had refused her also. He preferred, he told
her, to be shot, since flight would expose
him among his friends to the suspicion of a
treachery in the surrender. Having put
aside my plan, he now dined with good
appetite, and took two glasses of wine.

It became dark by-and-by, and my heart
was very sore. The good-natured
lieutenant came to fetch me, but I begged his
permission to stay with my husband, and
he had not the heart to resist. At five
o'clock, he said, the carriage should be
before the postern, to convey me back into
the town.

It was then seven o'clock in the evening,
Otto was happy that I should be a few hours
longer with him. I was depressed, but had
strength enough to conceal my weakness.
I became more and more sorrowful, and
watched with anguish every step of the
sentries and patrols. The hours flew with
rapidity, and yet the minutes were very long!
On a sudden, I heard the tramping of many
feet coming to the prison, and awakened Otto.
He rose directly, and went into the other
compartment of the casemate, where was the
door, to speak to those who came. They
were two officers, who whispered to him—
but I heard every word— that the soldiers
for the execution were ordered for next
morning at half-past four.

"It is hard," answered O — , "that they make
with me an exception, for there should be no
executions on a Sunday."

"We have thought so too," answered the
officers; "but it is ordered, as we say. Moreover,
you have our word of honour that we
know nothing positive beyond the order for
the patrol to be ready; and we must request
your lady to leave you at three o'clock, when
we will have the honour to fetch her and
accompany her to her hotel."

"I thank you, gentlemen," rny husband
said; "she will be ready."

It is impossible to describe the agonies of
those hours, the remembrance of which never
can fade from me but with my life. They
could not be borne, I think, twice in a lifetime.
Fear to give way to weakness, and to
move Otto too much by it, made me so
collected, that I shed no tear, and seemed almost
deprived of feeling. We spoke all night
together. My husband held me in his arms and
tried to comfort me. But I had only one
thought: his hand so warm, his breath so
hot now, and all will be cold to-morrow: he
will be dead— an inanimate body.

At a few minutes before three o'clock in
the morning the two officers came back to
fetch me.

When I was alone in my inn bedroom, I
opened the window and looked out towards
the dawn.

These are some portions of the journal of
my wife. From them I turn back to my
own experiences. When she left me I outwardly
prepared myself for the last passage
of my life, by putting on clean linen, taking
off the locket I wore round my neck, and
cutting a lock from my hair for persons dear
to me. I chose also a red silk neckerchief
with which to bind my eyes. I had a strong
sensation which was not fear; or, if fear, was
a pleased fear. I had known nothing in my
former life so much resembling it as the
sensation upon entering, while still a youth
and inexpert, a ball-room, in which there
were many beauties, I had also— as I had
had the day before— a peculiar longing for a
rose. As for anything like the experiences of
Victor Hugo's Last Hours of a Condemned,
they may be described from nature, but the
nature they describe was happily not mine.

At dawn I heard in the yard many steps.
They are corning, I thought. Farewell
beautiful earth; farewell to the old mother
who takes up day after day the paper with a
trembling hand; farewell my dear good
wife! There was no need for such
leave-taking. The first of my visitors whom I
distinguished through the gloom of the cell
was the city major.

"Is it time, gentlemen?" I asked; "I am
quite ready."

"No, friend," said a voice from behind the
rest— the voice of my late advocate, Dr. K.—
"we bring you better news."

This brave helper, having a friend in the
Ministry of War, had paid a night visit to
Carlsruhe, and had come back, during the
hour after midnight, with distinct news of the
alteration of my sentence. Prussian
"misunderstandings" caused in those days many
to get their reprieves after they were shot,
and in my own case I am tolerably sure that,
but for Dr. K., I should have been shot on
Sunday morning, and the commutation of my
sentence would have been announced on
Monday.

Words of true sympathy, written under the
strongest of emotions, well or ill written;
must have an interest of their own for
human eyes. Therefore I again take scraps
from my wife's diary to carry on this
narrative.

I would go directly to see my husband,
but I was not permitted, and wrote letters to
my brother, to my Mannheim friends, and to
my good mother-in-law. At half-past six I
was with Otto, who was very calm, and
liked not to show his gladness. He tried to
bear with the same equanimity this happy
change. But I myself felt very happy,
infinitely happy for him; for he loves this
life very much. Through my entreaties, I had
been permitted to stay as long as I liked
with my husband. All the day through
came Baudin, and even Prussian officers,
and many common soldiers, to the iron grate
before the window, and expressed their pleasure
at his escape. There was a much greater
interest shown towards him than to any one