ing of the cock, be on the watch; when thou shalt hear a finger tap at thy window, open the door without fear; it will be thy lover who calls thee. And take heed, girl, not again to madden him by thy insolent cruelty. For thy comfort know, that he did not commit the robbery with which he is charged, so that thou hast no such guilt wherewith to burden thy conscience, though there is no saying to what extremities his love and thy caprice might have driven him.”
The girl greatly marvelled at all this, but on looking fixedly at the speaker, and detecting in his face no indication that he was otherwise than in serious earnest, she began to place faith in his words, and therewith her brow cleared up somewhat, and she said to him, with a joyful yet timid earnestness:
“Dear sir, if you mock me not, if all be as you say, surely you must be Benedict’s good angel, to know and do all this.”
“His good angel!” exclaimed Rubezahl, not a little disconcerted, “no, on my soul! but I may, as thou shalt find, become so. I am a burgher of Hirschberg, and was one of the judges who, as it then seemed justly, condemned the accused, but his innocence is now brought to light; have no fears, therefore, for his life. I am now on my way to the town, where I have considerable influence; and trust me he shall be forthwith liberated. Be of good cheer,
