n whom he did not recognize, and who seemed annoyed that, in spite
of the changes that twenty-one years had made in them, he did not at
once address them by their names.

A company of soldiers were mounting guard before, the House of
Parliament. Ernst Rontheim, son of the Privy Councillor, was in
command. He saluted me in military fashion.

I gazed upon the vigorous youth, with his ruddy face and bright eyes,
and asked myself: "Will he this very day be forced to command his
troops to fire upon his fellow-citizens?" Did he know how full of
danger his post was? It required a great effort, on my part, to refrain
from speaking to him. At that moment, the minister of war arrived, and
the young officer called out, "Present arms!"

In the ante-chamber, and in the restaurant attached to the House, there
were many groups engaged in lively and animated discussions, in which
the speakers accompanied their remarks by forcible gesticulations.

The three members who had been fellow-prisoners o f mine at the
fortress, were still faithfully attached to me. The one whom we had
termed "The Philosopher" had distinguished himself by new theories in
political science, and the other two were eminent lawyers.

Only one of the members of the old student corps had gone over to the
radicals, but he was recognized as the most independent and the purest
of men, and was everywhere spoken of as "Cato."

The others had remained true to our colors; and one who was known as
Baribal called out "What! Bismarck? If that black devil will bring
about union, I shall sell my soul to him!"

I spoke with "Cato," when no others were by, and he frankly confessed
that he feared that this war would strengthen monarchism, and that,
therefore, he still was, and ever would be, a republican.

"We have, thus far, been forced to act against our wishes, and have
complained in secret," he said, "but if we conquer in this war, we
shall have voluntarily become subjects, and be happy in the favor of
their high mightinesses. I am not a subject, and do not wish to become
one."

He gave me a fierce look, and I felt obliged to tell him that he could
not be at his ease while receiving honors from people whom he despised.

He did not feel that war was inevitable, but was inclined to favor it,
if the German princes would promise that the constitution of the German
Empire, as proposed in the Frankfort Parliament, would be adopted in
the event of our success.

"Cato" assu