Again the people murmured, but this time not with fear; they threatened. As an answer the soldiers aimed at the peasants.
“What a terrible example you are giving to people who are peacefully seeking their rights!” Andrew exclaimed with anger. “How are we, then, to get justice? Through force, treason, murder? Are you not setting us an example of rebellion yourselves? Must not we regret not having taken sterner measures to attain our rights? If you give orders to fire at unarmed people, you deserve to be called a murderer. But no one will be surprised if you do; you are a Felsenburk, and Felsenburks always gladly performed the headsman’s duties on the Bohemian people.”
A thundering noise interrupted his speech. A thousand hissing sounds flew over the peasants’ heads; moans, sighs and threats quickly answered them. Clouds of smoke concealed the scene of excitement and despair. Some of the peasants, in a blind instinct of self-preservation, started on a crazy run, and were followed by a part of the army; the rest in rag-
