12
THE HIRSCHGASSE
ness still survives. There was no sound but. that of the
birds circling round the old Castle above. Then there
was a stir, and knots of students passed through the
Market Place, and soon friends came for me with—shall
I say? usual, tempo academico — punctuality, and with
earnestness of purpose. They brought a carriage and
pair, and we drove rapidly over the old bridge across
the Neckar, so well known from the beautiful picture
A DUEL IN THE HIRSCHGASSE
of our renowned Turner, and especially from the en¬
gravings of it.
Over the bridge, we turned to the right, drove
about one hundred yards, and then turned to our left
up a narrow lane, the renowned Hirsch Gasse, and
stopped at the tavern famous for duels. Up the steps,
and up the stairs, we entered a low, old-fashioned
ante-room, a larger and loftier room beyond. In this
ante-room was a large flat square of lead, with the
edges slightly turned up-a lead bath-for future ope¬
rations. On tables one saw innumerable bandages of