struck at his
neck, and when he stood on his defence, wounded him severely with a
dagger. In this manner things go on daily; they already level their
guns at our watchmen upon the walls, and we shall soon be forced to put
on armour when we go to the sessions-house. For all this evil we have
to thank no one but you; and do you, therefore, find a remedy. You have
cooked this bitter broth for us, and do you now help in eating it, that
we may at last have clean dishes."

"Lead the wounded man to the nearest surgeon," said Erasmus to the
servant in waiting. "He shall be dressed at my expense."

The servant obeyed. The burgomaster crept up to his seat of honour, and
sat himself down exhausted, as he turned to the last speaker.--"It is
hard of you, colleague, to lay to my charge the consequences of
measures which were adopted by the general consent of the council.
Besides, the affair is not yet settled, and your reproaches, therefore,
in any case, are too early. If the emperor should receive our answer as
valid, we shall then assuredly not be denied satisfaction for the
waylayings of these knightly robbers. From Ingolstadt, too, the legal
opinion has been sent in reply to our inquiries, that we proceeded well
with Tausdorf, and I still, therefore, entertain good hopes."

"If these hopes should not happen to be built on sand," exclaimed
Alderman Franz; "the Emperor will hardly decide on us by the opinion of
the gentlemen of Ingolstadt. The whole investigation was of so hostile
a nature, and so humiliating in the forms for us, that we may thence
infer a severe sentence with tolerable certainty. Besides, I have heard
a bird whistle on this subject, whose tune by no means pleases me."

The burgomaster stared in alarm at his colleague, when the door opened,
and the servant announced, "The delegates returning from Prague."

"Returned already!" exclaimed Erasmus, and the last blood-drops forsook
his face, so that he looked quite awful, like the alabaster-bust of
some evil old Roman emperor.

And the old Christopher Drescher, the Alderman Melchior Lange, the
Syndic Dr. Lange, entered slowly, with downcast eyes, and in silence
took their places at the sessions-table. They were followed by the
Secretary Jonas, who, with a heavy sigh, laid down his leathern
portfolio on a side-table and opened it.

"You bring us nothing good?" asked Erasmus, after a long pause; and
the Syndic exclaimed, "What is the use of delaying, for you must