“All that is earthly is ended,
     And the life of heaven begins.”

He next took leave of the physician and the priests, saying to them, “Do not attribute the emotion of my voice to weakness but to gratitude.”  Then, upon these gentlemen offering to accompany him to the scaffold, he said, “There is no need; I am perfectly prepared, at peace with God and with my conscience.  Besides, am I not almost a Churchman myself?” And when one of them asked whether he was not going out of life in a spirit of hatred, he returned, “Why, good heavens! have I ever felt any?”

An increasing noise was audible from the street, and Sand said again that he was at their disposal and that he was ready.  At this moment the executioner came in with his two assistants; he was dressed in a long wadded black coat, beneath which he hid his sword.  Sand offered him his hand affectionately; and as Mr. Widemann, embarrassed by the sword which he wished to keep Sand from seeing, did not venture to come forward, Sand said to him, “Come along and show me your sword; I have never seen one of the kind, and am curious to know what it is like.”

Mr. Widemann, pale and trembling, presented the weapon to him; Sand examined it attentively, and tried the edge with his finger.

“Come,” said he, “the blade is good; do not tremble, and all will go well.”  Then, turning to Mr. G——­, who was weeping, he said to him, “You will be good enough, will you not, to do me the service of leading me to the scaffold?”

Mr. G——­made a sign of assent with his head, for he could not answer.  Sand took his arm, and spoke for the third time, saying once more, “Well, what are you waiting for, gentlemen?  I am ready.”

When they reached the courtyard, Sand saw all the prisoners weeping at their windows.  Although he had never seen them, they were old friends of his; for every time they passed his door, knowing that the student who had killed Kotzebue lay within, they used to lift their chain, that he might not be disturbed by the noise.

All Mannheim was in the streets that led to the place of execution, and many patrols were passing up and down.  On the day when the sentence was announced the whole town had been sought through for a chaise in which to convey Sand to the scaffold, but no one, not even the coach-builders, would either let one out or sell one; and it had been necessary, therefore, to buy one at Heidelberg without saying for what purpose.

Sand found this chaise in the courtyard, and got into it with Mr. G——.  Turning to him, he whispered in his ear, “Sir, if you see me turn pale, speak my name to me, my name only, do you hear?  That will be enough.”

The prison gate was opened, and Sand was seen; then every voice cried with one impulse, “Farewell, Sand, farewell!”

And at the same time flowers, some of which fell into the carriage, were thrown by the crowd that thronged the street, and from the windows.  At these friendly cries and at this spectacle, Sand, who until then had shown no moment of weakness, felt tears rising in spite of himself, and while he returned the greetings made to him on all sides, he murmured in a low voice, “O my God, give me courage!”