ows that it has been raining four days without
intermission, and the ground is so soaked through that a man can not cross
the streets or square without sinking up to his knees, how much less then
a heavy vehicle. The carriage of the strange gentleman who has just been
with your excellency remained stuck fast a few steps from here, and the
coachman and footman, with a couple of our stableboys, are still busied in
trying to pull it out of the mud."

"Heaven defend us!" cried the count, traversing the apartment with rapid
strides; "then I must go myself directly and help the gentleman--"

But he suddenly bethought himself, and slowly stepped back from the door.
"With the help of my stableboys, he must already be again on the road--my
official from Sonnenburg," he said. "You think, then, that I can not take
the great coach of state?"

"Not possibly, gracious sir. It is a morass, such as has not been for ages,
and the townspeople have already brought out their mud carriages again."

"What is that? What are mud carriages?"

"Your excellency, I mean the stilts on which they parade around when the
mud is very bad."

The count laughed. "The end of it is that nothing is left for me to do but
to betake myself to stilts likewise in order to reach the electoral
palace."

"It would be the easiest way, indeed," replied the lackey; "only it is not
quite consistent with respect. But the great coach can not go."

"Then let them take my light hunting chaise, and attach four of my best
coursers. In ten minutes I must be in the carriage."

V.--THE ELECTOR AND HIS FAVORITE.

In exactly ten minutes the hunting chaise stood in the inner court of the
count's palace, and, as this was paved with huge granite flagstones, the
count succeeded in reaching his carriage without spattering his white silk
stockings, extending as far as the knee, or soiling his delicate velvet
slippers, with their brilliant buckles and high red heels. Then the
lackeys opened the great trellised gate of gilded iron, and with loud
thundering the carriage rolled from the court out into the street. The
coachman lashed the air with his whip, and the four coursers flew, hardly
touching the ground with their pretty feet. The mud, to be true, splashed
in mighty waves from the wheels and hoofs, giving the benefit of its
floods to many an honest burger's wife who could not on her stilts
immediately escape; often, indeed, was heard the anguished squeak or
piteous