East Tower raised against the blue of the sky. Seen closer, that remnant of a dangerous and rougher past looked even more out of keeping.
The rudely dressed stone of the walls did not match with the formal grace which had been wedded to it. It remained a grim reminder suggesting dungeons, darkness— Again I felt the fleeting touch of fear. Part of my dream flashed into mind—the cover of the night-light in my bedroom—had it not been fashioned in a shape not unlike the tower?
Gathered around the door was the crowd the Gräfin had foreseen, the bright scarlet jackets of sentries standing out here and there. It was, of course, folly to think I might see Colonel Fenwick here. Yet for a moment I had the oddest wish that one of those brilliant coats might be his, and he would be waiting for us.
In spite of all her frills and curls it was perfectly true that the Gräfin would attract no attention. For a number of the females were tricked out in even more elaborate costumes. My own plain garb was far more noticeable, though I saw others in the line formed to be admitted who were no more fashionable than I.
As the line of sightseers made a decorous way between the soldiers and into the interior of the tower, we stepped from the brilliance of day into a dazzle of another light. By the aid of this it was easy to see the Elector did possess more than one kind of protection for his treasure house, willing though he might be for his subjects to come and admire.
The slit windows of the room had been closed with sheets of metal very closely fitted to the old stone. Beforethese, as well as on brackets of fanciful design all along the walls, were set burning lamps. There were so many of these they rivaled the sun outside.
Also our passage was limited to a confined space by walls of bars, unpleasantly suggesting, in spite of the fact they were gilded, those of a prison cell. Behind these on either side appeared the first examples of the “treasure.”
These objects were more appropriate to the general setting than those other fabulous rooms the Gräfin had described to me. For here, on mounted stands, was armor certainly never intended to be worn in actual combat, for it was so inlaid with gold and set with gems as to seem fitting only for use on state occasions by some fairy tale prince. There were display racks of swords, the hilts of which sparkled with jewels, the scabbards wrought of gold and more gleaming stones. Nor were pistols and guns missing, though again they were begemmed masterpieces of inlay. Helmets, which more resembled crowns than protective covering for a fighter, were mounted on dead-eyed marble busts. It was as if danger could only be faced by the rulers of Hesse-Dohna when they wore their ransoms on their persons.
The number of burning lamps and the crowding of the spectators so heated the room, I felt a breathless desire to gain more air. However, there was no turning back, for more ranks of visitors shuffled on one's heels. I strove to push away not only the sense of imprisonment which gripped me, but to reach the foot of the stair ahead.
It seemed the Gräfin found little here worth her attention and by some nimbleness of foot we began to climb, to come out once more on a bar-walled corridor down the middle of a chamber of red and gold walls, the famous lacquer room.
The passage was much narrower here, and once or twice the Gräfin fell a little behind. I could see already that visitors could proceed no farther today, for, though there was another stair, that had been closed off by agrill gate. When the sightseers reached that point they went to the left, through an archway which much connect with the palace itself.
The Gräfin plucked at my sleeve, slowing my pace. At that moment I wanted nothing more than to be out of this place. But she continued to urge that I look at this or that wonder. In other circumstances I might well have lingered by my own desire. But the precious objects seemed to me to be so
The rudely dressed stone of the walls did not match with the formal grace which had been wedded to it. It remained a grim reminder suggesting dungeons, darkness— Again I felt the fleeting touch of fear. Part of my dream flashed into mind—the cover of the night-light in my bedroom—had it not been fashioned in a shape not unlike the tower?
Gathered around the door was the crowd the Gräfin had foreseen, the bright scarlet jackets of sentries standing out here and there. It was, of course, folly to think I might see Colonel Fenwick here. Yet for a moment I had the oddest wish that one of those brilliant coats might be his, and he would be waiting for us.
In spite of all her frills and curls it was perfectly true that the Gräfin would attract no attention. For a number of the females were tricked out in even more elaborate costumes. My own plain garb was far more noticeable, though I saw others in the line formed to be admitted who were no more fashionable than I.
As the line of sightseers made a decorous way between the soldiers and into the interior of the tower, we stepped from the brilliance of day into a dazzle of another light. By the aid of this it was easy to see the Elector did possess more than one kind of protection for his treasure house, willing though he might be for his subjects to come and admire.
The slit windows of the room had been closed with sheets of metal very closely fitted to the old stone. Beforethese, as well as on brackets of fanciful design all along the walls, were set burning lamps. There were so many of these they rivaled the sun outside.
Also our passage was limited to a confined space by walls of bars, unpleasantly suggesting, in spite of the fact they were gilded, those of a prison cell. Behind these on either side appeared the first examples of the “treasure.”
These objects were more appropriate to the general setting than those other fabulous rooms the Gräfin had described to me. For here, on mounted stands, was armor certainly never intended to be worn in actual combat, for it was so inlaid with gold and set with gems as to seem fitting only for use on state occasions by some fairy tale prince. There were display racks of swords, the hilts of which sparkled with jewels, the scabbards wrought of gold and more gleaming stones. Nor were pistols and guns missing, though again they were begemmed masterpieces of inlay. Helmets, which more resembled crowns than protective covering for a fighter, were mounted on dead-eyed marble busts. It was as if danger could only be faced by the rulers of Hesse-Dohna when they wore their ransoms on their persons.
The number of burning lamps and the crowding of the spectators so heated the room, I felt a breathless desire to gain more air. However, there was no turning back, for more ranks of visitors shuffled on one's heels. I strove to push away not only the sense of imprisonment which gripped me, but to reach the foot of the stair ahead.
It seemed the Gräfin found little here worth her attention and by some nimbleness of foot we began to climb, to come out once more on a bar-walled corridor down the middle of a chamber of red and gold walls, the famous lacquer room.
The passage was much narrower here, and once or twice the Gräfin fell a little behind. I could see already that visitors could proceed no farther today, for, though there was another stair, that had been closed off by agrill gate. When the sightseers reached that point they went to the left, through an archway which much connect with the palace itself.
The Gräfin plucked at my sleeve, slowing my pace. At that moment I wanted nothing more than to be out of this place. But she continued to urge that I look at this or that wonder. In other circumstances I might well have lingered by my own desire. But the precious objects seemed to me to be so
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