But the worst of all was that even faithful sons and daughters of Holy Church could not keep themselves wholly untouched by such mischief.  Among these, alas! were he and his Wawerl, for he had been obliged to allow the girl to join the choristers who sang in the Convivium Musicum, which the Council had established in the summer three years before.  Two councillors were assigned to each Convivium, and thus these arrangements were in Protestant hands.

“Of course,” he added dejectedly, “I wished to forbid her taking part in them, but, though with me it is usually bend or break, what can a man do when a woman is pestering him day and night, sometimes begging with tears, sometimes with caresses?

“Besides, many a good Catholic entreated me to give up my opposition.  They, do not grudge the girl her progress, and how much she already owes to the music teacher who now directs the Collegium Musicuin!  Singing is everything to her, and what else can I give the poor child?  At any rate, the Netherlander whom the Council brought here three years ago—­so connoisseurs say—­scarcely has his equal anywhere in knowledge and ability.  The man came to me and frankly said that he needed the girl’s voice for the Convivium, and, if I refused to let Wawerl take part, he would stop teaching her.  As he is a just man of quiet temperament and advanced in years.”

“Where is he from, and what is his name?” Wolf eagerly interrupted.

“Damian Feys,” replied the captain, “and he is a native of Ghent in the Netherlands.  Although he is in the pay of the city, he has remained—­he told me so himself—­a good Catholic.  There was nothing to be feared for the child on the score of religion.  The anxieties which are troubling me on her account come from another source.”

Then, with a mischievous mirthfulness usually foreign to his nature, Wolf raised his goblet, exclaiming: 

“Cast them upon me, Father Blomberg!  I will gladly help you bear them as your loyal son-in-law.”

“So that’s the way of it,” was the captain’s answer, his honest eyes betraying more surprise than pleasure.

Yet he pledged Wolf, and, touching his glass to his, said: 

“I’ve often thought that this might happen if you should see how she has grown up.  If she consents, nothing could please me better; but how many lovers she has already encouraged, and then, before matters became serious, dismissed!  I have experienced it.  If you succeed in putting an end to such trifling, may this hour be blessed!  But do you know the huge maggots she keeps under her golden hair?”

“Both large and small ones,” cried Wolf, with glowing cheeks.  “Truthful as she is, she did not conceal from the playmate of her youth a single impulse of her ambitious soul.”

“And did she give you hope?” asked the captain, thrusting his head eagerly forward.

“Yes,” replied the youth firmly; but he quickly corrected himself, and, in a less confident tone, added, “That is, if I could offer her a care-free life.”