A man in a pearly-grey dress, with a cloak
clasped with gold, came in at the end of the hall, and advanced with
rapid steps and a curiously unconcerned air up the hall. The judges rose
in their places with a hurried and disconcerted look. The stranger came
up to me, tapped me on the shoulder, and bade me presently follow him.
Then he turned to the President, and said in a clear, peremptory voice:
"Dissolve the Court! Your powers have been grossly and insolently
exceeded. See that nothing of this sort occurs again!" and then,
ascending the dais, he struck the President with his open hand hard upon
the cheek.
The President gave a stifled cry and staggered in his place, and then,
covering his face with his hands, went out at a door on the platform,
followed by the rest of the Council in haste. Then the man came down
again, and motioned me to follow him. I was not prepared for what
happened. Outside in the square was a great, pale, silent crowd, in the
most obvious and dreadful excitement and consternation. We went rapidly,
in absolute stillness, through two lines of people, who watched us with
an emotion I could not quite interpret, but it was something very like
hatred.
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