It is believed the fat cook is his wife, because he never even looks at the girls in the village.

He will not answer any questions; only once he condescended to say that his mistress was a penniless orphan, who had nothing, yet who got everything she wanted." "Does no one visit them ?" "If any one goes to the castle, the count alone receives the visitor; the lady never appears; and no one has yet had courage enough to ask for her.

But that they are Christians, one may know from their kitchen: there is always a lamb for dinner on Easter; and the usual _heiligen Stritzel_ on All Saints'.

But they never go to church, nor is the pastor ever received at the castle." "What reason can they have for so much mystery, I wonder ?" musingly observed the baroness.
"That I cannot say.

I can furnish only the data; for the deductions I must refer your ladyship to the Herr Doctor." "Ah, true!" ejaculated her ladyship, joining in the general laughter.
"The doctor, to be sure! If you are the county clock, Herr Doctor, surely you ought to know something about our mysterious neighbors ?" "I have two versions, either of which your ladyship is at liberty to accept," promptly responded the doctor.