The outer prison door was now opened, and with a brutal air colonel Baumgardt walked into the room. He was followed by chief judge Hylten, who appeared yet more miserable than before, leaning upon his clerk. The outer hall was soon filled with Swedish grenadiers.
'Goertz, your time has come!' cried Baumgardt, roughly.
'In God's name, your blessing, my father!' cried Greorgina, kneeling and drawing Magdalena down with her to his feet.
'Continue good!' cried Goertz in a broken voice, laying his hands upon their heads, 'so that I may give a good account of you to your mother, and that you may say joyfully to your God, when you come after me, Father, here am I, and here are those whom thou hast given me.'
'Amen!' said Conradi, moving towards the door.
'Thanks for your love,' said Goertz, embracing Rank and Arwed, and then turning to follow his spiritual assistant.
'Now let us forth,' cried Georgina wildly, grasping the hands of the youth and of the little Magdalena, 'that we may arrive before him!'
'You cannot support the scene!' said Arwed anxiously to her.
'And should I die in his last moments,' answered Georgina, 'what a happy death!'
Goertz had overheard this conversation, and turned once more towards his daughters. 'You will go hence directly back to your dwelling,' said he earnestly.