nd with his
acquittal.

But the bombardier answered: "No, sir, I knew quite well what I was
doing."

Now that was honest, but distinctly stupid.

The countenance of the prosecutor lightened up. He was a very young
man, with many scars on his face. He sat stiffly on his chair, tightly
buttoned into an immaculate brand-new uniform; and hitherto he had been
regarding with a bored expression a silver bangle that he wore on his
right wrist.

The hearing of witnesses was at an end. The president of the
court-martial, a fat, good-humoured man of mature years, asked: "Is
there anything that you wish to say, Bombardier Vogt?"

"No, thank you, sir."

"You acknowledge your guilt, then?"

"Yes, sir."

But the president wanted to give the man a chance, and asked another
question, to which an affirmative answer would be a matter of course.

"But you are sorry for your conduct?" he asked.

The accused, however, again hesitated. Naturally every one expected him
to say "yes," so that people were not listening very attentively. But
when this "yes" did not appear to be forthcoming, all eyes were
suddenly fixed upon Vogt.

"No," said he firmly.

The president looked amazed. "You cannot have understood me," he said.
"I asked you if you were not sorry for your conduct?"

But the answer came, clear and decided: "No, I cannot be sorry."

Every one present looked dumfounded. Wegstetten thrust his sword
angrily against the ground. God in heaven! was the fellow an ass? Now
his fate was sealed!

Those who were assisting at the court-martial looked indignant; the
chief of them, a major of dragoons, tapped impatiently on the table
with his gold pencil-case, and gave a condemnatory shake of his head.
The youngest of his colleagues, a senior-lieutenant in the grenadiers,
twirled his moustache briskly; the expression of his face said plainly:
"Just wait a bit! we'll give you a lesson!"

The public prosecutor beamed. He rose with an air of triumph, and
demanded, "having full regard for all the extenuating circumstances of
the case, but also in consideration of the obstinate persistence of the
accused in his offence," a punishment of nine months' imprisonment.

Vogt turned as pale as death when he heard these words. This was
impossible! It could not, it ought not to be!

The court was not long in coming to its decision, and its judgment was
read out by the president in a quiet even tone of voice.

The accused hung on his lips wi