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persons　whose　eyes　were　filled　with　tears；　and　who　raised　their　arms
in　an　imploring　manner。

They　were　women　and　children；　who　had　marched　in　solemn　procession
to　the　market…place；　and　now　entirely　filled　it。　The　news　that　the
court…martial　had　agreed　on　a　sentence；　and　that　Palm　was　to　be　shot
by　virtue　of　it　this　afternoon　at　two　o'clock　in　the　large　ditch　of
the　fortress；　had　spread　like　wildfire　through　the　whole　city　of
Braunau。

The　citizens　had　received　the　news　with　intense　rage　and　silent
horror；　the　authorities　and　members　of　the　municipality　had　received
orders　to　repair　at　the　stated　hour　in　their　official　robes　to　the
place　of　execution　for　the　purpose　of　witnessing　the　dreadful　scene。

Too　weak　to　offer　any　resistance；　and　well　aware　that　they　could　not
count　on　the　assistance　of　their　own　German　superiors；　they　had　to
submit　to　the　order。　Bowing　to　the　stern　law　of　necessity；　they
declared；　therefore；　their　readiness　to　comply　with　the　behests　of
the　French　general；　and　to　appear　at　the　place　of　execution。

But　while　all　the　men　were　giving　way　to　cowardly　fear；　while　they
timidly　swallowed　their　rage　and　humiliation；　the　women　arose　in　the
genuine　and　bold　enthusiasm　of　their　grief　and　compassion。　They
could　not　threaten；　nor　arm　their　hand　with　the　sword；　like　men；　but
they　could　beseech　and　supplicate；　and　in　the　place　of　weapons　in
their　hands　they　had　tears　in　their　eyes。

〃If　you　will　not　go　to　demand　justice　for　a　German　citizen；　I　shall
do　so；〃　said　the　wife　of　the　burgomaster　of　Braunau　to　her　husband。
〃You　have　to　watch　over　the　welfare　of　the　city；　but　I　shall　save
its　honor。　I　will　not　permit　this　day　to　become　an　eternal　disgrace
to　Braunau；　and　history　to　speak　one　day　of　the　slavish　fear　with
which　we　humbly　submitted　to　the　will　of　the　French　tyrant。　You　men
refuse　to　intercede　with　the　general　for　Palm；　well；　then；　we　women
will　do　so；　and　God　at　least　will　hear　our　words；　and　history　will
preserve　them。〃

She　turned　her　back　to　her　husband　and　went　to　inform　her　friends　of
her　determination；　and　to　send　messengers　all　over　the　city。

And　from　street　to　street；　from　house　to　house；　there　resounded　the
shouts：　〃Dress　in　mourning；　women；　and　come　out　into　the　street。　Let
us　go　to　General　St。　Hilaire　and　beg　for　the　life　of　a　German
citizen！〃

Not　an　ear　had　been　closed　against　this　sacred　appeal；　not　a　woman's
heart　had　disregarded　it。　They　came　forth　from　all　the　houses　and
from　all　the　cabins；　the　countess　as　well　as　the　beggar…woman；　the
old　as　well　as　the　young；　the　mothers　led　their　children　by　the
hand；　and　the　brides　lent　to　their　grandmothers　their　shoulders　to
lean　upon。

The　procession　formed　in　front　of　the　burgomaster's　house；　then　the
women　walked　in　pairs　and　slowly　as　the　weak　feet　of　the　tottering
old　dames　and　the　delicate　children　required　it；　through　the　long
main　street　toward　the　market…place。

General　St。　Hilaire　was　still　at　the　window；　gazing　in　great
astonishment　on　the　strange　spectacle；　when　the　door　opened　and　his
adjutant　entered。

〃Come　and　look　at　this　scene；〃　said　the　general　to　him；　laughing。
〃The　days　of　the　great　revolution　seem　to　find　an　echo　here；　and　the
women　rebel　as　they　did　at　that　time。　Oh；　well　do　I　remember　the　day
when　the　women　went　to　Versailles　in　order　to　frighten　the　queen　by
their　clamor　and　to　beg　bread　of　the　king。　But　I　am　no　Antoinette；
and　no　corn…fields　are　growing　in　my　hands。　What　do　they　want　of
me？〃

〃General；　a　deputation　of　the　women　has　just　entered　the　hotel；　and
beg　your　excellency　to　grant　them　an　interview。〃

〃Are　the　members　of　the　deputation　pretty？〃　asked　the　general；
laughing。

〃The　wife　of　the　burgomaster　and　the　first　ladies　of　the　city　are
among　them；〃　said　the　adjutant；　gravely。

〃And　what　do　they　want？〃

〃General；　they　want　to　implore　your　excellency　to　delay　the
execution　of　the　German　bookseller；　and　grant　him　a　reprieve　so　as
to　give　them　time　to　petition　the　emperor　to　pardon　him。〃

〃Impossible；〃　exclaimed　St。　Hilaire；　angrily。　〃It　is　time　to　bury
and　forget　this　unpleasant　affair。　No　delay；　no　reprieve！　State　that
to　those　women。　I　do　not　want　to　be　disturbed　any　longer。　Of　what
importance　is　this　man　Palm？　Have　not　thousands　of　the　most
distinguished　and　excellent　men　been　buried　on　our　battle…fields；
and　has　not　the　world　quietly　pursued　its　course？　It　will　therefore
do　so；　too；　after　Palm　is　dead。　Truly；　they　are　wailing　and
lamenting　about　the　sentence　of　this　German　bookseller　as　if　he　were
the　only　copy　of　such　a　description　in　this　country　so　famous　for
writing　and　publishing　books！　Go　and　dismiss　the　women；　I　do　not
want　to　listen　to　them。　But　if　the　youngest　and　prettiest　girl　among
them　will　come　up　to　me　and　give　me　a　kiss；　she　may　do　so。〃

