“Hangman for the province!” muttered Orugix. He cast an angry glance at the official document, but at last exclaimed: “Well, I must obey and be off. After all, they tell me to bring my best axe and the black hangings. Take care, Becky, that you rub off the spots of rust which have dimmed my axe, and see that the hangings are not stained with blood. We must not be discouraged; perhaps they mean to promote me in payment for this fine execution. So much the worse for the prisoners; they will not have the satisfaction of dying by the hand of an executioner royal.” XLII. _Elvira_. What has become of poor Sancho? He has not appeared in town? _Nuno_. Sancho has doubtless contrived to find shelter. LOPE DE VEGA: _The Best Alcalde is the King_. Count d’Ahlefeld, dragging behind him an ample robe of black satin lined with ermine, his head and shoulders concealed by a large judicial wig, his breast covered with stars and decorations, among which were the collars of the Royal Orders of the Elephant and the Dannebrog, clad, in a word, in the complete costume of the lord chancellor of Denmark and Norway, paced with an anxious air up and down the apartment of Countess d’Ahlefeld, who was alone with him at the moment. “Come, it is nine o’clock; the court is about to open; it must not be kept waiting, for sentence must be pronounced to-night, so that it may be carried out by to-morrow morning at latest. The mayor assures me that the hangman will be here before dawn. Elphega, did you order the boat to take me to Munkholm?” “My lord, it has been waiting for you at least half an hour,” replied the countess, rising from her seat. “And is my litter at the door?” “Yes, my lord.” “Good! So you say, Elphega,” added the count, clapping his hand to his head, “that there is a love-affair between Ordener Guldenlew and Schumacker’s daughter?” “A very serious one, I assure you,” replied the countess, with a smile of anger and contempt. “Who would ever have imagined it? And yet I tell you that I suspected it.” “And so did I,” said the countess. “This is a trick played upon us by that confounded Levin.” “Old scamp of a Mecklenburger!” muttered the chancellor; “never fear, I’ll recommend you to Arensdorf. If I could only succeed in disgracing him! Ah! see here, Elphega, I have an inspiration.” “What is it?”