but had failed to whiten the fortress rock,
where only patches clung, emphasising the sombre colour of the stone
hill. The sky was leaden, lowering, sinister, pregnant with unborn snow.
A company of horsemen took its way up the steep road leading from the
village of Asperg to the fortress. Following this cavalcade was a coach
drawn by four horses. The Graevenitz, standing on the west terrace,
watched the horsemen approach. She wondered idly if another State
prisoner was being conveyed to Hohenasperg. She saw the leader of the
troop parleying with the sentry. He showed a document to the man; then
the outer gate swung back and the cavalcade was hidden from her sight
between the gloomy walls of the steep, dark lane leading up to the second
or inner gate. She turned away; after all, these things were of no
account to her. That was one of her agonies; she to whom all things had
mattered, the much occupied, the ruler, the indefatigable
administrator--she was forced into lethargic quiescence. Every hour was
empty for her. She turned away listlessly. The afternoon was drawing to a
close. It would be a white world to-morrow, she reflected, for those
swollen clouds could not hold the snow longer.

The prison governor was coming along the terrace towards her. She greeted
him in friendly fashion; but at first he spoke no word, only took both
her hands in his.

'I have bad news, Madame,' he said, after a pause.

'Ah! tell me; I am used to sadness now. What is it? O God! but it is not
some accident to Serenissimus?' she said. The old man shook his head.

'No, Madame, but you are to be removed from my care. And I fear----' he
began.

'Death? Would he dare? After all, perhaps, it were better,' she said
calmly.

'No, not that; you are to be moved to Hohen-Urach. . . . Madame, they
will try you for your life. Alas! his Highness believes you have cast a
spell upon the Duchess and caused her misfortune. Asperg is too close to
Stuttgart.'

She smiled at him. 'It does not signify, dear friend. One prison is like
another, I suppose; but I shall miss my jailor! Let me thank you,
Monsieur, for your great courtesy to the fallen Land-despoiler.' She
spoke almost gaily, and the governor turned away his head.

'I would help you, Excellency; pray God I may be able to serve you one
day,' he said huskily.

'Tell them I shall start to-morrow, when the snowstorm is over. I shall
be prepared.'

'I regret--Excellency--In truth, I scarce know