people had assembled, for she wished to avoid any recognition of the
sisters by the curious spectators. The gilded box, borne between two
powerful Brabant horses in such a way that it hung between the tail of
the first and the head of the second, would have had room for a fourth
occupant.

When it moved forward, swaying from side to side, Cordula pointed to the
curtained windows, and said: "Shameful, isn't it? But it is better so,
children. That arch-rascal Siebenburg robbed the people of the little
sense they possessed, and that cat of a candle-dealer, with her mate, the
tailor, or rather his followers, poisoned the minds of the rest. How
quickly it worked! Goodness, it seems to me, acts more slowly. True,
your hot-tempered father spoiled the old rascal's inclination to woo
pretty Metz for a while; but his male and female gossips, aunts, cousins,
and work-people apparently allowed themselves to be persuaded by his
future mother-in-law to the abominable deed, which caused the brawling
rabble you saw in the Town Hall court to content themselves with a hard
couch in the 'Hole' overnight."

"They have done everything bad concerning us, though I don't know exactly
what," cried Els indignantly.

"Wished to do, Miss Wisdom," replied the countess, patting Els's arm
soothingly. "We kept our eyes open, and I helped to put a stop to their
proceedings. The rabble gathered in front of your house, yelling and
shrieking, and when I stepped into your bow-window there was as great
an outcry as if they were trying to bring down the walls of Jericho a
second time. Some boys even flung at me everything they could find in
the mire of the streets. The most delightful articles! There was
actually a dead rat! I can see its tail flying now! Our village lads