Salfranck was the head. He learned that the man whom he regarded as the
antichrist was to come and review the troops in that town; he left it at
once and went home to his parents, who asked him for what reason he had
left the gymnasium.

"Because I could not have been in the same town with Napoleon," he
answered, "without trying to kill him, and I do not feel my hand strong
enough for that yet."

This happened in 1809; Sand was fourteen years old. Peace, which was
signed an the 15th of October, gave Germany some respite, and allowed the
young fanatic to resume his studies without being distracted by political
considerations; but in 1811 he was occupied by them again, when he
learned that the gymnasium was to be dissolved and its place taken by a
primary school. To this the rector Salfranck was appointed as a teacher,
but instead of the thousand florins which his former appointment brought
him, the new one was worth only five hundred. Karl could not remain in a
primary school where he could not continue his education; he wrote to his
mother to announce this event and to tell her with what equanimity the
old German philosopher had borne it. Here is the answer of Sand's
mother; it will serve to show the character of the woman whose mighty
heart never belied itself in the midst of the severest suffering; the
answer bears the stamp of that German mysticism of which we have no idea
in France:--

"MY DEAR KARL,--You could not have given me a more grievous piece of news
than that of the event which has just fallen upon your tutor and father
by adoption; nevertheless, terrible though it may be, do not doubt that
he will resign himself to it, in order to give to the virtue of his
pupils a great example of that submission which every subject owes to the