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injustice of the charge。 Once on this ground； he boldly and
ingeniously supposed himself a juror； related his deliberations with
his colleagues； imagined his distress lest； having condemned the
innocent； the error should be known too late； and drew such a picture
of his remorse； dwelling on the grave doubts which the case presented；
that he brought the jury to a condition of intense anxiety。
Juries were not in those days so blase to this sort of allocution as
they are now； Monsieur de Grandville's appeal had the power of things
new； and the jurors were evidently shaken。 After this passionate
outburst they had to listen to the wily and specious prosecutor； who
went over the whole case； brought out the darkest points against the
prisoners and made the rest inexplicable。 His aim was to reach the
minds and the reasoning faculties of his hearers just as Monsieur de
Grandville had aimed at the heart and the imagination。 The latter；
however； had seriously entangled the convictions of the jury； and the
public prosecutor found his well…laid arguments ineffectual。 This was
so plain that the counsel for the Messieurs d'Hauteserre and Gothard
appealed to the judgment of the jury； asking that the case against
their clients be abandoned。 The prosecutor demanded a postponement
till the next day in order that he might prepare an answer。 Bordin；
who saw acquittal in the eyes of the jury if they deliberated on the
case at once； opposed the delay of even one night by arguments of
legal right and justice to his innocent clients； but in vain；the
court allowed it。
〃The interests of society are as great as those of the accused；〃 said
the president。 〃The court would be lacking in equity if it denied a
like request when made by the defence； it ought therefore to grant
that of the prosecution。〃
〃All is luck or ill…luck！〃 said Bordin to his clients when the session
was over。 〃Almost acquitted tonight you may be condemned to…morrow。〃
〃In either case；〃 said the elder de Simeuse； 〃we can only admire your
skill。〃
Mademoiselle de Cinq…Cygne's eyes were full of tears。 After the doubts
and fears of the counsel for the defence； she had not expected this
success。 Those around her congratulated her and predicted the
acquittal of her cousins。 But alas！ the matter was destined to end in
a startling and almost theatrical event； the most unexpected and
disastrous circumstance which ever changed the face of a criminal
trial。
At five in the morning of the day after Monsieur de Grandville's
speech； the senator was found on the high road to Troyes； delivered
from captivity during his sleep； unaware of the trial that was going
on or of the excitement attaching to his name in Europe； and simply
happy in being once more able to breathe the fresh air。 The man who
was the pivot of the drama was quite as amazed at what was now told to
him as the persons who met him on his way to Troyes were astounded at
his reappearance。 A farmer lent him a carriage and he soon reached the
house of the prefect at Troyes。 The prefect notified the director of
the jury； the commissary of the government； and the public prosecutor；
who； after a statement made to them by Malin； arrested Marthe； while
she was still in bed at the Durieu's house in the suburbs。
Mademoiselle de Cinq…Cygne； who was only at liberty under bail； was
also snatched from one of the few hours of slumber she had been able
to obtain at rare intervals in the course of her ceaseless anxiety；
and taken to the prefecture to undergo an examination。 An order to
keep the accused from holding any communication with each other or
with their counsel was sent to the prison。 At ten o'clock the crowd
which assembled around the courtroom were informed that the trial was
postponed until one o'clock in the afternoon of the same day。
This change of hour； following on the news of the senator's
deliverance； Marthe's arrest； and that of Mademoiselle de Cinq…Cygne；
together with the denial of the right to communicate with the
prisoners carried terror to the hotel de Chargeboeuf。 The whole town
and the spectators who had come to Troyes to be present at the trial；
the short…hand writers for the daily journals； even the populace were
in a ferment which can readily be imagined。 The Abbe Goujet came at
ten o'clock to see Monsieur and Madame d'Hauteserre and the counsel
for the defence； who were breakfastingas well as they could under
the circumstances。 The abbe took Bordin and Monsieur Grandville apart；
told them what Marthe had confided to him the day before； and gave
them the fragment of the letter she had received。 The two lawyers
exchanged a look； after which Bordin said to the abbe： 〃Not a word of
all this！ The case is lost； but at any rate let us show a firm front。〃
Marthe was not strong enough to evade the cross…questioning of the
director of the jury and the public prosecutor。 Moreover the proof
against her was too overwhelming。 Lechesneau had sent for the under
crust of the last loaf of bread she had carried to the cavern； also
for the empty bottles and various other articles。 During the senator's
long hours of captivity he had formed conjectures in his own mind and
had looked for indications which might put him on the track of his
enemies。 These he now communicated to the authorities。 Michu's
farmhouse； lately built； had； he supposed； a new oven； the tiles or
bricks on which the bread was baked would show their jointed lines on
the bottom of the loaves； and thus afford a proof that the bread
supplied to him was baked on that particular oven。 So with the wine
brought in bottles sealed with green wax； which would probably be
found identical with other bottles in Michu's cellar。 These shrewd
observations； which Malin imparted to the justice of peace； who made
the first examination （taking Marthe with him）； led to the results
foreseen by the senator。
Marthe； deceived by the apparent friendliness of Lechesneau and the
public prosecutor； who assured her that complete confession could
alone save her husband's life； admitted that the cavern where the
senator had been hidden was known only to her husband and the
Messieurs de Simeuse and d'Hauteserre； and that she herself had taken
provisions to the senator on three separate occasions at midnight。
Laurence； questioned about the cavern； was forced to acknowledge that
Michu had discovered it and had shown it to her at the time when the
four young men evaded the police and were hidden in it。
As soon as these preliminary examinations were ended； the jury；
lawyers； and audience were notified that the trial would be resumed。
At three o'clock the president opened the session by announcing that
the case would be continued under a new aspect。 He exhibited to Michu
three bottles of wine and asked him if he recognized them as bottles
from his own cellar； showing him at the same time the identity between
the green wax on two empty bottles with the green wax on a full bottle
taken from his cellar that morning by the justice of peace in presence
of his wife。 Michu refused to recognize anything as his own。 But these
proofs for the prosecution were understood by the jurors； to whom the
president