We said no more at that time, for we were approaching the wood.
This we afterwards found was nearly a mile across, by some half a mile in depth. The drive which led to the spur went to the heart of the thicket and there turned sharp to the left: from there it ran slightly up hill to the edge of the wood and then directly down to the castle gate. It follows that, from anyone walking, the spur and the castle were hidden till he came to the edge of the wood, but then burst upon him in an instant, as though some curtain had suddenly been let fall.
Before we breasted the rise, for caution’s sake we had stepped in among the trees, and, when I had parted the branches and Mansel and George had come up, I heard the one catch his breath, while the other stood staring like a zany upon the remarkable scene.
Presently we moved to a knoll and lay down behind its swell.
The spur was empty, and the castle walls bare as I had left them: only the smoke I had noticed gave any sign of life.
“Where’s that guide?” said Mansel suddenly. “See if it mentions this place.”
Hanbury had the book in an instant and was studying one of its maps.
“Gath,” he said, after a moment. “This should be the Castle of Gath. And now for the text.”
Hastily he scanned the pages.
Then he bent the book open and gave it into Mansel’s hand.
And, since I cannot better the bookseller’s description of the place, I will set it down word for word.
The Castles of Gath.
Few peoples know of this castles, because great care was taken from at first that it must be most private and for a long time it was not mark on the state maps.
Gath was builted in the end of the fifteenth century by the great King Maximilian, Holy Roman Emperor, “The Last of the Knights,” as he is named by his proud loving subjects, so as to be a tranquil castles where he can retire to rest sometimes from the cares of reign. It was always kept in readiness to receive him and a small suite.
The visitor who will go the seven miles according to the plan of the page 7 will be handsomely rewarded, for the site is unique and the building is posed on the brink of a mountain and seems to be a veritable “castles in the air.” It is easy to believe that the great King was happy to stay here during his short respites and in the company of a few trusteds retainers to find peace and refreshment, not to be said inspirations for future glory.
But if one has found it so fine to see from afar, it will be a pity not to visit the interior. This may be done on Wednesdays and Saturdays between two and four o’clock by permission of the present owner, Count ⸻ of ⸻.
The visiting of the apartments is made under the custody of a caretakers who fulfils intelligence with curtesy.
We now enter by a deep archway into a fine courtyard, with a waterbason in its midst. A spring rises in the bason and flows in a cascade through the courtyard and under a smaller archway. Let us follow it. Lo, we are in a pretty terrace, where flowers blow, and running all of the length of the South of the Castles, not counting the round tower at each end. Here we seem to be standing on the edge of some earth, for the green cliff falls down directly and the cascade curves over it like a bow. This is the water supplies of the Castles.
We now retrace our steps to the courtyard and ascend the Grand Staircase on the West. The first room is an antichamber, as the furniture suggests, for everything has been left in the State Apartments as when the great King died.
The following was the reception room of the King. The tapestries are notable.
From this we go into a gallery of stone. Here, no doubt, were guards when the King was there, for the gallery is at the corner of the courtyard and the King’s apartments are about to begin. This gallery leads into the southwest tower, which is not shown and has been modernized, and another staircase goes down from it to the terrace where the flowers blow.
Now we come to the south front and the King’s apartments. These are untoucheds.
The first is another antichamber.
Then we enter the royal dining-room. The tapestries are very fine. The visitor will observe that the room is not large because the King has not entertained a guest here.
We now pass into the King’s Bedchamber. This is very stately. The crimson hangings of the magnificent bed and the superb furniture and tapestries, the richery of the polished woodcarvings all reflects the departed majesty of “The Last of the Knights.”
The King’s Closet comes next.
From this we enter the Queen’s Bedchamber, which is like the King’s, but, of course, less magnificence. The hangings are purple.
Then comes another day-chamber for the uses of the Queen, and we then enter an antichamber before passing into a stony gallery similar in all respects to the first.
The southeast tower is not shown.
Now we come to the oratory. There is a door and stairs going down from the oratory into the chapel. There are many shrines in the mountains, but not like this. It is still here always, in the midst of the storm. The glass in the panes is unquestionable and the finery of the woodcarving is beyond praise.
That is all that is shown.
The other part of the Castles have been modernized.
It is regretful that, since above written, the owner of Gath has lately died and there is a lawsuit for the possession of the Castles. Because of which the interior is not now shown.
This admirable description we read all three together, Mansel holding the book and waiting, until we had finished,
