“Well?”

“Well, we cannot, no, we cannot go against the decrees of justice.”

“You are not asked to do that. You are asked for a commutation of punishment as an act of mercy. Mercy is a legal thing.”

“The pardoning-commission has given its finding....”

“True, but there remains the president of the Republic.”

“He has refused.”

“He can reconsider his refusal.”

“Impossible!”

“Why?”

“There’s no excuse for it.”