only woman friend, Frau Feldheimerin. The
castle of Hirschberg was, it is true, a fine stately building; but
still it was so lonely and desolate for him, that he felt very
homesick.

The countess and the twin brothers, who were now eighteen years old,
sat one evening on the balcony looking down the mountain-side, when
they perceived a stately knight riding up the road, followed by several
servants and two mules bearing a sedan chair. They speculated for some
time as to who he might be, when at last the little Schalk cried out:
"Why, that is no other than our brother from Hirschberg!"

"The stupid Cuno!" said the countess in surprise. "Why, he is about to
do us the honor of inviting us to visit him, and has brought along that
splendid sedan to carry me to Hirschberg. Such kindness and politeness
I had not given my son, the stupid Cuno, the credit of possessing. One
politeness deserves another; let us go down to the gate to receive him;
look pleased to see him, and perhaps he will make us some presents at
Hirschberg--you a horse, and you a harness; and I have long wished to
own his mother's ornaments."

"I don't want any presents from the stupid Cuno," replied Wolf,
"neither will I appear glad to see him; and for aught I care, he might
follow our blessed father; then we should inherit Hirschberg and
everything, and to you, madame, we would sell those ornaments at a low
price."

"Indeed, you good-for-nothing!" exclaimed his mother angrily, "I should
have to buy the ornaments, should I? Is that your gratitude for my
procuring Zollern for you? Little Schalk, I can have the ornaments
free, can I not?

"No pay, no work, lady mother!" replied Schalk, laughing. "And if it be
true that the ornaments are worth as much as most castles are, we
certainly should not be fools enough to hang them around your neck. As
soon as Cuno shuts his eyes for good, we will ride over there, divide
every thing, and I will sell my part of the ornaments. Then if you will
give more than the Jew, you shall have them."

Thus speaking, they came to the castle gate, and the countess had great
difficulty in concealing the rage she felt, as Count Cuno rode over the
draw-bridge. When he saw his step-mother and brothers standing there,
he stopped his horse, dismounted, and greeted them politely; for
although they had done him much wrong, still he remembered that they
were his brothers and that his father had loved this woman.

"Well, this is nice to