first who began, said: 'I do not assent to this. Who asked them to wait
so long here? they might long ere now have marched away, if they had
chosen.' Another said: 'You are right, cousin Kurtz; I would rather
tear myself in pieces than consent.' The third then said: 'So, ho!
first they hew down our gates, and then, forsooth, they cannot go
further, and expect us to give them quarters: most decidedly not!' The
fourth now spoke: 'The honourable Commander seems to be an honest man,
but let him say what he will, there is no doubt that we must provide
food for them, for truly they bring nothing with them.' The fifth then
began: 'That is right, cousin Hopf: do you not remember how it fared
with us when the Imperial cavalry came? they behaved in like manner;
and afterwards we could not get rid of them, but were obliged to keep
them with a good grace.' The sixth said: 'This will never do; we cannot
provide them with quarters till we have received orders from our
government, otherwise we shall be punished.' The seventh spoke thus:
'Did I not tell you, gentlemen, what would happen, by keeping these
people so long outside? Truly the President, Herr Laeufer, has made off,
and slips his head out of the noose, leaving us to bear the brunt. Take
heed; they say they will be off to-morrow, but they have been marching
yesterday and to-day, and to-morrow they will make a day of rest, as
they will need repose. Rest assured that I am right; what think you,
gentlemen? suppose we were to send a messenger on horseback to
Meiningen?'

"I had listened to all the discussions of the councillors, and now I
began, and said: 'Gentlemen, you come to no conclusion; I will inform
my Commander of it, let it fare with you as it may.' But he who had
gone with me to the Lieutenant-Colonel, begged me to wait but a little,
and they would just send to the treasurer and city clerk to confer with
them. Here the strife began again, none would go thither. At last one
of them allowed himself to be persuaded, but soon returned again,
saying they had both ridden off when we hewed down the gates. Then I
said, 'Now, gentlemen, do what you like; I will not wait a moment
longer.'

"Thereupon the eighth and last began to speak, he who had accompanied
me to the Lieutenant: 'Gentlemen, what shall we do; here they are, and
you have heard what the Commander says: if we will allot them no
quarters, he will let his soldiers go into whatsoever houses they
please; if they fill