On the way Lady Wendula induced Eva to tell her many things about herself, urging her to describe her father and her dead mother.  Her daughter Maria, on the other hand, was most interested in her sister Els, who, as she had heard from Biberli, was the second beautiful E.

Eva liked to talk about her relatives, but her depression continued and she spoke only in reply to questions, for the Minorite’s death had affected her, and her heart throbbed anxiously when she thought of the moment that she must appear amongst the courtiers and see the Emperor.

Would her errand be vain?  Must poor Biberli pay for his resolute fidelity with his life?  What pain it would cause her, and how heavily it would burden his master’s soul that he had failed to intercede for him!

Not until Lady Schorlin questioned her did Eva confess what troubled her, and how she dreaded the venture which she had undertaken on her own responsibility.

They were obliged to wait outside the Thiergartnerthor, for it had just been opened to admit a train of freight waggons.

Whilst Eva remained on the high-road, with the castle before her eyes, she sighed from the depths of her troubled heart:  “Why should the Emperor Rudolph grant me, an insignificant girl, what he refused his sister’s husband, the powerful Burgrave, to whom he is so greatly indebted?  Oh, suppose he should treat me harshly and bid me go back to my spinning wheel!”

Then she felt the arm of the dignified lady at her side pass round her and heard her say:  “Cheer up, my dear girl.  The blessing of a woman who feels as kindly towards you as to her own daughter will accompany you, and no Emperor will ungraciously rebuff you, you lovely, loyal, charitable child.”

At these words from her kind friend Eva’s heart opened as if the dear mother whom death had snatched from her had inspired her with fresh courage, and from the very depths of her soul rose the cry, “Oh, how I thank you!”

She urged her nimble palfrey nearer the lady’s horse to kiss her left hand, which held the bridle, but Lady Wendula would not permit it and, drawing her towards her, exclaimed, “Your lips, dear one,” and as her red mouth pressed the kind lady’s, Eva felt as if the caress had sealed an old and faithful friendship.  But this was not all.  Maria also wished to show the affection she had won, and begged for a kiss too.

Without suspecting it, Eva, on the way to an enterprise she dreaded, received the proof that her lover’s dearest relatives welcomed her with their whole hearts as a new member of the family.

On the other side of the gate she was obliged to part from the Swabians.

Lady Wendula bade her farewell with an affectionate “until we meet again,” and promised positively to go to the reception at the castle.

Eva uttered a sigh of relief.  It seemed like an omen of success that this lady, who had so quickly inspired her with such perfect confidence, was to witness her difficult undertaking.  She felt like a leader who takes the field with a scanty band of soldiers and is unexpectedly joined by the troops of a firm friend.