The　adjutant　withdrew；　and　the　general　returned　to　the　window　to
look　down　on　the　surging　crowd　below。　He　saw　that　his　adjutant　had
left　the　house　and　walked　toward　a　group　of　women　standing　at　some
distance　from　the　others　and　apparently　looking　for　him。　He　saw　that
his　adjutant　spoke　to　them；　and　that　the　women　then　turned　around
and　made　a　sign　to　the　others。

All　the　women　immediately　knelt　down；　and；　raising　their　folded
hands　to　heaven；　began　to　sing　in　loud　and　solemn　notes　a　pious
hymn；　a　hymn　of　mercy；　addressed　to　God　and　the　Holy　Virgin。

The　general　crossed　himself　involuntarily；　and；　perhaps　unwillingly；
folded　his　hands　as　if　for　silent　prayer。

The　door　opened　and　the　adjutant　reentered。

〃What　does　this　mean？〃　exclaimed　the　general。　〃I　ordered　you　to　send
the　women　home；　and　instead　of　that；　they　remain　here　and　sing　a
plaintive　hymn。〃

〃General；　the　women　persist　in　their　request。　They　persist　in　their
demand　for　an　interview　with　your　excellency　in　order　to　hear　from
your　own　lips　whether　it　is　really　impossible　for　them　to　obtain　a
reprievea　pardon　for　Palm。　They　declare　they　will　not　leave　the
place　until　they　have　spoken　to　your　excellency；　even　should　you
cause　your　cannon　to　be　pointed　against　them。〃

〃Ah；　bah！　I　shall　not　afford　them　the　pleasure　of　becoming　martyrs；〃
exclaimed　St。　Hilaire；　sullenly。　〃Come；　I　will　put　an　end　to　the
whole　affair。　I　will　myself　go　down　and　send　them　home。〃

He　beckoned　his　adjutant　to　follow　him；　and　went　with　hasty　steps
down　into　the　market…place；　and　appeared　in　the　midst　of　the　women。

The　hymn　died　away；　but　the　women　did　not　rise　from　their　knees；
they　only　turned　their　eyes；　which　had　hitherto　been　raised　to
heaven；　to　the　general；　and　extended　their　folded　hands　toward　him。

At　this　moment　a　dusty　travelling…coach　drove　through　the　dense
crowd　on　the　main　street；　and　entered　the　market…place　to　stop　in
front　of　the　large　hotel　situated　there。　A　pale　young　woman　leaned
out　of　the　carriage；　and　looked　wonderingly　at　the　strange　spectacle
presented　to　her　eyes。

The　kneeling　women；　who　filled　the　whole　market…place；　took　no
notice　of　the　carriage；　they　did　not　think　of　opening　their　ranks　to
let　it　pass；　it　was；　therefore；　compelled　to　halt　and　wait。

The　pale　young　woman；　as　if　feeling　that　what　had　caused　all　the
women　here　to　kneel　down　must　concern　her；　too；　hastily　alighted
from　the　carriage　and　approached　the　kneeling　women。

All　at　once　she　heard　a　loud　and　imperious　voice　asking：　〃What　do
these　ladies　want　to　see　me　for？　You　applied　for　an　interview　with
me：　here　I　am！　What　do　you　want？〃

〃Mercy！〃　shouted　hundreds　and　hundreds　of　voices。　〃Delay　of　the
execution！　Mercy　for　Palm！〃

A　piercing；　terrible　cry　resounded　from　the　lips　of　the　pale　young
traveller；　she　hurried　toward　the　general　as　if　she　had　wings　on　her
feet。

A　murmur　of　surprise　arose　from　the　ranks　of　the　women；　they
perceived　instinctively　that　something　extraordinary　was　about　to
occur；　their　hearts　comprehended　that　this　pale　young　woman；　who　now
stood　before　the　general　with　flaming　eyes　and　panting　breast；　must
be　closely　connected　with　the　poor　prisoner。　Every　one　of　them　held
her　breath　in　order　to　hear　her　voice　and　understand　her　words。

〃They　ask　for　mercy　for　Palm？〃　she　asked；　in　a　voice　in　which　her
whole　soul　was　vibrating。　〃They　speak　of　execution？　Then　you　are
going　to　murder　him？　You　have　sentenced　him　infamously　and
wickedly？〃

And　while　putting　these　questions　to　the　general；　her　eyes　pierced
his　face　as　though　they　were　two　daggers。

〃Pray　choose　your　words　more　carefully；〃　said　the　general；　harshly；
〃the　court…martial　has　sentenced　the　traitor；　hence；　he　will　not　be
murdered；　but　punished　for　the　crime　he　has　committed。　And　for　this
reason；〃　he　added；　in　a　louder　voice；　turning　to　the　women；　〃for
this　reason　I　am　unable　to　grant　your　request。　The　court…martial　has
pronounced　the　sentence；　and　it　is　not　in　my　power　to　annul　it。　The
Emperor　Napoleon　alone　could　do　so　if　he　were　here。　But　as　he　is　in
Paris；　and　consequently　cannot　be　reached；　the　law　must　take　its
course。　Palm　will　be　shot　at　two　o'clock　this　afternoon！〃

〃Shot！〃　ejaculated　the　young　woman；　for　a　moment　she　tottered　as　if
she　were　about　to　faint；　but　then　she　courageously　overcame　her
emotion；　and　stretching　out　her　arms　to　the　women；　exclaimed：　〃Pray
with　me；　my　sisters；　that　I