This eBook was produced by David Widger <widger@cecomet.net>
[NOTE: There is a short list of bookmarks, or pointers, at the end of thefile for those who may wish to sample the author's ideas before making anentire meal of them. D.W.]
By Georg Ebers
Translated from the German by Mary J. Safford
On the eve of St. Medard's Day in the year 1281, the moon, which had justrisen, was shining brightly upon the imperial free city of Nuremberg; itsrays found their way into the street leading from the strong Marienthurmto the Frauenthor, but entrance to the Ortlieb mansion was barred by ahouse, a watchtower, and—most successfully of all—by a tall lindentree. Yet there was something to be seen here which even now, whenNuremberg sheltered the Emperor Rudolph and so many secular andecclesiastical princes, counts, and knights, awakened Luna's curiosity.True, this something had naught in common with the brilliant spectaclesof which there was no lack during this month of June; on the contrary, itwas very quiet here. An imperial command prohibited the soldiery frommoving about the city at night, and the Frauenthor, through which duringthe day plenty of people and cattle passed in and out had been closedlong before. Very few of the worthy burghers—who went to bed betimesand rose so early that they rarely had leisure to enjoy the moonlightlong—passed here at this hour. The last one, an honest master weaver,had moved with a very crooked gait. As he saw the moon double—likeeverything else around and above him—he had wondered whether the man upthere had a wife. He expected no very pleasant reception from his own athome. The watchman, who—the moon did not exactly know why—lingered ashort time in front of the Ortlieb mansion, followed the burgher. Thencame a priest who, with the sacristan and several lantern bearers, wascarrying the sacrament to a dying man in St. Clarengasse.
There was usually more to be seen at this hour on the other side of thecity—the northwestern quarter—where the fortress rose on its hill,dominating the Thiergartenthor at its foot; for the Emperor Rudolphoccupied the castle, and his brother-in-law, Burgrave Friedrich vonZollern, his own residence. This evening, however, there was littlemovement even there; the Emperor and his court, the Burgrave and histrain, with all the secular and ecclesiastical princes, counts, andknights, had gone to the Town Hall with their ladies. High revel washeld there, and inspiring music echoed through the open windows of thespacious apartment, where the Emperor Rudolph also remained during theball. Here the moonbeams might have been reflected from glittering steelor the gold, silver, and gems adorning helmets, diadems, and gala robes;or they might surely have found an opportunity to sparkle on the ripplesof the Pegnitz River, which divided the city into halves; but theheavenly wanderer, from the earliest times, has preferred leafy hiddennooks to scenes of noisy gaiety, a dim light to a brilliant glare. Lunalikes best to gaze where there is a secret to be discovered, and mortalshave always been glad to choose her as a confidante. Something exactlysuited to her taste must surely be going on just now near the lindenwhich, in all the splendour of fullest bloom, shaded the street in frontof the Ortlieb mansion; for she had seen two fair girls grow up in theancient dwelling with the carved escutcheon above the lofty oak door, andthe ample garden—and the younger, from her earliest childhood, had beenon especially intimate term