t; but ask Heaven to enlighten those who do not fear to accuse
me. As for me, knowing that my innocence will shortly be made clear, I
pardon them henceforth."

Although justice at this period was generally expeditious, and the lives
of accused persons were by no means safe-guarded as they now are, it was
impossible to condemn Derues in the absence of any positive proofs of
guilt. He knew this, and waited patiently in his prison for the moment
when he should triumph over the capital accusation which weighed against
him. The storm no longer thundered over his head, the most terrible
trials were passed, the examinations became less frequent, and there were
no more surprises to dread. The lamentations of Monsieur de Lamotte went
to the hearts of the magistrates, but his certainty could not establish
theirs, and they pitied, but could not avenge him. In certain minds a
sort of reaction favourable to the prisoner began to set in. Among the
dupes of Derues' seeming piety, many who at first held their peace under
these crushing accusations returned to their former opinion. The bigots
and devotees, all who made a profession of kneeling in the churches, of
publicly crossing themselves and dipping their fingers in the holy water,
and who lived on cant and repetitions of "Amen" and "Alleluia," talked of
persecution, of martyrdom, until Derues nearly became a saint destined by
the Almighty to find canonisation in a dungeon. Hence arose quarrels and
arguments; and this abortive trial, this unproved accusation, kept the
public imagination in a constant ferment.

To the greater part of those who talk of the "Supreme Being," and who
expect His intervention in human affairs, "Providence" is only a word,
solemn and sonorous, a sort of theatrical machine which sets all right in
the end, and which they glorify with a few banalities proceeding from the
lips, but not from the heart. It is true that this unknown and
mysterious Cause which we call "God" or "Chance" often appears so
exceedingly blind and deaf that one may be permitted to wonder whether
certain crimes are really set apart for punishment, when so many others
apparently go scot-free. How many murders remain buried in the night of
the tomb! how many outrageous and avowed crimes have slept peacefully in
an insolent and audacious prosperity! We know the names of many
criminals, but who can tell the number of unknown and forgotten victims?
The history of humanity is twofold,