A thoughtful brain could never cease to marvel at the wonders which
happen at every step and turn, were it not that due reflection proves
that strange events are no less necessary and frequent links in the
mingled chain of our life's experience than commonplace and every-day
things; wherefor sheer wonder at matters new to our experience we leave
for the most part to children and fools. And nevertheless the question
many a time arose in my mind: how a woman whose heart was so truly in the
right place as my aunt's could cast off her only son for the cause of an
ill-match, and notwithstanding strive with might and main to remove all
hindrances in the way of another such ill-match.

This indeed brought to my mind other, no less miracles. Thus, after
Ann's home-coming, when I would go to see her at Pernhart's house, I
often found her sitting with the old dame, who would tell her many
things, and those right secret matters. Once, when I found Ann with the
old woman from whom she had formerly been so alien, they were sitting
together in the window-bay with their arms about each other, and looking
in each other's face with loving but tearful eyes. My entrance disturbed
them; Dame Magdalen had been telling her new favorite many matters
concerning her son's youthful days, and it was plain to see that she
rejoiced in these memories of the best days of her life, when her two
fine lads had ever been at the head of their school. Her eldest, indeed,
had done so well that the Lord Bishop of Bamberg, in his own person, had
pressingly desired her late departed husband to make him a priest. Then
the father had apprenticed Ulman to himself, and dedicated the elder, who
else should have inherited the dwelling-house and smithy, to the service
of the Church, whereupon he had ere long risen to great dignity.

None, to be sure, listened so well as Ann, open-eared to all these