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THE KING IN THE HUNTING LODGE.
THE moment with its shock and tumult of feeling brings one judgment, later reflection another.

Among the sins of Rupert of Hentzau I do not assign the first and greatest place to his killing of the king.

It was, indeed, the act of a reckless man who stood at nothing and held nothing sacred; but when I consider Herbert's story, and trace how the deed came to be done and the impulsion of circumstances that led to it, it seems to have been in some sort thrust upon him by the same perverse fate that dogged our steps.

He had meant the king no harm--indeed it may be argued that, from whatever motive, he had sought to serve him--and save under the sudden stress of self-defense he had done him none.