As long as her old spirit remained she would not suffer the approach
of her daughter-in-law, and Christina could only make suggestions for
her comfort to be acted on by Ursel; and though the reins of
government fast dropped from the aged hands, they were but gradually
and cautiously assumed by the younger Baroness.
Only Elsie remained of the rude, demoralized girls whom she had found
in the castle, and their successors, though dull and uncouth, were
meek and manageable; the men of the castle had all, except Matz, been
always devoted to the Frau Christina; and Matz, to her great relief,
ran away so soon as he found that decency and honesty were to be the
rule. Old Hatto, humpbacked Hans, and Heinz the Schneiderlein, were
the whole male establishment, and had at least the merit of
attachment to herself and her sons; and in time there was a shade of
greater civilization about the castle, though impeded both by dire
poverty and the doggedness of the old retainers. At least the court
was cleared of the swine, and, within doors, the table was spread
with dainty linen out of the parcels from Ulm, and the meals served
with orderliness that annoyed the boys at first, but soon became a
subject of pride and pleasure.
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