CHAPTER VIII
FROM Selz to Strasburg we wandered on foot. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon. For a time we could see from our road the steeples of Rastatt. This distant view of the prison from which we had escaped would have been more joyful had it not reminded us of the unfortunate friends who in this dungeon awaited a sad fate. As we were still wearing uniforms, having no other clothes, we were easily recognized as fugitive revolutionary soldiers, and not seldom the village folk stopped us and wished to know how we had escaped. Then we were invited to rest, and were entertained with wine, refreshments and merry conversation until late in the evening, when we reached Strasburg. There we stopped at the hotel, the “Rebstöckl,” the host of which was well known for his warm German sympathies. He gave us a hearty welcome and took especial care of us after he had heard our story. The next day we were obliged to report ourselves to the prefect. This officer informed us that the French government had resolved to send the German refugees into the interior; we could therefore stay neither in Strasburg nor in any other place near the frontier. Neither could he give us passports to Switzerland. But as it was our special desire to go to Switzerland, we resolved to continue our journey secretly without the assent of the authorities.
Meantime the news had come that those of the private soldiers of Baden and the volunteers of the Palatinate, who had done nothing but simply serve in the revolutionary army, were to be sent home without punishment. Only the officers and other noted transgressors were held
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