When it moved forward, swaying from side to side, Cordula pointed to the curtained windows, and said:  “Shameful, isn’t it?  But it is better so, children.  That arch-rascal Siebenburg robbed the people of the little sense they possessed, and that cat of a candle-dealer, with her mate, the tailor, or rather his followers, poisoned the minds of the rest.  How quickly it worked!  Goodness, it seems to me, acts more slowly.  True, your hot-tempered father spoiled the old rascal’s inclination to woo pretty Metz for a while; but his male and female gossips, aunts, cousins, and work-people apparently allowed themselves to be persuaded by his future mother-in-law to the abominable deed, which caused the brawling rabble you saw in the Town Hall court to content themselves with a hard couch in the ‘Hole’ overnight.”

“They have done everything bad concerning us, though I don’t know exactly what,” cried Els indignantly.

“Wished to do, Miss Wisdom,” replied the countess, patting Els’s arm soothingly.  “We kept our eyes open, and I helped to put a stop to their proceedings.  The rabble gathered in front of your house, yelling and shrieking, and when I stepped into your bow-window there was as great an outcry as if they were trying to bring down the walls of Jericho a second time.  Some boys even flung at me everything they could find in the mire of the streets.  The most delightful articles!  There was actually a dead rat!  I can see its tail flying now!  Our village lads know how to aim better.  Before the worst came, by the advice of the equerry and our wise chaplain, whom I consulted, we had done what was necessary, and summoned the guard at the Frauenthor to our assistance.  But the soldiers were in no great haste; so when matters were going too far, I stepped into the breach myself, called down to tell them my name, and also showed my crossbow with an arrow on the string.  This had an effect.  Only a few women still continued to load me with horrible abuse.  Then the chaplain came to the window and this restored silence; but, in spite of his earnest words, not a soul stirred from the spot until the patrol arrived, dispersed the rabble, and arrested some of them.”

Els, who sat by Cordula’s side, drew her towards her and kissed her gratefully; but Eva’s eyes had filled with tears of grief at the beginning of the countess’s report of this new insult, and the hostility of so many of the townsfolk; yet she succeeded in controlling herself.  She would not weep.  She had even forced herself to gaze, without the quiver of an eyelash, at the sorrowful and horrible spectacle outside of the “Hole.”  She must cease being a weak child.  How true her dying mother’s words had been!  To be able to struggle and conquer, she must not withdraw from life and its influences, which, if she did not spare herself, promised to transform her into the resolute woman she desired to become.