[Footnote: historical.

The king's own words .-- Leti, vol.I, p.

16.] And the king was dying with the gnawing consciousness that he had no longer the power to throttle that enemy whom he hated.

The mighty king was now nothing more than a feeble, dying old man, who was no longer able to hold the pen and sign this death-warrant for which he had so long hankered and hoped.

Now it lay before him, and he no longer had the power to use it.