is knee before him, and said he had one
request deep at heart. At Whitsuntide--a period when he was usually
accustomed to take the sacrament--he had not gone to church, on account
of his martial expedition, and he begged that Luther would have the
kindness to receive his confession without further preparation, and to
administer to him the supper of the Lord.

Luther, eyeing him keenly, said after a short reflection: "Yes,
Kohlhaas, I will do it. But recollect that the Lord, whose body thou
desirest, forgave his enemy. Wilt thou," he added, as Kohlhaas looked
confused, "likewise forgive the squire who offended thee, go to the
Tronkenburg, set thyself upon thy horses, and ride home to fatten them
at Kohlhaasenbrueck?"

"Reverend sir," said Kohlhaas, cooling as he grasped his hand, "Even
the Lord did not forgive all his enemies. Let me forgive their
highnesses, the two electors, the castellan and the bailiff, the rest
of the Von Tronkas, and whoever besides may have injured me in this
matter, but let me compel the squire to feed my horses."

Luther, on hearing these words, turned his back upon him with a
displeased countenance, and rung the bell. Kohlhaas, as a servant with
a light announced himself in the antechamber, rose astounded, and
drying his eyes, from the ground, and Luther having again set himself
down to his papers, he opened the door to the man who was in vain
struggling against, on account of the bolt being drawn. "Show a
light," said Luther to the servant, casting a rapid side-glance at the
stranger, whereupon the man rather astonished at the visit took down
the house key from the wall, and retired to the door, which stood half
open, waiting for Kohlhaas to withdraw. "Then," said Kohlhaas, deeply
moved, as he took his hat in both hands, "I cannot receive the benefit
of a reconciliation as I entreated."

"With thy Redeemer, no!" answered Luther shortly, "With thy
sovereign--that, as I told thee, depends upon the success of an
endeavour." He then motioned the servant to do as he had been ordered,
without further delay. Kohlhaas, with an expression of deep pain, laid
both his hands on his heart, followed the man, who lit him down stairs,
and disappeared.

On the following morning Luther sent a communication to the Elector of
Saxony, in which after giving a severe side-blow to Herrn Henry, and
Conrad von Tronka, the cup-bearer and chamberlain, who had, as was
notorious, suppressed the complaint, he