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'What we ardently wish we soon believe, and Jüchziger's speech found favour with the Burgomaster no less than with his other hearers. Hillner alone said respectfully but firmly, 'Herr Burgomaster, they are Swedes beyond the possibility of doubt. I know them well; they are Diedemann's dragoons. 'And how may you happen to know that, young man? asked Schönleben gloomily.
God grant they may neither take the town, nor set it on fire over our heads with their shells. 'We must all do our best to prevent it, said Hillner boldly. 'God gave us strong arms and brave hearts for that very purpose. A small German coin. The tower of St. Peter's Church rises high into the air above all the other buildings of Freiberg.
'All this looks as if the Swedes were before the gates of Freiberg now, said Rudorf, the younger journeyman; 'whereas the fact is, there isn't a sign to be seen of them anywhere. There does not seem to me to be any such tremendous hurry, that we can't even stop to have our dinners. "Make hay while the sun shines," said Hillner, the elder journeyman.
And Hillner the Defensioner has got on first-rate; the officers all like him, and the governor himself talks to him ever so often. Our mistress loves to see him come into the house, and I'm sure she will marry him as soon as the siege is over, and he is made a citizen and a master carpenter.
On the second morning after the night of Conrad's return, Schweinitz approached the Defensioner Hillner where he stood at a loop-hole in the tower at the Kreuz Gate. Hillner respectfully made way for his superior officer, who wished to look out. 'Just see that impudent rascal! cried the commandant, after a few moments' survey. 'He is riding his horse right up to the city moat in sheer bravado.
'Father! cried Hillner sadly; and his strong right arm fell mechanically at his side, while the left was extended imploringly, as though to shield him from his father's uplifted sword. A frightful oath was the answer, the one that Conrad heard on the Erbisdorf road, and, by his comrade's wish, wrote down on paper; and the oath was at once followed up by a desperate cut.
'Many of the enemy have already met their death by my hand during the past few weeks, replied Hillner quietly; 'and only against one have I refused to raise my weapon, for that one was my father; an unnatural father, it is true, who deceived my poor mother, and shamefully deserted her, and made me fight against my fatherland, but yet, in spite of all, my father.
'Because well, in fact, because I once served among the Swedes myself, replied Hillner. 'What! cried Schönleben in astonishment; 'you a Swede, and here in Freiberg! 'I crave your pardon, Herr Burgomaster, returned Hillner. 'By this time very few in the Swedish army are really Swedes at all; they are men gathered in from all nations not a few of them from Saxony itself.
As the tiger glares at his victim, but awaits impatiently the moment when he may safely spring upon it, so did the town servant promise himself to take a terrible revenge on the journeyman. As soon as the day's work was over, and the workers had reached the Peter Gate on their return home, he would have Hillner arrested by the guard and marched straight off to prison.
I guess we and this old wooden box shall all go flying up into the air together pretty soon. As Hillner laid his ear to the ground to listen, Roller entered with several pieces of wood under his arm. 'Now you two can go, he said to Dollie and Conrad; 'it's quieter now. And here are a few sticks I've brought in out of the moat; take them home; when I come I'll bring some more.