o the watch-tower, to have them taken there
in her sedan-chair carried by horses, which had room for several persons,
and at last begged for the favour of being allowed to spend the night in
the room adjoining theirs. If the girls, amidst all these base
suspicions, should find Nuremberg unendurable, she would leave the scene
of the Reichstag with them to-morrow, if necessary, and take them to her
castle in the Vorarlberg. She had other plans for them, too, in her mind,
but lacked time now to explain them to the sisters; they could not obtain
admittance to their father's prison after sundown, and in a few hours the
long summer day would be over.

It was not advisable to use their sedan-chairs adorned with the Ortlieb
coat of arms, which every one knew, so they went on foot with their faces
shrouded by the 'Reise' which was part of their mourning dress; and, in
order not to violate usage, were accompanied by two servants, old
Martsche and Katterle.

From the Fleischbrucke they might have avoided the market-place, but Els
wanted to enquire whether the Eysvogel matter was being discussed. One of
the "Honourables"--all of whom she knew--was always to be found near the
Town Hall, and Eva understood her sister's anxiety and went with her
willingly.

But when they were passing the prison she became frightened.

Through the squares formed by the iron grating in front of the broad
window of the largest one, head after head, hand after hand, was thrust
into the street. The closely cropped heads of the prisoners, many of
which showed mutilations by the hand of the executioner, which had barely
healed, formed, as separated only by the iron bars, they protruded above,
below, and beside one another into the open air, a mosaic picture,
startlingly repulsive in appearance; for savage greed glittered in the
eyes of most, and showed itself in the movements of the long, thin hands
extended for gifts. Bitter need and passionate longing gazed defiantly,
beseechingly, and threateningly at the people who crowded round the
window. Few were silent; they implored the curious and pitying men,
women, and children, who in the presence of their misery rejoiced in
their more favoured lot, for aid in their distress, and rarely in vain;
for many a mother gave her children a loaf to hand to the unfortunates,
and meanwhile impressed on their minds the lesson that they would fare as
badly as the most horrible of the mutilated prisoners unless they were