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Kaspar Hauser.
60
the only sinners; but for his part he was convinced that
any man who sought and found wicked people to do wicked
york must be wicked himself. He did not wish to make himself
sut better than he was; but he bad no idea of sacrificing himself
in order to avert disgrace from the royal family. He had
already made adequate provision for every possible contingency,
and any attempt to punish him would be instantly met by the
sublication and world-wide circulation of the whole shameful
story, which he had written out and deposited in safe hands, with
nstructions as to its use in case of any harm happening to him-
self. If, knowing this, the Government wished to shut him up in
1 cell, they were at liberty to try it ; he had nothing more to say.
The President consulted a few moments with Prince Leopold
and General-Lieutenant von Schiffer, and the latter then turned
‘0 Hennenhofer and ordered him to leave the chamber and re-
main in house-arrest until further notice. His sword, which he
had been obliged to give up on entering the room, was restored
to him, and he left the assembly with the mien of a conqueror.
[nstead of going directly to his own house, however, as the order
of his commanding officer implied, he went first to the palace of
Margrave Wilhelm and gave him a full account of the interview.
The State Council remained a good part of the night in con-
sultation, and the following morning Leopold announced his
accession by a public proclamation dated the previous day. The
councillors were sworn to secrecy respecting the events of the
Jecisive meeting, and the ceremonies attending the official recog-
nition of the sovereign took place without opposition, although
among the people various reports concerning Kaspar Hauser were
circulated, and the suspicion was general that there had been a
hitch in the proceedings, and that Ludwig’s death occurred several
lays before it was announced. The excitement was only transi-
ant, however, and the public mind soon found occupation in other
novelties.
As for Hennenhofer and Engesser, they were immediately re-
leased, and returned to their high offices. Three months later
Hennenhofer was pensioned at his own request, and he retired