ffered, and for his fellow-countrymen a guarantee
against similar injuries in the future.

On his arrival at Kohlhaasenbrueck, as soon as he had embraced his
faithful wife Lisbeth and had kissed his children, who were shouting
joyfully about his knees, he asked at once after Herse, the head
groom, and whether anything had been heard from him. Lisbeth answered,
"Oh yes, dearest Michael--that Herse! Just think! The poor fellow
arrived here about a fortnight ago, most pitifully bruised and beaten;
really, he was so battered that he couldn't even breathe freely. We
put him to bed, where he kept coughing up blood, and after repeated
questions we heard a story that no one could understand. He told us
that you had left him at Tronka Castle in charge of some horses which
they would not allow to pass through there, that by the most shameful
maltreatment he had been forced to leave the castle, and that it had
been impossible for him to bring the horses with him."

"Really!" exclaimed Kohlhaas, taking off his cloak. "I suppose he has
recovered before this?"

"Pretty well, except that he still coughs blood," she answered. "I
wanted to send another groom at once to Tronka Castle so as to have
the horses taken care of until you got back there; for as Herse has
always shown himself truthful and, indeed, more faithful to us than
any other has ever been, I felt I had no right to doubt his statement,
especially when confirmed by so many bruises, or to think that perhaps
he had lost the horses in some other way. He implored me, however, not
to require any one to go to that robber's nest, but to give the
animals up if I didn't wish to sacrifice a man's life for them."

"And is he still abed?" asked Kohlhaas, taking off his neckcloth.

"He's been going about in the yard again for several days now," she
answered. "In short, you will see for yourself," she continued, "that
it's all quite true and that this incident is merely another one of
those outrages that have been committed of late against strangers at
Tronka Castle."

"I must first investigate that," answered Kohlhaas. "Call him in here,
Lisbeth, if he is up and about." With these words he sat down in the
arm-chair and his wife, delighted at his calmness, went and fetched
the groom.

"What did you do at Tronka Castle," asked Kohlhaas, as Lisbeth entered
the room with him. "I am not very well pleased with you."

On the groom's pale face spots of red appeared at these words. He w