Unluckily this also happened on the day when the Queen-mother was to take her departure. Ludwig had not returned from his drive until the morning hours, and he had not given orders that he should be awakened. His mother's carriage, with the horses harnessed to it, stood waiting for over an hour in the courtyard of the castle, while she herself paced up and down the great hall. Her nervous impatience went over to a fit of anger when he eventually showed himself, and broke like a thunderstorm over the head of her son. An eye-witness has related that she scolded him as if he were still the little Ludwig who used to hold fast to her skirts. What was still worse was that she scolded him in the hearing of all his footmen. The King kissed his excited mother repeatedly on the hand, begging her to excuse his tardiness. He conducted her respectfully to her carriage, took his seat beside her, and drove with her to the railway station. The mood he was in upon his return indicated the deep resentment he felt at her corrections. This was the last time she visited him; but upon one later occasion he paid her a visit. The Queen-mother resided for the greater part of the year at Elbingen-Alp, a house more resembling that of a peasant than a royal residence. Reports of her son's unaccountable conduct penetrated frequently to her; and what she suffered during these bitter years may well be imagined. On the 5th of October, 1885, she was residing at Hohenschwangau, the King being then at Linderhof. It was her sixtieth birthday, and Ludwig was seized with the idea of congratulating her on it in person. At about ten in the evening he arrived at Hohenschwangau. The gates of the castle were locked; on the demand of the porter as to who was without, answer was made that the King desired to speak with his mother. The Queen-mother was in course of preparing to retire; her son's unexpected appearance brought the whole personnel of the establishment into commotion. He remained the night at the castle, and dined with Queen Marie and her ladies at Pleckenau the following day.