ot your father
subdued his old pride, and made most suppliant petitions to the emperor
himself, and, lastly, had I not managed your cause in a veritable
masterpiece of defence, you would have had a serious business of it
to-day."

"And how has it gone with the old Goldmann?" asked Francis anxiously.

"Faith," replied Heidenreich, shrugging his shoulders, "his head will
be off in an hour."

"Gracious heavens!" cried Francis, starting up from his couch, "it is
not possible! The old man acted only in his office; and if he did kill
Bieler, his life cannot be touched for it."

"The imperial council have seen the affair in a different light,"
replied Heidenreich coldly. "They think his office had been to separate
and arrest both parties, you as well as Rasselwitz; and not, out of
partiality to the burgomaster's son, to kill his adversary."

"But I entreated you for the poor man!--and you, too, promised."

"I did to the utmost of my power whatever could be done, and as far as
it could be done without your injury: your father, too, the same.
Thrice did the council apply to the emperor in Goldmann's behalf, and
the last time was dismissed ignominiously for their pains, and
forbidden farther interference. Defendant was not to be saved. Some one
must have killed Bieler: Goldmann confessed upon the rack that he had
struck at the young man's head; about you he was honestly silent, and
thus, therefore, devoted himself for an atonement."

"Horrible!" cried Francis, and paced about the room, wringing his
hands. On a sudden the clang of the funeral bells vibrated hollowly and
slowly from the tower of the guildhall; when, in obedience to the
signal, from every turret throughout the city, the metal heralds lifted
up their solemn voices, producing a singularly sad and awful echo in
the silence of the morning twilight.

"What means this tolling of the bells so early?" asked Francis, with a
fearful foreboding.

"It is the funeral toll of the poor Goldmann," replied Heidenreich,
leaning himself against the window. "To show publicly that the council
deems the imperial sentence too severe, it has allowed this last honour
to the condemned; the body, too, will be followed by the whole college
to the burial-ground of our Lady _im Walde_."

"A melancholy kindness!" exclaimed Francis, shuddering; and after
awhile he added, "first the hand, then the rack, and at last the head.
Oh, it is horrible!"

"See, there comes the procession!" cri