He knew perfectly well where he was about to take me, and no
significant gestures of mine hastened him forward in the very least.
Presently, without any warning, we did turn into a side opening, but so
suddenly that the whole vehicle had a wrench, and the two hind wheels
jolted over a high kerbstone. Meanwhile the group of damsels were still
in close confab, and I could see took note that the stranger had
descended at the Krone. We were all in a heap in the courtyard, but we
had to extricate ourselves as best we could, for not a soul was to be
seen, though we had made noise enough certainly to announce our arrival.
I pulled repeatedly at the bell before I could rouse the _hausknecht_,
and induce him to make an appearance. At length he deigned to emerge
from the recesses of the dirty interior. Having discharged the Wallack
in a satisfied frame of mind (he had the best of the bargain after all),
I was at leisure to follow mine host to inspect the accommodation he had
to offer me. A sanitary commissioner would have condemned it, but _en
voyage comme en voyage_. With some difficulty and delay I procured water
enough to fill the pie-dish that did duty for the washing apparatus. I
had an old relative of extremely Low Church proclivities who was always
repeating--for my edification, I suppose--that "man is but dust;" the
dear old lady would have said so in very truth if she had seen me on
this occasion.
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