answered him that it was in one of those love-makings which were ever the
aim and business of his life. Thus he might tell all his kith and kin in
Nuremberg henceforth to cease their spying and prying, which had already
cost her more pains and writing than enough.

This discourse had but ill-pleased Kubbeling, yet had he not taken it
amiss, and had only said that she would be doing Kunz--who had come to
Egypt with him--right good service, if she would give him more exact
tidings of how his brother had met his end.

"Whereupon," said the bird-seller, "she gave me a look the like of which
not many could give; for inasmuch as the lady is, for certain, over eyes
and ears in love with Junker Kunz......"

But I stopped him, and said that in this he was of a certainty mistaken;
Howbeit he laughed shortly and went on. "Which of us saw her? I or you?
But love or no love--only listen till the end. Mistress Ursula for sure
knew not till then that Junker Kunz was in Alexandria, and so soon as she
learnt it she began to question me. She must know the day and hour when
he had cast anchor there, wherefor he had chosen to lodge in the Genoa
Fondaco, when I last had seen him, nay, and of what stuff and color his
garments were made. She went through them all, from the feather in his
hat to his hose. As for me, I must have seemed well nigh half witted,
and I told her at last that I had no skill in such matters, but that I
had ever seen him of an evening in a white mantle with a peaked hood.
Hereupon the blood all left her face, and with it all her beauty. She
clapped her hand to her forehead like one possessed or in a fit, as
though caught in her own snare, and she would have fallen, if I had not
held her upright. And then, on a sudden, she stood firm on her feet, bid
me depart right roughly, and pointed to the door; and I was ready and