for as the door opened he had caught a glimpse
of several dark suspicious faces of armed men in the room.

"You might have done that before you went upstairs," replied the woman
crossly. "Come here, Fassan! Jacob, lock the yard-gate and light the
man out to his wagon."

The dog drew back his muzzle from the wagoner's face, removed his paws
from the man's shoulders, and lay down once more across the stair-way.
In the meantime the hostler had secured the yard-gate, and now lighted
the wagoner to his cart. An escape was not to be thought of. But when
he came to consider what he should take from his wagon, he recollected
that he had a pound of wax candles that were to be delivered in the
next town. "That short piece of candle won't last more than fifteen
minutes longer," said he to himself, "and yet we must have light!" He
therefore took two wax candles from the wagon, concealed them in his
sleeve, and also took his cloak as an excuse for his errand, telling
the hostler that he needed it for a blanket.

Without further incident he got back to the room upstairs. He told his
companions about the big dog that guarded the stair-case, of the
glimpse he had caught of the armed men, and of all the precautions that
had been taken to prevent their escape; and concluded with a groan: "We
shall not survive the night."

"I don't think that," said the student. "I cannot believe that these
people would be so foolish as to take the lives of four men for the
sake of the few little things we have with us. But we had better not
try to defend ourselves. For my part I shall lose the most; my horse is
already in their hands, and it cost me fifty ducats only four weeks
ago; my purse and my clothes I will give up willingly, for after all my
life is dearer to me than all these."

"You talk sensibly," responded the wagoner. "Such things as you have
can be easily replaced; but I am the messenger from Aschaffenburg, and
have all kinds of goods in my wagon, and in the stable two fine horses,
all I possess in the world."

"I can hardly believe that they would harm you," said the goldsmith;
"the robbery of a messenger would cause an alarm to be given all
through the country. But then I agree with what the young gentleman
said: sooner would I give up every thing I possess, and bind myself
with an oath never to speak of this matter and never to make complaint
against them, than to attempt to defend my little property against
people who have rifles