He had intended to ask her to help him prepare a surprise for his aunt.  The day after to-morrow was Frau Sophia Schurstab’s birthday.  Early in the morning she must find among her feathered favourites a pair of rare India fowls, which he had received from Venice.

As Kuni did not instantly assent, because the wild tumult of her blood paralyzed her tongue, he noticed her confusion, and in an encouraging tone, gaily continued: 

“What I have to ask is not too difficult.”  As he spoke he passed his hand kindly over her dark hair, just as he had done a few months before in the Town Hall.

Then the blood mounted to her brain.  Clasping his right hand, beneath whose touch she had just trembled, in both her own, she passionately exclaimed: 

“Ask whatever you desire.  If you wanted to trample my heart under your feet, I would not stir.”

A look of ardent love from her sparkling blue eyes accompanied the words; but he had withdrawn his hand in astonishment, and raised a lofty barrier between them by answering coldly and sternly, “Keep the heart and your dainty self for the equerry Seifried who is an honest man.”

The advice, and the lofty austerity with which it was given, pierced Kuni like the thrust of a dagger.  Yet she succeeded controlling herself, and, without a word reply, preceded the harsh man into the sleeping room and silently, tearlessly, pointed the chest.  When he had taken out the money, she bowed hastily and ran down the stairs.

Probably she heard him call her name more than three times; doubtless, afterward she fancied that she remembered how his voice had sounded in beseeching, tender, at last even imperious tones through the empty corridors; but she did not turn, and hurried into her room.

CHAPTER V.

When, on the evening of the christening day, Lienhard accompanied his aunt home, Kuni was nowhere to be found.  Frau Sophia discovered in her chamber every article of clothing which she had obtained for her, even the beaver cap, the prayer-book, and the rosary which she had given.  The young burgomaster, at her request, went to the manager of the rope-dancers, Loni, the next morning, but the latter asserted that he knew nothing about the girl.  The truth was that he had sent her to Wurzburg with part of his company.

From that time she had remained with the ropedancers.  At first the master had watched her carefully, that she might not run away again.  But he soon perceived this to be unnecessary; for he had never found any member of the company more zealous, or seen one make more progress in the art.  Now the only point was to keep her out of the way of other rope-dancers, English proprietors of circus companies, as well as the numerous knights and gentlemen who tried to take her from him.  Her name had become famous.  When the crier proclaimed that the “flying maiden” would ascend the rope to the steeple, Loni was sure of a great crowd of spectators.  Among her own profession she had obtained the nickname of crazy Kuni.