Tell her to take care that her twin sons resemble their father as little as possible." "Then you want to have two ardent admirers the less ?" asked Siebenburg gaily, supposing that the countess's remark was a jest.
But when she did not, as he expected, give these insulting words an interpretation favourable to him, but merely shrugged her shoulders scornfully, he added, glancing fiercely at the Swiss knight: "True, you would doubtless be better pleased should the boys grow up to resemble the lucky Sir Heinz Schorlin, for whose sake you proved yourself the inventor of tales more marvellous, if not more credible, than the most skilful travelling minstrel." "Perhaps so," replied the countess with contemptuous brevity.

"But I should be satisfied if the twins--and this agrees with my first wish should grow up honest men.

If you should pay me the honour of a visit during the next few days, Sir Seitz, I could not receive it." With these words she turned away, paying no further heed to him, though he called her name aloud, as if half frantic..