S70 Ten Years of my Life. 



he was building his splendid castle on the Rhine in Plittersdon, 

 called Aiif dem Rech. 



The fatigues which I had undergone and the troubles which 

 I experienced impaired my health, and the annoyances caused 

 me by the importunity of many creditors of my poor husband 

 made me still worse. Becoming aware that I had paid some, 

 they imagined that I must pay all, and pursued me in the 

 most annoying manner. One of them produced even a bill 

 signed not only by Salm, but bearing also my own signature. 

 I had not signed the bill produced ; it was a forgery ; but the 

 Tew, believing himself to be in the right, went to law. The 

 court, decided in my lavour, as the expert declared that the 

 signature was not mine ; but I had to appear several times and 

 at very inconvenient moments, for twice I was obliged to 

 interrupt my travels and to return from great distances to 

 Bonn. 



The physicians advised me to go to Switzerland for a 

 change of air, and I went to Luzern, accompanied by Miss 

 Runkel. To travel under my real name would have been very 

 expensive, and therefore I entered the pension Kaufman in 

 Luzern under the assumed name of Baroness Stein. Though 

 my health improved there I became even sadder than I had 

 been before, and I resumed the idea of taking charge of an 

 hospital, or if I should not find one, of going to a convent. 



After two months' sojourn in Luzern, I returned to Bonn. 

 My affairs were being arranged by Baron Oppenheim, but he 

 would and could not satisfy all the creditors, who imagined 

 that they,, not succeeding with the Baron, could force me to 

 pay by making my life wretched. 



My intention of retiring to some hospital or convent was 

 confirmed still more ; but all my friends opposed vehemently, 

 and I once more was induced to hope for a better time. My 

 health becoming bad again I was sent in October, 1872, to the 

 Lake of Geneva, where I lived in the pension Ketterer in 

 Clarence. There I found several officers recovering from the 

 late war, with their wives, and other ladies, and led quite a 

 peaceful, agreeable life. There I saw Prmce Albrecht of 

 Prussia for the last time, and became acquainted with th< 

 Countess his wife, and her two sons. 



I remained in Clarence over Christmas ; but when it becaniv 

 cold the doctors advised me to go to Italy, and I went to 



