orn,
returning from the kitchen, where he had left his fair companion.

'Dark clouds are beginning to overshadow our horizon,' answered Fessel,
with anxious concern. 'Colonel von Goes has arrived, and demands
permission to march through the city with seven squadrons of the
Lichtensteins.'

'Goes!' exclaimed Dorn, becoming paler than his brother-in-law, and
covering his face with his hands.

'What is the matter with you?' asked the astonished Fessel. 'Do you
know so much evil of the man?'

'From the knowledge I obtained of him during my military service,'
answered Dorn, making an effort to command himself, 'I may pronounce
him a good soldier, and a man of honor; but he adheres to the catholic
faith with ferocious zeal.'

'We are under no obligation,' continued Fessel, 'to admit troops
within our walls, except upon the especial command of his imperial
majesty....'

'You will not do so on this occasion!' exclaimed Dorn with fearful
vehemence. 'You will render the people of your city miserable if you
open your gates to these dreadful protectors. They have given a
specimen of the manner in which they treat protestants, at Glogau.'

'What can we do?' said Fessel, shrugging his shoulders. 'The honorable
council have a great inclination to admit them, and for that purpose
hastily called some of the most respectable burghers to the town-house,
to give their opinions as to what answer should be returned to the
request. We honestly stated to the gentlemen what we expected of them.
The colonel then remarked, that he hoped we would not show such
disrespect to the imperial troops, as to compel them to take a wide
circuit round the city in the present cold state of the weather. He
then proceeded solemnly to swear and protest, that he only desired a
passage through the city, and a brief rest for the refreshment and
recovery of the frozen. Indeed, he said he would have no part in God's
kingdom, if any citizen were injured in consequence of the granting of
his request.'

'For God's sake, trust not to that oath,' begged Dorn.

'If the colonel be a man of honor, as you say, wherefore not?' asked
Fessel with surprise.

'Have you forgotten that horrible saying, _haereticis non est servanda
fides_?' cried Dorn. 'No time is to be lost in averting the evil. The
council is still in session. I will accompany you to the town-house,
and ask leave to address them upon this matter. Schweidnitz must not
open her gates to these hordes. Th