I am hastening to the close of this despatch, and to take leave of this place.  Through the interposition of Messrs. Treuttel and Wuertz, I have hired a respectable servant, or laquais, to accompany me to Vienna, and back again to Manheim.  His name is Rohfritsch; and he has twice visited the Austrian capital in the rear of Napoleon’s army,—­when he was only in his sixteenth or seventeenth year—­as a page or attendant upon one of the Generals.  He talks the French and German languages with equal fluency.  I asked him if we needed fire arms; at which he smiled—­as if wondering at my simplicity or ignorance.  In truth, the question was a little precipitate; for, the other evening, I saw two or three whiskered Bavarian travellers, starting hence for Munich, in an open, fourgon-shaped travelling carriage, with two benches across it:  on the front bench sat the two gentlemen, wrapped round with clokes:  on the hinder bench, the servant took his station—­not before he had thrown into the carriage two huge bags of florins, as unconcernedly as if they had been bags of pebbles.  They were to travel all night—­without sabre, pistol, or carbine, for protection.

I own this gave me a very favourable opinion of the country I was about to visit; and on recollecting it, had good reason to acquiesce in the propriety of the smiles of Rohfritsch.  Every thing, therefore, is now settled:  gold ducats and silver florins have been obtained from Madame Francs; and to morrow we start.  My next will be from Stuttgart—­where a “deed of note” will, I trust, be accomplished.  Fare you well.

[224] [This dinner party is somewhat largely detailed in the preceding
    edition of this work; but it scarcely merits repetition here; the more
    so, since the presiding Hostess is NO MORE!]

[225] Hermann; vol. i. p. 154.

[226] greatly benefited by the Reformation.]—­Among the benefactors
    to the cause of public morality, was the late lamented and ever
    memorable KOCH.  Before the year 1536, it should seem, from Koch’s
    statement, that even whole streets as well as houses were occupied by
    women of a certain description.  After this year, there were only two
    houses of ill fame left.  The women, of the description before alluded
    to, used to wear black and white hats, of a sugar-loaf form, over the
    veil which covered their faces; and they were confined strictly to
    this dress by the magistrates.  These women were sometimes represented
    in the sculptured figures about the cathedral.  Hermann says that there
    may yet be seen, over the door of a house in the Bickergase (one of
    the streets now called Rue de la fontaine, which was formerly
    devoted to the residence of women of ill fame) a bas-relief,
    representing two figures, with the following German inscription
    beneath: