“That was her idea; she used really to think that her father was dead; and she thought so for a long time.  Very little, therefore, of what she said is to be taken seriously.  The words that Mademoiselle Leblanc has put into her mouth are false.  After three days she ceased to talk intelligibly, and at the end of a week she ceased to speak altogether.  When she recovered her reason, about a week ago, she sent away Mademoiselle Leblanc, which would clearly show that she had some ground for disliking her maid.  That is what I have to say against M. de Mauprat.  It rested entirely with myself to keep silent; but having other things to say yet, I wished to make known the whole truth.”

Patience paused awhile; the public and the judges themselves, who were beginning to take an interest in me and lose the bitterness of their prejudices, were apparently thunderstruck at hearing evidence so different from what they expected.

Patience continued as follows: 

“For several weeks I remained convinced of Bernard’s guilt.  But I was pondering over the matter the while; I frequently said to myself that a man as good and clever as Bernard, a man for whom Edmee felt so much esteem, and whom M. le Chevalier loved like a son, a man, in short, so deeply imbued with the spirit of justice and truth, could not between one day and the next turn into a scoundrel.  Then the idea came into my head that, after all, it might have been some other Mauprat who fired the shot.  I do not speak of the one who has become a Trappist,” he added, looking among the audience for Jean de Mauprat, who, however was not there; “I speak of the man whose death has never been proved, although the court thought fit to overlook this, and to accept M. Jean de Mauprat’s word.”

“Witness,” said the president, “I must remind you that you are not here to serve as counsel for the prisoner, or to criticise the decisions of this court.  You must confine yourself to a statement of facts, and not express your opinion on the question at issue.”

“Very well,” replied Patience.  “I must, however, explain why I did not wish to appear at the first trial, seeing that the only evidence I had was against M. Bernard, and that I could not trust that evidence myself.”

“You are not asked to explain this at present.  Please keep to your evidence.”

“One moment.  I have my honour to defend; I have to explain my own conduct, if you please.”

“You are not the prisoner; you are not here to plead your own cause.  If the court thinks right to prosecute you for contempt you can see to your own defence; but there is no question of that now.”

“I beg your pardon.  The question is for me to let the court see whether I am an honest man or a false witness.  It would seem that this has something to do with the case; the prisoner’s life depends on it; the court cannot consider that a matter of indifference.”

“Proceed,” said the King’s advocate, “and try to remember the respect you owe to the court.”