The sun had lately set, and the moon was silvering the Danube, when
the travellers came full in view of the imperial free city, girt in
with mighty walls and towers--the vine-clad hill dominated by its
crowning church; the irregular outlines of the unfinished spire of
the cathedral traced in mysterious dark lacework against the pearly
sky; the lofty steeple-like gate-tower majestically guarding the
bridge. Christina clasped her hands in thankfulness, as at the
familiar face of a friend; Friedel glowed like a minstrel introduced
to his fair dame, long wooed at a distance; Ebbo could not but
exclaim, "Yea, truly, a great city is a solemn and a glorious sight!"
The gates were closed, and the serving-men had to parley at the
barbican ere the heavy door was opened to admit the party to the
bridge, between deep battlemented stone walls, with here and there
loopholes, showing the shimmering of the river beneath. The slow,
tired tread of the old mare sounded hollow; the river rushed below
with the full swell of evening loudness; a deep-toned convent-bell
tolled gravely through the stillness, while, between its
reverberations, clear, distinct notes of joyous music were borne on
the summer wind, and a nightingale sung in one of the gardens that
bordered the banks.
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