Finally they went through an old gateway, which was said to be the one where a rope was kept in the olden time, to use on the bakers. If they did not give full weight, the bakers were tied to the end of a pole and dipped into the water several times. If poison was found in the bread, they were immediately drowned.
As the ladies were getting tired, Mr. Winter called a carriage to drive them to the castle. As he could speak German, the driver told him many interesting things, and pointed out various objects of interest. He showed them one house that had been occupied by the same family for four hundred and fifty years.
The churches of St. Sebald and St. Lawrence they admired very much on the outside, leaving the beauties of the interiors for another day. They passed one fountain called the Goose Man, and another, the Beautiful Fountain, built in 1385. Also, a fine statue of Hans Sachs, erected in 1874, who was known through Germany as the cobbler-poet. It was from his life Wagner wrote the opera of the "Meistersinger."
Soon the driver drew up his horses at a corner where a small house stood under a hill, called the Sausage Shop, for its wonderfully cooked sausages. It has been made famous by such men as Albert Dürer, the great artist, Hans Sachs, and the old burgomasters meeting there for their nightly mugs of beer and a sausage.
ALBRECHT DÜRER'S HOUSE.—Page [74].
The statue of Albert Dürer, erected in 1840, is between the Sausage Shop and his old home. All the houses, with their deep, slanting roofs, were objects of interest, but most of all was that of Albert Dürer, which is the only house in Nuremberg that has not undergone some alteration.
The house is now filled with many curiosities, some of them having belonged to Albert Dürer, and is open every day to visitors. The girls wanted to stop and go in at once, but Mr. Winter said, "No, we cannot stop now; we must get to the castle, and leave the house until we have more time."
The castle stands very high, and they were obliged to drive up through very narrow and steep streets; but the horses were used to it, and Mrs. Winter finally overcame her nervousness.
When the top of the hill was reached, there was a plateau where a beautiful view of the city was to be seen. They left the carriage here, and after looking at the scenery they walked on up to the castle.