an historical mystery-第42章

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deliverance。　He　examined　Marthe；　as　much　as　he　could　by　the　unsteady
light　of　her　dark　lantern；　and　he　recognized　her　by　her　clothes；　her
stoutness；　and　her　motions。　When　she　passed　the　/pate/　through　the
door　he　dropped　it　to　seize　her　hand　and　then；　with　great　swiftness；
he　tried　to　pull　the　rings　from　her　fingers；one　her　wedding…ring；
the　other　a　gift　from　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne。

〃You　cannot　deny　that　it　is　you；　my　dear　Madame　Michu；〃　he　said。

Marthe　closed　her　fist　the　moment　she　felt　his　fingers；　and　gave　him　a
vigorous　blow　in　the　chest。　Then；　without　a　word；　she　turned　away　and
cut　a　stick；　at　the　end　of　which　she　held　out　to　the　senator　the　rest
of　the　provisions。

〃What　do　they　want　of　me？〃　he　asked。

Marthe　departed　giving　him　no　answer。　By　five　o'clock　she　had　reached
the　edge　of　the　forest　and　was　warned　by　Couraut　of　the　presence　of
strangers。　She　retraced　her　steps　and　made　for　the　pavilion　where　she
had　lived　so　long；　but　just　as　she　entered　the　avenue　she　was　seen
from　afar　by　the　forester　of　Gondreville；　and　she　quickly　reflected
that　her　best　plan　was　to　go　straight　up　to　him。

〃You　are　out　early；　Madame　Michu；〃　he　said；　accosting　her。

〃We　are　so　unfortunate；〃　she　replied；　〃that　I　am　obliged　to　do　a
servant's　work　myself。　I　am　going　to　Bellache　for　some　grain。〃

〃Haven't　you　any　at　Cinq…Cygne？〃　said　the　forester。

Marthe　made　no　answer。　She　continued　on　her　way　and　reached　the　farm
at　Bellache；　where　she　asked　Beauvisage　to　give　her　some　seed…grain；
saying　that　Monsieur　d'Hauteserre　advised　her　to　get　it　from　him　to
renew　her　crop。　As　soon　as　Marthe　had　left　the　farm；　the　forester　went
there　to　find　out　what　she　asked　for。

Six　days　later；　Marthe；　determined　to　be　prudent；　went　at　midnight
with　her　provisions　so　as　to　avoid　the　keepers　who　were　evidently
patrolling　the　forest。　After　carrying　a　third　supply　to　the　senator
she　suddenly　became　terrified　on　hearing　the　abbe　read　aloud　the
public　examination　of　the　prisoners；for　the　trial　was　by　that　time
begun。　She　took　the　abbe　aside；　and　after　obliging　him　to　swear　that
he　would　keep　the　secret　she　was　about　to　reveal　as　though　it　was　said
to　him　in　the　confessional；　she　showed　him　the　fragments　of　Michu's
letter；　told　him　the　contents　of　it；　and　also　the　secret　of　the
hiding…place　where　the　senator　then　was。

The　abbe　at　once　inquired　if　she　had　other　letters　from　her　husband
that　he　might　compare　the　writing。　Marthe　went　to　her　home　to　fetch
them　and　there　found　a　summons　to　appear　in　court。　By　the　time　she
returned　to　the　chateau　the　abbe　and　his　sister　had　received　a　similar
summons　on　behalf　of　the　defence。　They　were　obliged　therefore　to　start
for　Troyes　immediately。　Thus　all　the　personages　of　our　drama；　even
those　who　were　only；　as　it　were；　supernumeraries；　were　collected　on
the　spot　where　the　fate　of　the　two　families　was　about　to　be　decided。



CHAPTER　XVII

THE　TRIAL

There　are　but　few　localities　in　France　where　Law　derives　from　outward
appearance　the　dignity　which　ought　always　to　accompany　it。　Yet　it
surely　is；　after　religion　and　royalty；　the　greatest　engine　of　society。
Everywhere；　even　in　Paris；　the　meanness　of　its　surroundings；　the
wretched　arrangement　of　the　courtrooms；　their　barrenness　and　want　of
decoration　in　the　most　ornate　and　showy　nation　upon　earth　in　the
matter　of　its　public　monuments；　lessens　the　action　of　the　law's　mighty
power。　At　the　farther　end　of　some　oblong　room　may　be　seen　a　desk　with
a　green　baize　covering　raised　on　a　platform；　behind　it　sit　the　judges
on　the　commonest　of　arm…chairs。　To　the　left；　is　the　seat　of　the　public
prosecutor；　and　beside　him；　close　to　the　wall；　is　a　long　pen　filled
with　chairs　for　the　jury。　Opposite　to　the　jury　is　another　pen　with　a
bench　for　the　prisoners　and　the　gendarmes　who　guard　them。　The　clerk　of
the　court　sits　below　the　platform　at　a　table　covered　with　the　papers
of　the　case。　Before　the　imperial　changes　in　the　administration　of
justice　were　instituted；　a　commissary　of　the　government　and　the
director　of　the　jury　each　had　a　seat　and　a　table；　one　to　the　right；
the　other　to　the　left　of　the　baize…covered　desk。　Two　sheriffs　hovered
about　in　the　space　left　in　front　of　the　desk　for　the　station　of
witnesses。　Facing　the　judges　and　against　the　wall　above　the　entrance；
there　is　always　a　shabby　gallery　reserved　for　officials　and　for　women；
to　which　admittance　is　granted　only　by　the　president　of　the　court；　to
whom　the　proper　management　of　the　courtroom　belongs。　The　non…
privileged　public　are　compelled　to　stand　in　the　empty　space　between
the　door　of　the　hall　and　the　bar。　This　normal　appearance　of　all　French
law　courts　and　assize…rooms　was　that　of　the　Criminal　court　of　Troyes。

