But, Sir,
says he, permit me once more to implore your majesty's clemency;
for God's sake grant my request, I protest to you that I am
innocent. Your prayers, answers the king, are vain; and if it
were for nothing but to hear your head speak after your death, it
is my will you should die. As he said this, he took the book out
of the physician's hand, and ordered the executioner to do his
duty.
The head was so dexterously cut off, that it fell into the bason,
and was no sooner laid upon the cover of the book than the blood
stopped; then, to the great surprise of the king, and all the
spectators, it opened its eyes, and said, Sir, will your majesty
be pleased to open the book? The king opened it, and finding that
one leaf was, as it were, glued to another, that he might turn it
with more ease, he put his finger to his mouth, and wet it with
spittle. He did so till he came to the sixth leaf, and finding no
writing on the place where he was bid to look for it, Physician,
says he to the head, here is nothing written. Turn over some more
leaves, replies the head. The king continued to turn over,
putting always his finger to his mouth, until the poison, with
which each leaf was imbued, came to have its effect; the prince
finding himself, all of a sudden, taken with an extraordinary
fit, his eye-sight failed, and he, fell down at the foot of his
throne in great convulsions.
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