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 which I have the honor to represent in this council. I observe a payment of fifty thousand marks to the late autocrat—”

“Do you refer to my father?” sharply interposed Wenzel.

“I allude, your highness, to the usurper whose long control of our affairs seems to have been not unaccompanied by personal enrichment at the expense of the kingdom. The sum of fifty thousand marks has been set down as paid to that person, in the public record; but no authority for such payment seems producible.”

“How say you, Mr. Notarius?” asked Benes.

“I know that the records contain the entry,” replied Jaroslav; “and my recollection is that the order setting apart that sum for the late queen was duly enrolled and registered under orders from King Otakar.”

“Can you produce that document?” tauntingly inquired Nicolas.

“I can only repeat that it was duly deposited with the others in the chest devoted to such papers. Only this morning I placed it before me in readiness for this council; but being suddenly called away by a messenger from your highness. I did not restore the document to its place, and on my return, to my distraction, it was missing.”

“What other evidence have you, if any, of the proper payment of that sum to the Queen Kunigunde?”

“I respectfully present to the council,” replied Jar-