Spiesz alone. I have a message for you."

Hereupon my cousin broke in with a scornful laugh, such as I could never
have looked to hear from her, with her kind and single heart; and my
brother told Ursula shortly and plainly that with her he had no more to
do. To this she made answer that it would be a sin to doubt that,
inasmuch as he was now a pious pilgrim and honorably betrothed,
nevertheless she craved to see Ann. That, too, was denied her, and she
did but shrug her shoulders; then she turned to the Bohemian, who had
gone towards her, and asked him with icy politeness to remove from her
presence, inasmuch as he was an offence to her. Hereupon I saw the last
drop of red blood fade away from the young Knight's sickly cheek, and it
went to my heart to see him uplift his hands and implore her right
humbly: "You know, Ursula, all that hath befallen me for your sake, and
how hard a lot awaits me. Three times have I been plighted to you, my
promised bride, and as many times cast off...."

"To spare you the like fate a fourth time; all good things being in
threes!" she put in, mocking him. "Verily you have cured me of any
desire ever to be your Dame, Sir Knight. And since meseems this day our
speech is free and truthful, I am fain to confess that such a wish was
ever far enough from me, and even when we stood betrothed. A strange
thing is love! 'Here's to fair Margery!' one day, on every noble
gentleman's lips; and on the morrow: 'Here's to sweet Ursula!' In some
folks it grows inwardly, as it were a polypus, and of such, woe is me,
am I. My love, if you would know the truth, my lord Baron von Welemisl,
love such I have known I gave once for all to that man Herdegen Schopper;
it has been his from the time when, in my short little skirts, I learnt
to write; and so it has ever been, till the hour when worthy Dame
Henneleinlein, the noble Junker's new cousin--it is enough to make one