Balatka's house stood in a small courtyard near to the river, but altogether hidden from it, somewhat to the right of the main street of the Kleinseite as you pass over the bridge.

A lane, for it is little more, turning from the main street between the side walls of what were once two palaces, comes suddenly into a small square, and from a corner of this square there is an open stone archway leading into a court.

In this court is the door, or doors, as I may say, of the house in which Balatka lived with his daughter Nina.

Opposite to these two doors was the blind wall of another residence.

Balatka's house occupied two sides of the court, and no other window, therefore, besides his own looked either upon it or upon him.