Next morning Cousin Maud let me see in a right pleasant way how truly she was in earnest in the matter of thrift henceforth; she would take but one small pat of butter from the country wench who brought it, she sent away the butcher’s man and would have no flesh meat, and at breakfast she abstained from butter on her bread, as she was wont to eat it.  Likewise the chain and the great gold pin which she ever wore from morning till night, flashing on her bosom like a watchman’s lantern, were now laid aside, and while I was eating my porridge she showed me the coffer wherein she had bestowed all she possessed of rings, pins, and the like, which she would presently take to the weigh-house to be weighed and then to a goldsmith to be valued.  Howbeit, when I was fain to do likewise with my jewels she would not have it so, inasmuch as youth, quoth she, needed such bravery, and first we must learn how great a portion of the ransom my grand-uncle would take upon himself to pay.

Hereupon, in fulfilment of my purpose yestereve, I made it my hard duty to carry the evil tidings to the old baron, and humbly to remind him of his promise to take care for Herdegen’s ransom.  It was raining heavily, and a wet west wind whistled along the miry streets.  It was weariful to wade through them, and when at last I reached the Im Hoff house Master Ulsenius called to me down the stairs:  “Silence, Mistress Margery; there is worse weather in here than without doors!”

Thus as I went into the overheated chamber, I saw there was no good to be hoped for:  yet were matters worse than I had looked to find them.  So soon as my grand-uncle set eyes on me he frowned darkly, his hollow eyes had an angry glare and, without answering my good-day, he croaked at me:  “You hoped that the old man might have passed away into eternity or ever you set forth on your wild adventure?  Hah, hah But you are mistaken.  I shall yet be granted time enough to show you whom you have to deal with, as it has likewise been enough to show me what you truly are!  Whereas I trusted to have found a faithful and wise brain, what have I seen?  Loveless and malignant privity, miserable folly, and such schemes as might have been dreamed of in a mad-house!”

“But, uncle, only hearken,” I tried to say, and forthwith the idea fell into my mind, which I afterwards found to be a true one, that either Henneleinlein, had yestereve betrayed to him or to her gossip his housekeeper, all she had heard at the Forest Lodge.  He would not suffer me to speak to the end, but went on to chide and complain, and broke in again and again, even when at last I found words and made it plain to him that we had kept our purpose privy from him to no end but to save him from grieving so long as we might; and albeit he might be wroth with us, yet he must grant that heretofore we had ever been modest and seemly maidens; but now, when it was a matter of life and freedom for those who were nearest and dearest to our hearts....