An enormous flame, purple and gold, shot up into the glowing sky, followed by an appalling explosion. We saw the walls of the castle part asunder, totter and then collapse with a crash. A shower of fragments of every kind, wood and plaster, tiles and sparks fell on and around us. Beside us Captain Müller, who had gone forward, was hit by something. We saw him fall to the ground, with his head bleeding. Professor Cyrus Beck's laboratory had just blown up. The firemen turned up almost immediately and set to work to localize the fire. In the Great Court behind we could hear the measured, muffled sound of the garrison troops coming up at the double. By one o'clock the fire had been got under. At half-past they were bringing out the first corpses. About two the first streaks of gold appeared in the sky and a serene dawn shone forth. Just then a stretcher, borne by four soldiers, came past us. We recognized the body of the professor, terribly mangled. The Grand Duke bent over it and took a long look. Then, throwing back the cloth over the horrid vision, he murmured: "This was bound to happen sooner or later, with an old fool like that." Such was the funeral oration of Herr Professor Cyrus Beck, of Kiel University. * * * * * * The Grand Duchess, Melusine and I went back to the left wing of the palace. It was about six o'clock. The day already promised to be very hot, for the summer sun rose red over the awful scene of desolation. Melusine had joined us when the fire first began. She had spent the time helping the Grand Duchess to attend to the injured firemen and soldiers, who had been taken to the banqueting-hall. Aurora hadn't a word to say as she walked, and, busied with the burden of our own reflections, we respected her silence. Suddenly she raised her head and smilingly showed me something in the blue sky, already turning white with heat. A bird, coming from the east, was flying above our heads. It had a curious, jerky flight, now rising, now falling, the flight of birds with short wings, like the quail and partridge. It disappeared to our left in the depths of the English garden by the Melna. A second, then a third flew by and passed out of sight at the same spot. Then a score or more followed. "The first missel-thrushes," said Aurora. "They are going to the sorbs of the Melna." We had now reached her apartments. "Poor Melusine," she said in a curious tone; "you're absolutely done up. You must go and rest. I'm going to my bower to try and get a little recreation with those birds." "I want to come, too," said Melusine. "No, no!" replied the Grand Duchess. "Raoul Vignerte will come with me. I've something to say to him. You _must_ go and rest. I order it. Just bring me down my gun and some cartridges. Lend yours to Vignerte. He's left his own behind, under the ruins of the castle." The girl still insisted on going with us. "Go!" said Aurora sternly.