d neither got an answer nor
had the tribunal come to a decision of his case, definitely as it had
been announced. Therefore, on the twelfth day, fully determined to
know the disposition of the government towards him, whatever it might
be, he sent another pressing application to the ministry for the
passport. But how surprised he was, when on the evening of the
following day (which had likewise passed away without the expected
answer), as he stepped towards the window of his back room, deeply
occupied in pondering over his situation, and especially on the amnesty
which Dr. Luther had obtained for him, he did not see the guards who
had been given him by the Prince of Misnia in the little outhouse which
had been assigned as their abode. The old servant Thomas whom he
called, and of whom he asked what this meant, answered with a sigh,
"Master, all is not as it should be! The soldiers, of whom there are
more than usual to-day, dispersed themselves over the whole house as
night advanced. Two are standing with spear and shield in the street
before the front door, two in the garden at the back door, and two
others are lying on a heap of straw in the anteroom, where they say
they intend to sleep." Kohlhaas, who changed colour, turned round and
said it was just the same to him whether they were there or not, and
that as soon as he got to the passage he should set up a light that the
soldiers might see.

Under the pretext of emptying a vessel he opened the front shutter and
convinced himself that the old man had spoken the truth; for the guard
had just been quietly relieved, a measure which never had been thought
of before. This ascertained he lay down in his bed, little inclined to
sleep, and with his mind thoroughly made up as to what he should do the
next day. Nothing on the part of the government was more displeasing
to him than the empty show of justice, while, in fact, the amnesty was
broken; and in case he was a prisoner, about which there seemed to be
no doubt, he wished to compel the government to declare it clearly and
without ambiguity. Therefore, at the dawn of the following day, he had
his vehicle brought up, and the horses put to it by Sternbald his
servant, to go, as he said, to the farmer at Lockewitz, who had spoken
to him a few days before at Dresden as an old acquaintance, and had
invited him to pay him a visit with his children. The soldiers, who
were laying their heads together, and perceived the mov