on her lap, and his eyes raised to hers.
She bent down to kiss him. 'Thou knewst it, Friedel, and now must thou aid me to remain thy father's true widow, and to keep Ebbo from being violent.'
Ebbo checked his hasty march to put his hand on her chair and kiss her brow. 'Motherling, I will restrain myself, so you will give me your word not to desert us.'
'Nay, Ebbo,' said Friedel, 'the motherling is too true and loving for us to bind her.'
'Children,' she answered, 'hear me patiently. I have been communing with myself, and deeply do I feel that none other can I love save him who is to you a mere name, but to me a living presence. Nor would I put any between you and me. Fear me not, Ebbo. I think the mothers and sons of this wider, fuller world do not prize one another as we do. But, my son, this is no matter for rage or ingratitude. Remember it is no small condescension in a noble to stoop to thy citizen mother.'
'He knew what painted puppets noble ladies are,' growled Ebbo.
'Moreover,' continued Christina, 'thine uncle is highly gratified, and cannot believe that I can refuse. He understands not my love for thy father, and sees many advantages for us all. I doubt me if he believes I have power to resist his will, and for thee, he would not count thine opposition valid. And the more angry and vehement thou art, the more will he deem himself doing thee a service by overruling thee.'
'Come home, mother. Let Heinz lead our horses to the door in the dawn, and when we are back in free Adlerstein it will be plain who is master.'
'Such a flitting would scarce prove our wisdom,' said Christina, 'to run away with thy mother like a lover in a ballad. Nay, let me first deal gently with thine uncle, and speak myself with Sir Kasimir, so that I may show him the vanity of his suit. Then will we back to Adlerstein without leaving wounds to requite kindness.'
Ebbo was wrought on to promise not to attack the burgomaster on the subject, but he was moody and silent, and Master Gottfried let him alone, considering his gloom as another proof of his need of fatherly authority, and as a peace-lover forbearing to provoke his fiery spirit.
But when Sir Kasimir's visit was imminent, and Christina had refused to make the change in her dress by which a young widow was considered to lay herself open to another courtship, Master Gottfried called the twins apart.
'My young lords,' he said, 'I fear me ye are vexing your gentle mother by needless strife at what must take place.'
'Pardon me, good uncle,' said Ebbo, 'I utterly decline the honour of Sir Kasimir's suit to my mother.'
Master Gottfried smiled. 'Sons are not wont to be the judges in such cases, Sir Eberhard.'
'Perhaps not,' he answered; 'but my mother's will is to the nayward, nor shall she be coerced.'
'It is merely because of you and your pride,' said Master Gottfried.
'I think not so,' rejoined the calmer Friedel; 'my mother's love for my father is still fresh.'
'Young knights,' said Master Gottfried, 'it would scarce become me to say, nor you to hear, how much matter of fancy such love must have been towards one whom she knew but for a few short months, though her pure sweet dreams, through these long years, have moulded him into a hero. Boys, I verily believe ye love her truly. Would it be well for her still to mourn and cherish a dream while yet in her fresh age, capable of new happiness, fuller than she has ever enjoyed?'
'She is happy with us,' rejoined Ebbo.
'And ye are good lads and loving sons, though less duteous in manner than I could wish. But look you, you may not ever be with her, and when ye are absent in camp or court, or contracting a wedlock of your own, would you leave her to her lonesome life in your solitary castle?'
Friedel's unselfishness might have been startled, but Ebbo boldly answered, 'All mine is hers. No joy to me but shall be a joy to her. We can make her happier than could any stranger. Is it not so, Friedel?'
'It is,' said Friedel, thoughtfully.
'Ah, rash bloods, promising beyond what ye can keep. Nature will be too strong for you. Love your mother as ye may, what will she be to you when a bride comes in your way? Fling not away in wrath, Sir Baron; it was so with your parents both before you; and what said the law of the good God at the first marriage? How can you withstand the nature He has given?'
'Belike I may wed,' said Ebbo, bluntly; 'but if it be not for my mother's happiness, call me man-sworn knight.'
