THE REMINISCENCES OF CARL SCHURZ
it by three o'clock in the morning. By a fortunate accident I still possessed the latchkey which I had used as a student, and it opened the back door. In this way I got into the house and soon stood in the bedroom of my parents. Both were sleeping profoundly. After having sat for a while quietly on a chair until the light of dawn crept in through the windows I woke them up. Their surprise was indescribable. For some moments they could not persuade themselves that I was really there. Then their astonishment passed into the liveliest joy. My mother thought that I looked indeed a little fatigued, but otherwise very well. At once she would see to the breakfast. After I had given them the most necessary explanations about my sudden appearance, my father, who was beyond measure proud of me, wanted to know whom I desired to see in the course of the day. I had hard work to convince him that above all things my presence must be kept absolutely secret, and that therefore I did not wish to come into contact with anybody except the most trustworthy intimates.
Very fortunately it so happened that Frau Johanna Kinkel visited my parents that same morning, and I had opportunity for a confidential talk with her. I told her that I was ready to devote myself to the liberation of her husband if she would put the enterprise entirely into my hands, speak to nobody about it, and not ask me for more information than I might voluntarily give her. With touching enthusiasm she thanked me for my friendship and promised everything. After having agreed upon what was at the time to be done or to be left undone, I gave her a receipt for a magic ink which I had obtained in Zürich. With that ink our correspondence was to be carried on. It was simply a chemical solution, which, when used as ink, made no mark on the paper. A letter containing indifferent subject-matter was to be written over this in or-
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