money, chose the best time and spot for so doing; and,
no doubt, would have succeeded, if Fate had not, in a wonderful manner,
caused Madame Peytel TO TAKE HER HUSBAND'S PLACE, and receive the ball
intended for him in her own head.

But whether these suspicions are absurd or not, hit or miss, it is
the advocate's duty, as it appears, to urge them. He wants to make as
unfavorable an impression as possible with regard to Peytel's character;
he, therefore, must, for contrast's sake, give all sorts of praise to
his victim, and awaken every sympathy in the poor fellow's favor.
Having done this, as far as lies in his power, having exaggerated every
circumstance that can be unfavorable to Peytel, and given his own tale
in the baldest manner possible--having declared that Peytel is the
murderer of his wife and servant, the Crown now proceeds to back this
assertion, by showing what interested motives he had, and by relating,
after its own fashion, the circumstances of his marriage.

They may be told briefly here. Peytel was of a good family, of Macon,
and entitled, at his mother's death, to a considerable property. He had
been educated as a notary, and had lately purchased a business, in that
line, in Belley, for which he had paid a large sum of money; part of the
sum, 15,000 francs, for which he had given bills, was still due.

Near Belley, Peytel first met Felicite Alcazar, who was residing with
her brother-in-law, Monsieur de Montrichard; and, knowing that the young
lady's fortune was considerable, he made an offer of marriage to the
brother-in-law, who thought the match advantageous, and communicated on
the subject with Felicite's mother, Madame Alcazar, at Paris. After a
time Peytel went to Paris, to press his suit, and was accepted. There
seems to have been no affectation of love on his side; and some little
repugnance on the part of the lady, who yielded, however, to the wishes
of her parents, and was married. The parties began to quarrel on the
very day of the marriage, and continued their disputes almost to the
close of the unhappy connection. Felicite was half blind, passionate,
sarcastic, clumsy in her person and manners, and ill educated; Peytel,
a man of considerable intellect and pretensions, who had lived for some
time at Paris, where he had mingled with good literary society. The
lady was, in fact, as disagreeable a person as could well be, and the
evidence describes some scenes which took place between her and