a drop of blood flowed in their veins. As these brave generals had
no army to lead into the fight, they would defend the town, not as
commanders of high rank, but as fighting soldiers, and waiving their
military rank and dignity to their noble love of country, like other
soldiers, they would each one defend his intrenchment or redoubt.

But while the military commanders were adopting these heroic
resolutions, the Town Council was engaged in secret session at the
town-hall. The wise fathers were staring at each other with terror
in their countenances, and considering, in pusillanimous
faint-heartedness, whether they would really assume the heavy
responsibility of engaging the peaceful citizens in a fight, which,
after all, would be, in all probability, useless and without result.

"I vote for submission," stammered out the chief burgomaster, Herr von
Kircheisen, with heavy tongue, as he wiped off the big drops of sweat
which stood upon his brow with his silk handkerchief. "I vote for
submission. The honorable citizens of this town are not called on to
spill their blood in useless fighting, nor to irritate the wrath of
the enemy by resistance. And besides, the enemy will doubtless lay a
war tax on us, and this will certainly be lighter if we submit at
once than if we resist. Further, it is the sacred duty of a prudent
magistrate to protect and preserve, to the best of his ability, the
property of the citizens. It is therefore my opinion that, in order
to save the hard-earned possessions of the poor citizens of Berlin,
already sufficiently oppressed, we submit at once to an overwhelming
force."

By the brightening countenances of the worthy councilmen it could be
plainly perceived that the eloquence of the chief burgomaster had
told powerfully upon them, and that the question of money which he
had raised would prove a powerful and decisive argument in favor of
submission at this momentous period.

The assistant burgomaster had already expressed his entire concurrence
in the views of Herr von Kircheisen, and the first alderman was in
the act of opening his mouth to do the same, when the patriotic
deliberations of the worthy gentlemen were interrupted by shouts and
cries from the street below, which drove them in terror from their
seats. They hastened to the windows, and, carefully concealed behind
the curtains, ventured to peep down into the street.

Down there they beheld a much more lively sight--men and youths, old