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Before arriving at our destination, he asked me if Herr Katze had not requested me to mention his name in my next book, and added, that if I would promise to do the same, he would tell me his name.
I will hasten on and see for myself; and if, as I expect, we are really not very far from Silberbach, it will be all the better for me to find out the 'Katze, and see that everything is ready for your arrival."
"I shall not be alone more than four-and-twenty hours. Of course it would have been nonsense to bring Lina with us; she would have been quite out of her element during our walking expeditions." "And I have a very civil note from the inn at Silberbach, the 'Katze," said Herr von Walden, pulling a mass of heterogeneous-looking papers out of his pocket. "Where can it be?
He did not even care to have us as his visitors: he had no wish to retain us nor to speed us on our way. Had we remained at the "Katze" from that day to this, I don't believe he would have ever inquired what we stayed for! "I cannot walk back to Seeberg," I said half indignantly, "we are too tired; nor would it be safe through the forest alone with two children."
How did I know but that some harm had really come to him in this very place? There was certainly nothing about the landlord to inspire confidence. At best it was a strange and unpleasant coincidence. The evening before I had half thought of inquiring of the landlord or his wife, or even of Lieschen, if any English had ever before stayed at the "Katze."
Instead of one compact, sensible village, it was more like three or four nay, five or six wretched hamlets, each at several minutes' distance from all the others. And the "Katze," of course, was at the farther end of the farthest off from where we stood of these miserable little ragged ends of village!
"Though as for the 'Katze," she added, "that was farther off at the other end of the village;" and she went on muttering something about "if she had known we were going to the 'Katze," which we did not understand, but which afterwards, "being translated," proved to mean that she would have stood out for more pay.
Staying at the "Katze"! Good heavens! "A rough place." "I should rather think so." And this last piece of information fairly overcame him. He evidently felt he must come to the rescue of these poor Babes in the wood. "Come up when the mail passes from Seeberg this evening at seven, and I will see what I can do with the conductor.
"And it might remind Nora of the blue paper parcel. I think I shall give the cup and saucer to my sister." And on my return to England I did so. Two years later. A very different scene from quaint old Kronberg, or still more from the dreary "Katze" at Silberbach. We are in England now, though not at our own home.
I am sure to wake often, and I will speak to you from time to time." That was the longest night of my life! The first part was not the worst. By what I really thought a fortunate chance it was a club night of some kind at Silberbach a musical club, of course; and all the musically-gifted peasants of the countryside assembled in the sanded parlour of the "Katze."
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