She looked from the casement window, and saw the lights in houses opposite about fifty yards distant, and between them the still, deep, and gloomy Fleethen ditch, or canal, in which these lights were tremulously reflected; and something in the chill aspect of the water, or what it suggested, as it lay just beneath her window, made her shudder involuntarily.
She was soon to find that she was snared, and more a helpless prisoner than she had been when on board the Flying Foam; for Sir Redmond had placed her in this abode, knowing where he could find her again when he chose, and where, if he did not choose, she might disappear, as so many entrapped English girls do on the Continent, and never be heard of again; and in gambling, dissipated, and dissolute Hamburg the muddy waters of its Fleethen hide many an unknown crime and many a secret sorrow.
Lenchen (or Ellen), the girl who attended her, if slipshod, was pretty and rosy, but saucy and flippant, though clad, like the usual Hamburg housemaid, with a piquant lace cap, her white arms bare to above the elbow, always scrupulously clean, and when she went to market wore long kid gloves and the gayest of shawls, so disposed under the arm as to conceal the basket, which is always shaped unpleasantly like a child's coffin, but containing butter, cheese, eggs, or whatever has been purchased.
Ignorant of the German language, and ignorant also, as yet, of the true character of the Frau Wyburg and her attendant Lenchen, and as their broken English gave—as it always rather absurdly seems to do—an idea of childish innocence even to the most rascally foreigner, Ellinor became inspired by a new sense of protection in the presence of these females—especially of Lenchen; but this confidence might have received a shock had she seen how that young lady comported herself with Rolandsburg's uhlans, and other soldaten in the vicinity of the Dammthor Wall and the Burger Militair Kauslie.
Three days passed, during which she saw and heard nothing of Sir Redmond. The truth was, that worthy member of the 'upper ten' and his Fidus Achates—his friend Dolly Dewsnap—having, through the tipsy insolence of the latter, become involved in a street row at night with a member of the Neidergericht, or Inferior Court, to avoid the police, who 'wanted them,' had remained closely on board the yacht in the Binnenhafen, where she was now remasted, and fast becoming ready for sea in Ringbolt's skilful hands.
As the evening of the third day was approaching, Ellinor, feeling stronger and more impatient of action and restraint, attired herself for the street in the best of the garments found for her in the yacht.
'For what purpose?' asked Frau Wyburg, angrily.
'To have a walk in the city,' replied Ellinor.
'Mein Got, alone! and for what reason?'
'To make some inquiries for myself at the post-office, or elsewhere.'