24 
Kaspar Hauser. 
autumn of 1832 it was intimated to Kaspar by some friend that he 
was likely to be removed from Meyer's custody. He was glad at 
this prospect until he learned that the change would consist in hig 
being given over to Hickel. Thereupon he went directly to 
Meyer and protested against being disposed of in such a way. 
He gave his opinion of Hickel’s character without reserve, and 
Meyer was astonished at the clearness and acuteness which Kas. 
par displayed in producing his testimony. 
Meyer himself had never heard of such a plan, and he accused 
Kaspar of ingratitude and unjust suspicion in bringing such tales 
against Hickel. But Kaspar answered: 
“You don’t know Hickel thoroughly. If you only knew what 
[ know!” 
A few days later he repeated the same information, adding: 
“Don’t you see that for some reason or other they want to take 
me away from you? There are other persons concerned in the 
affair ; but I shall not leave you if you will keep me.” 
Meyer and his wife looked at each other, but neither of them 
believed the story. Later they discovered that Kaspar was right. 
The ostensible reason for the change was the fact that Meyer's 
wife was about to be confined, and her family cares would be in- 
creased by Kaspar’s presence ; but as the proposition did not 
emanate from the Meyers, and was not seconded by them, the 
attempt did not succeed. 
This circumstance goes to prove that although Meyer was un- 
friendly towards his charge, he was not concerned in any plot 
against his life, and had no suspicion of Lord Stanhope’s ulterior 
designs ; while Hickel was Stanhope’s unscrupulous agent, al- 
though it is not probable that even he was aware of Kaspar’s real 
identity. Kaspar saw through the game sufficiently to feel an 
instinctive dread of falling into Hickel’s power, and he desired to 
remain in the Meyer family, not because he was happy there, but 
because it was a better and safer shelter than. he was likely to 
find elsewhere. 
Although Feuerbach, as time went on, was more and more in- 
clined to accept the Baden theory of Kaspar Hauser’s origin,