The Magistrate
Certainly, madame.

Gertrude (to Ramel; she is weeping)
O M. Ramel!

Ramel
Have you anything to say in your defence which would lead us to cancel
this terrible sentence?

Gertrude Gentlemen, I am innocent of the crime of poisoning, and yet all is against me!  I implore you, give my your help instead of torturing me!  And listen to me—­Some one must have taken my key,—­can you not understand?  Some one must have come into my room—­Ah!  I see it all now—­ (To Ramel) Pauline loved as I loved; she has poisoned herself!

Ramel
For the sake of your honor, do not say that, without the most
convincing proofs, otherwise—­

The Magistrate
Madame, is it true that, yesterday, you, knowing Doctor Vernon was to
dine with you, sent him—­

Gertrude
Oh! you,—­your questions are so many daggers at my heart!  And yet you
go on, you still go on.

The Magistrate
Did you send him away to attend a workman at Pre-l’Eveque?

Gertrude
I did, sir.

The Magistrate
This workman, madame, was found in a tavern, and in excellent help.

Gertrude
Champagne had told me that he was sick.

The Magistrate We have questioned Champagne, and he denies this, averring that he said nothing about sickness.  The fact of it was, you wished to preclude the possibility of medical aid.

Gertrude (aside) It was Pauline!  It was she who made me send away Vernon!  O Pauline!  You have dragged me down with yourself into the tomb, to which I sink bearing the name of criminal!  No!  No!  No! (To Ramel) Sir, I have but one avenue of escape. (To Vernon) Is Pauline still alive?

Vernon (pointing to the General)
Here is my answer.

Scenetenth

The same persons and the General.

The General (to Vernon)
She is dying, my friend!  If I lose her, I shall never survive it.

Vernon
My friend!

The General
It seems to me that there are a great many people here—­What must be
done?  Oh, try to save her!  I wonder where Gertrude is.

(They give the General a seat.)

Gertrude (sinking at the feet of the General) My friend!  Poor father!  I would this instant I might be killed without a trial. (She rises.) No, Pauline has wrapped me in her shroud, I feel her icy hands about my neck.  And yet I was resigned.  Yes, I would have buried with me the secret of this terrible drama, which every woman should understand!  But I am weary of this struggle with a corpse that holds me tight, and communicates to me the coldness and the stiffness of death!  I have made up my mind that my innocence of this crime shall come forth victorious at the expense of somebody’s honor; for never, never could I become a vile and cowardly poisoner.  Yes, I shall tell the whole, dark tale.

The General (rising from his seat and coming forward) Ah! so you are going to say in the face of justice all that for two days you have concealed by such obstinate silence—­vile and ungrateful creature, fawning liar!—­you have killed my daughter.  Are you going to kill me also?