I had passed the day for myself alone, refusing to see our noble guests; I was sitting in silence and dreaming by my spinning-wheel, which I had long ceased to turn, when on a sudden there were heavy steps and wrathful voices on the stairs.  The door of the room was thrown open and, in spite of old Susan’s resistance, certain beadles of the city came in, with two of the Emperor’s men-at-arms.  My cousin was not within doors, as had become common of late, and I was vexed and grieved to be thus unpleasantly surprised.  I rose to meet the strangers, making sharp enquiry by what right they broke the peace of a Nuremberg patrician’s household.  Hereupon their chief made answer roundly that he was here by his Majesty’s warrant, and that of the city authorities, to make certain whether Junker Herdegen Schopper, who had fled from the Imperial ban, were in hiding or no in the house of his fathers.  At first it was all I could do to save myself from falling; but I presently found heart and courage.  I assured the bailiffs that their search would be vain, albeit I gave them free leave to do whatsoever their office might require of them, only to bear in mind that great notables were guests in the house; and then I drew a deep breath and meseemed I was as a child forgotten and left in a house on fire which sees its father pressing forward to rescue it.

Hitherto no man had told me what fate it was that threatened my brother, and now that I knew, I hastily filled up the meaning of many a word to which I had lent but half an ear.  My cousin’s frequent absence in court array, Ann’s tear-stained eyes and strange mien, and many another matter was now full plain to me.

My newly-awakened spirit and restored power asserted their rights, and, as in the days of old, neither could rest content till it knew for a certainty what it might do.

While Susan and the other serving folks, with certain of the retainers brought by our guests, were searching the house through, I hastily did on my shoes and garments for out-door wear, and albeit it was already dusk, I went forth.  Yea, and I held my head high and my body straight as I went along the streets, whereas for these weeks past I had crept about hanging my head; meseemed that a change had come over my outward as well as my inner man.  And as I reached Pernhart’s house, with long swift steps, more folks would have seen me for what in truth I was:  a healthy young creature, with a long span of life before me yet and filled with strength and spirit enough to do good service, not to myself alone, but to many another, and chiefest of all to my dearly beloved brother.

And when I was at my walk’s end and stood before the old mother,—­who was now recovered from her sickness and sitting upright and sound in her arm-chair with her youngest grandchild in her lap,—­I knew forthwith that I had come to the right person.