n hands,
contrary to the laws and statutes of this country....'

'I was the minister of an absolute sovereign,' interposed Goertz. 'How
can I be made answerable for the decisions of his iron will?'

'And moreover,' proceeded Hylten, 'such schemes brought to light as
could serve no other end than to rob the king's subjects of all their
property....'

'The stamped tokens and notes of the mint had already been issued
before the time of my administration,' cried Goertz indignantly.

'And finally,' read Hylten, 'according to letters of his, which have
been discovered, he has not ceased to labor for the prolongation of the
war, thereby placing the king and the country in a very embarrassing
and dangerous situation....'

'Who dares assert these lies?' cried Goertz with indignation. 'For
fourteen years had Sweden carried on an uninterrupted, and for six
years an unsuccessful war, when Charles confided the helm of state to
me. Since that time, I have honestly labored to extinguish the fire
which destroyed the prosperity of our country. A glorious peace with
our most fearful enemy was brought by me near to a conclusion, when the
king's sudden death changed....'

'You appear to forget,' said Hylten angrily, 'that you have here only
to listen, and not to speak.'

'Then in God's name read to the end,' said Goertz, becoming calm. 'I
wilt interrupt you no more.'

'Satisfied of the truth of these charges,' resumed Hylten, 'without
examining further into the evil conduct of the said Goertz, a full
investigation of which certain causes will not allow, it appears clear
to us that he is the dishonest cause of all the misfortunes which this
country has suffered, and also that through the above named employments
he has become a citizen of this kingdom, and subject to its laws; upon
which the royal commission, having weighed these and other crimes, have
decided and adjudged, that the said Goertz, for the punishment of his
evil deeds, and for an example to other false counsellors and
disturbers of the peace of the kingdom, shall be beheaded and
afterwards buried at the place of execution.'

'Ha! this sentence....' began Arwed with ungovernable rage, but Rank
gently laid his hand upon his mouth.

Goertz had accompanied the close of the reading with only a sigh and
shrug of the shoulders. At length he observed, 'that is, in every point
of view, a monstrous sentence, informal, unjust, void, and repugnant to
common sense. The grounds