Henceforward, with Sand’s permission, persons who wished to speak to him and whom he was not reluctant to see, were admitted:  three among these paid him long and noteworthy visits.

One was Major Holzungen, of the Baden army, who was in command of the patrol that had arrested him, or rather picked him up, dying, and carried him to the hospital.  He asked him whether he recognised him, and Sand’s head was so clear when he stabbed himself, that although he saw the major only for a moment and had never seen him again since, he remembered the minutest details of the costume which he had been wearing fourteen months previously, and which was the full-dress uniform.  When the talk fell upon the death to which Sand was to submit at so early an age, the major pitied him; but Sand answered, with a smile, “There is only one difference between you and me, major; it is that I shall die far my convictions, and you will die for someone else’s convictions.”

After the major came a young student from Jena whom Sand had known at the university.  He happened to be in the duchy of Baden and wished to visit him.  Their recognition was touching, and the student wept much; but Sand consoled him with his usual calmness and serenity.

Then a workman asked to be admitted to see Sand, on the plea that he had been his schoolfellow at Wonsiedel, and although he did not remember his name, he ordered him to be let in:  the workman reminded him that he had been one of the little army that Sand had commanded on the day of the assault of St. Catherine’s tower.  This indication guided Sand, who recognised him perfectly, and then spoke with tender affection of his native place and his dear mountains.  He further charged him to greet his family, and to beg his mother, father, brothers, and sisters once more not to be grieved on his account, since the messenger who undertook to deliver his last wards could testify in how calm and joyful a temper he was awaiting death.

To this workman succeeded one of the guests whom Sand had met on the staircase directly after Kotzebue’s death.  He asked him whether he acknowledged his crime and whether he felt any repentance.  Sand replied, “I had thought about it during a whole year.  I have been thinking of it for fourteen months, and my opinion has never varied in any respect:  I did what I should have done.”

After the departure of this last visitor, Sand sent for Mr. G——­, the governor of the prison, and told him that he should like to talk to the executioner before the execution, since he wished to ask for instructions as to how he should hold himself so as to render the operation most certain and easy.  Mr. G——­made some objections, but Sand insisted with his usual gentleness, and Mr. G——­at last promised that the man in question should be asked to call at the prison as soon as he arrived from Heidelberg, where he lived.