I thank him, curtsy, and then watch his coach leave. “But I’m sure he would have liked you to receive it.” He bows once again, tipping his hat to me. I look at Herr Schachtner, who holds out his hands to me. Sure enough, a tiny scrap of paper is attached to its bottom. She said that he meant this for you, as he had a little note on it with your name. “His widow, Constanze, told me that she found this among Woferl’s possessions shortly after he died.

The Herr pulls out a tiny package for me, wrapped in white silk and tied with a simple ribbon. His hand digs into the pocket of his jacket. Then he seems to remember something and pauses halfway out the door to face me again. “I hope he will portray Woferl as a great man.” “I will let you know how Herr Schlichtegroll does with his writings,” I say. When it finally comes time for him to leave, he promises to visit me again and bring gifts for the children. Herr Schachtner nods, satisfied with my story, and moves on to the next paper. “I suppose it was where we could escape to, with our joys and sorrows, and let them out to play.” I look at Herr Schachtner. “We thought of ourselves as the rulers of this place,” I say. I choose my words carefully, changing the kingdom into something that the rest of the world can understand. Herr Schachtner studies my face, as if he knows that there is more I want to say about it. “We used it to pass the time we spent in the carriage and on our journeys.” The kingdom, and all its secrets, were meant only for my brother and me. But to Herr Schachtner, I say something different. Woferl had whispered it to me one afternoon, a long time ago. “The Kingdom of Back?” Herr Schachtner laughs a little.

The kingdom of back