y dear, and this is the disagreeable part, that he preaches
directly against you--naming you by name, and saying you are a walking
contamination; that you are a witch, and that in Mecklemburg it was well
known! He can vouch for it, as he was pastor at Guestrow before God called
him--which means before he became a wandering Pietist preacher. All this
Osiander told me, and, to do him justice, he was horrified at the whole
thing and very angry with her Highness. I suppose Mueller is a madman, a
fanatic; but, Wilhelmine, I think we had best journey to the Neuhaus
together and stay there till the Duke's return, for I do not trust the
people here. There is a strong feeling against you, and if they are to be
stirred up by this preaching rascal, it might really be disagreeable.'
She paused breathless.

'He is a terrible man, a devil, and I am convinced he has followed me to
Wirtemberg for revenge,' said Wilhelmine; and then she told Madame de
Ruth of Mueller's behaviour at Guestrow, and of how she had interrupted his
sermon. Madame de Ruth laughed, though she was anxious and distressed
that this dangerous enemy was working against Wilhelmine in the Duke's
absence, especially when she heard that Mueller was a powerful preacher
gifted with the fanatic's vivid eloquence.

'One thing perplexes me,' said the Graevenitz, 'why does Osiander oppose
this man? Surely to harm me any means would be welcome!'

'Yes, doubtless!' replied Madame de Ruth, 'but of the two evils in the
land he considers you the lesser; for you, my dear, are frankly of the
devil, and the Church can abhor you, but Pietism is a wolf in sheep's
clothing which might eat up the Church! All these Churchmen fear that the
Pietists should get hold of the people--above all, in this case, of the
Duchess and her tiresome court. It is simply, as usual, one faction
against the other. Though, of course, Osiander as a gentleman and a
scholar is naturally opposed to ranting preachers and religion
vulgarised.'

It was settled that Madame de Ruth and Wilhelmine were to start for the
Neuhaus as soon as fitting arrangements could be made, and the Graevenitz
looked forward with pleasure to the quiet summer hours she would spend
reading beneath the beech-trees of the Neuhaus garden. But Fate was too
strong for her; the very morning fixed for their departure Madame de Ruth
slipped upon the castle staircase and broke her ankle.

Wilhelmine was informed of the accident by Zollern, who