added right earnestly; therefore do thou believe and hope and endure yet
longer, my poor child, and tell me in all truth: Does it seem to you a
lesser deed to lead back the sinner into the way of righteousness and
bliss in this world and the next, than to give alms to the beggar?"

Ann shook her head, and my aunt went on: "And if there is any one--let me
repeat it--who by faithful love may ever rescue Herdegen, albeit he is
half lost, it is you. Come, come," and she signed to her, and Ann did
her bidding and fell on her knees by her, as she had done erewhile in the
forest-lodge. The elder lady kissed her hair and eyes, and said further:
"Cling fast to your love, my darling. You have nothing else than love,
and without it life is shallow indeed, is sheer emptiness. You will
never find it in the Magister's arms, and that your heart is of a
certainty, not set on marrying a well-to-do man at any cost . . . ."

But she did not end her speech, inasmuch as Ann imploringly raised her
great eyes in mild reproach, as though to defend herself from some hurt.
So my aunt comforted her with a few kind words, and then went on to
admonish her as follows: "Verily it is not love you lack, but patient
trust. I have heard from Margery here what bitter disappointments you
have suffered. And it is hard indeed to the stricken heart to look for
a new spring for the withered harvest of joy. But look you at my good
husband. He ceases not from sowing acorns, albeit he knows that it will
never be vouchsafed to him to see them grown to fine trees, or to earn
any profit from them. Do you likewise learn to possess your soul in
patience; and do not forget that, if Herdegen is lost, the question will
be put to you: 'Did you hold out a hand to him while it was yet time to
save him, or did you withdraw from him your love and favor in faint-
hearted impatience at the very first blow?'"