"Monsieur le President," interrupted the Procureur-General, "I would
submit to the court, that as in the first accusation there are several
of the prisoners not included, they should not remain during the recital
of the indictment."

A conversation of some minutes now took place between the judges, during
which again the silence was unbroken in the court. I turned gladly
from the gaze of the thousand spectators to the bench where my
fellow-prisoners were seated; and however varied by age, rank, and
occupation, there seemed but one feeling amongst them,--a hardy and
resolute spirit to brave every danger without flinching.

"Which of the prisoners are not accused under the first act?" said
Thuriot.

"Charles Auguste Bebarde, dit le Noir; Guillaume Lebarte; and Thomas
Burke, Sous-Lieutenant in the Eighth Regiment of Hussars."

"Let them withdraw," said the President.

A slight bustle ensued in the body of the court as the gendarmes
advanced to make a passage for our exit; and for a moment I could
perceive that the attention of the assembly was drawn towards us. One
by one we descended to the platform, and with a gendarme on either side,
proceeded to pass out, when suddenly the deep, mellow voice of Cadoudal
called out aloud,--

"Adieu, my friends, adieu! If we are not to be better treated than our
prince, we shall never see you again."

"Silence, sir!" cried the President, severely; and then, turning towards
the bar of advocates, he continued, "If that man have an advocate
in this court, it would well become him to warn his client that such
continued insult to the tribunal can only prejudice his cause."

"I have none, and I wish for none," replied George, in a tone of
defiance. "This mockery is but the first step of the guillotine, and I
can walk it without assistance."

A renewed call of "Silence!" and a deep murmur through the assembly, was
all I heard, as the door of the court opened and closed behind us. As
we marched along a low vaulted corridor, the sounds of the court grew
fainter and fainter; and at last the echoes of our own steps were the
only noises.

The room to which we were conducted was a small whitewashed chamber,
around which ran a bench of unpainted wood. A deal table stood in the
centre, on which was a common-looking earthenware jar of water and some
tin goblets. The window was several feet from the ground, and strongly
barred with iron.

"La salle d'attente is gloomy enough," said one of