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"Now God pardon her sin," said the Princess Osra suddenly, and she fell on her knees beside the couch, crying: "Surely God has pardoned her." "Sin she had none, save what clings even to the purest in this world," said the bishop. "For what she has said to me I know to be true."
Of these four parties, one found nothing; another found the two horses which the student himself, who had hidden them, failed to find; the third party had not gone far before they caught sight of the lovers, though the lovers did not see them; and two of them remained to watch and, if need be, to intercept any attempted flight, while the third rode off to find the king and bring him where Osra and the student were, as he had commanded.
"Madam, farewell," said he again; and, kneeling before her, he kissed her hand. "I carry the body of my love," he went on, "back with me to my home, there to mourn for her; and I shall come no more to Strelsau." Osra bent her eyes on his face as he knelt, and presently she said to him in a whisper that was low for awe, not shame: "You heard what she bade me do?" "Yes, madam, I know her wish."
And Osra was for a long time very sorrowful for the fate of the lady whom the Prince of Glottenberg had loved; but since she saw Ludwig no more, and the joy of youth conquered her sadness, she ceased to mourn; and as she walked along she would wonder more and more what it might be, this great love that she did not feel. "For none will tell me, not even the Bishop of Modenstein," said she.
And on all the way they spoke to one another only a few words, being both sunk deep in thought. But once Osra spoke, as they were already near to Strelsau. For she turned suddenly to the bishop, saying: "My lord, what is it? Do you know it?" "Yes, madam, I have known it," answered the bishop. "Yet you are a churchman!" "True, madam," said he, and he smiled sadly.
Osra and his wives paced slowly about for some time, and after a while were joined by their little ones, who were worn out and exhausted by the long run. This was one adventure, and one that frightened the young ones very much.
And again she and he rode forth together through the western gate; and the king rode with them on their way till they came to the woods. Here he paused, and all the crowd that accompanied him stopped also; and they all waited till the sombre depths of the glades hid Osra and her lover from their sight.
And so he led a quiet, domestic life at this time; walked about with his wives by day and helped to get them food, and then, when the sun was no longer strong enough to help in the hatching, Osra went and sat on the eggs, where he stayed until the sun got up again. And so it went on until the young ostriches came out.
But when he had finished it he rose from his knees, and came to where Osra was. "It was your duty," she said. "But it is none of mine." "She will not live an hour," said he. "For she had an affection of the heart, and this shock has killed her. Indeed, I think she was half dead from grief before we came." "Who is she?" broke again from Osra's lips.
And other gold Osra had, aye, five hundred crowns. Would not that be a brave surprise for the poor student? And she, alone of all awake, stood looking round her room, entranced with the last aspect of it. Over the city also she looked, but in the selfishness of her joy did no more than kiss a hasty farewell to the good city folk who loved her.
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