Clara　found　herself　against　her　will　looking　curiously　at　the　forge；　the　dirty　shop；　the　tiny　bier…halle；　and　a　half　a　dozen　huts；　out　of　which　swarmed　a　few　old　women　and　children。
  〃Where　are　the　men　of　this　village？〃　Jean　demanded　of　the　station　master；　a　stout　old　man　with　a　pipe　in　his　mouth。
  〃Gone　to　America；　for　the　most　part；〃　he　said；　with　a　shrug。
  Lucy　came　up　hastily；　an　angry　glitter　in　her　soft　eyes。　　〃You　have　no　right　to　make　me　play　the　spy　in　this　way！〃　she　said　haughtily；　and　going　into　the　little　station　sat　down　with　her　back　to　the　door。
  〃You？　　It　is　II〃　muttered　Jean　breathlessly。　　〃And　who　lives　in　the　tower；　my　good　man？　　It　is　not　big　enough　for　a　dozen　hens。〃　　She　slipped　a　florin　into　his　hand。
  〃Four　of　the　noble　ladies　live　there。　　The　princesses。　　The　gracious　sisters　of　Furst　Hugo。　　There　come　two　of　them　now。〃
  A　couple　of　lean；　wrinkled　women　dressed　in　soiled　merino　gowns　and　huge　black　aprons；　their　hair　bristling　in　curl　papers；　crossed　the　road；　peering　curiously　at　the　strangers。
  〃They　came　to　look　at　you；　Fraulein；〃　said　the　man；　chuckling。　　〃Strangers　do　not　stop　at　Wolfburgh　twice　in　the　year。〃
  〃And　what　do　the　noble　ladies　do　all　the　year？〃
  〃Jean；　Jean！〃　remonstrated　Clara。
  〃Oh；　Miss　Vance！　　This　is　life　and　death　to　some　of　us！　　What　do　they　do？〃
  〃Do？〃　said　the　man；　staring。　　〃What　shall　any　gracious　lady　do？　　They　cook　and　brew；　and　crochet　lace　and〃
  〃Are　there　any　more　princessessisters　of　Furst　Hugo？〃
  〃Two　more。　　They　live　in　Munich。　　No；　none　of　them　are　married。　　Because；〃　he　added　zealously；　〃there　are　no　men　as　high…born　as　our　gracious　ladies；　so　they　cannot　marry。〃
  〃No　doubt　that　accounts　for　it；〃　said　Jean。　　〃Six。　　These　are　‘the　channels　into　which　the　income　will　flow；'　hey？〃　　She　gave　him　more　money；　and　marching　into　the　station　caught　Lucy　by　the　shoulder；　shaking　her　passionately。　　〃Do　you　think　any　American　girl　could　stand　that？　　How　would　YOU　like　to　be　caged　up　in　that　ridiculous　tower　to　cook　and　crochet　and　brew　beer　and　watch　the　train　go　by　for　recreation？　　The　year　roundthe　year　round？〃
  Lucy　rose　quietly。　　〃The　train　is　coming　now；〃　she　said。　　〃Calm　yourself；　Jean。　　YOU　will　not　have　to　live　in　the　tower。〃
  Jean　laughed。　　When　they　were　seated　in　the　car　again；　she　looked　wistfully　out　at　the　heaps　of　ruins。
  〃It　must　have　been　a　mighty　fortress　once；〃　she　said。　　〃Those　stones　were　hewed　before　Charlemagne's　time。　　And　a　great　castle　could　easily　be　built　with　them　now；〃　she　added　thoughtfully。
  CHAPTER　X
  The　travellers　entered　Munich　at　noon。　　The　great　generous　city　lay　tranquil　and　smiling　in　the　frosty　sunlight。
  〃I　have　secured　apartments；〃　said　Miss　Vance；　〃used　hitherto　by　royalties　or　American　millionaires。　　My　girl　must　be　properly　framed　when　a　prince　comes　a…wooing。〃
  Lucy　smiled。　　But　her　usual　warm　color　faded　as　they　drove　through　the　streets。　　Jean；　however；　was　gay　and　eager。
