hen they
declined, he assured them that measures would be taken to guard them from
every insult. He had something to tell their uncle, and the communication
appeared to permit no delay, for with a haste very unusual in the
deliberate old gentleman he left the two sisters with a brief farewell.

Meanwhile Countess Cordula had become weary of waiting in the
sedan-chair. She came striding to meet her new friends, attired in a
rustling canary-green silk robe whose train swept the ground, but it was
raised so high in front that the brown hunting-boots encasing her
well-formed feet were distinctly visible. She was swinging her heavy
riding-whip in her hand, and her favourite dogs, two black dachshunds
with yellow spots over their eyes, followed at her heels.

As it was against the rules to bring dogs into the Town Hall, the
doorkeeper tried to stop her, but without paying the slightest attention
to him, she took Els by the hand, beckoned to Eva, and was turning to
leave the path leading to the market-place.

In doing so her eyes fell upon the courtyard, where, just after the Ave
Maria, a motley throng had gathered. Here, guarded by jailers, stood
vagabonds and disreputable men and women, sham blind beggars and
cripples, swindlers, and other tatterdemalions, who had been caught in
illegal practices or without the beggar's sign. In another spot,
dark-robed servants of the Council were discussing official and other
matters. Near the "Hole" a little party of soldiers were resting, passing
from hand to hand the jug of wine bestowed by the Honourable
Council. The "Red Coat"--[Executioner]--was giving orders to his
"Life"--[Executioner's assistant ("Lion")]--as they carried across the
courtyard a new instrument of torture intended for the room adjoining the
Council chamber, where those who refused to make depositions were forced
to it. In a shady corner sat old people, poorly clad women, and
pale-faced children, the city poor, who at this hour received food from
the kitchen of the Town Hall. A few priests and monks were going into the
wing of the building which contained the "Hole," with its various cells
and the largest chamber of torture, to give the consolations of religion
to the prisoners and those tortured by the rack who had not yet been
conveyed to the hospital at Schweinau.

The countess's keen glance wandered from one to another. When they
reached the group of paupers they rested upon a woman with deadly pale,
hollow c