Vögeli was silent, but one of the soldiers shouted angrily: “Why do we stand gaping here? Is there no one to silence the scoundrel’s vile calumnies? If not, I will teach you to insult my master!” Raising his arm he was about to deal the Governor a mighty blow, when one of the burghers restrained him, saying: “Nay, my good friend, to make such short work of it were to lose half the pleasure. This is matter for the executioner.” At these words Hagenbach turned pale and said no more. But he was not to go immediately to the scaffold. With frenzied shouts of joy, they took their way back to Brisach, which had been entirely deserted by its inhabitants, women and children, who now accompanied the procession with jeers and taunts at the prisoner. “Hagenbach, you Judas! you bloodhound! at last we have you safe where you can no longer torment us.” The executioner, usually an object of aversion, was now hailed in the most friendly manner by all. “Master Peter,” they shouted to him, “this is work for you!” and Peter, grinning, tucked up his sleeves and struck at the air with his sword, before the eyes of Hagenbach. “It seems I am to do that man one more favor,” he declared with a sneering laugh. When they reached the gates of the city, the excited populace would have conducted the prisoner at once to the place of execution, but some of the more cool-headed citizens succeeded in dissuading them. “We are Austrians,” they said, “and our lord Duke Sigismund must pronounce sentence upon the Governor. It is not for us to judge him.” Accordingly, four soldiers, four burghers, and four of the nobles were chosen to guard the prisoner, while Vögeli with some of the citizens hastened to Basle to acquaint Duke Sigismund with what had occurred. Two days later, toward evening, the Captain rode slowly through the streets of that city on his way to the inn of The Bears. How things had changed since he had come this way for the first time! Then he was an honored and honorable officer, favored by the Duke, and a loyal servant to Hagenbach. To-day he was a rebel. The Duke would never pardon his disloyalty, and Hagenbach, who had formerly valued him for his ability, was now his mortal enemy, and through his agency a prisoner. And all this for a few paltry florins, as the Governor had said. Yet though he well knew not one of his former comrades would credit him with any other reason for his defection, he could not altogether reproach himself. Were it all to be done again he knew he should act no differently. This time Iseli himself came out to meet his guest and assist him to dismount. “I am glad,” said he, as they ascended the stairway together, “to find that you bear me no ill will for what befell you in my house, though truly it was through no fault of mine.” “Why should I be angry with you for that?” asked Vögeli. “But what news of your neighbor, the good Councillor Irmy?”