This, after all, will be nothing more
than is usually done to catch hold of the head in order to exhibit it to
the public after decapitation, the only difference being that it is
generally tied on after the criminal has taken his seat on the scaffold,
while in this case it will be done before. Another bandage should be
bound round his eyes at the same time, which is also customary; thus a
great portion of the prisoner's face will be hidden. His arms will be
pinioned firmly to his sides, so as to render all attempt at the removal
of the bandage impossible, and everything will pass off quietly." "Well, well, you're a queer dog. See that it _does_ pass off quietly,
that's all, and don't bother me any more about it. Mind, I leave the
matter entirely in your hands." "Never fear, sir, I am off at once to the house of the Scharfrichter;
trust everything to me. Stay, you had better issue an order for the
gates of the town to be closed at once. You can give me a pass before I
start, or they will shut me out with the rest." "True; just wait one moment. Here--the pen and ink--so now be off as
fast as you can." Off started the servant of the burgomaster with the order to the
gatekeeper to close the gates, and the pass which was to admit none but
himself, and after the gatekeeper had received the necessary
instructions, Heinrich passed rapidly through the gates and directed his
steps towards the house of the Scharfrichter. He chuckled to himself as
he contemplated the success of his scheme. "What would the death of his father at my hands be to him to the
discovery of having taken his father's life himself! That will be
revenge indeed! Now to the fulfilment of my scheme there is no
obstacle." He had proceeded about an English mile on his way when, suddenly lifting
his eyes, he descried in the distance the figure of an aged man, who
appeared to be going the same road as himself. He hastened his steps,
and soon overtook the veteran, whom he now recognised as one of his
fellow citizens, a certain Gustav Meyer, and known to be one of the
greatest gossips in the neighbourhood. "Good-day, Gustav," said Göbel, with forced good humour. "Where are you
off to on those venerable pins of yours?" "Ach! lieber, freund Göbel!" exclaimed the loquacious old man; "how are
you? I have not seen you for an age. You have grown proud since you have
been in the burgomaster's service, and forget that it was I who got you
the situation, for you never come to see me now, though we used to be
such cronies, you know. But you young folks never think it worth while
to give us old fogies a call to see how we are. Why, I might be dead and
buried for all you would know about it, and even if you did hear of it,
I suppose it would be all the same to you, eh? "Well, well, 'ingratitude is the reward of the world,' as the proverb
says, and we old fogies with one foot in the grave and the other about
to follow must make up our minds to be put on the shelf. We all have our
turn; I have had mine, you are having yours, but old age comes at last,
and then there is an end of us all, even to the best of us. Even I have
been young, friend Göbel. Ha! ha! You'd hardly think so to look at me
now with these silvery locks and tottering limbs. I say you'd hardly
think so now, would you, eh? Now, how many years should you think I
could count, friend Göbel, tell me?" "I haven't the slightest idea," said Göbel, impatiently. "I am hard upon ninety years old, and all tell me that I carry my years
well. I may say I haven't had a day's illness in all my life. I have
nearly all my teeth yet, and----"

"I have no doubt all you say is very true, my friend," interrupted
Göbel; "but you have hardly answered my question satisfactorily yet. I
asked you where you were going?" "Friend Göbel," said the old man, "now I'll just tell you what I propose
doing this morning, just by way of stretching my old limbs, seeing that
I have not had a walk for an age. It does old folks good to go out for a
stroll every now and then in the country. Too much staying at home over
the fire isn't good, even for the likes of me." "Well, well," broke in Göbel, beginning to lose all patience. "I asked
you where you were going." "Did you? Ah yes, I had nearly forgot. We old folks are apt to lose our
memories at times, you know, my friend, so you young folks ought to have
compassion on us, and recollect that we were once like you, and that you
will one day become like us, therefore----"

"This is insufferable," burst out Göbel, whose forbearance was quite at
an end. "I ask you a plain question, and I expect a plain answer. I
repeat the question--Where are you going?" "Hoity, toity! friend Göbel," cried the old man, in great surprise. "What! so impatient with your old friend Gustav! Don't you remember how
often I have taken you upon my knee and danced you? We used to be great
friends then. Don't you recollect? But I suppose you have forgotten all
that now, eh?--since you have become a man. Let me see, how long ago
must that be? Full thirty years ago, if it's a day, I'll warrant." "Will you, or will you not, give me a plain answer to a plain question. Tell me where you are going?" cried Göbel, now quite furious, and
shaking the old man violently by both shoulders. "Softly, softly! friend Göbel," cried the veteran, much alarmed. "Save
my life. Prithee, save my life, and I will tell you where I am going, if
you will have patience." "Well, tell me at once, and let us have no more chattering," said Göbel,
leaving go his hold. "Well, in the first place, then," began old Gustav, recovering
himself--"in the first place----but stay, upon second thoughts, I'll
just leave you to guess where I am going. Now, where do you think?" "Dotard, have a care!" cried Göbel, threateningly, "and trifle with me
no longer. Tell me where you are going, or----"

"Well, well, friend Göbel, I'll tell you; don't be afraid, don't let two
such old friends as we are quarrel for a trifle--I'll tell you where I
am going, although I must say that I think you seem to take an uncommon
interest in the doings of an old man like me, who, though he be an old
friend----"

"Take care now!" "Well, well, my friend, wait one moment; I'll tell you. I told you
before that I would tell you, and I will be as good as my word, if you
will have one moment's patience--for patience, friend Göbel, patience, I
say, is a virtue that we ought all to cultivate, and which we all of us
more or less are sadly wanting in. But to proceed; though, after all, my
friend, what hurry can you possibly have to learn so simple a fact? It
appears to me that the world has grown wondrously impatient since my
time; that is, if everybody is like you, but as I said before----"

"Tell me! tell me!" screamed Göbel, seizing his venerable friend a
second time by the shoulders.