saidhe;"iamruinedalso.iwilldestroyeverythingthatcanremindmeofher,orofladyhalle,orladyvenus,theheathenwoman.iwillbreakdowntheapple-tree,andtearitupbytheroots;nevermoreshallitblossomorbearfruit."

theapple-treewasnotbrokendown;foranthonyhimselfwasstruckwithafever,whichcausedhimtobreakdown,andconfinedhimtohisbed.butsomethingoccurredtoraisehimupagain.whatwasit?amedicinewasofferedtohim,whichhewasobligedtotake:abitterremedy,atwhichthesickbodyandtheoppressedspiritalikeshuddered.anthony'sfatherlostallhisproperty,and,frombeingknownasoneoftherichestmerchants,hebecameverypoor.darkdays,heavytrials,withpovertyatthedoor,camerollingintothehouseuponthemlikethewavesofthesea.sorrowandsufferingdeprivedanthony'sfatherofhisstrength,sothathehadsomethingelsetothinkofbesidesnursinghislove-sorrowsandhisangeragainsthadtotakehisfather'splace,togiveorders,toactwithenergy,tohelp,and,atlast,togooutintotheworldandearnhisywenttobremen,andtherehelearntwhatpovertyandhardlivingreallywere.thesethingsoftenhardenthecharacter,butsometimessoftentheheart,eventoomuch.

howdifferenttheworld,andthepeopleinit,appearedtoanthonynow,towhathehadthoughtinhischildhood!whattohimweretheminstrel'ssongs?anechoofthepast,soundslongvanished.attimeshewouldthinkinthisway;yetagainandagainthesongswouldsoundinhissoul,andhisheartbecomegentleandpious.

"god'swillisthebest,"hewouldthensay."itwaswellthatiwasnotallowedtokeepmypowerovermolly'sheart,andthatshedidnotremaintruetome.howishouldhavefeltitnow,whenfortunehasdesertedme!sheleftmebeforesheknewofthechangeinmycircumstances,orhadathoughtofwhatwasbeforeme.thatisamercifulprovidenceforme.allhashappenedforthebest.shecouldnothelpit,andyetihavebeensobitter,andinsuchenmityagainsther."

yearspassedby:anthony'sfatherdied,andstrangerslivedintheoldhouse.hehadseenitonceagainsincethen.hisrichmastersenthimjourneysonbusiness,andononeoccasionhiswayledhimtohisnativetownofeisenach.theoldwartburgcastlestoodunchangedontherockwherethemonkandthenunwerehewnoutofthestone.thegreatoaksformedanoutlinetothescenewhichhesowellrememberedinhischildhood.thevenusmountainstoodoutgrayandbare,overshadowingthevalleybeneath.hewouldhavebeengladtocallout"ladyhalle,ladyhalle,unlockthemountain.iwouldfainremainherealwaysinmynativesoil."thatwasasinfulthought,andheofferedaprayertodriveitaway.thenalittlebirdinthethicketsangoutclearly,andoldanthonythoughtoftheminstrel'ssong.howmuchcamebacktohisremembranceashelookedthroughthetearsoncemoreonhisnativetown!theoldhousewasstillstandingasinoldentimes,butthegardenhadbeengreatlyaltered;apathwayledthroughaportionoftheground,andoutsidethegarden,andbeyondthepath,stoodtheoldapple-tree,whichhehadnotbrokendown,althoughhetalkedofdoingsoinhistrouble.thesunstillthrewitsraysuponthetree,andtherefreshingdewfelluponitasofold;anditwassooverloadedwithfruitthatthebranchesbenttowardstheearthwiththeweight."thatflourishesstill,"saidhe,ashegazed.oneofthebranchesofthetreehad,however,beenbroken:mischievoushandsmusthavedonethisinpassing,forthetreenowstoodinapublicthoroughfare."theblossomsareoftenplucked,"saidanthony;"thefruitisstolenandthebranchesbrokenwithoutathankfulthoughtoftheirprofusionandbeauty.itmightbesaidofatree,asithasbeensaidofsomemen-itwasnotpredictedathiscradlethatheshouldcometothis.howbrightlybeganthehistoryofthistree,andwhatisitnow?