the latter any such fault as the castellan charged.  On the other hand, an equally admirable feeling took deeper and deeper root the farther he rode, hearing at every stop of the outrages perpetrated daily upon travelers at Tronka Castle; this instinct told him that if, as seemed probable, the whole incident proved to be a preconcerted plot, it was his duty to the world to make every effort to obtain for himself satisfaction for the injury suffered, and for his fellow-countrymen a guarantee against similar injuries in the future.

On his arrival at Kohlhaasenbrueck, as soon as he had embraced his faithful wife Lisbeth and had kissed his children, who were shouting joyfully about his knees, he asked at once after Herse, the head groom, and whether anything had been heard from him.  Lisbeth answered, “Oh yes, dearest Michael—­that Herse!  Just think!  The poor fellow arrived here about a fortnight ago, most pitifully bruised and beaten; really, he was so battered that he couldn’t even breathe freely.  We put him to bed, where he kept coughing up blood, and after repeated questions we heard a story that no one could understand.  He told us that you had left him at Tronka Castle in charge of some horses which they would not allow to pass through there, that by the most shameful maltreatment he had been forced to leave the castle, and that it had been impossible for him to bring the horses with him.”

“Really!” exclaimed Kohlhaas, taking off his cloak.  “I suppose he has recovered before this?”

“Pretty well, except that he still coughs blood,” she answered.  “I wanted to send another groom at once to Tronka Castle so as to have the horses taken care of until you got back there; for as Herse has always shown himself truthful and, indeed, more faithful to us than any other has ever been, I felt I had no right to doubt his statement, especially when confirmed by so many bruises, or to think that perhaps he had lost the horses in some other way.  He implored me, however, not to require any one to go to that robber’s nest, but to give the animals up if I didn’t wish to sacrifice a man’s life for them.”

“And is he still abed?” asked Kohlhaas, taking off his neckcloth.

“He’s been going about in the yard again for several days now,” she answered.  “In short, you will see for yourself,” she continued, “that it’s all quite true and that this incident is merely another one of those outrages that have been committed of late against strangers at Tronka Castle.”

“I must first investigate that,” answered Kohlhaas.  “Call him in here, Lisbeth, if he is up and about.”  With these words he sat down in the arm-chair and his wife, delighted at his calmness, went and fetched the groom.

“What did you do at Tronka Castle,” asked Kohlhaas, as Lisbeth entered the room with him.  “I am not very well pleased with you.”

On the groom’s pale face spots of red appeared at these words.  He was silent for a while—­then he answered, “You are right there, Sir; for a sulphur cord, which by the will of Providence I was carrying in my pocket so as to set fire to the robber’s nest from which I had been driven, I threw into the Elbe when I heard a child crying inside the castle, and I thought to myself, ’Let God’s lightning burn it down; I will not!’”