announce her coming to cousin Maud. I could send for Ann; as, indeed, it
beseemed her, the younger, to wait upon my aunt.

But she held to her will to go to Master Ulman's dwelling; yet, whereas
the kerchiefs and wraps were a discomfort to her, she agreed to lay them
aside at our house first.

Cousin Maud pressed her almost by force to take rest and meat and drink;
but she refused everything; though all was in readiness and steaming hot;
till, as fate would have it, as she was being carried down and out again,
the Magister came in from his journey to Nordlingen. In his high fur
boots and the heavy wrapping he had cast about his head to screen him
from the wintry blast, he had not to be sure, the appearance of a suitor
for a fair young maiden; and the glance cast at him by my aunt, half in
mockery and half in wrath, eyeing him from head to foot, would have said
plainly enough to other men than Master Peter--who, for his part made her
a right humble and well-turned speech--"Wait awhile, young fellow! I am
here now! And if you find a flea in your ear, you have me to thank for
it!"

Apparelled now as befitted a lady of her degree, in a furred cloak and
hood, she was borne off in Cousin Maud's well-curtained litter. I had
sent Akusch to Ann with a note, but he had not found her within, and
awaited me in the street; thus it fell that no one at the Pernharts was
aware of what was coming upon them.

When presently the bearers set down the litter, Aunt Jacoba looked at the
fine house before which we stood, and enquired what this might mean,
whereas it was seven years since she had been in the city, and the
master's new dwelling was not at that time built. Also she was greatly