The die was cast, and
the first step had been taken towards rendering the Adlerstein family
the peaceful, honourable nobles she had always longed to see them.
She was one afternoon assisting her aunt in some of the duties of her
wirthschaft, when Master Gottfried entered the apartment with an air
of such extreme complacency that both turned round amazed; the one
exclaiming, "Surely funds have come in for finishing the spire!" the
other, "Have they appointed thee Provost for next year, house-
father?"
"Neither the one nor the other," was the reply. "But heard you not
the horse's feet? Here has the Lord of Adlerstein Wildschloss been
with me in full state, to make formal proposals for the hand of our
child, Christina."
"For Christina!" cried Hausfrau Johanna with delight; "truly that is
well. Truly our maiden has done honour to her breeding. A second
nobleman demanding her--and one who should be able richly to endow
her!"
"And who will do so," said Master Gottfried. "For morning gift he
promises the farms and lands of Grunau--rich both in forest and corn
glebe.
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