and he sank down on his knees at some distance
from the Elector, with his hands folded across his breast. Rising and
laying his hand on the knee of the Arch-Chancellor, he joyfully
assured him that his dearest wish on earth had been fulfilled; then he
walked over to the horses, examined them and patted their plump
necks, and, coming back to the Chancellor, declared with a smile that
he was going to present them to his two sons, Henry and Leopold!

The Chancellor, Sir Heinrich von Geusau, looking graciously down upon
him from his horse, promised him in the name of the Elector that his
last wish should be held sacred and asked him also to dispose of the
other articles contained in the bundle, as seemed good to him.
Whereupon Kohlhaas called out from the crowd Herse's old mother, whom
he had caught sight of in the square, and, giving her the things,
said, "Here, grandmother, these belong to you!" The indemnity for the
loss of Herse was with the money in the bundle, and this he presented
to her also, as a gift to provide care and comfort for her old age.
The Elector cried, "Well, Kohlhaas the horse-dealer, now that
satisfaction has been rendered you in such fashion, do you, for your
part, prepare to give satisfaction to His Majesty the Emperor, whose
attorney is standing here, for the violation of the peace he had
proclaimed!" Taking off his hat and throwing it on the ground Kohlhaas
said that he was ready to do so. He lifted the children once more from
the ground and pressed them to his breast; then he gave them over to
the bailiff of Kohlhaasenbrueck, and while the latter, weeping
quietly, led them away from the square, Kohlhaas advanced to the
block.

He was just removing his neck-cloth and baring his chest when,
throwing a hasty glance around the circle formed by the crowd, he
caught sight of the familiar face of the man with blue and white
plumes, who was standing quite near him between two knights whose
bodies half hid him from view. With a sudden stride which surprised
the guard surrounding him, Kohlhaas walked close up to the man,
untying the locket from around his neck as he did so. He took out the
paper, unsealed it, and read it through; then, without moving his eyes
from the man with blue and white plumes, who was already beginning to
indulge in sweet hopes, he stuck the paper in his mouth and swallowed
it. At this sight the man with blue and white plumes was seized with
convulsions and sank down unconscious.