e　the　whole　village　will　envy　you　your　gay　young　partner。　But　now；　my　son；〃　he　continued　gravely；　〃tell　me　of　our　king；　and　how　is　it　that　he　has　declared　peace　so　suddenly；　and　whether　he　has　been　victorious　or　the　reverse。〃
  〃I　know　nothing　of　the　king〃　said　Charles　Henry；　〃I　was　not　near　him；　but　in　the　division　of　the　Duke　of　Brunswick。〃
  〃I　know　that；　my　son；　but　the　duke　would　not　proclaim　peace　without　the　knowledge　and　consent　of　the　king。〃
  〃Oh；　father；　they　will　compel　the　king　to　make　peace；〃　cried　Charles　Henry。　〃And　as　for　the　Duke　of　Brunswick；　he　has　given　up　the　attack　against　Wesel　and　has　withdrawn　to　Westphalia；　and　the　French　are　in　possession　of　the　entire　lowlands；　which；　it　is　to　be　hoped；　they　will　retain。〃
  〃You　hope　that？〃　asked　his　father；　with　astonishment。
  〃Well；　yes；　father。　The　French　king　is　now；　and　perhaps　will　always　be；　the　lord　of　Cleve；　and；　as　his　subjects；　we　must　wish　him　success；　and　hope　that　he　will　always　conquer　the　King　of　Prussia。〃
  〃What　do　you　say；　my　son？〃　asked　the　old　man；　with　a　bewildered　expression。　〃I　fear　you　are　right。　The　French　are　our　masters　now；　and；　as　our　king　has　declared　peace　with　France；　we　have　the　unhappiness　of　being　French　subjects。　May　God　protect　us　from　such　a　fate！　It　would　be　fearful　if　we　dared　not　call　the　great　heroking　our　king；　and；　if　we　should　live　to　see　the　day　when　our　sons　should　be　compelled；　as　French　soldiers；　to　go　to　battle　against　their　king。　Only　think；　Charles　Henry；　you　would　not　be　allowed　to　wear　your　fine　Prussian　uniform　on　Sundays；　and　it　is　so　becoming　to　you；　and　is　as　good　as　new。　But　how　is　it；　my　son；　that　they　have　left　you　the　uniform？　They　are　usually　taken　from　the　released　soldiers　and　put　amongst　the　army　stores。〃
  〃We　all　came　home　in　our　Prussian　uniforms；〃　said　Charles　Henry；　〃but　of　course　we　will　lay　them　aside　to…day。〃
  〃Why　to…day？〃
  〃Because　we　are　French　subjects；　and　therefore　it　is　not　proper　for　us　to　wear　the　uniform　of　the　enemy；　the　King　of　Prussia。　That　is　also　the　reason　why　we　have　returned　home。　When　we　learned　that　Cleve　had　fallen　into　the　possession　of　the　French；　we　knew　that　we　were　no　longer　the　subjects　of　the　King　of　Prussia；　and　we　dared　not　fight　under　his　flag　against　the　French；　whose　subjects　we　had　become。　We　considered　that；　and　we　thought　how　much　it　would　injure　you　all　here　in　Brunen　if　it　were　known　that　your　sons　were　in　the　army　of　the　Prussian　king。　Principally　on　that　account　we　determined　to　return　home；　and　we　left　our　regiment　yesterday　morning；　which　was　on　the　point　of　marching　off　to　Minden；　and　we　walked　the　entire　day　and　half　the　night。　We　slept　a　few　hours　in　a　forest；　and　at　the　break　of　day　we　recommenced　our　journey。　And　now；　father；　that　I　have　seen　you；　and　you　know　every　thing；　I　will　go　to　my　room　and　take　off　this　uniform；　and　become　a　peasant　once　more。〃　He　sought　to　leave　the　room　hastily；　for　the　amazed；　horror…struck　expression　of　his　father　was　most　disagreeable　to　him。
