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'Germany　in　her　Deepest　Degradation；'　must　have　been　written　against
him　alone。　Oh；　during　the　days　of　my　sojourn　in　Erlangen；　I　have
read　this　pamphlet；　and　whatever　may　befall　me；　I　am　glad　it　was　I
who　circulated　it；　for　a　noble　German　spirit　pervades　the　whole　of
it；　and　it　is　truth　that　raises　the　scourge　in　it　to　lash　the　guilty
parties。　It　is　a　vigorous　and　glowing　description　of　the　condition
to　which　all　the　German　states　have　been　reduced　by　Bonaparte's
arbitrary　proceedings。　Just　listen　to　this　one　passage；　and　then　you
may　judge　whether　the　pamphlet　tells　the　truth　or　not。〃

He　drew　a　few　printed　leaves　from　his　side…pocket；　and　unfolded
them。

〃You　have　got　a　copy　of　the　dreadful　pamphlet　with　you？〃　asked　Anna；
in　dismay。　〃Oh；　how　imprudent！　If　they　should　come　now　to　arrest
you；　they　would　obtain　a　new　proof　of　your　guilt。　I　implore　you；　my
friend；　my　beloved；　if　you　love　me；　if　your　children　are　dear　to
you；　be　cautious　and　prudent！　Burn　those　terrible　leaves；　so　that
they　may　not　testify　against　you。　Remember　that　I　should　die　of
grief　if　your　life　should　be　threatened；　remember　that　our　poor
children　then　would　be　helpless　orphans。〃

〃Oh；　my　poor；　timid　roe；〃　said　Palm；　deeply　moved；　encircling　his
weeping　young　wife　with　his　arms。　〃How　your　faithful；　innocent　heart
is　fluttering；　as　if　the　cruel　hunter　were　already　aiming　his
murderous　arm　at　us；　and　as　if　we　were　irretrievably　doomed！　Calm
yourself；　dearest；　I　pledge　you　my　word　that　I　will　comply　with　your
wishes。　We　will　burn　the　pamphlet；　but　previously　you　shall　learn；
at　least；　the　spirit　in　which　this　pamphlet；　for　which　your　poor
husband　will　have　to　suffer；　perhaps；　a　few　days'　imprisonment；　is
written。　Just　listen　to　me！　The　author　is　speaking　here　of　Bavaria；
and　of　the　oppressions　to　which　she　is　a　prey　since　we　have
concluded　an　alliance　with　France。　He　says：　'Since　that　time　the
Bavarian　states　have　become　the　winter　quarters；　and　been　treated　in
a　manner　unheard　of　since　the　Thirty　Years'　War。　At　that　time　the
Austrians；　under　Tilly　and　Wallenstein；　were　pursuing　precisely　the
same　course　now　followed　by　the　French；　and　if　their　emperor　draws
no　other　lessons　from　that　war；　he　has　closely　copied；　at　least；　the
system　of　obtaining　supplies　for　an　army　which　was　then　in　use。
Trustworthy　men　have　assured　us　that　the　French　ruler；　when　in
Munich　the　most　urgent　remonstrances　concerning　the　oppressions
under　which　the　people　of　Bavaria　were　groaning　were　made　to　him；
replied　in　cold　blood：　〃My　soldiers　have　not　done　so。　These　are
times　of　warlet　me　alone；　and　do　not　disturb　my　plans。〃　Already　in
December　last　the　treaty　of　Presburg　was　signed；　and　from　that
moment　Austria　had　the　prospect　of　getting　rid　of　her　enemies。　Had
Bavaria　not　an　equal　right　to　enjoy　the　advantages　of　this　treaty？
These　advantages　could　be　none　other　than　that　the　French　army　left
the　Bavarian　territories　and　relieved　the　people　from　further
oppressions。　But　just　the　reverse　took　place。　The　French　withdrew
from　the　states　of　the　German　emperor　to　occupy　Bavaria；　and
celebrate　here；　by　the　ruin　of　all　the　inhabitants；　their　victories
in　orgies　and　carousals　continued　for　many　months。　If　I　refer　to　the
ruin　of　the　inhabitants；　the　words　should　be　taken　in　their　literal
meaning；　and　not　as　an　expression　merely　chosen　to　depict　the　misery
the　French　have　brought　upon　Bavaria。　It　is　not　yet　five　years　since
a　hostile　army　of　the　same　nation　lorded　it　over　that　country。　And
nobody　will　venture　to　assert　that　the　wounds　then　inflicted　upon
the　inhabitants　should　have　been　healed　in　so　short　a　time。　The
farmer；　deprived　of　his　animals；　had　scarcely　commenced　to　provide
himself　again　with　horses　and　cattle；　when　the　passage　of　the
French；　in　every　respect　equal　to　an　invasion；　took　from　him　again
this　important　portion　of　his　personal　property。　Fraud；　cunning；　and
force　were　alternately　resorted　to　for　this　purpose。　Tears　and　the
most　humble　supplications　were　rejected　with　sneers；　and　even　blows。
The　French　called　themselves　〃preservers　of　Bavaria。〃　Forsooth　a
preservation　similar　to　the　fate　of　the　patient　whom　one　doctor
would　have　sooner　sent　into　the　grave；　and　who　is　dying　more　slowly
under　the　hands　of　another。　If　friendship　ever　was　a　mockery；　it　was
so　on　this　occasion。　But　it　is　part　of　Napoleon's　plans　to　exhaust
Germany　to　such　an　extent　as　to　render　her　incapable　of　becoming
dangerous　for　him　even　in　the　most　remote　future。　He　selected
several　highly　effective　expedients　for　this　purpose。　Dynasties；　the
ancestors　of　which　date　back　to　the　most　remote　ages；　and　one　of
which　long　since　produced　emperors　and　kings；　were　united　with
Bonaparte's　family　by　the　closest　ties　of　blood；　and　thus　the　ruler
of　France　has　already　become　the　relative　of　the　courts　of　Baden；
Bavaria；　Sweden；　and　Russia。　Not　content　with　this；　he　offered　royal
crowns　to　Bavaria　and　Wurtemberg；　and　the　German　emperor　had　to
assent　to　this　measure　in　the　treaty　of　Presburg。　Thus　Germany　has
got　two　new　kingdoms；　and'〃　＇Footnote：　From　the　celebrated
pamphlet。　〃Germany　in　her　Deepest　Degradation。〃＇

