Germany, and even France, stood aghast at the
horrible affair. To celebrate his four children's nuptials, Leopold gave
a grand ball. In the midst of this festivity he was struck down with
apoplexy. The sisters Esperance, Sebastiane and Elizabeth Charlotte, fled
before the approach of death, but honest Sponeck hastened back from her
distant castle, and Leopold died in her arms.

Eberhard Ludwig of Wirtemberg laid claim to Moempelgard, but he was
obliged to send troops to seize his inheritance. Then the bastards in a
body commenced legal proceedings against the rightful heir, and against
each other. Europe looked on, scandalised and amused.

The eldest Sponeck and his sister-bride hurried to Paris--'Prince et
Princesse de Montbeliard,' they styled themselves--and as they were
young, handsome, and seemingly wealthy, many persons of note espoused
their sorry cause.

Eberhard Ludwig, who now added to his titles that of Duke of Moempelgard,
waited patiently for some time ere he took possession in person of his
new domain. His troops were there, and Friedrich Graevenitz had been
despatched to take direction of affairs.

Meanwhile, some of the bastards were raising doleful cries in Vienna and
in Paris, but a few remained obstinately at Moempelgard, and to Friedrich
Graevenitz was assigned the task of removing them before Serenissimus made
his state entry.

The Landhofmeisterin had intimated her intention of accompanying his
Highness on this official journey, and there had ensued a sharp quarrel,
by letter, between the lady and her brother in Moempelgard. She won the
day, of course, as usual, yet her heart was heavy in this hour of her
greatest triumph, for the Duke grew colder to her each day. Madame de
Ruth, her wily counsellor, had died a few months after the Duchess
Johanna Elizabetha's visit to Ludwigsburg, and the courtiers had
marvelled at the Landhofmeisterin's passionate grief. She had followed
the old courtesan's coffin to Neuhaus, and had seen her laid to rest
beside the little mound of the child's grave. And the Graevenitz had
refused to be comforted.

Zollern almost deserted Ludwigsburg after his old mistress's death. He
withdrew to his castle, and only at rare intervals could he be persuaded
to visit the Duke and the Landhofmeisterin.

Yet the Graevenitz's power was unabated; in point of fact, it seemed to
grow more absolute; but the courtiers noticed her melancholy, and while
some put it down to her grief