Our laws are severe and my
duties strict. Yet can the queen pardon. Leave the decision to God!'

He directed the bailiffs to replace Mac Donalbain's chains. Christine
watched the proceeding in silent sadness, bowed with a sweet and
melancholy grace to the judges, and, supporting her child with one arm
and her husband with the other, she moved with him from the room. Arwed
and Megret followed her.

'Is it really your unalterable resolution, countess,' whispered the
latter to her, 'to share the imprisonment of a villain, instead of
fulfilling a daughter's duty by the sick bed of your noble father?'

But Christine turned away without answering him, and approached Arwed.
'Thy spirit breathed upon me in the court room,' said she with strong
emotion. 'For the kindness I met there, I am indebted to thy benignant
heart. Tire not! I well know that we are not worthy of all you are
doing for us; but you are accustomed to the performance of all that is
good and great, and will of yourself consummate your work, for its own
sake, regardless of the object. Save but the life of this unhappy man,
and you shall have my eternal gratitude.'

'Listen not to her prayer, count,' cried Mac Donalbain, 'but suffer me
to seek in the grave that peace which life can henceforth never give
me.'

The conversation was interrupted by the guards whose duty it was to
conduct the prisoners to their dungeon. Christine, shuddering, left
Arwed, to follow her husband, '_Diable! Elle aime le larron, et elle
l'aimera jusqu'a la potence!_' cried the enraged and despairing Megret
as he rushed out.

CHAPTER XLVII.

It was already deep winter, and the judges were again assembled in the
town hall of Umea. Once more Arwed leaned against the window, an
interested spectator. Through his interposition Megret was this time
denied entrance. With recovered health Mac Donalbain, his faithful
nurse, his child, and his twelve comrades, were placed before the
judgment seat. The chief judge showed the seal of the envelope covering
the final decision, which had been received from Stockholm. After
satisfying all present that the seal was still inviolate, he proceeded
to break it and drew out the portentous document, through which he
rapidly ran his eye.

'Your lives are spared!' cried he to Mac Donalbain with heartfelt joy.
'The mercy of the queen has commuted the death-sentence of you all into
confinement to labor in the mines for life