A.—­(In a low voice.) Yes.

P.—­Did you not write to your betrothed a few hours before the crime was committed?

A.—­Yes, sir; and I sent her my letter by the son of one of my tenants,
Michael.

P.—­What did you write to her?

A.—­That important business would prevent me from spending the evening with her.

P.—­What was that business?

At the moment when the accused opened his lips to reply, the president stopped him by a gesture, and said,—­

P.—­Take care!  You were asked this question during the preliminary investigation, and you replied that you had to go to Brechy to see your wood-merchant.

A.—­I did indeed make that reply on the spur of the moment.  It was not exact.

P.—­Why did you tell a falsehood?

A.—­(After an expression of indignation, which was noticed by all.) I could not believe that I was in danger.  It seemed to me impossible that I should be reached by an accusation, which nevertheless, has brought me into this court.  Hence I did not deem it necessary to make my private affairs public.

P.—­But you very soon found out that you were in danger?

A.—­Yes, I did.

P.—­Why did you not tell the truth then?

A.—­Because the magistrate who carried on the investigation had been too intimate a friend of mine to inspire me with confidence.

P.—­Explain yourself more fully.

A.—­I must ask leave to say no more.  I might, in speaking of M. Galpin, be found to be wanting in moderation.

A low murmur accompanies this reply made by the accused.

P.—­Such murmurs are improper, and I remind the audience of the respect due to the court.

M. Gransiere, the prosecuting attorney, rises,—­

“We cannot tolerate such recriminations against a magistrate who has done his duty nobly, and in spite of the pain it caused him.  If the accused had well-founded objections to the magistrate, why did he not make them known?  He cannot plead ignorance:  he knows the law, he is a lawyer himself.  His counsel, moreover, are men of experience.”

M. Magloire replies, in his seat,—­

“We were of the opinion that the accused ought to ask for a change of venue.  He declined to follow our advice, being confident, as he said, that his cause was a good one.”

M. Gransiere, resuming his seat,—­

“The jury will judge of this plea.”

P.—­(To the accused.) And now are you ready to tell the truth with regard to that business which prevented you from spending the evening with your betrothed?

A.—­Yes, sir.  My wedding was to take place at the church in Brechy, and I had to make my arrangements with the priest about the ceremony.  I had, besides, to fulfil certain religious duties.  The priest at Brechy, who is a friend of mine, will tell you, that, although no day had been fixed, it had been agreed upon between us that I should come to confession on one of the evenings of the week since he insisted upon it.