How Sidonia Wished to learn the mystery of love-potions, but is hindered by Clara and the young Prince.
When Prince Ernest returned home after an absence of some days, Sidonia had changed her tactics, for now she never lifted up her eyes when they met, but passed on blushing and confused, and in place of speaking, as formerly, only sighed. This turned his head completely, and sent the blood so quickly through his veins that he found it a hard matter to conceal his feelings any longer. For this reason he determined to visit Sidonia in her own room as soon as he could hit upon a favourable opportunity, and bring her then a beautiful lute, inlaid with gold and silver, which he had purchased for her at Grypswald.
Now, it happened soon after, that her Grace and Clara went away one day into the town to purchase a jerkin for the little Prince Casimir, who accompanied them. Sidonia was immediately informed of their absence, and sought out Clara's maid without delay, put a piece of gold into her hand, and said—
"Send the strange girl from Daber to my room for a few minutes; she can perhaps give me some tidings of my dear father and family, for Daber is only a little way from Stramehl. But mind," she added, "keep this visit a secret, as well from her Grace as from your mistress Clara; otherwise we shall all be scolded."
So the maid very willingly complied, and brought the witch-girl directly to Sidonia's little apartment, and then ran to Clara's room to watch for the return of her Grace in time to give notice.
The witch-girl was quite confounded (as she afterwards confessed upon the rack) when Sidonia began—
"Thou knowest, Anne, that my entreaties alone obtained thee a shelter here, for I pitied thee from the first; and from what I hear, it is certain that her Grace means to deal no better with thee than thy judges at Daber, therefore my advice is—escape if thou canst."
Illa, weeping.—"Where can I go? I shall die of hunger, or they will arrest me again as an evil-minded witch, and carry me back to Daber."
"But do not tell them, stupid goose, that thou hast come from
Daber."
Illa.—"But what could she say? Besides, she had no money, and so must be lost and ruined for ever."