The Prince hesitated for a moment as he concluded the sentence and seemed about to add something more but apparently he remembered that a report of the trial was to go before the King whose representative was present and he was particularly desirous that nothing should go on the records which savoured of old-time malignity; for it was well known that his Majesty had a particular aversion to the ancient forms of torture that had obtained heretofore in his kingdom. Recollecting this the Prince sat down.