The 3 Ducats (I)

He was a man like you and me, a man neither better nor worse, a poor devil, a sinner. What had he done? I do not know. A fault more serious than any others, a sin bigger than any others, on a day when God, without a doubt, had left him alone too long. And he was led to the gallows of the good city of Toulouse between the executioner and Consuls, amidst a crowd of naughty, curious boys, who had come running to see what awaited them on the morrow. But that day, King René was making his entrance into Toulouse, with the beautiful Aude whom he had just married in a neighboring country. In passing the gallows, the queen saw the condemned man already perched on the stool, with the rope around his neck. She could not hold back a scream and hid her head in her hands. The king stopped his retinue, made a sign for the executioner to stop, and turning to the consuls, said: "Distinguished Consuls, the queen wishes to ask you, as a token of your hospitality, to pardon this man." But the consuls replied: "Sire, this man has committed an unpardonable crime, and as much as we would like to please the queen, the law requires that he be hanged. "Is there a fault in the world," asked beautiful Aude timidly, "which can not be forgiven?" "Certainly not!" replied one of the King's advisers. "According to the custom of the country of Toulouse, a sentence can be cancelled for the sum of one thousand ducats." "True," answered the consuls, "but where do you want this poor fellow to find such a sum?"