er he
conveyed by a messenger on horseback, whom he instructed to return to
Kohlhaasenbrueck immediately after he had delivered it. The three days
having passed and no horses having been delivered, he called Herse to
him, informed him of the notice he had given to the squire concerning
the feeding, and asked him which of two things he would do: whether he
would go with him to the Tronkenburg and fetch the squire, or whether,
when he was brought him, he would hold the whip over him, in case he
should prove lazy in obeying the decree in the Kohlhaasenbrueck stables.
Herse shouted out, "Let us begin to-day, master," and flinging his cap
into the air swore that he would have a thong twisted into ten knots to
teach the art of currying. Kohlhaas sold his house, sent his children
in a vehicle over the border, called, in addition to Herse, the rest of
his servants, seven in number, and all as true as steel, at the
approach of night, armed them, mounted them, and set off for the
Tronkenburg.

The third night was advancing, when with his little band, riding over
the toll-taker and the gate-keeper, who stood conversing by the gate,
he fell upon the Tronkenburg. While, amid the crackling of the
outbuildings, which the men set on fire, Herse flew up the winding
staircase to the castellan's tower, and cut and thrust at the castellan
and the bailiff, who were at play, half undressed. Kohlhaas rushed
into the castle to find Squire Wenzel. So does the angel of judgment
descend from Heaven, and the squire, who, amid peals of laughter, was
reading to a party of young friends, the decree, which the horse-dealer
had sent him, no sooner heard his voice in the yard, than he cried to
the rest, pale as death, "Save yourselves, brothers!" and vanished
immediately. Kohlhaas, who, on entering the hall, seized by the breast
and flung into the corner, one Squire Hans von Tronka, who was
advancing towards him, so that his brains were scattered on the stones,
asked, while his servants overpowered and dispersed the other knights,
who had taken up their weapons: "Where is Squire von Tronka?" And
when, as the astounded knights professed their ignorance, he had, with
a blow of his foot, burst open the doors of two rooms, which led into
the wings of the castle, and after searching the spacious building in
all directions, still found nobody, he went, cursing down into the
yard, that he might guard every egress. In the meanwhile, ignited by
the flam