The evil monster which had crept into my brother’s breast grew, thank Heaven, but slowly; and when the young pair had been wed, with a right splendid feast, and my brother had taken Ann home to the Schoppers’ house as his dear wife, a glad hope rose up in me that Master Knorr had taken an over-gloomy view of the matter, and that Herdegen might blossom again into new strength and his old hearty health.  Howbeit it was but his heart’s gladness which lent him so brave and glad an aspect; the sickness must have its course, and it was as it were a serpent, gnawing silently at my joy in life, and its bite was all the more cruel by reason that I might tell no man what it was that hurt me save the old Waldstromers.  But they likewise grew young again after their son’s homecoming, and notwithstanding her feeble frame, Aunt Jacoba saw Margery’s eldest son grow to be six years of age.  And she sent him his packet of sweetmeats the first day he went to school; but when the little lad went to thank his grandmother, the old dame was gone to her rest; and her husband lived after her no more than a few months.

One grief only had darkened the latter days of this venerable pair, in truth it was a heavy one; it was the death of my dear brother Herdegen, which befell at the end of the fifth year after he was happily married.

At the end of the fourth year his sickness came upon him with more violence, yet he went forth and back, and ever hoped to be healed, even when he took to his bed four weeks before the end.

On the very last day, on a certain fine evening in May, it was that he said to Ann:  “Hearken, my treasure, I am surely better!  On the day after tomorrow we will go forth into the sweet Spring, to hear Dame Nightingale who is singing already, and to see Margery.  Oh, out in the forest breezes blow to heal the sick!”

Yet they went not; two hours later he had departed this life.  By ill fortune at that very time I was at Venice on a matter of business, and when the tidings came to me that my only beloved brother was dead, meseemed as though half my being were torn away, aye, and the nobler and better half; that part which was not content to grieve and care for none but earthly estate and for all that cometh up and passeth away here below, but which hath a position in the bliss of another world, where we ask not only of what use and to what end this or that may be, as I have ever done in my narrow soul.

When Herdegen’s eyes closed in death, my wings were broken as it were; with him I lost the highest aim and end of all my labors.  For five hard years had I toiled and struggled, often turning night into day, and not for myself, but for him and his, ever upheld and sped forward by the sight of his high soul and great happiness.  Our grand-uncle Im Hoff had left me his house and the conduct of his trade, as you have learned already from Margery’s little book; and during my long journeyings many matters had not been done to my contentment, and the sick old man had taken out overmuch moneys from the business.  A goodly sum came to us from our parents’ estate, and my brother and sister and Cousin Maud were fain to entrust me with theirs; but how much I had to do in return!