who presided to-day, when the last of
these wretches had been finished off--"now, is the list cleared? We
have sat six hours." And the other judges, one on either side of him,
repeated his words and murmured, "Six hours!"

"Your lordships have still some other cases," the _procureur du roi_
said, addressing them, "which you will probably be willing to dispose
of to-day. There is one of a man who is thought to have abandoned his
ship in the recent disaster at La Hogue, and to have escaped to Paris,
where he was captured in hiding; and another of three Jansenists who
have blasphemed the faith; also there is a man, an escaped _galerien_,
brought hither from Rambouillet by an officer of the Regiment de
Grance for trial."

"Are the facts clear," asked the presiding judge, "against this man?
If so, the case will not occupy us long, and we will take it
to-night."

"Quite clear," the _procureur_ replied, "so far as I gather."

"Bring him in."

A moment later St. Georges stood in the dock set apart for the
criminals, his hands tied in front of him. And in the court many eyes
were cast toward him as he took his stand. All knew that, for those
who successfully escaped the galleys, there was but one ending if ever
caught again.

"Who gives evidence against this prisoner?" De Rennie asked, looking
at St. Georges under his bushy white eyebrows. "And what is his
name?--Prisoner, what is your name? Answer truly to the court."

"I have no name," St. Georges replied; "I refuse to answer to any."

The judge's eyebrows were lifted into his forehead and down again;
then he observed to his brother judge on his right, with a shrug of
his shoulders, "Contumacious!" and then, because he was a man who
disliked to be thwarted, he exclaimed: "So much the worse for you.
Well, _M. le procureur_, who prosecutes--who is there as witness?"

"The officer who arrested him and afterward brought him to Paris. He
can give your lordships the facts."

"Very well. Why does he not do so? Let him stand forward."

The officer stood forward, in so far that he stood up in the well of
the crowd--his gold-laced, cockaded hat still upon his head, since as
an officer of the king he was entitled to wear it in all other places
but church--and briefly he answered the presiding judge's questions.
Yes, he was a lieutenant of the Regiment de Grance, quartered at
Rambouillet--in his opinion, a miserable hole. His opinion on
Rambouillet, the judge said, frowning