of weapons, was the custom of the day; such,
therefore, between Stanley and Morales, might have excited marvel as
to the _cause_, but not as to the _act_. But murder! it was so wholly
incompatible with even the very lowest principles of chivalry (except
when the unfortunate victim was of too low a rank to be removed by any
other means), that when they recalled the gallantry, the frankness of
speech and deed, the careless buoyancy, the quickly subdued passion,
and easily accorded forgiveness of injury, which had ever before
characterized young Stanley, they could not believe his guilt: but
then came the recollection of the startling proofs against him, and
such belief was almost involuntarily suspended. There was not a
movement in that immense concourse of human beings, not a word spoken
one to the other, not a murmur even of impatience for the appearance
of the King. All was so still, so mute, that, had it not been for the
varied play of countenances, any stranger suddenly placed within the
circle might have imagined himself in an assemblage of statues.

Precisely at noon, the folding-doors at the upper end of the hall were
thrown widely but noiselessly back, and King Ferdinand, attended by a
few pages and gentlemen, slowly entered, and taking his seat, gazed
a full minute, inquiringly and penetratingly around him, and then
resting his head on his hand, remained plunged in earnest meditation
some moments before he spoke.

It was a strange sight--the noiseless, yet universal rising of the
assemblage in honor to their Sovereign, changing their position as by
one simultaneous movement. Many an eye turned towards him to read
on his countenance the prisoner's doom; but its calm, almost stern
expression, baffled the most penetrating gaze. Some minutes passed ere
Ferdinand, rousing himself from his abstraction, waved his hand,
and every seat was instantaneously resumed, and so profound was the
silence, that every syllable the Monarch spoke, though his voice was
not raised one note above his usual pitch, was heard by every member
of those immense crowds, as individually addressing each.

"My Lords and holy Fathers, and ye Associated Brethren," he said, "the
cause of your present assemblage needs no repetition. Had the murdered
and the supposed murderer been other than they are, we should have
left the course of justice in the hands of those appointed to
administer it, and interfered not ourselves save to confirm or annul
the