at Frau Lerch's window, while the cantor house was closed early, and a
long time might pass before the door opened to her. Besides, she did not
know how her father, who could never be depended upon in such matters,
would regard the honour that awaited her; thirdly--and this alone was
decisive--the white dress, which she meant to wear instead of the riding
habit, was at Frau Lerch's, and what good service the skilful, nimble
fingers of her mother's ex-maid could render in this hurried change of
garb.

Besides, it had also darted into her mind that the baron might accompany
her to her shabby abode, and that would have seemed like a humiliation.
Why should the court know what indigent circumstances had been the
portion of the artist to whom the Emperor, through no less a personage
than Baron Malfalconnet, sent an "entreaty" for her appearance?

All this had been clear to her in the course of a few seconds, and
her choice had proved fortunate, for the gate of the Grieb was still
unlocked, and the old hostler Kunz, who had been in the service of the
Gravenreuths, the former owners of the Grieb, and had known "Wawerl"
from childhood, was just coming out of the tavern, and willingly agreed
to take the gray back to Peter Schlumperger's stable.

When Barbara entered the huge building a ray of light shone from the
private chapel at the left, dedicated to Saint Dorothea.

This seemed to her like a sign from heaven, and, before knocking at
Frau Lerch's door, she glided into the sanctuary, threw herself upon her
knees before the image of the saint, and besought her to bestow the most
melting sweetness and the deepest influence upon her voice while singing
before his Majesty.

Then it seemed as though the face of the kindly saint smiled assent, and
in hurried words Barbara added that the great monarch was also the most
thorough connoisseur, and the altar here should lack neither candles
nor flowers if she would bestow upon her the power to win his approval.
While speaking, she raised her clasped hands toward the Virgin's image,
and concluded her fervent prayer with the passionate exclamation: "Oh,
hear me, hear me, thou inexhaustible fountain of mercy, for if I do not
fulfil what he expected when he entreated me to sing before him, and
I see that he lets me go disappointed, the peace of this heart will be
destroyed! Hear, oh, hear me, august Queen of Heaven!"

Relieved and strengthened, she at last sprang up, and a few minutes