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which I offer to the attention of the Court。 I found in the frogging
of my habit and in the folds of my collar small fragments of what
appeared to be burned paper which were floating in the air。〃
〃Was there much smoke？〃 asked Bordin。
〃Yes；〃 replied Mademoiselle de Cinq…Cygne； 〃I feared a conflagration。〃
〃This is enough to change the whole inquiry；〃 remarked Bordin。 〃I
request the Court to order an immediate examination of that region of
the park where the fire occurred。〃
The president ordered the inquiry。
Grevin； recalled by the defence and questioned on this circumstance；
declared he knew nothing about it。 But Bordin and he exchanged looks
which mutually enlightened them。
〃The gist of the case is there；〃 thought the old notary。
〃They've laid their finger on it；〃 thought the notary。
But each shrewd head considered the following up of this point
useless。 Bordin reflected that Grevin would be silent as the grave；
and Grevin congratulated himself that every sign of the fire had been
effaced。
To settle this point； which seemed a mere accessory to the trial and
somewhat puerile （but which is really essential in the justification
which history owes to these young men）； the experts and Pigoult； who
were despatched by the president to examine the park； reported that
they could find no traces of a bonfire。
Bordin summoned two laborers； who testified to having dug over； under
the direction of the forester； a tract of ground in the park where the
grass had been burned； but they declared they had not observed the
nature of the ashes they had buried。
The forester； recalled by the defence； said he had received from the
senator himself； as he was passing the chateau of Gondreville on his
way to the masquerade at Arcis； an order to dig over that particular
piece of ground which the senator had remarked as needing it。
〃Had papers； or herbage been burned there？〃
〃I could not say。 I saw nothing that made me think that papers had
been burned there；〃 replied the forester。
〃At any rate；〃 said Bordin； 〃if； as it appears； a fire was kindled on
that piece of ground some one brought to the spot whatever was burned
there。〃
The testimony of the abbe and that of Mademoiselle Goujet made a
favorable impression。 They said that as they left the church after
vespers and were walking towards home； they met the four gentlemen and
Michu leaving the chateau on horseback and making their way to the
forest。 The character； position； and known uprightness of the Abbe
Goujet gave weight to his words。
The summing up of the public prosecutor； who felt sure of obtaining a
verdict； was in the nature of all such speeches。 The prisoners were
the incorrigible enemies of France； her institutions and laws。 They
thirsted for tumult and conspiracy。 Though they had belonged to the
army of Conde and had shared in the late attempts against the life of
the Emperor； that magnanimous sovereign had erased their names from
the list of /emigres/。 This was the return they made for his clemency！
In short； all the oratorical declamations of the Bourbons against the
Bonapartists； which in our day are repeated against the republicans
and the legitimists by the Younger Branch； flourished in the speech。
These trite commonplaces； which might have some meaning under a fixed
government； seem farcical in the mouth of administrators of all epochs
and opinions。 A saying of the troublous times of yore is still
applicable： 〃The label is changed； but the wine is the same as ever。〃
The public prosecutor； one of the most distinguished legal men under
the Empire； attributed the crime to a fixed determination on the part
of returned /emigres/ to protest against the sale of their estates。 He
made the audience shudder at the probable condition of the senator；
then he massed together proofs； half…proofs； and probabilities with a
cleverness stimulated by a sense that his zeal was certain of its
reward； and sat down tranquilly to await the fire of his opponents。
Monsieur de Grandville never argued but this one criminal case； and it
made his reputation。 In the first place； he spoke with the same
glowing eloquence which to…day we admire in Berryer。 He was profoundly
convinced of the innocence of his clients； and that in itself is a
most powerful auxiliary of speech。 The following are the chief points
of his defence； which was reported in full by all the leading
newspapers of the period。 In the first place he exhibited the
character and life of Michu in its true light。 He made it a noble
tale； ringing with lofty sentiments； and it awakened the sympathies of
many。 When Michu heard himself vindicated by that eloquent voice；
tears sprang from his yellow eyes and rolled down his terrible face。
He appeared then for what he really was；a man as simple and as wily
as a child； a being whose whole existence had but one thought； one
aim。 He was suddenly explained to the minds of all present； more
especially by his tears； which produced a great effect upon the jury。
His able defender seized that moment of strong interest to enter upon
a discussion of the charges：
〃Where is the body of the person abducted？ Where is the senator？〃 he
asked。 〃You accuse us of walling him up with stones and plaster。 If
so； we alone know where he is； you have kept us twenty…three days in
prison； and the senator must be dead by this time for want of food。 We
are therefore murderers； but you have not accused us of murder。 On the
other hand； if he still lives； we must have accomplices。 If we have
them； and if the senator is living； we should assuredly have set him
at liberty。 The scheme in relation to Gondreville which you attribute
to us is a failure； and only aggravates our position uselessly。 We
might perhaps obtain a pardon for an abortive attempt by releasing our
victim； instead of that we persist in detaining a man from whom we can
obtain no benefit whatever。 It is absurd！ Take away your plaster； the
effect is a failure；〃 he said； addressing the public prosecutor。 〃We
are either idiotic criminals （which you do not believe） or the
innocent victims of circumstances as inexplicable to us as they are to
you。 You ought rather to search for the mass of papers which were
burned at Gondreville； which will reveal motives stronger far than
yours or ours and put you on the track of the causes of this
abduction。〃
The speaker discussed these hypotheses with marvellous ability。 He
dwelt on the moral character of the witnesses for the defence； whose
religious faith was a living one； who believed in a future life and in
eternal punishment。 He rose to grandeur in this part of his speech and
moved his hearers deeply：
〃Remember！〃 he said； 〃these criminals were tranquilly dining when told
of the abduction of the senator。 When the officer of gendarmes
intimated to them the best means of ending the whole affair by giving
up the senator； they refused； for they did not understand what was
asked of them！〃
Then； reverting to the mystery of the matter； he declared that its
solution was in the hands of time； which would eventually reveal the
injustice of the charge。 Once on this ground； he boldly and
ingeniously supposed hims