They often pictured to themselves the happiness of being able to settle in their beloved Suabia, where so many happy years had been passed, and which seemed to them as a haven of rest; but, alas! with all their care, they had been unable to save enough to purchase even the smallest piece of land, or the poorest cottage, so that Gaspard still remained undecided as to the future.
It was, however, provided for by One who overrules every event, and orders all for the best.
Gaspard received the unlooked-for intelligence of a small property being left him, by a distant, relation of his wife's, sufficient, from what he heard, to maintain his family in honest comfort.
Great was the joy and thankfulness of the good soldier and his wife at being thus provided for. Gaspard applied immediately for his discharge, which was readily granted; he retired from the army, in which he had served so many years, with many tokens of approbation from those who had witnessed, not only his courage in action, but his uniform steadiness and good conduct.
Gaspard was not long in making the necessary preparations for the journey. He bought a tilted cart, and horse, to convey the little party, and such articles of furniture as they were unwilling to part with, the arms he had so long borne with honour, his favourite bear-skin, and the cross before which they had so often knelt in prayer.
On a beautiful morning in the month of May, Gaspard, Katherine, and their three children quitted Strasburg—Katherine seated in the cart, with Francis on her lap, Michael and John by her side, whilst Gaspard drove.
The weather continued fine, and the travellers reached Suabia without an accident of any kind. All was new to the two boys, and they were delighted with the many towns and villages through which they passed.
The small property left to Gaspard was near Feldsberg, seated on the river Joya. The castle and large domain around was the property of one of those rich and powerful nobles who, in those days, exercised almost sovereign sway, not only over those actually dependent on them, but on all who were unable to dispute their will, or resist their tyranny.
The Count de Sternfelden, the rich possessor of the castle and domain of Feldsberg, seldom visited it, having other and apparently more attractive places of residence.
The management, therefore, of this vast estate was entrusted to a steward; who had made himself feared, as well as hated, by his pride, injustice, and avarice, and the harshness with which he treated all over whom he had any power.