  〃Ah；　the　dear　splendid　town！〃　she　cried。　　〃It　always　seems　to　give　us　a　royal　welcome。　　Nothing　is　changed！　　There　is　the　music　in　the　Kellers；　and　there　go　the　same　Bavarian　officers　with　their　swagger　and　saucy　blue　eyes。　　They　　are　the　handsomest　men　in　Europe！　　And　here　is　the　Munchen…kindl　laughing　at　us；　and　the　same　crowds　are　going　to　the　Pinakothek！　　What　do　you　want　more？　　Beer　and　splendor　and　fun　and　art！　　What　a　home　it　will　be　for　you；　Lucy！〃
  Lucy's　cold　silence　did　not　check　Jean's　affectionate　zeal。　　She　anxiously　searched　among　the　stately　old　buildings；　which　they　passed；　for　the　Wolfburgh　palace。　　〃It　will　not　be　in　these　commonplace　Haussmannized　streets；〃　she　said。　　〃It　is　in　some　old　corner；　it　has　a　vast；　mysterious；　feudal　air；　I　fancy。　　You　will　hold　a　little　court　in　it；　and　sometimes　let　a　poor　American　artist　from　Pond　City　in　to　hang　on　the　edge　of　the　crowd　and　stare　at　the　haute　noblesse。〃
  〃Don't　be　absurd；　Jean；〃　said　Miss　Vance。
  〃I　am　quite　serious。　　I　think　an　American　girl　like　Lucy；　with　her　beauty　and　her　money；　will　be　welcomed　by　these　German　nobles　as　a　white　swan　among　ducks。　　She　ought　to　take　her　place　and　hold　it。〃　　Jean's　black　eyes　snapped　and　the　blood　flamed　up　her　cheeks。　　〃If　I　were　she　I'd　make　my　money　tell！　　I'd　buy　poor　King　Ludwig's　residence　at　Binderhof；　with　the　cascades　and　jewelled　peacocks　and　fairy　grottos；　for　my　country　seat。　　The　Bavarian　nobility　are　a　beggarly　lot。　　If　they　knew　that　Lucy　and　her　millions　were　coming　to　town　in　this　cab；　they'd　blow　their　trumpets　for　joy。　　‘Wave；　Munich；　all　thy　banners　wave！'〃　　Lucy's　impatient　shrug　silenced　her；　but　she　was　preoccupied　and　excited　throughout　the　day。　　Miss　Vance　watched　her　curiously。　　Could　it　be　that　she　had　heard　of　the　prince's　plan　of　marrying　her　to　his　cousin；　and　that　she　was　building　these　air　castles　for　herself？
  A　day　or　two　sufficed　to　make　Miss　Vance's　cheery　apartments　the　rendezvous　of　troops　of　Americans　of　all　kinds：　from　the　rich　lounger；　bored　by　the　sight　of　pictures；　which　he　did　not　understand；　and　courts　which　he　could　not　enter；　to　the　half…starved；　eager…eyed　art　students；　who　smoked；　and　drank　beer；　and　chattered　in　gutturals；　hoping　to　pass　for　Germans。
  There　were　plenty　of　idle　young　New　Yorkers　and　Bostonians　too；　hovering　round　Lucy　and　Jean；　overweighted　by　their　faultless　London　coats　and　trousers　and　fluent　French。　　But　they　deceived　nobody；　they　all　had　that　nimble　brain；　and　that　unconscious　swagger　of　importance　and　success　which　stamps　the　American　in　every　country。　　Prince　Hugo；　in　his　old　brown　suit；　came　and　went　quietly　among　them。
  〃The　genuine　article！〃　Jean　declared　loudly。　　〃There　is　something　royal　in　his　hospitality！　　He　lays　all　Munich　at　Lucy's　feet；　as　if　it　were　his　own　estate；　and　the　museums　and　palaces　were　the　furniture　of　his　house。　　That　homely　simplicity　of　his　is　tremendously　fine；　if　she　could　understand　it！〃
