Fleading for the Emperors Life. 22 





execution of the Emperor. But Mr. Iglesia told me, and so 

 did President Juarez later, that a further delay could not be 

 granted, and that they regretted much to have yielded to the 

 request of Baron Magnus, as the President had been accused 

 of intentionally prolonging the agony of the Emperor, a 

 reproach made him especially by the foreigners, who called 

 him a cruel, revengeful, and barbarous Indian. 



The last day before the execution now came ; the Emperor 

 was to be shot on the following morning. Though I had but 

 little hope, I was resolved to make another effort, and to appeal 

 once more to the heart of that man on whose v/ill depended 

 the life of the Emperor, whose pale face and melancholy blue 

 eyes, which impressed even a man like Palacios, were con- 

 stantly looking at me. It was eight o'clock in the evening 

 when I went to see Mr. Juarez, who received me at once. 

 He looked pale and suffering himself. With trembling lips I 

 pleaded for the life of the Emperor, or at least for delay. 

 What I blamed in a man — in Baron Magnus — might be par- 

 doned in a woman. The President said that he could not 

 grant it ; he would not prolong his agony any longer ; the 

 Emperor must die to-morrow. 



When I heard these cruel words I became frantic with grief. 

 Trembling in every limb and sobbing, I fell down on my knees 

 and pleaded with words which came from my heart, but which 

 I cannot remember. The President tried to raise me, but I 

 held his knees convulsively, and said I w^ould not leave him 

 before he had granted his life. I saw the President was moved ; 

 he as well as Mr. Iglesia had tears in their eyes, but he 

 answered me with a low sad voice, " I am grieved, madame, 

 to see you thus on your knees before me ; but if all the kings 

 and queens of Europe were in your place I could not spare 

 that life. It is not I who take it, it is the people and the law, 

 and if I should not do its will the people would take it and 

 mine also." 



In my raving agony I exclaimed, he might take my life if 

 blood was wanted. I was a useless woman, but he might 

 spare that of a man who might still do so much good in 

 another country. All was in vain. The President raised me 

 up, and repeated to me that the life of my husband should be 

 spared ; that was all he could do. I thanked him and left. 

 In the ante-room were more than two hundred ladies of San 



