When everybody had quieted down Mercia’s counsel got upon his legs, and requested that the Public Prosecutor should state his case, to which demand the Judges agreed. Thereupon, the Emperor’s counsel made his charge according to the manner in which he had been instructed, but having no witnesses to produce, save Prince Osbert, who averred he saw nothing, from which testimony no amount of questioning could make him depart, the Defence was commenced without delay. Rising to his feet Mercia’s counsel proceeded with his speech. ‘To-day I am placed in a position as painful to me as a subject, as it is unique in the annals of a Law Court. Painful, insomuch as it is necessary for the ends of justice that I shall have to accuse my Sovereign of conduct so base that the meanest subject of his Realms would blush to be found guilty of the like. ‘I am in a position to show that the Emperor’s visits to his Astronomer were not made either in the interests of science, or those of his subjects: no such justifiable, or worthy motives prompted his course of action. On the contrary, these interviews were made with the intention of corrupting her pure mind, and of guiling her away from her duty. ‘By his artful insinuations he endeavoured to gradually lead her on to disregard her vows of abstention from Love, or Marriage, with a view of paving the way for his own purposes. He dwelt upon the folly of continuing a course of asceticism, whose only effect would be ultimately, a serious injury to her health and happiness; and she in the perfect innocence of her pure mind, accepted it at the moment, as a piece of fatherly advice that should not be disregarded. ‘Like the Eastern fable of Eve and the Serpent, she listened to the voice of the Tempter not knowing he was planning her downfall. But luckier than our First Mother, Mercia discovered her mistake before touching the forbidden fruit. ‘From the evidence you will learn that the Tempter used every argument he could think of, offering the possible and the impossible to induce her to comply. At length, with a heart bursting with mortification and indignation she essayed to leave him, when he endeavoured to forcibly detain her; upon which she raised her ebony life-preserver to warn him from trespassing on her person. At this juncture he was surprised by the entrance of the Prince and Geometrus, who were amazed at a scene so unexpected. Mortified at being caught at such a moment he tried to explain away the difficulty, and coolly turned the tables upon the lady, by accusing her of some failure in duty; at this moment who should emerge from a corner of the apartment, which was partially concealed by a large screen, but Mr. Sadbag, whose presence it will be my duty to explain.