authority.  Hereupon I besought him first to grant me a hearing for a few words; but he waved me away in ire, and signed to Ursula, who hung on his arm, and she set her lips tight when he presently with wrathful eyes whispered somewhat in her ear whereof I believed I could guess the intent.  And when I beheld her call Sir Franz von Welemisl to her side and give him her hand, speaking a few words in a low voice, I discerned that, in truth she knew all.

She presently led her father aside and told him somewhat which brought the blood to his ashy face, and led him to say her nay right vehemently.  But, as she was wont, she made good her own will and he shrugged his shoulders, wrathful indeed, but overmastered by her.

During this space the great door of the refectory had been thrown open, and when Tetzel with his old mother moved that way, desiring the guests to follow him, my Uncle Christian, Ann’s faithful friend, whispered to me that Herdegen had told him that he was now pledged to his “dear little warder,” and likewise what was on hand between him and the Junker von Beust.  I might be easy, quoth he; the Brandenburger would have a bitter taste of Nuremberg steel, of that he was fully assured.  And he ended his speech with a merry:  “Hold up your head, Margery.”

Then we all sat down at the laden table, Dame Clara sitting at the top, albeit she looked but sullen and ill to please.

Ursula had chosen to set Sir Franz by her side.  Herdegen’s seat, at her left hand, was vacant; and she bid her white Brabant hound, as though in jest, to leap into it.  The meal was served, but it all went in such gloomy silence that Master Muffel, of the town-council, whom they named Master Gall-Muffel, whispered across the table to my Uncle Christian “was it not strange to give a funeral feast without ever a corpse.”  Again I shuddered.  My jovial uncle had already lifted his glass, and stretching himself at his ease he nodded to me, and drank, saying loud enough for all to hear:  “To the last pledged couple, and the faithfullest pair of lovers.”

I nodded back to him, for I wist what he meant, and drank with all my heart.  Ursula had meanwhile kept her ears and eyes intent on us, and she now signed to her father and he slowly rose, clinked on his glass, and seeing that many were hearkening for what he should say, he declared to his guests that he had bidden them to this banquet not alone to do honor to the name-day of his venerable mother, whose praises his friend Master Tucher had eloquently spoken, but rather that he might announce to them the betrothal of his daughter Ursula to the noble knight and baron Franz von Welemisl.  Then was there shouting and clinking and emptying of wine cups, whereat old Dame Clara Tetzel, who was deaf and had failed to gather the purport of her son’s address, cried aloud “Is young Schopper come at last then?”