closed with the military honour of musketry
fired over the soldier's grave. That over, I
was sucked back by the retreating tide of
citizens into the main street of Carlsruhe.

The crowd instantly dispersed; and, as I
wandered through the side streets, I soon saw
that the authorities had come to life. My
attention was first called to an official
announcement freshly posted, which warned all
persons from assembling in the public street
in knots or clusters, even of three or four;
on pain of being instantly dispersed by the
military. Another placard fulminated an
injunction to parents, masters, and burghers to
restrain and confine all persons under their
charge—such as workmen, servants, and
children—within their respective houses;
because, for any offence committed by them
against the public peace, such masters or
parents would be held responsible. I began
to fancy myself in a state of siege. Wandering
again into the main street I was met by a
strong division of dusty dragoons, in full
equipment of war, which came sweeping and
clashing along from adjacent parts of the
country, evidently under urgent orders.
Another and another followed. Troops of
infantry tramped hastily along the side
streets. The very few civilians I met in the
streets seemed to be hurrying to shelter from
a coming storm. Was there really any social
tempest in the wind? Or were all these
precautions but a locking of the stable door
after the steed was stolen?

Having roamed by chance into a sequestered
beer-house, I was surprised to find myself
in the midst of a large party of students;
probably from Heidelberg. They were well-grown
youths, with silken blond beards; and,
in their behaviour, half swaggerers, half
gentlemen. These were, perhaps, the enemies
of order against whom the tremendous
military preparations had been made.

As the day wore on it became evident that
the authorities were ready to brave the most
overwhelming revolution that ever burst forth.
Troop after troop of cavalry galloped in;
every soldier, indeed, of whatever arm
stationed within an available distance of
Carlsruhe, was brought within its walls. By
eight o'clock in the evening the military
preparations were completed: a picket of
infantry was stationed at every street corner;
and, from that hour to the break of day,
parties of dragoons swept the main thoroughfares,
clashing and clattering over the paved
road with a din that kept me awake all night.
Intercourse between one street and another,
except on urgent business, was interdicted;
and the humblest pedestrian found abroad
without an urgent errand was conducted
home with drums beating, colours flying, and
all the honours of war. The display of force
answered its purpose in preventing a second
attack of Christians on Jews. The pale ghost
of insubordination was laid and dared not
walk abroad—especially at night.

I must say I felt a little relieved when it
was ascertained for certain that the city was
safe. I am no friend to despotism nor to
political thraldom of any kind; but really it
is impossible not to feel for the solemn
aristocracies of German Grand-Duchies (who,
if they be despots, are extremely amiable)
when, poor people, they are in the least put
out of their way: they are so dreadfully
fussy, so fearfully piteous, so distraught, so
inconsolable. I was glad therefore that, the
revolution being put down, they could retire
in peace to their coffee, their picquet, and
their metaphysics. Doubtless Thalermacher
(some Hebrew millionnaire, perhaps) and
Kugelblitz (a fire-eater, for certain) had
headed a frightful band of anarchists; who,
but for the indomitable energy of the
authorities, would peradventure have changed the
destiny of the entire Duchy, of Germany, of
Europe itself! Nothing but so illimitable an
apprehension could have been the cause
of such a siege-like effect. What else could
have occasioned the entire blockade of
Carlsruhe?

I had, however, exaggerated the cause as
well as the danger; and I will now relate
the real circumstances which had led to all
these awful results; for the facts were afterwards
made known in the Carlsruhe and
Baden-Baden public journals of the day.

Early in the month of August, eighteen
hundred and forty-three, the inhabitants of
Baden-Baden gave a ball in honour of the
Grand-Princess Helene of Baden, and the
Duchess of Nassau. Among the names on
the subscription-list stood that of Herr
Heller von Thalermacher. Some unexplained
animosity existed between this gentleman and
Lieutenant Kugelblitz, who was also one of
the subscribers.

Baron Donner von Kugelblitz, chief
lieutenant of the Baden artillery, although only
in his twenty-ninth year, had already spent
fourteen years in military service, and was
highly esteemed for his soldierly qualities,
and straightforward bearing. He was tall,
remarkably handsome, of an impetuous
temperament, and his natural strength had
been well developed by constant practice in
manly and athletic exercises. Herr Heller
von Thalermacher, or rather the firm of
which he was the prominent member, was
distinguished for qualities far different, but
equally deserving of goodwill. The banking-
house of Thalermacher was one of the most
responsible in South Germany; and, at great
expense and sacrifice, had introduced into the
grand, but by no means affluent, duchy of
Baden several branches of industry, which
had enriched the ducal treasury, and
furnished employment for thousands of
industrious subjects. It had revived the almost
extinguished mining interest, had introduced
extensive spinning machinery, and had
established a factory for the manufacture of beetroot
sugar.