greater penury than many of much less worth whom he had watched stumbling
along the downward path before her. When he saw Lienhard Groland's glance
rest upon her, he noticed also how strangely her emaciated face changed
colour. Though it had just been as white as the napkin under his arm, it
now flushed as red as the balsam blossoms in the window, and then paled
again. She had formerly gazed around her boldly enough, but now she
lowered her eyes to the floor as modestly as any demure maiden on her way
to church.

And what did this mean?

The honourable member of the Nuremberg Council must be well acquainted
with the girl, for his eyes had scarcely met hers ere a strange smile
flitted over his grave, manly face.

Now--was it in jest or earnest?--he even shook his finger at her. He
stopped in front of her a moment, too, and Dietel heard him exclaim:

"So here you are! On the highway again, in spite of everything?"

The distance which separated them and the loud talking of the guests
prevented the waiter's hearing her reply, "The captive bird can not
endure the cage long, Herr Lienhard," far less the words, added in a
lower tone:

"Yet flight has been over since my fall at Augsburg. My foot lies buried
there with many other things which will never return. I can only move on
wheels behind the person who takes me." Then she paused and ventured to
look him full in the face. Her eyes met his beaming with a radiant light,
but directly after they were dimmed by a mist of tears. Yet she forced