  But　Buschman　placed　his　hand　so　heavily　upon　his　son's　arm　that　he　was　compelled　to　remain。　〃Say　it　is　a　jest；　Charles；〃　he　cried；　in　an　excited　voice。　〃It　is　not　possible　for　my　son；　the　brother　of　my　six　hero…boys；　to　speak　thus！　It　is　merely　a　jest；　Charles。　You　wished　to　joke　with　your　old　father。　It　is　not　true　that　you　have　deserted　the　flag　of　our　king；　put　an　end　to　this　cruel　jest；　Charles　Henry；　and　show　me　your　leave　of　absence　which　every　honest　soldier　obtains　before　leaving　his　regiment。　Do　you　hear；　Charles　Henry？　Show　it　to　me　quickly。〃　He　extended　his　trembling　hand　toward　his　son；　while　with　the　other　he　still　held　his　arm　in　a　powerful　grasp。
  〃Father；〃　said　Charles　Henry；　fiercely；　〃I　have　no　such　paper。　It　is　as　I　told　you；　we　have　left　the　Prussian　army　because　we　are　no　longer　the　subjects　of　the　King　of　Prussia；　and　it　is　not　necessary　for　us　to　remain　in　the　service。　We　wish　to　become　peasants　once　more。〃
  〃You　lie！　you　lie！〃　cried　his　father。　〃You　are　no　deserterit　is　impossible　that　my　son　should　be　a　deserter。〃
  〃No；　father；　I　am　no　deserter；〃　returned　his　son；　defiantly；　as　he　freed　his　arm　from　the　old　man's　grasp。　〃I　am　no　deserterI　have　only　done　my　duty　as　a　subject　of　the　French　king。　I　have　left　the　flag　of　the　enemy；　and　I　am　here　ready　and　willing　to　obey　my　new　master　as　a　true　subject。　That　is　all　I　have　to　say；　father；　and　I　believe　when　you　consider；　you　will　see　that　I　was　right；　and　that　you　will　be　pleased　for　me　to　take　off　the　Prussian　uniform　and　remain　with　you。〃　He　did　not　wait　for　his　father's　answer；　but　left　the　room　hastily；　as　if　he　feared　to　be　again　detained。
  The　old　man　arose　to　follow　him；　but　his　feet　refused　their　accustomed　office；　with　a　deep　groan；　he　sank　upon　his　chair；　and　as　the　scalding　tears　streamed　from　his　eyes；　he　murmured：　〃Oh；　my　God！　my　son　is　a　deserter！　Why　did　you　permit　me　to　live　to　see　this　shame？　Why　did　you　not　close　my　eyes　that　they　might　not　meet　this　disgrace？〃
  CHAPTER　V。
  THE　BRAVE　FATHERS　AND　THE　COWARDLY　SONS。
  The　clear　bell　of　the　village　church　was　sounding　for　mass；　calling　the　pious　inhabitants　of　Brunen　to　worship　in　the　temple　of　God。　All　the　hut…doors　were　opening；　and　men　and　women　in　Sunday　attire　wending　their　way　in　solemn　stillness　to　church。　They　were　followed　by　their　childrenthe　maidens　with　downcast；　modest　eyes；　the　boys　with　bright　and　joyous　faces；　proud　of　the　thought　that　they　were　old　enough　to　go　to　church。
  From　the　distant　farm　came　the　servants；　two　and　two；　up　the　broad　chestnut　alley；　greeting　here　and　there　the　church…goers；　and　walking　on　with　them；　chatting　softly。　They　all　remained　standing　a　short　time　under　the　great　linden；　waiting　until　the　bell　ceased；　until　the　church…door　was　opened　and　the　minister　appeared　with　the　sacristan　and　the　four　choir…boys。　Not　until　then　were　they　allowed　to　enter　the　church。
