and even there
probably a telescope used with skill would produce it at once. And here
I was beneath its walls. Well, I had not intended going over it, and all
I wanted at that moment was to get rid of the waiter and go on with my
walk. But it was easier to take a ticket than to refuse and hear him
exclaim and protest; so I paid fifty _pfennings_, was given a slip of
paper, and started climbing the extremely steep ascent.
The site was obviously chosen without the least reference to the legs or
lungs of tourists. They arrive at the top warm and speechless, and
sinking down on the steps between two wolves made of copper the first
thing they do is to spend several minutes gasping. Then they ring a
bell, give up their tickets and umbrellas, and are taken round in
batches by an elderly person who manifestly thinks them poor things.
When I got to the top I found the other visitor, the man in spectacles,
sitting on the steps getting his gasping done. Having finished mine
before him, he being a man of bulk, I rang the bell. The elderly
official, who had a singular talent for making one feel by a mere look
what a worm one really is, appeared. 'I cannot take each of you round
separately,' he said, pointing at the man still fighting for air on the
bottom step, 'or does your husband not intend to see the Schloss?'
'My husband?' I echoed, astonished.
'Now, sir,' he continued impatiently, addressing the back below, 'are
you coming or not?'
The man in spectacles made a great effort, caught hold of the convenient
leg of one of the copper wolves, pulled himself on to his feet with its
aid, and climbed slowly up the steps.
'The public is requested not to touch the objects of art,' snapped the
custodian, glancing at the wolf's leg to see if it had suffered.
The man in spectacles looked properly ashamed of his conduct; I felt
ashamed of myself too, but only on the more general grounds of being
such a worm; and together we silently followed the guide into the house,
together gave up our tickets, and together laid our stick and sunshade
side by side on a table.
A number was given to the man in spectacles.
'And my number?' I inquired politely.
'Surely one suffices?' said the guide, eyeing me with disapproval; for
taking me for the wife of the man in spectacles he regarded my desire to
have a number all to myself as only one more instance of the lengths to
which the modern woman in her struggle for emancipation will go.
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