But she could get no farther, and stood as stiff as Lot's wife when she was turned into a pillar of salt, for there was Sidonia seated in the carriage beside the Duke! Old Ulrich, who followed, soon spied the cause of her Grace's dismay, and exclaimed—
"Three thousand devils, what does your Highness mean by bringing the accursed harlot a third time amongst us?"
But his Highness only laughed, and drew forth his last puppet, it was a Satan as he tempted Eve, saying—
"Hold this for me, good Ulrich, till I am out of the coach, and then I shall hear all about it."
To which the other answered—
"If you let me catch hold of this other Satan, whom ye bring with you, I think it were wiser done!"
Prince Ernest now sprang down the steps, his eye flaming with rage, and drawing his sword, cried—
"Hold me, or I will stab the serpent to the heart, who so disgraced me and my family honour. I will murder her there in the coach before your eyes."
Whereupon old Ulrich flung the little wooden Satan to the ground, and seized the young man by the arm, while Sidonia screamed violently. But the old Duke stepped deliberately out of the coach. Seeing, however, his wooden Satan lying broken on the ground, he became very wroth, and called loudly for a turner with his glue-pot. Then he ascended the steps, and when all had greeted him deferentially, he began—
"Dear niece, worthy cousins, and friends, ye have no doubt heard of the misfortune which hath befallen Sidonia von Bork, who sits there in the carriage. Her father has died; and, further, she has been disinherited. Thereupon she fled to me to seek a refuge. Now ye all know well that the Von Borks are an ancient, honourable, and illustrious race—none more so; therefore I had compassion upon the orphan, and brought her hither to effect a reconciliation between her and Otto Bork, her brother. Step forward, Otto Bork, where are you hiding? Step forth, and hand your sister from the carriage; I saw you amongst the nobles here to-day. Step forth!"