e walked on before them,
thinking to herself how she could best make him declare his veritable
intentions. But now an event occurred which plainly showed her the
abyss round which she trod. A cloud of dust arose on the road leading
to Ladenburg. On approaching, the three discerned a cart surrounded by
mounted men accompanying two prisoners. Erastus pained at such a sight
looked away. On this one of the prisoners, a long tall figure arose and
cried out to the physician: "Friend, appeal on our behalf to the
Kurfuerst. We were not in earnest, and did not intend to emigrate."
Struck by the well known sound of this voice Erastus stared at the
afflicted dust-covered man and recognized with horror Inspector Sylvan
whose guest he had frequently been in Ladenburg.

"There stands the traitor," now cried with furious gestures the other
prisoner. Deacon Vehe, "he overheard us in the Hirsch," A cold smile
passed over Paul's pale face.

"Take heed of him," now cried Sylvan, "and warn Neuser." With that the
sad cavalcade passed on, as the riders whipped up the horses, so as to
prevent any further remarks being exchanged. Horrified Erastus gazed at
Laurenzano's cold stony face, whilst Lydia burst into tears. It
suddenly became clear to her that the Magister was still treading the
same dark paths, and as he had hurried to their destruction these men,
friends of her father, so had she almost become his victim. She
immediately depicted him to herself as wearing the cowl, from under
which his demoniacal eyes gleamed at her, as her own had terrified her
at that time from under the "Mirror of remembrance."

"Why have you accused those two men?" asked Erastus hoarsely of the
Italian.

Laurenzano contemptuously shrugged his shoulders. "I know not what the
good people mean. They took out in the Hirsch all kinds of papers and
whispered together, whilst my brother Felix was relating his adventures
to me, then they suddenly arose, cast an angry look at us and left
without greeting. Had they forbidden secrets, it was not necessary for
them to mention them in a tavern."

Erastus looked in silence at the Italian, but Paul continued calmly in
a tone of slight reproof: "Moreover I only went to these evening
gatherings because you advised me not to hold myself aloof from the
country clergy. After my experience of to-day I shall deny myself that
pleasure."

"Pardon me," answered Erastus with a feeling of shame, holding out his
hand to Paul, "in t