ThenoblerelativesoftheCountd’Hornabsolutelyblockeduptheante-chambersoftheRegent，prayingformercyonthemisguidedyouth，andallegingthathewasinsane。TheRegentavoidedthemaslongaspossible，beingdeterminedthat，inacasesoatrocious，justiceshouldtakeitscourse；buttheimportunityoftheseinfluentialsuitorswasnottobeovercomesosilently，andtheyatlastforcedthemselvesintothepresenceoftheRegent，andprayedhimtosavetheirhousetheshameofapublicexecution。TheyhintedthatthePrincesd’HornwerealliedtotheillustriousfamilyofOrleans，andaddedthattheRegenthimselfwouldbedisgracedifakinsmanofhisshoulddiebythehandsofacommonexecutioner。TheRegent，tohiscredit，wasproofagainstalltheirsolicitations，andrepliedtotheirlastargumentinthewordsofCorneille，-
“Lecrimefaitlahonte，etnonpasl’echafaud:“
adding，thatwhatevershametheremightbeinthepunishmenthewouldverywillinglysharewiththeotherrelatives。Dayafterdaytheyrenewedtheirentreaties，butalwayswiththesameresult。AtlasttheythoughtthatiftheycouldinteresttheDukedeSt。Simonintheirlayout，amanforwhomtheRegentfeltsincereesteem，theymightsucceedintheirobject。TheDuke，athorougharistocrat，wasasshockedastheywere，thatanobleassassinshoulddiebythesamedeathasaplebeianfelon，andrepresentedtotheRegenttheimpolicyofmakingenemiesofsonumerous，wealthy，andpowerfulafamily。Heurged，too，thatinGermany，wherethefamilyofD’Aremberghadlargepossessions，itwasthelaw，thatnorelativeofapersonbrokenonthewheelcouldsucceedtoanypublicofficeoremployuntilawholegenerationhadpassedaway。ForthisreasonhethoughtthepunishmentoftheguiltyCountmightbetransmutedintobeheading，whichwasconsideredalloverEuropeasmuchlessinfamous。TheRegentwasmovedbythisargument，andwasabouttoconsent，whenLaw，whofeltpeculiarlyinterestedinthefateofthemurderedman，confirmedhiminhisformerresolution，toletthelawtakeitscourse。
TherelativesofD’Hornwerenowreducedtothelastextremity。
ThePrincedeRobecMontmorency，despairingofothermethods，foundmeanstopenetrateintothedungeonofthecriminal，andofferinghimacupofpoison，imploredhimtosavethemfromdisgrace。TheCountd’Hornturnedawayhishead，andrefusedtotakeit。Montmorencypressedhimoncemore，andlosingallpatienceathiscontinuedrefusal，turnedonhisheel，andexclaiming，“Die，then，asthouwilt，mean-spiritedwretch！thouartfitonlytoperishbythehandsofthehangman！“lefthimtohisfate。