'Not so,' good-humouredly answered Gottfried, 'but boy-sworn paladin, who talks of he knows not what. Speak knightly truth, Sir Baron, and own that this opposition is in verity from distaste to a stepfather's rule.'
'I own that I will not brook such rule,' said Ebbo; 'nor do I know what we have done to deserve that it should be thrust on us. You have never blamed Friedel, at least; and verily, uncle, my mother's eye will lead me where a stranger's hand shall never drive me. Did I even think she had for this man a quarter of the love she bears to my dead father, I would strive for endurance; but in good sooth we found her in tears, praying us to guard her from him. I may be a boy, but I am man enough to prevent her from being coerced.'
'Was this so, Friedel?' asked Master Gottfried, moved more than by all that had gone before. 'Ach, I thought ye all wiser. And spake she not of Sir Kasimir's offers?--Interest with the Romish king?-- Yea, and a grant of nobility and arms to this house, so as to fill the blank in your scutcheon?'
'My father never asked if she were noble,' said Ebbo. 'Nor will I barter her for a cantle of a shield.'
'There spake a manly spirit,' said his uncle, delighted. 'Her worth hath taught thee how little to prize these gewgaws! Yet, if you look to mingling with your own proud kind, ye may fall among greater slights than ye can brook. It may matter less to you, Sir Baron, but Friedel here, ay, and your sons, will be ineligible to the choicest orders of knighthood, and the canonries and chapters that are honourable endowments.'
Friedel looked as if he could bear it, and Eberhard said, 'The order of the Dove of Adlerstein is enough for us.'
'Headstrong all, headstrong all,' sighed Master Gottfried. 'One romantic marriage has turned all your heads.'
The Baron of Adlerstein Wildschloss, unprepared for the opposition that awaited him, was riding down the street equipped point device, and with a goodly train of followers, in brilliant suits. Private wooing did not enter into the honest ideas of the burghers, and the suitor was ushered into the full family assembly, where Christina rose and came forward a few steps to meet him, curtseying as low as he bowed, as he said, 'Lady, I have preferred my suit to you through your honour-worthy uncle, who is good enough to stand my friend.'
'You are over good, sir. I feel the honour, but a second wedlock may not be mine.'
'Now,' murmured Ebbo to his brother, as the knight and lady seated themselves in full view, 'now will the smooth-tongued fellow talk her out of her senses. Alack! that gipsy prophecy!'
Wildschloss did not talk like a young wooer; such days were over for both; but he spoke as a grave and honourable man, deeply penetrated with true esteem and affection. He said that at their first meeting he had been struck with her sweetness and discretion, and would soon after have endeavoured to release her from her durance, but that he was bound by the contract already made with the Trautbachs, who were dangerous neighbours to Wildschloss. He had delayed his distasteful marriage as long as possible, and it had caused him nothing but trouble and strife; his children would not live, and Thekla, the only survivor, was, as his sole heiress, a mark for the cupidity of her uncle, the Count of Trautbach, and his almost savage son Lassla; while the right to the Wildschloss barony would become so doubtful between her and Ebbo, as heir of the male line, that strife and bloodshed would be well-nigh inevitable. These causes made it almost imperative that he should re-marry, and his own strong preference and regard for little Thekla directed his wishes towards the Freiherrinn von Adlerstein. He backed his suit with courtly compliments, as well as with representations of his child's need of a mother's training, and the twins' equal want of fatherly guidance, dilating on the benefits he could confer on them.
Christina felt his kindness, and had full trust in his intentions. 'No' was a difficult syllable to her, but she had that within her which could not accept him; and she firmly told him that she was too much bound to both her Eberhards. But there was no daunting him, nor preventing her uncle and aunt from encouraging him. He professed that he would wait, and give her time to consider; and though she reiterated that consideration would not change her mind, Master Gottfried came forward to thank him, and express his confidence of bringing her to reason.
'While I, sir,' said Ebbo, with flashing eyes, and low but resentful voice, 'beg to decline the honour in the name of the elder house of Adlerstein.'
He held himself upright as a dart, but was infinitely annoyed by the little mocking bow and smile that he
