NEW EMPIRE OF ABYSSINIA. 205 



this savage scene, and had involuntarily bitten the thumb of his irritated hand. 

 This gesture signifies anger in the mimicry of the Abyssinians, Theodore saw it 

 and was so little affected by it that when Mr. Stern returned home he sent him, 

 as usual, his supper from the imperial table, but the courtiers did not allow the 

 missionary to escape so easily ; they demanded the punishmeLit of the audacious 

 stranger who had threatened his majesty, after having first alleged that Mr. Stern 

 meant nothing by his gesture, yielding probably to the false shame of appearing to 

 shrink from ill treating an English subject. Mr. Stern was summoned, brutally- 

 laid flat upon his face, and beaten less severely than his unhappy servants, indeed, 

 but to such a degree that he was confined to his bed for a long time. A domici- 

 liary visit, paid, in consequence of these deeds, to the houses of the Englit^h Bible 

 Societies, led to the discovery of many letters and notes, written in German and 

 in English, and relating to the late events in Abyssinia. Theodore had them 

 translated ; and these notes, written, without any object, by people desirous of 

 preserving a rememberance of what had happened before their eyes, provoked 

 him to a terrible rage. 



He arrested three of the most prominent of the accused: the soldiers, not 

 knowing them, deemed it proper to put in irons all of the Europeans connected 

 with the missions •:.{ Djenda and Darna, amongst whom were two young women, 

 Mmes. Flad and Rosenthal. The Negus questioned the former alone, hoping to 

 obtain from her a confession by intimidation. She answered him simply "that 

 it was the custom of the Franks to take notice of everything which interested 

 them in their travels." Not being able to derive any further information, Theo- 

 dore released the two ladies and M, Flad, and, to. give the nppearaijfe of impar- 

 tiality, he assembled at Gondar, as in a kind of superior court, all the Europeans 

 in Abyfsinia. MM. Stern and Rosenthal were cited before it as the greatest dis- 

 coveries had been made at their houses. The points of accusation Were read, and 

 the Negus demanded of the jurymen what punishment the laws of Europe 

 inflicted on men "^ho spoke thus of the sovereign. " Death, answered the presi- 

 dent of this commission, without hesitation ; but we invoke the clemency of your 

 majesty in favour of strangers who are guilty more by misunderstanding than by 

 intention." This apparent abandonment of the accused was in the opinion of 

 those who were acquainted with the Negun, much more skilful than a speech, 

 which would only have irritated him, and have ruined at the same time the 

 accused, the lawyers and the judges. " I will be merciful," said Theodore, " I 

 commute the punishment which you have pronounced to that of irons for MM, 

 Stern and Rosenthal." Turning to the latter, he said : " How have you been so 

 rash as to judge a prince you do not know and facts which you have learned only 

 by hearsay f " This was logical ; but M. Rosenthal might have objected that 

 there was only crime where there was publicity. "You are ignorant perhaps," 

 added the Negus, " that the law of the empire offerp you a recourse of which I 

 would like to see you take advantage like a courageous man. You have the 

 right to say of me whatever evil you please, provided you are ready to maintain 

 your words, on horseback with your sword in hand, against one of my champions." 

 We may easily imagine how this proposition was received by M. Rosenthal, who 

 had never handled anything but the^spiritual arus of theology. 



