Ulrichraisedhiminhisarms。ThemanspokenoGerman，andUlrichknewbuthismothertongue;butwhentheman，turningtowardstheneighbouringvillagewithalookofterrorinhishalf—glazedeyes，pleadedwithhishands，Ulrichunderstood，andliftinghimgentlycarriedhimfurtherintothewood。
　　Hefoundasmalldesertedshelterthathadbeenmadebycharcoal—burners，andthereonabedofgrassandleavesUlrichlaidhim;andthereforaweekallbutadayUlrichtendedhimandnursedhimbacktolife，comingandgoingstealthilylikeathiefinthedarkness。ThenUlrich，whohadthoughthisonedesireinlifetobetokillallFrenchmen，putfoodanddrinkintotheFrenchman'sknapsackandguidedhimhalfthroughthenightandtookhishand;andsotheyparted。
　　UlrichdidnotreturntoAltWaldnitz，thatlieshiddenintheforestbesidethemurmuringMuhlde。Theywouldthinkhehadgonetothewar;
　　hewouldletthemthinkso。Hewastoogreatacowardtogobacktothemandtellthemthathenolongerwantedtofight;thatthesoundofthedrumbroughttohimonlythethoughtoftrampledgrasswheredeadmenlaywithcursesintheireyes。
　　So，withheadboweddowninshame，toandfroaboutthemoaningland，Ulrichofthedreamyeyescameandwent，guidinghissolitaryfootstepsbythesoundsofsorrow，drivingawaythethingsofevilwheretheycrawledamongthewounded，makinghiswayswiftlytothesideofpain，heedlessoftheuniform。
　　Thusonedayhefoundhimselfbychancenearagaintoforest—girdledWaldnitz。Hewouldpushhiswayacrossthehills，wanderthroughitsquietwaysinthemoonlightwhilethegoodfolksalllaysleeping。
　　Hisfoot—stepsquickenedashedrewnearer。Wherethetreesbrokehewouldbeabletolookdownuponit，seeeveryroofheknewsowell—thechurch，themill，thewindingMuhlde—thegreen，worngreywithdancingfeet，where，whenthehatefulwarwasover，wouldbeheardagaintheSaxonfolk—songs。
　　Anotherwasthere，wheretheforesthaltsonthebrowofthehill—afigurekneelingonthegroundwithhisfacetowardsthevillage。
　　Ulrichstolecloser。ItwastheHerrPfarrer，prayingvolublybutinaudibly。HescrambledtohisfeetasUlrichtouchedhim，andhisfirstastonishmentover，pouredforthhistaleofwoe。
　　TherehadbeentroublesinceUlrich'sdeparture。AFrenchcorpsofobservationhadbeencampeduponthehill，andtwicewithinthemonthhadaFrenchsoldierbeenfoundmurderedinthewoods。Heavyhadbeenthepenaltiesexactedfromthevillage，andterriblehadbeentheColonel'sthreatsofvengeance。Now，forathirdtime，asoldierstabbedinthebackhadbeenborneintocampbyhisragingcomrades，andthisveryafternoontheColonelhadswornthatifthemurdererwerenothandedovertohimwithinanhourfromdawn，whenthecampwastobreakup，hewouldbeforemarchingburnthevillagetotheground。TheHerrPfarrerwasonhiswaybackfromthecampwherehehadbeentopleadformercy，butithadbeeninvain。
　　"Sucharefouldeeds!"saidUlrich。
　　"ThepeoplearemadwithhatredoftheFrench，"answeredtheHerrPastor。"Itmaybeone，itmaybeadozenwhohavetakenvengeanceintotheirownhands。MayGodforgivethem。"
　　"Theywillnotcomeforward—nottosavethevillage？"
　　"Canyouexpectitofthem!Thereisnohopeforus;thevillagewillburnasahundredothershaveburned。"
　　Aye，thatwastrue;Ulrichhadseentheirblackenedruins;theoldsittingwithwhitefacesamongthewreckageoftheirhomes，thelittlechildrenwailingroundtheirknees，thetinybroodsburnedintheirnests。Hehadpickedtheircorpsesfrombeneaththecharredtrunksofthedeadelms。
　　TheHerrPfarrerhadgoneforwardonhismelancholymissiontopreparethepeoplefortheirdoom。
　　Ulrichstoodalone，lookingdownuponAltWaldnitzbathedinmoonlight。Andtherecametohimthewordsoftheoldpastor："Shewillbedearertoyouthanyourself。Forheryouwouldlaydownyourlife。"AndUlrichknewthathislovewasthevillageofAltWaldnitz，wheredwelthispeople，theoldandwrinkled，thelaughing"littleones，"wheredweltthehelplessdumbthingswiththeirdeeppatheticeyes，wherethebeeshummeddrowsily，andthethousandtinycreaturesoftheday。
　　Theyhangedhimhighuponawitheredelm，withhisfacetowardsAltWaldnitz，thatallthevillage，oldandyoung，mightsee;andthentothebeatofdrumandscreamoffifetheymarchedaway;andforest—hiddenWaldnitzgathereduponcemoreitsmanythreadsofquietlifeandwovethemintohomelypattern。
　　Theytalkedandarguedmanyatime，andsometherewerewhopraisedandsomewhoblamed。ButtheHerrPfarrercouldnotunderstand。
　　Untilyearslateradyingmanunburdenedhissoulsothatthetruthbecameknown。
　　ThentheyraisedUlrich'scoffinreverently，andtheyonngmencarrieditintothevillageandlaiditinthechurchyardthatitmightalwaysbeamongthem。Theyrearedabovehimwhatintheireyeswasagrandmonument，andcarveduponit：
　　"Greaterlovehathnomanthanthis。"