ad put on his most
enigmatic manner and closed his lips.

The president of the Council addressed Fandor:

"Accused! Stand up!"

The president stared hard at the prisoner with his pale clear eyes
like porcelain expressing neither thoughts nor feelings.

Fandor stood erect, waiting.

An hour had gone by.

Juve, the first witness called, was finishing his evidence. Of all the
witnesses, he alone could give precise details which would confirm or
nullify Fandor's statements.

Juve had given a rapid sketch of Fandor's adventurous career, but had
carefully omitted to mention that Fandor's real name was Charles
Rambert.[11]

[Footnote 11: See Fantomas Series: vols. i, ii, iii.]

His defence of his friend was a eulogy.

Nevertheless, the revelations of Juve did not simplify the problem as
regards the grave charges of murder and spying brought against the
prisoner.

When Juve had finished his panegyric, the president spoke to the
point:

"All this is very well, gentlemen, very well--but the affair grows
more and more complicated, and who will come forward to elucidate it?"

From the back of the court came a sound, sharp-cut, clear:

"I!"

The sensation was immense. Members of the Council looked at one
another. There was a disturbance at the back of the room: the crowd
swayed, and peered, and whispered.

The colonel-president frowned. He scrutinised the close-packed swaying
mass. He shot a question at it.

"Who spoke?"

Sharp, distinct, a monosyllable was shot back.

"I!"

Someone, pushing a way through the audience, was approaching the
military tribunal.

A murmur rose from the crowd.

"Silence!" shouted the colonel. He swept the crowd with an angry eye:
he threatened.

"I warn you! At the least manifestation, favourable or otherwise, I
shall have the room cleared: we are not here to amuse ourselves. I do
not authorise anyone, either by gesture or by speech, to comment on
what is taking place within these walls."

Having obtained comparative quiet, the colonel looked squarely at the
person who had approached the witness-stand and was facing the
military tribunal.

This would-be witness was a young woman, elegantly clad. She wore
black furs, and a dark veil partially concealing her features, but
revealing the strange pallor of her face. The audience, who had a view
of the newcomer's back, noted her masses of tawny red hair, set off by
a fur toque.

The colonel put her to the question at once.