a beating heart from the cart, had his children carried
into the passage by the servant, and repaired with the officer and his
guard to the seat of government, leaving the man with the vehicle in
front of the house. It chanced that Baron von Wenk was engaged in the
examination of a band of Nagelschmidt's men, which had been captured in
the neighbourhood of Leipzig, and had been brought in the evening
before, and that these fellows were being questioned on many matters
which would willingly have been heard by the knights who were with the
baron when the horse-dealer and those who attended him entered the
room. The baron no sooner saw him, than he went up to him, while the
knights became suddenly silent, and ceased their examination, and asked
him what he wanted.

The horse-dealer respectively stating his project of dining with the
farmer in Lockewitz, and his wish to leave behind the soldiers, whom he
did not require, the baron changed colour, and seeming as if he
suppressed another speech, said that his best plan would be to stop
quietly at home, and put off the dinner with the Lockewitz farmer.
Then cutting short the conversation, and turning to the officer he told
him, that the command which he had given him with respect to Kohlhaas,
was to remain as before, and that he was not to leave the city, except
under the guard of six horsemen. Kohlhaas asked whether he was a
prisoner, and whether he was to believe that the amnesty solemnly
granted him in the eyes of the whole world was broken; whereupon the
baron, suddenly becoming as red as fire, turned to him, and walking
close up to him, looked full in his eyes, and answered, "Yes, yes,
yes!" He then turned his back upon him, left him standing, and again
went to Nagelschmidt's men.

Kohlhaas then quitted the room, and although he saw that the only
course left for him, namely, flight, was rendered difficult by the
steps which he had taken, he nevertheless concluded he had acted
rightly, as he now saw he was free from all obligation to conform to
the articles of the amnesty. When he reached home, he ordered the
horses to be taken from the cart, and accompanied by the officer
entered his chamber very much dispirited. This officer, in a manner
which greatly disgusted him, assured him that all turned on a
misunderstanding which would soon be cleared up, while his men, at a
sign which he gave them, fastened up all the outlets that led into the
yard. The front entrance,