or, in a tone of conciliation, "at
the request of the magistracy you took charge of the affairs of the
town. You travelled to St. Petersburg to see the empress; twice did
you go to Warsaw to see General Fermore, and twice to Saxony to visit
the king. You see the Council knows how much it is indebted to you."

"And we are cheerfully willing to be grateful to you," interrupted
the burgomaster, "and to serve you when and in what manner we can, but
these debts we cannot acknowledge."

Gotzkowsky looked at him in dismay, and a deep glow suffused his
cheek. "You refuse to pay them?" he asked, faintly.

"It pains us deeply that we cannot recognize these claims. You
must abate somewhat from them if we are to pay them," answered the
burgomaster rudely.

"Do you dare to propose this to me?" cried Gotzkowsky, his eyes
flashing, his countenance burning with anger and indignation. "Is
this the way you insult the man to whom four years ago on this very
spot you swore eternal gratitude? In those days I sacrificed to you my
repose, the sleep of my nights; for, when the town was threatened with
danger and alarm, there was no Council, no authority in existence, for
you were base cowards, and abjectly begged for my good offices. With
tears did you entreat me to save you. I left my house, my family,
my business, to serve you. At the risk of my life, in the depth of
winter, I undertook these journeys. You did not consider that Russian
bayonets threatened me, that I risked health and life. You thought
only of yourselves. I have not put down in the account the sleepless
nights, the trouble and anxiety, the privation and hardships which I
suffered. I do not ask any money or recompense for my services. I only
ask that I may be paid back what I actually expended; and you have the
assurance to refuse it?"

"No, we do not," said the burgomaster, quite unmoved by Gotzkowsky's
noble excitement. "We do not refuse payment; we only desire a
reduction of the amounts."

"You wish to cheapen and bargain with me," said Gotzkowsky with a
hoarse laugh. "You take me for a chapman, who measures out his life
and services by the yard; and you wish to pay me for mine by the same
measure. Go, most sapient gentlemen; I carry on a wholesale trade,
and do not cut off yards. That I leave to shopkeepers, to souls like
yours."

The burgomaster rose up proud and threateningly from his seat. "Do you
dare to insult the Council?"

"No, the Council of Berlin insul