“Dead, dead,” said Patience, “and there is the murderer!  She said so as she gave up her pure soul to God; and Patience will avenge her!  It is very hard but it must be so!  It is God’s will, since I alone was here to learn the truth!”

“Horrible, horrible!” exclaimed the Abbe.

Edmee was carried away to the chateau, and I followed and for several days remained in a state of prostration.  When strength and consciousness returned I learnt that she was not dead, but that everybody believed me guilty of attempted murder.  Patience himself told me the only thing for me to do was to leave that part of the country.  I swore I was innocent and would not be saddled with the crime.

Then, one evening, I saw mounted police in the courtyard.

“Good!” I said, “let my destiny take its course.”  But before quitting the house, perhaps forever, I wished to see Edmee again for the last time.  I walked straight to her room, and there I found the Abbe and the doctor.  I heard the latter declare that the wounds in themselves were not mortal, and the only danger was from a violent disturbance in the brain.

I approached the bed, and took Edmee’s cold and lifeless hand.  I kissed it a last time, and, without saying a single word to the others, went and gave myself up to the police.

I was immediately thrown into prison and in a few days my trial began at the assizes.  I was convicted, but through the efforts of certain friends a revision of my sentence was granted, and I was allowed a new trial.

At this trial Patience appeared and declared that, while he had believed from what Edmee had said that I was guilty, it had come into his head that some other Mauprat might have fired the shot.  It appeared that John Mauprat was now living in the neighbourhood, as a penitent Trappist monk, and he had been seen in company with another monk who was not to be found since the attack on Edmee.  “So I put myself on the track of this wandering monk,” Patience concluded, “and I have discovered who he is.  He is the would-be murderer of Edmee de Mauprat, and his name is Antony Mauprat.”

It then turned out that Antony’s plot was to kill Edmee, get me hanged for the murder, and then, when the chevalier was dead, claim the estates.  John Mauprat knew of his brother’s intentions but denied all complicity and was eventually sent back to his monastery.  Antony was subsequently convicted and broken on the wheel.

But before I was finally acquitted Edmee herself gave evidence for me.  She was still far from well but answered clearly all the irritating and maddening questions that were put to her.  When she said to the president of the court, “Everything which to you seems inexplicable in my conduct finds its justification in one word:  I love him!” I could not help crying out, “Let them take me to the scaffold now; I am king of all the earth.”

But as I have said, it was proved that Antony Mauprat was the criminal; and no sooner was I acquitted and set at liberty, with my character completely cleared, than I hastened to Edmee.