In　April；　1806；　neither　the　four　judges　nor　the　president　（or　chief…
justice）　who　made　up　the　court；　nor　the　public　prosecutor；　the
director　of　the　jury；　the　commissary　of　the　government；　nor　the
sheriffs　or　lawyers；　in　fact　no　one　except　the　gendarmes；　wore　any
robes　or　other　distinctive　sign　which　might　have　relieved　the
nakedness　of　the　surroundings　and　the　somewhat　meagre　aspect　of　the
figures。　The　crucifix　was　suppressed；　its　example　was　no　longer　held
up　before　the　eyes　of　justice　and　of　guilt。　All　was　dull　and　vulgar。
The　paraphernalia　so　necessary　to　excite　social　interest　is　perhaps　a
consolation　to　criminals。　On　this　occasion　the　eagerness　of　the　public
was　what　it　has　ever　been　and　ever　will　be　in　trials　of　this　kind；　so
long　as　France　refuses　to　recognize　that　the　admission　of　the　public
to　the　courts　involves　publicity；　and　that　the　publicity　given　to
trials　is　a　terrible　penalty　which　would　never　have　been　inflicted　had
legislators　reflected　on　it。　Customs　are　often　more　cruel　than　laws。
Customs　are　the　deeds　of　men；　but　laws　are　the　judgment　of　a　nation。
Customs　in　which　there　is　often　no　judgment　are　stronger　than　laws。

Crowds　surrounded　the　courtroom；　the　president　was　obliged　to　station
squads　of　soldiers　to　guard　the　doors。　The　audience；　standing　below
the　bar；　was　so　crowded　that　persons　suffocated。　Monsieur　de
Grandville；　defending　Michu；　Bordin；　defending　the　Simeuse　brothers；
and　a　lawyer　of　Troyes　who　appeared　for　the　d'Hauteserres；　were　in
their　seats　before　the　opening　of　the　court；　their　faces　wore　a　look
of　confidence。　When　the　prisoners　were　brought　in；　sympathetic　murmurs
were　heard　at　the　appearance　of　the　young　men；　whose　faces；　in　twenty
days'　imprisonment　and　anxiety；　had　somewhat　paled。　The　perfect
likeness　of　the　twins　excited　the　deepest　interest。　Perhaps　the
spectators　thought　that　Nature　would　exercise　some　special　protection
in　the　case　of　her　own　anomalies；　and　felt　ready　to　join　in　repairing
the　harm　done　to　them　by　destiny。　Their　noble；　simple　faces；　showing
no　signs　of　shame；　still　less　of　bravado；　touched　the　women's　hearts。
The　four　gentlemen　and　Gothard　wore　the　clothes　in　which　they　had　been
arrested；　but　Michu；　whose　coat　and　trousers　were　among　the　〃articles
of　testimony；〃　so…called；　had　put　on　his　best　clothes；a　blue
surtout；　a　brown　velvet　waistcoat　/a　la/　Robespierre；　and　a　white
cravat。　The　poor　man　paid　the　penalty　of　his　dangerous…looking　face。
When　he　cast　a　glance　of　his　yellow　eye；　so　clear　and　so　profound　upon
the　audience；　a　murmur　of　repulsion　answered　it。　The　assembly　chose　to
see　the　finger　of　God　bringing　him　to　the　dock　where　his　father…in…law
had　sacrificed　so　many　victims。　This　man；　truly　great；　looked　at　his
masters；　repressing　a　smile　of　scorn。　He　seemed　to　say　to　them；　〃I　am
injuring　your　cause。〃　Five　of　the　prisoners　exchanged　greetings　with
their　counsel。　Gothard　still　played　the　part　of　an　idiot。

After　several　challenges；　made　with　much　sagacity　by　the　defence　under
advice　of　the　Marquis　de　Chargeboeuf；　who　boldly　took　a　seat　beside
Bordin　and　de　Grandville；　the　jury　were　empanelled；　the　indictment　was
read；　and　the　prisoners　were　brought　up　separately　to　be　examined。
They　answered　every　question　with　remarkable　unanimity。　After　riding
about　the　forest　all　the　morning　they　had　returned　to　Cinq…Cygne　for
breakfast　at　one　o'clock。　After　that　meal；　from　three　to　half…past
five　in　the　afternoon；　they　had　returned　to　the　forest。　That　was