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
XVII. [How They Hunted the Stag ]172
XVIII. [How Herr von Zimmern Came again ]181
XIX. [How Erna and Albrecht Talked of Life ]191
XX. [How They Rode to Fly the Falcon ]198
XXI. [How Albrecht and Herr Frederich Talked in the Wood ]211
XXII. [How Albrecht Rode Home ]225
XXIII. [How Erna Suffered ]234
XXIV. [How Count Stephen Met Herr Frederich ]242
XXV. [How Father Christopher Sent for Albrecht ]252
XXVI. [How Albrecht and Erna Forgave Each Other ]258