The princess arrived at Barenburg Castle on the evening of the following
day. The housekeeper, in her most splendid attire, a violet silk dress
and a splendid lace cap, together with the rest of the household,
solemnly received her at the foot of the flight of steps leading into
the castle. The children witnessed the arrival from the little window of
the porter's room, and even the free-minded Fritz felt a reverential
throbbing of the heart, as he saw the carriage-step let down, and the
princess alight, wholly different in appearance to what he had expected;
not a lofty, magnificent lady in a crimson silk dress and a little crown
on her head, like Queen Esther or Pharaoh's daughter in the picture
Bible, but a somewhat small, slender lady, in a grey silk dress and
simple white bonnet, which she took off, as she stood on the
castle-steps, gazing with agreeable surprise, as it seemed, on the
beautiful ancient structure and its charming surroundings. Her brown
hair was simply parted under a small blond cap, and her blue eyes
glanced so mildly from the delicate, pale countenance, that the
children, seeming to forget that they had expected anything different,
Mina whispered softly to Fritz, "But she must be very, very good,
though."
Whilst they were watching the princess, the servants assisted two
beautiful children from the carriage, who now joyously, and with an
exclamation of astonishment, sprang up the castle steps; a boy and a
girl, somewhat younger than Fritz and Mina, so richly and so elegantly
dressed, that they could not have been mistaken for other than princely
children.
"But, mamma, is it not lovely? And shall we live here?" exclaimed the
little girl.
"Yes, my child," said the princess, and kissed her on the forehead.
"Are there yet stags in the park," demanded the boy with a princely air
from the respectful porter; "and can I have a gun here to shoot them?"
The mother smiled, and seemed half-embarrassed by the commanding tone
which her young son assumed.
"There are the park-grounds belonging to the garden," said the
revenue-warden of the district, who had come to the castle to receive
the princess, "and beyond lies the deer-park; the keeper who lives there
will be able to assist the young prince in the shooting of game."
"That must be an arrogant young fellow," thought Fritz; yet he felt, as
it were, attracted to him as he saw the handsome, frank countenance of
the young Hugo, as, with his hand in his mother's, he entered the
castle.
* * * * *
It was late before Mrs. Walter, who had been in attendance on the
princely guests in the suite of rooms prepared for their reception,
returned to her own parlour.
"The gracious lady," said she, in a business-like tone, "has only
brought with her a single waiting-woman for herself and a maid for the
children; there was everything to do, therefore, and I was needed to
help."
"No ladies of the court, and no servants?" asked Mina, astonished.
"What sort of a princess is she, then, Mrs. Dote?" asked Fritz, who had
been studying in the calendar the geneology of the princely house. "She
is not, after all, then, the wife of the reigning prince; and there is
no wife mentioned as belonging to the late prince."
"Well, children," said Mrs. Walter, after a moment's silent
consideration, "you have sense enough for me to explain to you exactly
how it is with the princess. She is really the wife of the crown-prince,
now deceased, and is herself of a noble house, though not noble enough
to please the old prince, and therefore he would never acknowledge the
marriage. His son, however, always believed he would do so. He thought
his papa would yield his prejudices, because the lady was so lovely and
a very angel for goodness. But it was not, and never will be right, when
children go counter to the will of their parents, and when young people
think they know what is best;--you remember that as long as you live!
However, they were married whilst the old prince was on a long journey
abroad; when he returned, therefore, he was dreadfully angry, and would
not acknowledge the marriage. The noble young crown-prince would not
leave his wife; so, for the sake of peace and quietness, they lived
abroad, where he died of nervous fever two years ago, without being
reconciled with his father, from which misfortune our Lord preserve all
young people! The princess returned to this country and lived very
retired, and I have heard that the old prince would not even hear the
children spoken of. However, as this old castle is now appointed for
their residence, I think it a good sign."
That which Mrs. Walter thus related made the princess very interesting
to the children.
"Do you know, Mina," said Fritz to his sister that same evening, "I
shall never be envious of anybody in this world again."
"Were you envious, then?" asked she.
"Well, it was in this way," returned he. "When I saw those handsome
children, in their beautiful dresses, bounding up the castle-steps, I
thought to myself, 'They are quite at home now, where we dare only take
a little peep; they have everything so nice, yet I don't know that they
are any better than we.'"
"Did you really think so!" said Mina amazed.
"Now, however, I think," returned he, "how well off we are. Father and
mother are happy together, grand-parents, and everybody love one
another, but those poor things have lost their father, and they dare not
see their grandfather."
"Perhaps it will all come right," said Mina consolingly "I should like
to see that lovely princess again."
"But she must be only addressed as--most gracious lady," said Mrs. Dote.