urn back and disband in front of the Town Hall. All the
distinguished noblemen and ladies who had come to Ratisbon to attend the
wedding and the Reichstag would show themselves to the populace on this
occasion, and it was even said that the Emperor intended to lead the
train with his royal brother. It must pass by the garden; but the road
could scarcely be seen from the little castle--the lindens, beeches, and
elms were too tall and their foliage was too thick to permit it.

This news destroyed Barbara's composure. Though she had slept well
during the past few nights, on this one slumber deserted her. She could
not help thinking constantly of the possibility that the Emperor might
be present in the procession, and to see her lover again was the goal of
her longing.

Even in the morning, while the physician permitted her to remain in the
open air because the clay was hot and still, the bridal procession was
continually in her thoughts. Yet she did not utter a word in allusion to
it.

At the noon meal she ate so little that Sister Hyacinthe noticed it, and
anxiously asked if she felt worse; but Barbara reassured her and, after
a short rest in the house, she asked to be taken out again under the
lindens where she had reclined in an armchair that morning.

Scarcely had she seated herself when all the bells in the city began
to ring, and the heavy ordnance and howitzers shook the air with their
thunder.

What a festal alarum!

How vividly it reminded her of the brilliant exhibitions and festivities
which she had formerly attended!

She listened breathlessly to the sounds from the city, and now a distant
blare of trumpets drowned the dull roar of the ordnance and the sharp
rattle of the culverins.

The confused blending of many human voices reached her from beyond the
garden wall.

The road must be full of people. Now single shrill trumpet notes echoed
from afar amid the trombones and the dull roll of the drums, the noise
increasing every moment. From a large, old beech tree close to the
wall, into which a dozen lads had climbed, she already saw handkerchiefs
waving and heard the shouts of clear, boyish voices.

Sister Hyacinthe had just gone into the house, and like an illumination
the thought darted through Barbara's mind that the road could be seen
from the little summer house which the reverend owner of the castle
called his "frigidarium," because it was cool even during the warmest
summer day.

It was a sm