s place there. Sigismund, as above said, was to have
married a Daughter of Burggraf Friedrich V.; and he was himself, as was
the young lady, well inclined to this arrangement. But the old
people being dead, and some offer of a King's Daughter turning up for
Sigismund, Sigismund broke off; and took the King's Daughter, King of
Hungary's,--not without regret then and afterwards, as is believed.
At any rate, the Hungarian charmer proved a wife of small merit, and a
Hungarian successor she had was a wife of light conduct even; Hungarian
charmers, and Hungarian affairs, were much other than a comfort to
Sigismund.

As for the disappointed Princess, Burggraf Friedrich's Daughter, she
said nothing that we hear; silently became a Nun, an Abbess: and through
a long life looked out, with her thoughts to herself, upon the loud
whirlwind of things, where Sigismund (oftenest like an imponderous rag
of conspicuous color) was riding and tossing. Her two Brothers also,
joint Burggraves after their Father's death, seemed to have reconciled
themselves without difficulty. The elder of them was already Sigismund's
Brother-in-law; married to Sigismund's and Wenzel's sister,--by such
predestination as we saw. Burggraf Johann III. was the name of this one:
a stout fighter and manager for many years; much liked, and looked to,
by Sigismund. As indeed were both the Brothers, for that matter; always,
together or in succession, a kind of right-hand to Sigismund. Friedrich
the younger Burggraf, and ultimately the survivor and inheritor (Johann
having left no sons), is the famed Burggraf Friedrich VI., the last
and notablest of all the Burggraves. A man of distinguished importance,
extrinsic and intrinsic; chief or among the very chief of German public
men in his time;--and memorable to Posterity, and to this History, on
still other grounds! But let us not anticipate.

Sigismund, if apanaged with Brandenburg alone, and wedded to his
first love, not a King's Daughter, might have done tolerably well
there;--better than Wenzel, with the Empire and Bohemia, did. But
delusive Fortune threw her golden apple at Sigismund too; and he, in the
wide high world, had to play strange pranks. His Father-in-law died in
Hungary, Sigismund's first wife his only child. Father-in-law bequeathed
Hungary to Sigismund: [1387 (Sigismund's age then twenty).] who plunged
into a strange sea thereby; got troubles without number, beatings not
a few,--and had even to take boat