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BIOGRAPHY. 45
Time passed quietly and pleasantly for us at Darmstadt.
My father had the kindness to let Hedda and me frequently
go to the pretty little theatre, where the famous Madame
Schréder-Devrient was then playing. We read many good
books, sometimes taken at a circulating library, sometimes
sent by Baron Wedekind; we took long walks with my
father in the beautiful environs, and visited occasionally
the painting-gallery, where we admired the works of the
great masters. But it grieved us very much to see Fre-
drika for some days really so very ill, and that she could
not participate in our pleasure.
During the whole of this time, my father had been in an
unusually good temper, and it was therefore with trembling
that we looked forward to the day when our journey should
be continued. Nothing tries so much the temper as trav-
_ elling, and my father, who could stoically and submissively
bear serious misfortunes, could less than many others bear
trifling annoyances, — such as, for instance, when my mother,
the six children, and his Swedish servant were not quite
ready to start at the appointed hour. There was then a
scene as if some great calamity had happened; and, al-
though we all tried to be punctual, it occurred neverthe-
less, frequently, that, amongst so many as we were, some
one got into the carriage a minute or two too late. This
and similar trifles became, therefore, a serious drawback to
the pleasure which we otherwise might have derived from
a journey through a beautiful country. As soon as Fre-
drika had somewhat regained her strength, we proceeded
on our journey, but she being still very weak, we were to
make only very short stages the first days, and to begin
with, not further than to Heppenheim. Before we arrived
there, we saw, in passing the fine park of the castle of
Auerbach, the summer residence of the Grand Duke, a
horseman coming at full gallop towards our carriages. It
was Baron Wedekind, who had promised to see us once
more, and who, in order to escape the ducal dinner party
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