"
"There spake a manly spirit," said his uncle, delighted. "Her worth
hath taught thee how little to prize these gewgaws! Yet, if you look
to mingling with your own proud kind, ye may fall among greater
slights than ye can brook. It may matter less to you, Sir Baron, but
Friedel here, ay, and your sons, will be ineligible to the choicest
orders of knighthood, and the canonries and chapters that are
honourable endowments."
Friedel looked as if he could bear it, and Eberhard said, "The order
of the Dove of Adlerstein is enough for us."
"Headstrong all, headstrong all," sighed Master Gottfried. "One
romantic marriage has turned all your heads."
The Baron of Adlerstein Wildschloss, unprepared for the opposition
that awaited him, was riding down the street equipped point device,
and with a goodly train of followers, in brilliant suits. Private
wooing did not enter into the honest ideas of the burghers, and the
suitor was ushered into the full family assembly, where Christina
rose and came forward a few steps to meet him, curtseying as low as
he bowed, as he said, "Lady, I have preferred my suit to you through
your honour-worthy uncle, who is good enough to stand my friend.
Pages:
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348