Prince Otto

the pine-tree pyramids, regular and dark like cypresses, their light was of small service to a traveller in such lonely paths, and from thenceforth he rode at random. The austere f

Europe, there skirting the sea-surge, here gleaming in the lights of cities; and the innumerable army of tramps and travellers moved upon it in all lands as by a common impulse, and were now in all places drawing near to the inn door and the night's rest. The pictures swarmed and vanished in his brain; a surge of temptation, a beat o

armyard were making angry answer. A very tall, old, white-headed man came, shading a candle, at the summons. He had been of great strength in hi

Otto. 'I am a traveller and

e from Mittwalden in Grunewald and Brandenau in Gerolstein: six leagues to either, and the road excellent; but there is not a wine bush, not a carter's alehouse, anywhere betwe

ly thank you,' replied O

the interior, 'lead round this gentleman'

d the blazing fire and the white supper-table seemed to stand upon a dais. All around were dark, brass-mounted cabinets and cupboards; dark shelves carrying ancient country crockery; guns

ce, but the good horseman. When he returned, a smoking omelette and some slices of home-cured ham were waiting him; these were followed by a ragout and a cheese; and it was not until his gues

s ridden far, si

Otto; 'and, as you have seen, I was prepar

he direction of Brande

wandered, in Mittwalden,' answered the Prince, weaving i

to Mittwalden?' wa

'I have never yet visited t

ad that many a man of Gerolstein could hardly lift; and the pines, why, deary me, there must be more pines in that little state, sir, than people in this whole big world. 'Tis twenty years now since I crossed the marshes, for we grow home-keepers in old age; but I mind it as if it was yesterday. Up and down, the road keeps right on

nothing of the Prin

n, speaking for the fir

so much dislike

sliked,' replied the old ge

the Prince, s

man with great opportunities, and what does he do with them? He hunts, and he dresses very prettily - which is a

,' said Otto. 'What would y

hese years it has supported me and my family; and been the best friend that ever I had, set aside my wife; and now, when my time comes, I leave it a better farm than when I found it. So it is, if a man works hearty in the order of natur

right in the one, and exceedingly difficult not to do wrong in the other. If your crop is blighted, you can take off your bonnet and say, "God's will be done"; but if the prince meets wit

of it there. That was a true word spoken. And I see yo

e, 'you surprise me by what you say of this Prince Otto. I have heard him, I must own, more favour

ry handsome, pleasant prince; and we know

aid Fritz. '

he hunt servants, and a most ignorant, intemperate man: a right Grunewalder, as we say in Gerolstein. We know him well, in this house; for he has come as far as here after his stray dogs; and I make all welcome, sir, with

as been a long peace -

oundly. Kuno took it as best he could, but at last he broke out, and dared the Prince to throw his whip away and wrestle like a man; for we are all great at wrestling in these parts, and it's so that we generally settle

nd some say his nose. Serve him right, say

en?' as

t's a discreditable story, you observe,' continued Mr. Gottesheim; 'but it's droll, and that's the f

o, 'I should perhaps surprise you. I t

the eyes of God, I do not question but you would be right; bu

observed Fritz. 'How does

great anxiety to hear the song, 'th

ur leave,' cried Fri

corrected Mr

ion, 'a man of middle age! And they sai

, too,' a

was far from happy, and even the tedious evenings at M

d. 'A man is not yet old at six-

t seems young by comparison with men of a great age like me, yet it's some way through life for all that; and the mere fools and fiddlers are beginning to grow weary and to look old. Yes, sir, by six-and-thirty, if

arried,' cried Fritz, with

entertain you,

thought all Europe knew it!' And he added a pantomime

ost commonly follows it - corruption. The Princess has a lover - a Baron, as he calls himself, from East Prussia; and the Prince is so little of a man, sir, that he holds the candle. Nor is that the worst of it, for this foreigner

eased animation; 'but for all the rest, you speak the God's truth like a good patriot

continued, once more addressing himself to the unfortunate Prince, 'this Otto has himself to thank

echoed Fritz. 'But put

irl to be seduced and to go on from bad to worse, till her name's become a tap-room by-word, and she n

cried

cked girl to go down to hell with people's curses; it's a sad thing for a tight little happy country to be misconducted; but whoever may complain, I hu

ves the work; why, then plainly he's a thief. A cuckold he was before, an

such a thing as a man being pious and honest in the private way; and there is such a thing, sir, as a public vir

emark's the man for me. I would

re was never good begun by the breach of God's commandments. But s

t; and you mark me - you, sir, who are a Liberal, and the enemy of all their governments, you please to mark my words - the day will come in Grunewald, when they take out that yellow-headed skulk of a Prince and that dough-faced Messalina of a Princess, march 'em back foremost over the borders,

there is one thing certain: that this Gondremark has one foot in the Court backstairs, and the other in the

e is to lay by his title as soon as the Re

llian. 'King Log, King Stork. But you'll live lo

ulling at the speaker's coat,

rmer, rewaking to hospitable thou

. 'I have presumed upon my strength. If you w

an retires, are worth all the possets and apothecary's drugs. See, sir,' and here he opened a door and ushered Otto into a little white-washed sleeping-room, 'here you are in port. It is small, but it is airy, and the sheets are clean and kept in lavender. The window, too, looks out above the river, and there's no music like a little river's. It plays the same tune (and that's the favourite

eth courteous inclination, left