envoys, but a clever woman's brain thinks quickly when an important
decision is to be made, and while turning the gray she had decided that
it would be better for her purpose, and the haste connected with it, to
go to Frau Lerch than to her own home.

In the Grieb she was sure of finding admittance at once if she knocked at
Frau Lerch's window, while the cantor house was closed early, and a long
time might pass before the door opened to her. Besides, she did not know
how her father, who could never be depended upon in such matters, would
regard the honour that awaited her; thirdly--and this alone was decisive
--the white dress, which she meant to wear instead of the riding habit,
was at Frau Lerch's, and what good service the skilful, nimble fingers of
her mother's ex-maid could render in this hurried change of garb.

Besides, it had also darted into her mind that the baron might accompany
her to her shabby abode, and that would have seemed like a humiliation.
Why should the court know what indigent circumstances had been the
portion of the artist to whom the Emperor, through no less a personage
than Baron Malfalconnet, sent an "entreaty" for her appearance?

All this had been clear to her in the course of a few seconds, and her
choice had proved fortunate, for the gate of the Grieb was still
unlocked, and the old hostler Kunz, who had been in the service of the
Gravenreuths, the former owners of the Grieb, and had known "Wawerl" from
childhood, was just coming out of the tavern, and willingly agreed to
take the gray back to Peter Schlumperger's stable.

When Barbara entered the huge building a ray of light shone from the
private chapel at the left, dedicated to Saint Dorothea.