eks, which were pale with sadness, now redden with shame.
You have ordered that the citizens of Berlin should be disarmed. You
are a brave soldier, sir, and honor courage above all things. Now,
let me ask you, how could you bear to exhibit the certificate of your
cowardice? Could you survive it? You look at me in anger--the very
question makes you indignant; and if that is your feeling, why would
you subject the citizens of Berlin to such disgrace? With our weapons
we have fought for our just rights and our liberty. God has willed
it that we should be subdued nevertheless, and that you should be the
conquerors. But methinks it would redound more to your honor to be
the conquerors of honorable men than of cowardly slaves! And when you
require of us, the conquered, that we shall give up our manly
honor, our weapons, you convert us into abject cowards, and deprive
yourselves of all honor in having conquered us. Let us then, sir, keep
our weapons; leave us this one consolation, that on our tombstones
can be inscribed: 'Freedom died, but with arms in her hand!'" and
Gotzkowsky, quite overcome by his painful emotions, leaned back
against the wall, breathless, his imploring looks fixed upon the
general.

But the latter avoided meeting his eyes, and directed his own darkly
toward the ground.

Gotzkowsky perceived the indecision, the wavering of the general, and
he felt that he must now risk every thing to overcome his resistance.
"Leave us our weapons. Oh, you are a German! spare your German
brethren."

Tottleben sprang from his seat as if a venomous snake had stung
him. Dark and terrible were his features, his eyes flashed fire, and
raising his right hand threateningly, he cried out: "You remind me
in an evil hour that I am a German. Germany drove me out to find in a
foreign land the appreciation which my own country refused me! Had I
been a foreigner, Germany would long ago have proclaimed my fame;
but, being the son of the family, the mother drives me out among
strangers--and that they call German good-nature!" and he broke out
into a bitter, scornful laugh.

"It is but too true," said Gotzkowsky, sadly. "Our mother Germany is
fond of sending her greatest sons out from home on their pilgrimage to
fame. For her great men she has but the cradle and the grave. But show
your unfeeling mother that you are better than she is; prove to her
how unjust she has been. Be magnanimous, and leave us our weapons!"

"I cannot, by Hea