But he ought to have repressed the remark, for Heinz cast a glance at him which expressed his astonishment at being so misunderstood, and answered with unyielding resolution:  “If I long for anything in your order, reverend Father, it is not for easy tasks, but for the most difficult burden of all.  Your summons to take our Redeemer’s cross upon me pleases me better.”

“And I, my son, believe that your words will be inscribed amongst those which are sure of reward,” the monk answered; then with bowed head added “At that moment you were nearer the kingdom of heaven than the aged companion of St. Francis.”

But perceiving how impatiently Heinz shrugged his shoulders, and convinced that it would be advisable to leave him to himself for a time, the old man blessed him with paternal affection and went his way.  When the fiery youth had performed the task which now claimed all his powers, he hoped to find him more inclined to allow himself to be led farther along the path which he had entered.

IN THE FIRE OF THE FORGE

A ROMANCE OF OLD NUREMBERG

By Georg Ebers

Volume 6.

CHAPTER V.

The Minorite had gone.  Biberli had noticed with delight that his master had not sought as usual to detain him.  The iron now seemed to him hot, and he thought it would be worth while to swing the hammer.

The danger in which Heinz stood of being drawn into the monastery made him deeply anxious, and he had already ventured several times to oppose his design.  Life was teaching him to welcome a small evil when it barred the way to a greater one, and his master’s marriage, even with a girl of far lower station than Eva Ortlieb, would have been sure of his favour, if only it would have deterred him from the purpose of leaving the world to which he belonged.

“True,” the servitor began, “in such heat it is easier to walk in the thin cowl than in armour.  The holy Father is right there.  But when it is necessary to be nimble, the knight has his dancing dress also.  Oh, my lord, what a sight it was when you were waltzing with the lovely Jungfrau Eva!  Look at Heinz Schorlin, the brave hero of Marchfield, and the girl with the angel face who is with him!’ said those around me, as I was gazing down from the balcony.  And just think—­I can’t help speaking of it again—­that now respectable people dare to point their fingers at the sisters and join in the base calumny uttered by a scoundrel!”

Then Heinz fulfilled Biberli’s secret longing to be questioned about the Es and the charges against them, and he forged the iron.

Not from thirst, he said, but to ascertain what fruit had grown from the hellish seeds sown by Siebenburg, and probably the still worse ones of the Eysvogel women, he went from tavern to tavern, and there he heard things which made him clench his fists, and, at the Red Ox, roused him to such violent protest that he went out of the tap-room faster than he entered it.