  A　bright…looking　crowd　was　assembled　under　the　linden；　it　seemed　as　if　all　the　inhabitants　of　the　village　were　there。　All　felt　the　necessity　of　visiting　God's　house　to…day　to　thank　Him　for　the　safe　return　of　their　sons；　brothers；　and　lovers。　The　twelve　boys　who　had　returned　were　under　the　linden　in　their　handsomest　Sunday　attire。　But　why　did　they　stand　alone？　Why　was　such　a　wide　space　left　between　them　and　the　other　villagers？　Why　did　the　men　avoid　looking　at　them？　Why　did　the　maidens　step　timidly　back　and　remain　silent　when　they　approached　and　tried　to　speak　with　them？　Why　were　they　all　whispering　together；　pointing　at　the　boys　and　turning　their　backs　upon　them　when　they　drew　near？
  〃Leave　them　alone；〃　whispered　one　of　the　boys　to　the　others；　〃they　will　be　more　friendly　this　afternoon　when　the　music　is　playing　and　the　wine　and　cake　is　handed。〃
  〃There　is　my　father；　and　I　must　go　and　meet　him；〃　said　Charles　Henry；　as　he　hastened　toward　the　old　man　who　was　approaching　the　square。
  All　drew　back　from　Charles　Henry；　and　as　he　stood　opposite　his　father；　like　actors　upon　the　stage　they　found　themselves　alone　amongst　the　spectators；　who　were　gazing　at　them　with　breathless　expectation。
  〃Good…morning；　father；〃　said　Charles　Henry；　with　forced　gayety；　as　he　offered　his　hand　to　his　father。　〃You　slept　so　late　to…day；　and　went　to　bed　so　early　yesterday；　that　I　have　not　been　able　to　speak　to　you　since　our　first　greeting。　So　I　bid　you　good…morrow　now。〃
  The　old　man　looked　quietly　at　him；　but　he　did　not　take　the　proffered　hand；　and　tried　to　pass　him。
  〃Father；〃　continued　Charles　Henry；　〃you　must　be　tired；　our　hut　lies　at　the　other　end　of　the　village；　and　that　is　a　long　walk　for　your　old　legs。　Rest　yourself　on　me；　father；　and　allow　your　son　to　lead　you　to　church。〃　He　stretched　forth　his　hand　to　take　the　old　man's　arm；　but　Buschman　pushed　it　back；　and　passed　him；　without　looking；　without　even　speaking　to　him。
  Charles　Henry　sprang　after　him。　〃Father；〃　he　cried；　〃do　you　not　hear　me？　Can　you〃
  The　old　man　did　not　really　appear　to　hear　him；　for　he　walked　toward　the　village　justice　with　a　quiet；　unmoved　face；　as　the　latter　advanced　to　meet　him。
  〃Friend；〃　said　Buschman；　in　a　loud；　firm　voice；　〃I　am　fatigued　with　my　walk；　will　you　lend　me　your　arm？〃
  He　leaned　heavily　upon　the　offered　arm；　and　walked　quickly　onward。　All　heard　these　words；　but　only　the　justice　saw　the　tears　which　rolled　down　his　pale；　sunken　cheeks。
  〃You　were　very　harsh；　father；〃　murmured　the　justice；　as　they　walked　on。
  〃Were　you　more　forgiving？〃　said　the　old　man；　with　a　trembling　voice。　〃Was　not　your　son　amongst　the　twelve；　and　did　you　speak　to　him；　or　look　at　him？〃
  〃He　did　not　pass　the　night　in　my　house；　I　drove　him　away！〃　said　the　justice　gloomily。
  〃Oh；　oh！〃　sighed　the　old　man；　〃how　bitter　is　our　grief！　We　love　our　children　most　when　they　give　us　most　sorrow；　but　it　must　be　so；　friend；　we　cannot　act　otherwise。　Let　us　enter　the　church；　and　pray　God　to　give　us　strength　to　do　what　is　right。〃
  Supported　by　the　justice；　he　entered　the　churchyard；　while　from　the　other　side　the　minister；　followed　by　the　sacristan　and　the　choirboys；　was　just　appearing。
  〃See；〃　murmured　the　justice；　〃our　good　old　minister　has　not　come　to…　day　to　preach　to　us；　but　has　sent　his　assistant。　There　is　certainly　some　disagreeable　order　of　the　archbishop　to　read　to　us；