women were standing, and a very neglected one to boot. It had never
been cleared. Turf and coals, all higgledy-piggledy, were stored away
near the tub containing the _Sauerkraut_; and amongst the many wine
bottles that lay scattered about on the floor there were just as many
empty ones as full ones. The shelves, which once upon a time had
reached half-way up the cellar walls, had fallen to pieces, and were
now nothing but a heap of rotting wood. All kinds of rubbish lay
amongst the potatoes, and broken hooks, broomsticks, and old pieces of
pot stuck out of the sand, into which, here and there, a bundle of
herbs had been carelessly thrust, in order to keep it through the
winter. The place had never been aired, as there was nothing but a very
small grating right at the top, which was never opened; and it smelt
foul. The lamp gave a dim light, as though stifled by the mustiness,
and the two figures--the clumsy figure of the maid and the more dainty
one of the mistress--were encircled by a vaporous, glimmering mist.

"But there _are_ rats here, do you see, do you hear? Ugh!" Mrs. Tiralla
again gave a loud shriek, her face was pale, and, opening her sparkling
eyes wide as if with terror, she seized hold of the girl's arm. "There
was one! Ugh! Horrid animal!" She shook herself and gave a jump, as if
one of the long-tailed monsters were already creeping up her warm body.

"Holy Mother!" As though infected with the exaggerated fear of her
mistress, the maid now also gave a shrill scream and let the lamp fall,
as her mistress [Pg 3] before the dish. It broke into many pieces and
went out. They stood in pitch darkness.

"You stupid girl!" screamed her mistress nervously, and raised her hand
as if to strike her.

The maid ducked down and jumped aside, as though she could see the
lifted hand in spite of the darkness; her suppressed chuckling was
heard in a distant corner of the cellar.

"If Pani is going to hit me, ha-ha! I shall stop here, ha-ha!"

"Nonsense. Hit you? I shouldn't think of such a thing," protested Mrs.
Tiralla, trying to conciliate her. "Just come here. Give me your hand."

"Oh, no, no! I am sure Pani will hit me."

"Give me your hand, I say--at once. I'm not going to do anything to
you, stupid. Marianna, where are you?"

Beautiful Mrs. Tiralla now seemed to be seized with real terror--a
terror that was much more genuine than before. Her voice trembled with
anxiety, her bosom heaved and sank rapidly; one