"Methinks the one is the
most beautiful, as it ought to be;" then, after a little pause, and
some reckoning, "I have scarce seed-pods enough in store, uncle;
might we not seek some rarer shapes in the herb-garden of Master
Gerhard, the physician? He, too, might tell me the names of some of
these."
"True, child; or we might ride into the country beyond the walls, and
seek them. What, little one, wouldst thou not?"
"So we go not far," faltered Christina, colouring.
"Ha, thou hast not forgotten the fright thy companions had from the
Schlangenwald reitern when gathering Maydew? Fear not, little
coward; if we go beyond the suburbs we will take Hans and Peter with
their halberts. But I believe thy silly little heart can scarce be
free for enjoyment if it can fancy a Reiter within a dozen leagues of
thee."
"At your side I would not fear. That is, I would not vex thee by my
folly, and I might forget it," replied Christina, looking down.
"My gentle child!" the old man said approvingly. "Moreover, if our
good Raiser has his way, we shall soon be free of the reitern of
Schlangenwald, and Adlerstein, and all the rest of the mouse-trap
barons.
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