so clearly in his face, that
Wilhelmine laughed outright.

'Where do we change horses next?' she queried. He told her at Tuebingen in
an hour's time, and that they would reach her destination, Rottenburg,
about twelve of the clock. When they rattled in to the old town of
Tuebingen the driver informed her that they made an hour's halt there.
'Unless indeed,' he added, 'you choose to travel to Rottenburg by special
post-chaise, at a cost of twelve gulden.'

But Wilhelmine had few gulden to spare, and she decided to wander about
the town until the ordinary diligence started for Rottenburg. She climbed
the steep road to the ancient castle. The moat was filled with flowers
and shrubs. It surprised her to see this peaceful garrison of the
fortifications of a stronghold so soon after the invasion of Wirtemberg
by the troops of Louis XIV. She questioned a peasant who was loitering
near the drawbridge. He laughed at her, and endeavoured to be witty at
her expense, after the agreeable manner of the Swabian, who thinks
himself entitled to poke clumsy fun at any questioner. He condescended,
however, to inform her that in fertile Wirtemberg flowers and all growing
things find a home each spring in any and every nook and cranny, careless
that their forbears of a twelvemonth have been uprooted.

'A beautiful land,' she murmured, 'peopled by boors!' She turned away
from her discourteous informant and contemplated the grey walls of the
castle, so strong and grim, yet dressed with the gracious flowers of a
lavish spring. As she stood admiring the wonderful Renaissance gateway,
one side of the huge door was pushed open and a young man in student's
dress emerged. His face, though sickly and emaciated, interested her by
reason of its vivid intelligence and a certain mocking look of eye and
lip.

'Sir,' said Wilhelmine, as the youth approached over the drawbridge,
'could I see the castle, do you think? I am a stranger and have an hour
to pass in Tuebingen, and I would fain wile away the time of my stay
here.' He told her she was at liberty to wander through the courtyard; he
need but request the doorkeeper to admit her. 'I am a student in this
university,' he explained, 'for though this castle is in reality a royal
residence, the students occupy one side of the quadrangle; and, in truth,
his Highness Eberhard Ludwig seldom visits his fortress of Tuebingen.' She
thanked him for his courtesy and would have passed on alone, but the
student