104 
Kaspar Hauser. 
instead upon one of his friends who, she had heard, was about to 
give a ball, to which he would probably receive an invitation if he 
should pay his respects beforehand. He took her advice, and 
afterwards went to the ball, where he enjoyed himself highly, 
being passionately fond of dancing, and always ready to join in 
the innocent gaiety of social entertainments. 
December 14, 1833, Kaspar was occupied as usual at the office, 
and returned home at noon. Soon after dinner he went to 
Pastor Fuhrmann’s house, where he had promised to assist in the 
preparation of some pasteboard boxes for the Christmas tree. 
When the work was finished he left the house with the pastor, 
but excused himself in the street on the ground of being obliged 
to visit a young lady living in the neighbourhood. 
Instead of going thither, however, he went directly to the park, 
where he was met by a man who walked with him to a secluded 
place, and there, under the pretence of handing him an important 
document, gave him a violent stab in the breast and fled, 
Kaspar, impelled by fear and horror, had strength to reach 
home, where he burst into the Meyers’ sitting-room, and with 
wild eyes and hand clutching his wounded side, stammered out 
the story of the disaster in a few broken sentences. Meyer, 
suspecting a trick, started out with him to investigate the matter, 
but before they reached the place Kaspar’s strength failed, and he 
was assisted to the house by Meyer, who gave him into the care 
of the family, while he himself went for a physician. 
Meyer's conduct was strange, and extremely blameworthy. In 
his report he said that Kaspar in his excitement forced him to go 
out with him ; but if Meyer had felt a proper interest in his pupil 
he would not have allowed him to leave the room until the 
wound had been examined. Tt seemed to the physicians almost 
miraculous that Kaspar could have returned from the park and 
afierwards have gone over nearly the same distance twice with 
such a wound in his body; and if the blow had not been in 
itself fatal, Meyer's cruel carelessness would probably have made 
It so. 
Even during that painful march the poor boy, already dis