interrupted him was abashed.

"I wish no indulgence," he said. "I have played, I have lost; here is
my head. But if you were not more cruel than wild beasts you would take
pity on the poor wretches who surround me. I see at least ten among them
who were not our accomplices, and who certainly did not take up arms.
Even the others did not know what they were doing. No, they did not!"

Having spoken, he resumed his seat, proud, indifferent, and apparently
oblivious to the murmur which ran through the audience, the soldiers of
the guard and even to the platform, at the sound of his vibrant voice.

The despair of the poor peasant women had been reawakened, and their
sobs and moans filled the immense hall.

The retired officers had grown even more pale and gloomy; and tears
streamed down the wrinkled cheeks of several.

"That one is a man!" they were thinking.

The abbe leaned over and whispered in the ear of Maurice:

"Evidently Chanlouineau has some plan. He intends to save your father.
How, I cannot understand."

The judges were conversing in low tones with considerable animation.

A difficulty had presented itself.

The prisoners, ignorant of the charges which would be brought against
them, and not expecting instant trial, had not thought of procuring a
defender.

And this circumstance, bitter mockery! frightened this iniquitous
tribunal, which did not fear to trample beneath its feet the most sacred
rules of justice.

The judges had decided; their verdict was, as it were, rendered in
advance, and yet they wished to hear a voice raised in defence of those
who were already doomed.

It chanced that three lawyers, retained by the friends of several of the
prisoners, were in the hall.

They were the three men that Maurice, on his entrance, had noticed
conversing near the door of the chapel.

The duke was informed of this fact. He turned to them, and motioned them
to approach; then, pointing to Chanlouineau:

"Will you undertake this culprit's defence?" he demanded.

For a moment the lawyers made no response. This monstrous _seance_ had
aroused a storm of indignation and disgust within their breasts, and
they looked questioningly at each other.

"We are all disposed to undertake the prisoner's defence," at last
replied the eldest of the three; "but we see him for the first time;
we are ignorant of his grounds of defence. We must ask a delay; it is
indispensable, in order to confer with him."

"The court