taken to Krimpser. He will dispose of them as he wishes. In the meantime, we will pillage the carriage and then we will sell it."
Forcing the driver to get down from his seat, they cut his throat before the horrified eyes of the travelers. They then took the carriage down a side road where they tied up Dourlach and the two women and took them off to the chateau of the chief.
"What sort of game are you bringing me?" Krimpser asked his men when he saw the prisoners come in.
"Some fools who wished to revolt against us," said one of them.
"They will be sorry for that," said the chief. "Do they have any money?"
"Everything they had has been left in the carriage. Our comrades are searching it now. They will bring a report."
"Good. In the meantime, put each of these people in a separate cell. Tomorrow we will decide whether we will cut their throats or put them to work in the mines. Now leave me. I have worked hard today and I need to rest."
This Krimpser, at whose dwelling the Princess of Saxony had just arrived, was a former soldier who had served almost all the princes of Germany. A thief by necessity, by lack of profession, and by liking for thievery, feelings of frankness and loyalty which are always present in the heart of a soldier, still subsisted in his, and needed only the right occasion to be revived. But for a long time nothing had reawakened his good sentiments. The victims which they brought him seemed to be very ordinary individuals, and he always gave the crudest orders in disposing of them.
The next morning, Krimpser questioned his satellites about the captives in order to determine their fate. When those whom he questioned told him that the carriage came from Baden, Krimpser, who was angry with the margrave who had sent troops against him, decided to be especially hard on the prisoners. He was not going to condemn them to death, however, until he found out whether it would be possible to get more money by holding them for ransom.
In her prison cell, Adelaide remained silent for a long time
100
