wards me, and the judges, as they listened to him, so
frequently showed signs of incredulity and impatience (an unseemly habit
which appears to be the heritage of the magisterial benches of this
country), that his defence was tame. All that he seemed justified in
demanding with any vigour was a further inquiry. He complained that all
the formalities had not been fulfilled; that sufficient light had not
been thrown on certain points in the case; that it would be showing
too much haste to give a verdict when several circumstances were still
wrapped in mystery. He demanded that the doctors should be called to
express an opinion as to the possibility of taking Mademoiselle de
Mauprat's evidence. He pointed out that the most important, in fact the
only important, testimony was that of Patience, and that Patience might
appear any day and prove me innocent. Finally, he demanded that
they should order a search to be made for the mendicant friar whose
resemblance to the Mauprats had not yet been explained, and had been
sworn to by trustworthy witnesses. In his opinion it was essential
to discover what had become of Antony Mauprat, and to call upon the
Trappist for information on this point. He complained bitterly that they
had deprived him of all means of defence by refusing any delay; and he
had the courage to assert that some evil passions must be responsible
for such blind haste as had marked the conduct of this trial. On this
the president called him to order. Then the King's advocate replied
triumphantly that all formalities had been fulfilled; that the court was
sufficiently enlightened; that a search for the mendicant friar would
be a piece of folly and in bad taste, since John Mauprat had proved his
last brother's death, which had taken place several years before. The
court retired to deliberate; at the end of half an hour they came back
with a verdict condemning me to death.

XXVI

Although the haste with which the trial had been conducted and the
severity of the sentence were iniquitous, and filled those who were
most bitter against me with amazement, I received the blow with supreme
indifference; I no longer felt an interest in anything on earth. I
commended my soul and the vindication of my memory to God. I said to
myself that if Edmee died I should find her again in a better world;
that if she survived me and recovered her reason, she would one day
succeed in discovering the truth, and that then I should live