The fire burned feebly, and seemed weighed upon: Herr Je!--she
thought she heard a noise. No. Quite quiet! As heaven preserve her,
says slip, the smell in that room grew like an open grave, clammily
putrid. Holy Virgin! This time she was certain she heard a noise; but
it seemed on both sides of her. There was the great door leading to the
first landing and state-room; and opposite exactly there was the panel of
the secret passage. The noises seemed to advance as if step by step, and
grew louder in each ear as she stood horrified on the marble of the
hearth. She looked at the Electress again, and her eyes were wide open;
but for all Isentrude's calling, she would not wake. Only think! Now
the noise increased, and was a regular tramp-grate, tramp-screw sound-
coming nearer and nearer: Saints of mercy! The apartment was choking
with vapours. Isentrude made a dart, and robed herself behind a curtain
of the bed just as the two doors opened. She could see through a slit in
the woven work, and winked her eyes which she had shut close on hearing
the scream of the door-hinges--winked her eyes to catch a sight for
moment--we are such sinful, curious creatures!--What she saw then, she
says she shall never forget; nor I! As she was a living woman, there she
saw the two dead princes, the Prince Palatine of Bohemia and the Elector
of Bavaria, standing front to front at the foot of the bed, all in white
armour, with drawn swords, and attendants holding pine-torches.
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