oped he would obtain justice from them. Grandier perceived
that the bishop had been warned against him, and felt that he was
becoming more and more entangled in the net of conspiracy around him;
but he was not a man to flinch before any danger. He therefore returned
immediately to Loudun, and went once more to the bailiff, to whom he
related all that had happened at Dissay; he then, a second time, made a
formal complaint as to the slanders circulated with regard to him, and
begged the magistrates to have recourse to the king's courts in the
business. He also said that he desired to be placed under the protection
of the king and his justice, as the accusations made against him were
aimed at his honour and his life. The bailiff hastened to make out a
certificate of Urbain's protest, which forbade at the same time the
repetition of the slanders or the infliction on Urbain of any injury.

Thanks to this document, a change of parts took place: Mignon, the
accuser, became the accused. Feeling that he had powerful support behind
him, he had the audacity to appear before the bailiff the same day. He
said that he did not acknowledge his jurisdiction, as in what concerned
Grandier and himself, they being both priests, they could only be judged
by their bishop; he nevertheless protested against the complaint lodged
by Grandier, which characterised him as a slanderer, and declared that
he was ready to give himself up as a prisoner, in order to show everyone
that he did not fear the result of any inquiry. Furthermore, he had
taken an oath on the sacred elements the day before, in the presence of
his parishioners who had come to mass, that in all he had hitherto done
he had been moved, not by hatred of Grandier, but by love of the truth,
and by his desire for the triumph of the Catholic faith; and he insisted
that the bailiff should give him a certificate of his declaration, and
served notice of the same on Grandier that very day.

CHAPTER V

Since October 13th, the day on which the demons had been expelled, life
at the convent seemed to have returned to its usual quiet; but Grandier
did not let himself be lulled to sleep by the calm: he knew those with
whom he was contending too well to imagine for an instant that he would
hear no more of them; and when the bailiff expressed pleasure at this
interval of repose, Grandier said that it would not last long, as the
nuns were only conning new parts, in order to carry on the drama i