THE CLERK OF THE COURT.
See now, you are a brave lad and have your heart in the right place! I shall certainly not bring you again soon to a sitting of the court. You must rewrite the whole minutes from memory at home. You will learn more from that than if you studied through the whole corpus juris!
THE ADVOCATE FOR THE DEFENSE.
(Who, after the judges have left the chamber, has taken a package of bread and butter, a flask and a glass from his robe. Re places the flask and glass in front of him, and then comes forward, busy with his breakfast.) Now, Gigi, wasn't that a Ciceronian defence that I made for you? But what do you know about Cicero! You will allow me to breakfast, of course. At first, I had the intention of sprinkling my defence with a little curiculum vitæ, a moving description of your cattle tending, etc. But, to be frank, Gigi, I don't believe that either would have helped you much with those (pointing) dunderheads out there!
THE KING.
You have my thanks for your pains, worthy Doctor Ezzelino.
(The judges return from the council-chamber and resume their places.)
THE PRESIDING JUDGE.
(Reading from his notes.) The defendant, Ludovicus, recently a tailor's apprentice in Perugia, and formerly employed in the tending of cattle in the village of Baschi, is accused of the crime of blasphemy against the holy person of the king, and is found guilty of this crime upon the evidence of unanimous testimony, as well as by his own admission. In consideration of his previous good character, as well as in consideration of his free confession, the defendant is sentenced to two years' incarceration——
ALMA.