secure of her love; and Hans called upon my brother Herdegen to quit
himself as a man should and make an end of this double game by choosing
either Ann or Ursula, once for all.

In the forest Uncle Conrad had bidden this noble company to the Lodge.
After the hunt was over we went forth once more to the garden of Martin
the bee-keeper, by reason that Duke Ernest of Austria, and Count
Friedrich of Meissen, and my Lord Bishop of Lausanne, and other of the
noble lords, desired to see somewhat of the far-famed bee-keeping huts in
our Lorenzer-Wald. My uncle himself led the way, and Herdegen helped him
do the honors.

Presently, as he over-hastily opened a hive, some bees stung his hand
badly; I ran to him and drew the stings out. Ann was close by me, and
Herdegen tried to meet her eyes, and sang in a low voice a verse of a
song, which sounded sad indeed and strange, somewhat thus:

"Augustho pirlin pcodyas."

Whereupon Ann asked of him in what tongue he spoke; for it was not known
to her. He, however, replied that of a certainty it was known to her,
and when she looked at him, doubtful yet, he laughed bitterly and said
that he could but be well-content if she had forgotten the sound of those
words, inasmuch as to him they were bound up with the first great sorrow
he had known.

I saw that she was ill-at-ease; but as she turned away he held her back
to put the words into German, saying, in so dull and low a voice that I
scarce could hear him, while he stirred up the earth with the point of
his sword, purposing to lay some on his swollen hand.