Whilst giving this information she had again risen.  Sister Hildegard had announced that her palfrey and the horses of the guests had been led up.

Finally Eva promised to mount at the same time as the Swabians, bade farewell to Biberli, who looked after her with surprise, yet silently conjectured that this errand to the Emperor was in his behalf, and then went into the entry, where Sister Hildegard told her that Father Benedictus had just died.

The monks were still chanting beside his deathbed.  Brother AEgidius, the friend and comrade of the dead man, however, had left them and approached Eva.

Deeply agitated, he struggled to repress his sobs as he told her that the old man’s longing was fulfilled and his Saviour had summoned him.  To die thus, richly outweighed the many sacrifices he had so willingly made here below during a long life.  If Eva had witnessed his death she would have perceived the aptness of the saying that a monk’s life is bitter, but his death is sweet.  Such an end was granted only to those who cast the world aside.  Let her consider this once more, ere she renounced the eternal bliss for which formerly she had so devoutly yearned.

Eva’s only answer was the expression of her grief for his friend’s decease.  But whilst passing out into the darkness she thought:  the holy Brother certainly had a beautiful and happy death, yet how gently, trusting in the mercy of her Redeemer, my mother also passed away, though during her life and on her deathbed she remained in the world.  And then—­whilst Father Benedictus was closing his eyes—­what concern did he probably have for aught save his own salvation, but my mother forgot herself and thought only of others, of those whom she loved, whilst the Saviour summoned her to Himself.  Her eyes were already dim and her tongue faltered when she uttered the words which had guided her daughter until now.  The forge fire of life burns fiercely, yet to it my gratitude is due if the resolutions I formed in the forest after I had gathered the flowers for her and saw Heinz kneeling in prayer have not been vain, but have changed the capricious, selfish child into a woman who can render some service to others.

If Heinz comes now and seeks me, I think I can say trustingly, “Here I am!” We have both striven for the divine Love and recognised its glorious beauty.  If later, hand in hand, we can interweave it with the earthly one, why should it not be acceptable to the Saviour?  If Heinz offers me his affection I will greet it as “Sister Love,” and it will certainly summon me with no lower voice to praise the Father from whom it comes and who has bestowed it upon me, as do the sun, the moon and stars, the fire and water.

Whilst speaking she went out, and after learning that Frau Christine and her husband had not yet returned, she rode with the Swabians towards the city.

In order not to pass through the whole length of Nuremberg, Eva guided her friends around the fortifications.  Their destination was almost the same, and they chose to enter at the Thiergartnerthor, which was in the northwestern part of the city, under the hill crowned by the castle, whilst the road to Schweinau usually led through the Spitalthor.