“Forbear,” said the Bishop.
Photo-Etching.—From drawing by Démarest.
order and prepared to pronounce the fatal formula against Ordener, who remained calm and motionless, when a side door opened to the right of the bench.
An officer of the Church entered and announced his reverence, the bishop of Throndhjem. He entered hurriedly, accompanied by another ecclesiastic, on whose arm he leaned.
“Stop, Mr. President!” he exclaimed with a strength of which a man of his age seemed hardly capable. “Stop! Heaven be praised! I am in time.”
The audience listened with renewed interest, foreseeing some fresh development. The president turned angrily to the bishop: “Allow me to inform your reverence that your presence here is wholly unnecessary. The court is about to degrade from his rank the prisoner, who will suffer the penalty of his crime directly.”
“Forbear,” said the bishop, “to lay hands on one who is pure in the sight of God. The prisoner is innocent.”
The cry of astonishment which burst from the spectators was only matched by the cry of terror uttered by the president and private secretary.