The danger which threatened her aunt and her beloved nuns also increased her excitement.  True, the sisters themselves seemed to feel safe, for snatches of their singing were still audible amid the ringing of the bells and the blare of the trumpets, but the fire must have been very hard to extinguish.  This was proved by the bright glow on the linden tree and the shouts of command which, though unintelligible, rose above every other sound.

The street below was becoming less crowded.  Most of those who had left their beds to render aid had already reached the scene of the conflagration.  Only a few stragglers still passed through the open gate towards the Marienthurm.  Among them were horsemen, and Eva’s heart again throbbed more quickly, but only for a short time.  Heinz Schorlin was far taller than the man who had again deceived her, and his way would hardly have been lighted by two mounted torch bearers.  Soon her rosy lips even parted in a smile, for the sturdy little man on the big, strong-boned Vinzgau steed, whom she now saw distinctly, was her dearest relative, her godfather, the kind, shrewd, imperial magistrate, Berthold Pfinzing, the husband of her father’s sister, good Aunt Christine.

If he looked up he would tell her about old Herr Vorchtel.  Nor did he ride past his darling’s house without a glance at her window, and when he saw Eva beckon he ordered the servants to keep back, and stopped behind the chains.

After he had briefly greeted his niece and she had enquired what had befallen the Vorchtels, he asked anxiously:  “Then you know nothing yet?  And Els—­has it been kept from her, too?”

“What, in the name of all the saints?” asked Eva, with increasing alarm.

Then Herr Pfinzing, who saw that the door of the house was open, asked her to come down.  Eva was soon standing beside her godfather’s big bay, and while patting the smooth neck of the splendid animal he said hurriedly, in a low tone:  “It’s fortunate that it happened so.  You can break it gradually to your sister, child.  To-night Summon up your courage, for there are things which even a man—­To make the story short, then:  Tonight Wolff Eysvogel and young Vorchtel quarreled, or rather Ulrich irritated your Wolff so cruelly that he drew his sword—­”

“Wolff!” shrieked Eva, whose hand had already dropped from the horse.  “Wolff!  He is so terribly strong, and if he drew his sword in anger——­”

“He dealt his foe one powerful thrust,” replied the imperial magistrate with an expressive gesture.  “The sword pierced him through.  But I must go on Only this one thing more:  Ulrich was borne back to his parents as a corpse.  And Wolff Where is he hiding?  May the saints long be the only ones who know!  A quarrel with such a result under the Emperor’s eyes, now when peace has just been declared throughout the land!  Who knows what sentence will be pronounced if the bailiffs show themselves shrewder this time than usual!  My office compelled me to set the pack upon him.  That is the reason I am so late.  Tell Els as cautiously as possible.”