barked and
howled as though the Wild Huntsman were riding by, and mingling therewith
lo! a strange, outlandish piping and drumming.

A bear-leader, such as I had before now seen at the town-fair, had made
his way to the Lodge, and the swarthy master, with his two companions, as
it might be his brothers, were like all the men of their tribe. A thick
growth of hair covered the mouth below an eaglenose, and on their shaggy
heads they wore soft red bonnets. One was followed by a tall camel,
slowly marching along with an ape perched on his hump; the other led a
brown bear with a muzzle on his snout.