fled away. He reasoned that as he was in disguise no one could know him.
There was an old woman who kept a bakery across the way from the house where the noble lady lived. She was looking out of her window at the time of the murder. She saw the act, and got a view of the terrible face of the royal musician as he was fleeing away.
"That was the King himself," said the old bake woman. "By my soul, that was the King!"
The next day the news of the murder filled the city. The murdered man was a person of rank and importance. The people were alarmed and indignant.
"Who did the deed?" was a question that arose to every lip.
The King, cruel as he was, did not wish to be suspected of being a street assassin. So he issued a proclamation in this form:
"Unless the alcalde (judge) of Seville shall discover the murderer of the gallant musician within three days, the alcalde shall lose his head."
The city judge began to make great exertions to discover the murderer.
The old bake woman came to him and said:
"I know who did the deed. But silence, silence! I saw it with my own eyes, but we must be still. It was the King himself!"
The alcalde dared not accuse the King, and yet he must save his own head. What was he to do?
He made an image of the King. He then went to the palace.
"O King! I have found the murderer. I have brought him here to receive sentence."
The King was glad that a suspected person had been found, so that the public thought might be directed to the suspect.
"What shall be done with him?" asked the alcalde.
"What! He who would slay a musician about to serenade a noble lady?"
"Yes, your Majesty."
"What shall be done with him? I condemn him to death. Bring him before me."
The alcalde brought in the image of the King, and uncovered it.
The King beheld himself.
"I will save your head," said the King, and the alcalde went thoughtfully away.
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