242 Ten Years of "my Life. 



Lhe castle. The most curious and suggestive part of this stove 

 was, however, to me the spate between it and the wall. A 

 few steps of green glazed sla!^ led to ' seat made of the same 

 material. It did not requi' much fancy to imagine sitting 

 there some grey-headed old knight with a large tankard at his 

 elbow, or a venerable grand-mother, her wrinkled face rising 

 above an enormous stiff frill. 



Old pictures, portraits and nhers, of more or less value, in 

 tarnished gold or simple black frames, all looking somewhat 

 mildewed, ornamented the rooms and halls, in which stood 

 l;eautifuliy carved, enormous wardrobes of black walnut, with 

 locks and keys that seemed to have been wrought by Tubal 

 Cain. 



The hall between ours and the Corvins' rooms was closed 

 by a strong iron-fitted door, opening on a stone staircase 

 winding up in a round tower. On the top of this tower was 

 arranged a little roon., from the window of which a wide view 

 was to be had in all direction. . ■ 



The tower was entered from a large hall on the ground floor, 

 through which one came to the yixvd., closed by a farm-building 

 and cow-stables. On the opposite side of the building was, 

 enclosed by a wall from which some turrets haci been removed, 

 a little garden with fruit-trees, flower-beds, and vegetables, kept 

 in order by the couple who were in cha'ge of the castle, and 

 who lived in a kind of entresol. Peaches and pear-tiees and 

 creepers covered th outside wall of the castle, which stood on 

 a gentle eminence. Its slope was a luxuriant meadow, studded 

 with beautiful, fruit-trees. 



Though at that time I was dissatisfied with every things be- 

 cause I was much troubled in mind., I must say now that thi:> 

 Castle Wiggen is a beautiful spot. From tlie back room one 

 looked riglit upon the Rorschach hill, of which the slope fall- 

 ing off towards the lake is indeed iy. little world in itself Ap- 

 proaching Rorschach from the lake, when still the snowy 

 mountains behind the ridge are to be seen, this slope looks 

 rather insignificant ; but on coming nearer and the high moun- 

 tains disappearing, it looks more interesting ; but to become 

 fully aw^are of its beauties, one must stay for a longer time and 

 explore it. It is indeed, as I said, a little world in itself. 

 There are little villages and farms, deep gullies w^ith rocks and 

 water rushing over them ; fine woods and s[)lendid meadows. 



