"Well, I shall give thee gold enough to get thee through all dangers. I give it, mind, out of pure Christian charity; but now tell me honestly--canst thou really make a love-drink?"
_Illa_.--"Yes; her sister had taught her."
"Is the drink of equal power for men and women?"
_Illa_.--"Yes; without doubt, it would make either mad with love."
"Has it ever an injurious effect upon them? does it take away their strength?"
_Illa_.--"Yes; they fall down like flies. Some lose their memory, others become blind or lame."
"Has she ever tried its effects upon any one herself?"
"Out, fool! When I have promised thee gold enough to insure thy escape! I betray thee!"
_Illa_.--"Then she will tell the lady the whole truth. She did give a love-drink to Albert, because he grew cross, and spent the nights away from her, and complained if she idled a little, so that her master beat her. Therefore she determined to punish him, and a rash came out over his whole body, so that he could neither sit nor lie for six weeks, and at night he had to be tied to a post with a hand-towel; but all this time his love for her grew so burning, that although he had previously hated and beaten her, yet now if she only brought him a drink of cold water, for which he was always screaming, he would kiss her hands and feet even though she spat in his face, and he would certainly have died if his relations had not found out an old woman who unbewitched him; whereupon his love came to an end, and he informed against her."
That must be a wonderful drink. Would the girl teach her how to brew it?
But just then our Lord God sent yet another warning to Sidonia, through His angel, to turn her from her villainy, for as the girl was going to answer, a knock was heard at the chamber-door. They both grew as white as chalk; but Sidonia bethought herself of a hiding-place, and bid the other creep under the bed while she went to the door to see who knocked, and as she opened it, so there stood Prince Ernest bodily before her eyes, with the lute in his hand.
"Ah, gracious Prince, what brings you here? I pray your Highness, for the sake of God, to leave me. What would be said if any one saw you here?"
"But who is to see us, my beautiful maiden? My gracious mother has gone out to drive; and now, just look at this lute that I have purchased for you in Grypswald. Will it please thee, sweet one?"