o the commonwealth attorney, said to him
respectfully,--

"Sir, the priest from Brechy is waiting for you at your office."

"I am coming directly," replied M. Daubigeon.

And, turning to his companions, he said,--

"Let us go, gentlemen."

The priest was waiting, and rose quickly from his chair when he saw M.
Daubigeon enter, accompanied by M. Galpin, M. Folgat, and Dr. Seignebos.

"Perhaps you wish to speak to me alone, sir?" asked M. Daubigeon.

"No, sir," replied the old priest, "no! The words of reparation which
have been intrusted to me must be uttered publicly." And handing him a
letter, he added,--

"Read this. Please read it aloud."

The commonwealth attorney tore the envelope with a tremulous hand, an
then read,--

"Being about to die as a Christian, as I have lived as a Christian, I
owe it to myself, I owe it to God whom I have offended, and I owe it to
those men whom I have deceived, to declare the truth.

"Actuated by hatred, I have been guilty of giving false evidence in
court, and of stating wrongfully that M. de Boiscoran is the man who
shot at me, and that I recognized him in the act.

"I did not only not recognize him, but I know that he is innocent. I am
sure of it; and I swear it by all I hold sacred in this world which I
am about to leave, and in that world in which I must appear before my
sovereign Judge.

"May M. de Boiscoran pardon me as I pardon myself.

"TRIVULCE COUNT CLAUDIEUSE."

"Poor man!" murmured M. Folgat.

The priest at once went on,--

"You see, gentlemen, Count Claudieuse withdraws his charge
unconditionally. He asks for nothing in return: he only wants the truth
to be established. And yet I beg leave to express the last wishes of a
dying man. I beseech you, in the new trial, to make no mention of the
name of the countess."

Tears were seen in all eyes.

"You may rest assured, reverend father," said M. Daubigeon, "that Count
Claudieuse's last wishes shall be attended to. The name of the countess
shall not appear. There will be no need for it. The secret of her wrongs
shall be religiously kept by those who know it."

It was four o'clock now.

An hour later there arrived at the court-house a gendarme and Michael,
the son of the Boiscoran tenant, who had been sent out to ascertain if
Cocoleu's statement was true. They brought back the gun which the wretch
had used, and which he had concealed in that den which he had dug
out for himself in the forest of Rochepo