  The　homely　genuineness　had　its　effect　even　upon　Lucy。　　The　carriage　which　he　brought　to　drive　them　to　Isar…anen　was　scaly　with　age；　but　the　crest　upon　it　was　the　noblest　in　Bavaria；　in　the　cabinet　of　portraits　of　ancient　beauties　in　the　royal　palace　he　showed　her　indifferently　two　or　three　of　his　aunts　and　grandmothers；　and　in　the　historical　picture　of　the　anointing　of　the　great　Charlemagne；　one　of　his　ancestors；　stout　and　good…humored　as　Hugo　himself；　supported　the　emperor。　〃The　pudgy　little　man；〃　said　Jean　one　day；　somehow　belongs　to　the　old　world　of　knights　and　crusadersSintram　and　his　companions。　　He　will　make　it　all　real　to　Lucy　when　she　marries　him。　　He　is　like　Ali　Baba；　standing　at　the　shut　door　of　the　cave　full　of　jewels　and　treasures　with　the　key　in　his　hand。〃
  〃Those　Arabian　Night　stories　are　simply　silly；〃　said　Lucy　severely。　　〃I　am　astonished　that　any　woman　in　this　age　of　the　world　should　read　that　kind　of　trash。〃
  〃But　the　prince's　cave？〃　persisted　Jean。　　〃When　are　we　to　look　into　it？　　I　want　to　be　sure　of　the　treasures　inside。　　When　are　we　to　go　to　his　palace？　　When　will　his　sisters　ask　us　to　dinner？〃
  Miss　Vance　looked　anxious。　　〃That　is　a　question　of　great　importance；〃　she　said。　　〃The　princesses　have　invited　me　through　their　brother　to　call。　　It　is　of　course　etiquette　here　for　the　stranger　to　call　first；　but　I　don't　wish　to　compromise　Lucy　by　making　advances。〃
  There　was　a　moment's　silence；　then　Lucy　said；　blushing　and　faltering　a　little；　〃It　would　be　better　perhaps　to　call；　and　not　prejudice　them；　by　any　discourtesy；　against　us。　　The　prince　is　very　kind。〃
  〃So！　　The　wind　is　in　that　quarter？〃　Jean　said；　with　a　harsh　laugh。
  She　jumped　up　and　went　to　her　own　room。　　She　was　in　a　rage　at　herself。　　Why　had　she　not　run　away　to　Paris　months　ago　and　begun　her　great　picture　of　the　World's　mother；　　Eve？　　There　was　a　career　for　her！　　And　thinkingperhaps　of　Eveshe　cried　hot　salt　tears。
  CHAPTER　XI
  A　week　passed；　but　the　question　of　the　first　call　was　not　yet　settled。　　It　required　as　much　diplomacy　as　an　international　difficulty。　　Furst　Hugo　represented　the　princesses　as　〃burning　with　impatience　to　behold　the　engelreine　Madchen　whom　they　hoped　to　embrace　as　a　sister；〃　but　no　visible　sign　of　their　ardor　reached　Miss　Vance。
  On　Monday　Jean　went　to　spend　the　day　with　some　of　her　artist　friends；　but　at　noon　she　dashed　into　the　room　where　Clara　and　Lucy　sat　sewing；　her　dark　face　blotched　red；　and　her　voice　stuttering　with　excitement。
  〃I　have　seen　into　the　cave！〃　she　shouted。　　I　have　got　at　the　truth！　　It's　a　rather　stagy　throne；　the　Wolfburghs！　　Plated；　cheap！〃
  〃What　is　the　matter　with　you？〃　said　Miss　Vance。
  〃Nothing　is　the　matter　with　ME。　　It　is　Lucy's　tragedy。　　I've　seen　the　magnificent　ancient　palace　of　the　Wolfburghs。　　It　is　a　flat！　　In　the　very　house　where　I　went　to…day。　　The　third　story　flat　just　under　the　attics　where　the　poor　Joneses　daub　portraits。　　I　passed　the　open　doors　and　I　saw　the　shabby　old　tables　and　chairs　and　the　princessestwo　fat　old　women　in　frowzy　wrappers；　and　their　hair　in　papers；　eating　that　soup　of　pork　and　cabbages　and　raisinsthe　air　was　thick　with　the　smell！　　And　that　is　not　the　worst！〃
  〃Take　breath；　Jean；〃　said　Lucy　calmly。
  〃The　prince　himselfthe　Joneses　told　me；　there　can　be　no　doubtthe　prince　makes　soap　for　a　living！　　No　wonder　you　turn　pale；　Miss　Va