Zaklika went to them to spend that night, much troubled whether it would be safe for him to show himself in the city and get some news; he was afraid of being arrested. Early in the morning, having wrapped himself up carefully in his mantle, he went across the bridge to Narrenhaus. He expected to meet Fröhlich as he went to the castle, and learn something from him. In order to be sure of not missing him, he sat on the steps of the fool's house and waited. Fröhlich, dressed in his pointed hat and adorned with silver key, coming out of his house, noticed a man sitting, and, not recognizing Zaklika, exclaimed,--
"Hey! Do you take my house for a hostelry?"
Zaklika turned; the fool recognized him.
"What is the matter with you?" he exclaimed. "You look as if you were married."
"I have returned from a journey."
"You are a Catholic, then you must have been in purgatory?"
"I wandered through the world," answered Zaklika. "But tell me what is going on here?"
"You wish me to be a historiographer," laughed the fool. "You had better ask what is not going on."
"Do you know what has become of my former mistress?" asked Zaklika.
"I do not know who was your mistress."