gentleman was with him in the carriage that
took him to execution; this gentleman was with him on the scaffold;
there's only one portrait of Sand in all Mannheim, and this gentleman has
it."

I was devouring every word; a mental alchemist, I was opening my crucible
and finding gold in it.

"Just ask," I resumed eagerly, "whether the gentleman will allow us to
take down in writing the particulars that he can give me."

My interpreter put another question, then, turning towards me, said,
"Granted."

Mr. G----got into the carriage with us, and instead of going on to
Heidelberg, we returned to Mannheim, and alighted at the prison.

Mr. G---did not once depart from the ready kindness that he had shown.
In the most obliging manner, patient over the minutest trifles, and
remembering most happily, he went over every circumstance, putting
himself at my disposal like a professional guide. At last, when every
particular about Sand had been sucked dry, I began to ask him about the
manner in which executions were performed. "As to that," said he, "I can
offer you an introduction to someone at Heidelberg who can give you all
the information you can wish for upon the subject."

I accepted gratefully, and as I was taking leave of Mr. G----, after
thanking him a thousand times, he handed me the offered letter. It bore
this superscription: "To Herr-doctor Widemann, No. III High Street,
Heidelberg."

I turned to Mr. G----once more.

"Is he, by chance, a relation of the man who executed Sand?" I asked.

"He is his son, and was standing by when the head fell.".

"What is his calling, then?"

"The same as that of his father, whom he succeeded."

"But you call him 'doctor'?"

"Certainly; with us, executioners have that title."

"But, then, doctors of what?"

"Of surgery."

"Really?" said I. "With us it is just the contrary; surgeons are called
executioners."

"You will find him, moreover," added Mr. G----, "a very distinguished
young man, who, although he was very young at that time, has retained a
vivid recollection of that event. As for his poor father, I think he
would as willingly have cut off his own right hand as have executed Sand;
but if he had refused, someone else would have been found. So he had to
do what he was ordered to do, and he did his best."

I thanked Mr. G----, fully resolving to make use of his letter, and we
left for Heidelberg, where we arrived at eleven in the evening.

My first visit