〃Oh；　I　implore　you；　do　not　read　any　further；〃　exclaimed　Anna；
suddenly　interrupting　her　husband。　〃It　frightens　me　to　hear　you
repeat　those　threatening　and　angry　words；　they　fall　upon　my　heart
like　a　terrible　accusation　against　you！　Believe　me；　my　beloved；　if
that　proud　and　ambitious　Emperor　Napoleon　should　hear　of　this
terrible　pamphletif　its　contents　should　be　communicated　to　him；
you　would　be　lost：　for；　having　no　one　else　on　whom　to　wreak　his
vengeance；　he　would　revenge　himself　on　you！〃

〃But　he　will　not　have　me　either；〃　said　Palm；　smiling；　〃for　I　shall
take　good　care　not　to　set　foot　on　French　territory；　I　shall　not
leave　Nuremberg；　and　thank　God；　that　is　German　territory。〃

〃But　the　French　frontier　is　close　to　us；　for　wherever　there　are
French　troops　there　is　France。　Napoleon's　arm　reaches　far　beyond　her
frontiers；　and　if　he　wants　to　seize　you　he　will　do　so　in　spite　of
all　boundary…posts；　German　laws；　and　your　own　citizenship。〃

〃There　is　really　something　so　convincing　in　your　fears　that　it　might
almost　infect　me！〃　said　Palm；　musingly。　〃It　would　have　been　better；
perhaps；　after　all；　for　me　not　to　have　come　back；　but　to　remain　in
Prussian　Erlangen！〃

〃Return　thither；〃　exclaimed　Anna；　imploringly；　〃I　beseech　you　by　our
love；　by　our　children；　and　by　our　happiness；　return　to　Erlangen！〃

〃To…morrow；　dearest　Anna！〃　said　Palm；　smiling；　clasping　his　young
wife　in　his　arms〃　to…morrow　it　will　be　time　enough　to　think　of
another　separation。　Now　let　me　take　a　few　hours'　rest；　and　enjoy　the
unutterable　happiness　of　being　at　home　again！at　home　with　my　wife
and　with　my　dear　little　ones！〃




CHAPTER　LVI。

THE　ARREST。


On　the　following　morning　the　rumor　spread　all　over　Nuremberg；　that
Palm；　the　bookseller；　had　returned　and　was　concealed　in　his　house。
The　cook　had　stated　this　in　the　strictest　confidence　to　some　of　her
friends　when　she　had　appeared　on　the　market…place　to　purchase　some
vegetables。　The　friends　had　communicated　the　news；　of　course；
likewise　in　the　strictest　confidence；　to　other　persons；　and　thus　the
whole　city　became　very　soon　aware　of　the　secret。

The　friends　of　the　family　now　hastened　to　go　to　Mrs。　Palm　for　the
purpose　of　ascertaining　from　herself　whether　the　information　were
true。　Anna　denied　it；　however；　she　asserted　she　had　received　this
very　morning　a　letter　written　by　her　husband　at　Erlangen；　but　when
one　of　the　more　importunate　friends　requested　her　to　communicate　the
contents　of　the　letter　to　him；　or　let　him　see　it　at　least；　she
became　embarrassed　and　made　an　evasive　reply。

〃He　is　here！〃　whispered　the　friends　to　each　other；　when　they　left
Mrs。　Anna　Palm。　〃He　is　here；　but　conceals　himself　so　that　the　French
spies　who　have　been　sneaking　around　here　for　the　last　few　days　may
not　discover　his　whereabouts。　It　is　prudent　for　him　to　do　so；　and　we
will　not　betray　him；　but　faithfully　keep　his　secret。〃

But　a　secret　of　which　a　whole　city　is　aware；　and　which　is　being
talked　of　by　all　the　gossips　in　town；　is　difficult　to　keep；　and　it
is　useless　to　make　any　effort　for　the　purpose　of　preventing　it　from
being　betrayed　to　the　enemy。

Palm　did　not　suspect　any　thing　whatever　of　what　was　going　on。　He
deemed　himself　entirely　safe　in　his　wife's　peaceful；　silent　room；
the　windows　of　which；　opening　upon　the　garden；　were　inaccessible　to
spying　eyes；　while　its　only　door　led　to　the　large　store　where　his
two　clerks　were　attending　to　the　business　of　the　firm　and　waiting　on
the　customers　who　ordered　or　purchased　books　of　them。

Anna　had　just　left　the　room　to　consult　with　her　servants　about　the
affairs　of　the　household　and　kitchen；　and　Palm；　who　was　comfortably
stretched　out　on　the　sofa；　was　engaged　in　reading。　The　anxiety　which
had　rendered　him　so　restless　during　the　previous　days　had　left　him
again；　he　felt　perfectly　reassured；　and　smiled　at　his　own　fear　which
had　flitted　past　him　like　a　threatening　cloud。

All　at　once　he　was　startled　from　his　comfortable　repose　by　a　loud
conversation　in　the　store；　and　rose　from　the　divan　in　order　to　hear
what　was　the　matter。

〃I　tell　you　I　am