of Dupuis, Buron, and a certain sieur Labrasse, that the bishop advised
him to take his case to the royal judges, and that he earnestly hoped 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