You have nothing to expect from men but death; as for God, implore his mercy." The regicide bowed his head; the renegade bent his knee.

But suddenly drawing himself up, he cried: "I voted the king's death, it is true, but with a reservation--" "What reservation ?" "The time of the execution." "Sooner or later, it was still the king's death which you voted, and the king was innocent." "True, true," said the priest, "but I was afraid." "Then you are not only a regicide, and an apostate, but also a coward.
We are not priests, but we are more just than you.

You voted the death of the innocent; we vote the death of the guilty.

You have ten minutes in which to prepare to meet your God." The bishop gave a cry of terror and fell upon both knees; the church bells rang, as if of their own impulse, and two of the men present, accustomed to the offices of the church, intoned the prayers for the dying.

It was some time before the bishop found words with which to respond.