his own father.

The gentlemen of the council were all assembled to do the last honors to
one whose office had brought them closely together, and I marked that
more than one nudged his neighbor to note Ann's more than common beauty,
who in her black weed stood among her young brethren and sisters as a
consoling angel, who weepeth with them that weep and comforteth the
sorrowing. And so it came about that I heard many a father of fair
daughters confess that this maid had not her like for beauty in all
Nuremberg. And this came to Herdegen's ears, and I could see that it
uplifted his spirit and confirmed him in good purpose.

It soon befell that he might show by deed of what mind he was. Master
Holzschuher, the notary, who was near of kin and a right good friend of
Cousin Maud's, had been named guardian of his children by the deceased
Master Spiesz, and he it was who, in our house one day, said that the
widow and orphans were in better care than he had looked for, and could
keep their little house over their heads if wealthy neighbors could be
moved to open their purses and pay off a debt that was upon it. Then my
brother sprang up and declared that the family of an upright and faithful
servant of the State, and of a friend of the Schoppers, should have some
better and more honorable means of living than beggars' pence. He was
not yet of full age, but it was his intent to demand forthwith of our
guardian Im Hoff so much of that which would be his, as might be needed
to release the house from the burden of debt; and albeit Master
Holzschuher shook his head thereat, and this was no light thing that
Herdegen had undertaken, he departed at once to seek his granduncle.

From him indeed he met with rougher treatment than he had looked for; for
the old man made the diligent stewardship of these trust-moneys a point