lting the procession
by laughs and songs.
Sand wrote in his journal:
"Dittmar is a great loss to all of us, and particularly to me; he gave me
the overflow of his strength and life; he stopped, as it were, with an
embankment, the part of my character that is irresolute and undecided.
From him it is that I have learned not to dread the approaching storm,
and to know how to fight and die."
Some days after the funeral Sand had a quarrel about Dittmar with one of
his former friends, who had passed over from the Burschen to the
Landmannschaft, and who had made himself conspicuous at the time of the
funeral by his indecent hilarity. It was decided that they should fight
the next day, and on the same day Sand wrote in his journal.
"To-morrow I am to fight with P. G.; yet Thou knowest, O my God, what
great friends we formerly were, except for a certain mistrust with which
his coldness always inspired me; but on this occasion his odious conduct
has caused me to descend from the tenderest pity to the profoundest
hatred.
"My God, do not withdraw Thy hand either from him or from me, since we
are both fighting like men! Judge only by our two causes, and give the
victory to that which is the more just. If Thou shouldst call me before
Thy supreme tribunal, I know very well that I should appear burdened with
an eternal malediction; and indeed it is not upon myself that I reckon
but upon the merits of our Saviour Jesus Christ.
"Come what may, be praised and blessed, O my God!
"My dear parents, brothers, and friends, I commend you to the protection
of God."
Sand waited in vain for two hours next day: his adversary did not come to
the meeting place.
The loss of Dittmar, however, by no means produced the result upon Sand
that might have been expected, and that he himself seems to indicate in
the regrets he expressed for him. Deprived of that strong soul upon
which he rested, Sand understood that it was his task by redoubled energy
to make the death of Dittmar less fatal to his party. And indeed he
continued singly the work of drawing in recruits which they had been
carrying on together, and the patriotic conspiracy was not for a moment
impeded.
The holidays came, and Sand left Erlangen to return no more. From
Wonsiedel he was to proceed to Jena, in order to complete his theological
studies there. After some days spent with his family, and indicated in
his journal as happy, Sand went to his new place of abode,
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