The spring of 1878 came round, and brought with
it two attempts on the life of the emperor within three weeks.
Scarcely had the people recovered from the horror caused by Hodel's
crime when it was shaken to its depths by Nobiling's murderous shot.
On that terrible Sunday, June the 2d, Wilhelm had dined with
Schrotter, and about three o'clock they started for a walk. In the
few steps that separate the Mittelstrasse from the Linden they saw
what was going on in the town. In Unter den Linden, however, they
were received by the yells of the newspaper men calling out the
first special editions, and found themselves in the stream of people
pouring toward the Palace or to No. 18, where they pointed out the
window on the second floor from which the too-well-aimed shot had
fallen.
From the special editions, from the confused remarks and
exclamations of the crowd in which the two friends found themselves,
and the information they obtained from the grim-looking policemen,
rougher and less communicative than ever, they learned all that was
necessary of the bloody deed which had taken place an hour ago.
Wilhelm could scarcely control his horror, and even Schrotter,
though calmer, was deeply moved and downcast. All pleasure in their
walk was gone, and they decided to return to Schrotter's house.
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