ou to the consciousness of that which you have done, and awake
in you a forgiving heart through holy penitence, that henceforth no
more innocent victims may be sacrificed to the discord that is between
you and us. If this wish should be fulfilled, if the blood shed in
yonder grave should ripen into the fruit of peace, hail! thrice hail to
the dust of the martyr!"

The speaker was silent; his companions wept aloud, and those of the
council turned away to dry their eyes unmarked. Only the old Erasmus
stared before him, tearless, gloomy, and full of thought.

"I am ready," said Schindel, looking up to his two guides, who took him
by the arms, and helped him to rise. Supported by them, he bowed to the
council, and was led away.

The mourning procession followed him; the door closed behind them,
while the council looked in silence at each other, and then gloomily at
the old burgomaster, who, surprised by this measure, was not master of
his speech.

"The young Lord Hochberg of Fuerstentein," announced the city-servant.

"He, too, must have little that is consolatory to say to us," exclaimed
Alderman Trentler; and Erasmus, almost lost in insensibility, signed to
the servant to admit him.

The youth entered in complete armour, lifted up his visor before the
council-table, and, leaning on his sword, cast fierce and burning
glances amongst the troubled faces about the table.

"You have caused Tausdorf to be seized by your people within the
Fuerstentein jurisdiction," he began with bitterness; "you have murdered
him by a mockery under the name of a trial, and thus have invaded the
jurisdiction of his imperial majesty as lord paramount, and of my
mother as holder of the fief. The rascally peasants at Saltzbrunn who
abetted your people in this crime are already in prison, and shall be
severely punished in body and goods. We have sent a messenger to the
emperor with the relation of the business. What he may determine upon
your conduct, as far as concerns himself, is for you to look to; we,
however, are resolved to defend our own rights in particular, and not
to lay down our heads in peace till this monstrous crime is punished
and atoned for. But since his imperial majesty has strictly forbidden
private feud, we shall, in our just anger, better observe the will of
our sovereign than you the aggressors have done; and you shall answer
us before the court of fiefs: and to that I cite you herewith, for the
first,--second,--and thi