spoke with an air of assurance
and truth, and answered the questions put to him promptly and
correctly. On the other hand, the confusion of Peter Guerre and
Bertrande de Rols was so great as to create strong suspicions of their
honesty. New witnesses were called, but they only served to complicate
matters; for out of thirty, nine or ten were convinced that the
accused was Martin Guerre, seven or eight were as positive that he was
Arnold du Tilh, and the rest would give no distinct affirmation either
one way or another.

When the testimony came to be analysed, it was seen that forty-five
witnesses, in all, had asserted in the most positive terms that the
man presented to them was not Guerre, but Du Tilh, which they said
they were the better able to do, because they had known both men
intimately, had eaten and drank with them, and conversed with them at
intervals from the days of their common childhood. Most of these
witnesses agreed that Martin Guerre was taller and of a darker
complexion, that he was of slender make and had round shoulders, that
his chin forked and turned up, his lower lip hung down, his nose was
large and flat, and that he had the mark of an ulcer on his face, and
a scar on his right eyebrow, whereas Arnold du Tilh was a short
thickish man who did not stoop, although at the same time similar
marks were on his face.

Among others who were called was the shoemaker who made shoes for the
undisputed Martin Guerre, and he swore that Martin's foot was three
sizes larger than that of the accused. Another declared that Martin
was an expert fencer and wrestler, whereas this man knew little of
manly exercises; and many deponed "that Arnold du Tilh had from his
infancy the most wicked inclinations, and that subsequently he had
been hardened in wickedness, a great pilferer and swearer, a defier of
God, and a blasphemer: consequently in every way capable of the crime
laid to his charge; and that an obstinate persisting to act a false
part was precisely suitable to his character."

But the opinion on the other side was quite as firm. Martin Guerre's
four sisters had no hesitation in declaring that the accused was their
brother, the people who were present at Martin's wedding with
Bertrande de Rols deposed in his favour, and about forty persons in
all agreed that Martin Guerre had two scars on his face, that his left
eye was bloodshot, the nail of his first finger grown in, and that he
had three warts on his rig