ALBRECHT. ARLO BATES. Sô gesach sie valken vliegen. Dietmar von Aist. BOSTON: ROBERTS BROTHERS. 1890. _Copyright, 1890_, BY ARLO BATES. UNIVERSITY PRESS: JOHN WILSON AND SON, CAMBRIDGE. To _THE MEMORY OF MY FATHER_, NIRAN BATES, _AND OF MY MOTHER_, SUSAN THAXTER BATES, I Dedicate this Book; _profoundly conscious that it can bring to me no other satisfaction or honor so great as the keeping in remembrance the fact that I am their son_. _FORE-WORD._ _It must be evident to the most careless observer that the treatment of the theme with which the present story deals would probably not have taken the form it has, had "Undine" not been written before it; but it is to be hoped that "Albrecht" will not on that account be set down as an attempt either to imitate or to rival that immortal romance._ _No effort has been made to secure historical exactness, as the intent of the tale was wholly independent of this. To furnish a picture of the times was not in the least the thing sought._ _A romance can hardly fall into a more fatal error than to attempt the didactic, and there is no intention in the present story of enforcing any moral whatever; and yet the problem which lies at the heart of the tale is one which is of sufficient significance in human life to furnish a reasonable excuse for any book which, even without contributing anything to its solution, states it so that it appeals to the reader until he recognizes its deep import._ CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGE I. HOW ONE WENT 11 II. HOW ONE CAME 25 III. HOW THE KNIGHT SANG 33 IV. HOW HE REMAINED TO WOO 44 V. HOW THEY DISCOURSED OF KISSES 56 VI. HOW THEY CAME TO KISSES THEMSELVES 66 VII. HOW THE TIME WORE TO THE WEDDING DAY 75 VIII. OF THE EVE BEFORE THE WEDDING 83 IX. OF THE WEDDING MORNING 93 X. HOW THEY WERE WED 101 XI. HOW ALBRECHT CONFESSED 113 XII. HOW THE MORGENGABE WAS BESTOWED 125 XIII. HOW THE DAYS SPED AT RITTENBERG 134 XIV. HOW THE PRIEST BECAME TROUBLED 144 XV. HOW COUNT STEPHEN RETURNED 154 XVI. HOW THE COUNT TALKED AND SANG 162