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60 through him. The miserable man dropped on the floor which was dyed crimson with his struggles, for still he writhed; when the executioner, pressing him down with his foot, extricated the blade; and as he drew it forth, Monaldeschi sunk back—dead!

"The corpse was immediately put into a coach, and buried in the church-yard with all possible speed; and, but for the horror in men's minds, there would not be a trace left of the unfortunate, even if guilty, Monaldeschi. I hear, however, that one horrible trace does remain: the floor was so saturated with the blood shed in his dying struggles, that no efforts can efface the stain; in vain buckets upon buckets of water have been poured upon the place,—the crimson is there fresh and red as ever."

It was some time before any one broke the silence that followed upon the gloomy narrative.

"And what do his Grace and the Queen say? for I believe you come from their presence," asked Madame de Mercœur, at last.

"Why the Queen proposed that it should be notified to Christina, that her presence was no longer desired in France; but to this Louis objected. 'The power,' said he, 'of life and death is in the hands of the sovereign. Christina is