“Let six children be arrested at once and brought to me.”
The sentinel showed the doctors out and departed to execute the order, returning with six children already half dead with fright. The emperor addressed him—
“Children,” he said, “for twelve years I have suffered from a painful and irritating disease. My learned physicians advise me that a bath of your blood will restore me to health. The remedy is so simple that I have resolved to try it. Of course, the first step will be to put you all to death. This I regret, but—”
Here he was interrupted by the sobs and cries of the children—
“We do not want to die, your Majesty!”
He assured them of his sympathy, but begged them not to stray from the point, explaining that, as it was a question of saving the life of the Emperor of the World, their personal wishes could not be consulted and they had better prepare to have their blood shed at once. They trembled violently and, choking with tears and anguish, knelt to him for mercy.
It was a view of the situation which had not occurred to him. The children, being too young to understand the nature of his complaint, rashly leapt on the bed and embraced him. The noble sufferer reconsidered while the children continued to cry—
“Pietà, Maiestà, pietà!”
He was touched with compassion, he wavered, he could resist no longer.