Accompanied by the trusty Brodin, on the next day, Arwed stood
trembling as with a paroxysm of ague, in the ante-chamber of the hall
in which the royal council held its sittings. The chief clerk of the
council approached them with a protecting air.
'This is the young man of whom I spoke to you, my worthy friend,' said
Brodin to him, at the same time slipping a heavy purse into his hand;
'let me recommend him to your kindness.'
Brodin departed. The chief clerk led Arwed to the door which
communicated with the grand saloon, and opened it. 'Between the door
and the inner drapery,' said he, 'you can see and hear every thing that
takes place, without being observed. But remember my stipulation. Keep
yourself quiet, and if you are discovered, recollect that we have never
known each other, and that you slipped in here behind my back.'
'How can I possibly involve you in my fate?' answered Arwed, proceeding
to conceal himself in the designated lurking place.
'Not yet,' said the chief clerk, pulling him back: 'the lords of the
council must first assemble there, and might easily discover you as
they pass.'
At that moment the outer folding doors opened, and in their solemn
official dresses, in long, red velvet cloaks and red caps of the same
material, the loyal counsellors passed in couples through the
ante-chamber into the saloon. They were the counts Gyllenstierna,
Rhenskioeld, Stromberg, Horn, Cronhielm, Tessin, Meierfed and Moerner,
and the barons Duecker, Taube, Sparre, and Banner.
'They are all here to-day for once,' said the chief clerk. 'Count Spens
alone is absent. Indeed the business is of too much importance, and
they cannot expedite the ex-minister too hastily!'
One of the queen's chamberlains again threw open the doors, and, in
full dress, stiff and stately as the image of the virgin in some place
of pilgrimage, with a countenance in which deep hatred vainly sought to
conceal itself under assumed dignity, the queen passed by them into the
hall. Arwed then slipped into his hiding place, and the chief clerk
shut the door after him.
After the ceremony of the queen's reception was over, and the members
had taken their seats, the governor, baron Taube, took the floor.
'The special royal commission,' said he, 'has sentenced von Goertz to
lose his head under the gallows, and there be buried. The diet has, by
a majority of voices, concurred in this verdict, and by her majesty's
command the royal council is now assembled to decide whether the
sentence shall be carried into full effect, or whether Goertz shall
have the benefit of some mitigation of its severity.'
'I consider it dangerous to deal so hardly with Goertz,' said count
Cronhielm. 'The late king reposed great confidence in him, and I fear
that it may injure the Swedish nation abroad, since Goertz has many
adherents and a highly respected family.'
'A man who has endeavored to overthrow the whole kingdom,' cried the
passionate Horn, 'who has committed the crimes detailed in the report
of the commissioners, is not too severely judged. Clemency towards him
may seduce many others to enter upon a similar course, to the great
injury of the realm. Besides, he has been tried and sentenced by
conscientious men, who, if they have done him injustice, must answer it
to their God.'
'It is not my wish that he should go unpunished,' answered Cronhielm.
'But it may be well to remember, that the commencement of our political
career will be closely scrutinized, and that the manner of the
execution may injure us with the nation, and particularly with our
nobility. He may be beheaded, but to bury under the gallows a man who
has been employed in so many important affairs by our late king,
appears to me to be bad policy.'
'Any Swede who may conduct himself as he has,' cried Horn, exasperated,
'may be punished in the same manner.'
'These altercations do not accomplish our object,' remarked Ulrika. 'I
desire the lords counsellors to speak in their due order.'
'When I heard the sentence read,' said baron Banner, 'I expected a
harder punishment. When, however, I view the question in relation to
the general welfare, it appears to me that the end is attained when the
criminal is deprived of life. It can in no way concern the public
interests whether he be buried under the gallows or not, I consider it
a matter of indifference where he lies.'
'That is also our opinion,' said the three other barons and the counts
Cronhielm and Meierfeld, simultaneously.
'As he has been judged by so learned and discriminating a commission,'
observed count Tessin, 'and as the knighthood and nobility have
approved the sentence, it should be carried into full and complete
effect. Should I advise any clemency, it must be in harmony with those
who have a more minute knowledge of all the individual views presented
by the commission, which are said to be very exact and to comprehend
the particulars of Goertz' crimes. The Italian proverb indeed says:
_Morta la bestia, morto il veneno_--but something is necessary by way
of example, that others may be deterred from meddling with the business
of state--and I know not but it might be well to think of another
expedient, which is often resorted to in other places, viz; the
erection of a monument, which shall inform posterity of his conduct and
his fate, and which may prove a warning to foreigners not to intrude
themselves into this kingdom, exciting its subjects to such violence as
he has instigated. Yet I only throw out these ideas for the gracious
and favorable consideration of your majesty and your excellencies.'
'I still adhere to the opinion I before advanced,' said count Horn;
'and God knows that I am not influenced by any prejudice. But I am
convinced that smaller offences are oftentimes more severely punished.
From affection to my native country must I adhere to the sentence.'
'If we examine the circumstances of this case,' remarked count
Stromberg deliberately, 'we find them very bad. I am therefore
compelled to support the opinion of count Horn.'
'For his pernicious projects,' said count Rhenskioeld, 'Goertz has well
deserved the punishment of death. I suggest however for the gracious
consideration of your majesty, whether mercy should not be extended to
him in consideration of his family.'
'As it appears to me,' said count Gyllenstierna, taking up the
argument, 'the present question 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, reverentially conducted by her
attendants, the queen, like a thunder cloud which had ignited and
exploded with wide spread desolation, proudly moved through the
ante-chamber.
'_Stat pro ratione voluntas!_' cried Arwed with suppressed rage. 'Wo to
the country where the holy halls of justice can be profaned by such a
sentence!'