ngly watching her young
guest--"do you object to tobacco smoke?"

She seemed relieved when the baroness assured her that tobacco smoke was
not in the least objectionable.

Some time later, when reminded that it was time for little girls to be
in bed, Marie protested stoutly that she was not sleepy.

"Pray, little mama," she begged, "let us look a little longer through
the telescope; it is so interesting."

But even while she was giving voice to her petition the windows in the
dining-room over at the castle became darkened. The gentlemen evidently
had retired to their rooms for the night.

"Oh, ah-h," yawned Marie, "I am sleepy, after all! Come, little mama, we
will go to bed."

Katharina herself conducted the young girl to her room. Marie exclaimed
with surprise and delight when, on entering the room adjoining the
baroness's own sleeping-chamber, she beheld her own furniture--the
canopy-bed, the book-shelves, toys, card-table, everything. Even Hitz,
Mitz, Pani, and Miura sat in a row on the sofa, and Phryxus and Helle
came waddling toward her, and sat up on their hind legs.

The things had been brought over from the castle while the baroness and
Marie were in the park.

"You will feel more at home with your belongings about you," said
Katharina, as she returned the grateful girl's good-night kiss.

PART VII

THE HUNGARIAN MILITIA

CHAPTER I

When Count Vavel and the vice-palatine disappeared from the window of
the dining-room, they did not retire to their pillows. They went to
Ludwig's study, where they refilled their pipes for another smoke.

"But tell me, Herr Vice-palatine," said the count, continuing the
conversation which had begun at the dining-table, "why is it that six
months have been allowed to pass since the Diet passed the militia law
without anything having been accomplished?"

"Well, you must know that there are three essential parts among the
works of a clock," returned Herr Bernat, complacently puffing away at
his pipe. "There is the spring, the pendulum, and the escapement. The
wheels are the subordinates. The spring is the law passed by the Diet.
The pendulum is the palatine office, which has to set the law in motion;
the escapement is the imperial counselor of war. The wheels are the
people. We will keep to the technical terms, if you please. When the
spring was wound up, the pendulum began to set the wheels going. They
turned, and the loyal nobles of the country began to e