es of
her relations, and the menaces of her advocate, were of no avail. This
increased the suspicion; Menard gave up his case as lost, though still
protesting her innocence. The tribunal ordered closer confinement, and
threatened the first examination by the rack to force confession.

Now Madame Bertollon undertook to plead her own cause before the
tribunal in which Menard had been so unsuccessful. In this I saw
nothing but an artifice of Menard himself, who wished to call the power
of female beauty to his aid to support his eloquence.

As she entered the hall a deathlike silence prevailed. She never was
so charming as at this moment; her simple attire, and the paleness of
deep grief, summoned compassion into each heart, and tears into every
eye.

All was silent, and all eyes were turned from her upon me. I was to
speak, but could not, such was my inexpressible confusion. She was the
picture of suffering innocence. All the delightful hours I had spent
with her were recalled to my memory on seeing her, and surrounded my
soul like weeping angels pleading for her and whispering that she was
certainly guiltless.

At length I recovered. I declared that no one would be more delighted
by a proof of the innocence of the accused than her husband, and
myself, his advocate. But for this proof it was necessary that she
should remove suspicion and confess her intention in purchasing the
poison.

Madame Bertollon appeared very weak, leaning on the arm of her
advocate. She looked at me with a painful glance, expressive of love
and sorrow.

"Oh! Alamontade," she said, in a faint voice, "and must it be you to
urge the discovery of my object in purchasing the poison? You--and in
this place?"

After a few moments' silence she suddenly rose, turned her pale
countenance towards the judges, and said, in a bitter tone, expressive
of mental despair,

"My lords, you have threatened me with the rack to force my confession;
that is sufficient, and I will put an end to the proceedings--I am
guilty, I intended a murder with this poison. More you will not learn
from me; pronounce your verdict."

She turned and left the court--perfect silence and utter amazement
prevailed. Two days afterwards the tribunal pronounced the verdict of
"guilty" against the wretched woman.

M. Bertollon had long since recovered. He was more cheerful than
usual, and joked as before at my zeal for virtue; he loved me at the
same time so truly th