‘Now look,’ I said to the Princess, ‘he’s quite exceptional in every way! But one couldn’t tell him that because he would get so conceited, peacock feathers would sprout from his ears. He’s a . . . well, Karlchen’s just Karlchen!’

‘That’s no explanation. That’s just like my Konsul when there’s something he doesn’t want to say. I’m going to bed, to get some sleepas.’ I heard her singing to the tune of Tarara-boom-diay:

And then the little horse

suddenly turned about

and with a flick of his tail

he brushed away the flies –

The trees rustled in our sleep.

3

In the afternoon we stood in front of the castle – tourists were coming and going.

We walked around the castle garden; there was an ornate well in the middle and little oriel-windows jutted out from the walls. The castle had been renovated . . . a pity. But maybe the whole edifice would have fallen down otherwise. It was old enough.

A large tourer drove up.

A young man got out of it, then two ladies, one older, one younger, and finally a fat gentleman was scraped out of the back. They spoke German, and stood round their car looking perplexed, as if they had just arrived from the moon. The fat man spoke loudly and rapidly to the driver, who fortunately didn’t understand.

They bought tickets for the castle but the guide had already gone home, so they were left to do the pilgrimage on their own.

‘Lydia . . .’ I said. We set off after them.

‘What’s the plan?’ Lydia asked, lowering her voice. She had understood what I was thinking.

‘I’m not sure yet,’ I said, ‘I’ll think of something . . . Come along!’

The tourists were standing in the Great Hall, looking up at the panelled ceiling. One of the ladies said, so loudly that it echoed, ‘Not bad!’

‘Obviously Swedish style!’ observed the fat man. They muttered.

‘Now if they were to ask whether this was all built . . . Quick!’

‘Where to?’

‘To the big well. We’ll put on a performance for them there . . .’

We could hear them shuffling about and coughing – then we were out of earshot. We walked quietly and fast.

We came to the large round chamber with its wooden gallery. In the middle of the earthen floor was a circular wooden disc which was the entrance to the dungeons. We found a ladder. Lydia helped, and we dropped the ladder in. Hurray! It stood up! So the dungeon couldn’t be very deep. I climbed down, pursued by looks of mock admiration from the Princess. ‘Give my love to the bats!’

‘Shurrup!’ I said.