n is only whether the condemned shall be
buried under the gallows. That he must die, is already decided by a
majority of the voices. Now, the object being accomplished by his
death, I see no objection to his being buried any where else, so that
his family may be spared too great suffering through such ignominy.'

'He is disgraced sufficiently when he falls under the hands of the
executioner,' said the queen in her most scornful tone. 'As for the
rest, the diet may do what they please with him.'

'It must be confessed,' said Cronhielm timidly, 'that he was not
permitted to exercise the right of defence so fully as the law allows,
and that he had not the benefit of legal counsel. Besides, he is a
member of the Franconian nobility, who are very jealous of their
privileges. They will maintain that the accused could not be legally
judged here, and, to avoid irritating them, it appears to me that it
would be well not to deal too severely with him.'

'I know nothing to induce me to suppose,' said Horn, 'that Goertz had
not the privilege of defending himself.'

'If he had not,' said Tessin, 'he must be allowed a new trial.'

'I call for the votes of the special commission,' said Cronhielm.
'Stiernkrona has explicitly declared it contrary to law and equity to
deprive Goertz of the means of defending himself.'

'Let the record of the commission be brought here,' said the queen
angrily, to baron Banner. He hastened into the ante-chamber and sent
the chief clerk to bring it, while slight hopes were once more raised
in the bosom of the listening Arwed. Meanwhile there was a long pause
in the council room, during which count Cronhielm was compelled to bear
the inconvenient criticisms of his brother counsellors for his last
speech.

'As governor of Stockholm,' said Baron Taube, interrupting the general
silence, 'it is my duty to inquire how the execution shall be
conducted?'

'The conclusion is,' answered the queen impatiently, 'that the governor
is to deal with baron von Goertz according to the sentence of the
commission, as confirmed by the diet.'

'It is quite superfluous, then,' cried Cronhielm, rising up with
feelings of resentment, 'that we should further discuss an affair in
relation to which her majesty has already issued her commands.'

'Certainly, wholly superfluous,' said Horn, likewise rising. The others
followed his example. The council broke up its sitting without waiting
for the record of the commission, and