Suddenly Van Spreckdal said to my guardians:
"You can take the prisoner back to the carriage; we will go to Metzerstrasse."
Then, addressing me:
"Christian Vénius," he cried, "you are in a deplorable situation. Collect your thoughts and remember that if the law of man is inflexible, there still remains for you the mercy of God. This you can merit by confessing your crime."
These words stunned me like a blow from a hammer. I fell back with extended arms, crying:
"Ah! what a terrible dream!"
And I fainted.
When I regained consciousness, the carriage was rolling slowly down the street; another one preceded us. The two officers were always with me. One of them on the way offered a pinch of snuff to his companion; mechanically I reached out my hand toward the snuff-box, but he withdrew it quickly.
My cheeks reddened with shame, and I turned away my head to conceal my emotion.
"If you look outside," said the man with the snuff-box, "we shall be obliged to put handcuffs on you."