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expected；〃 answered the president； solemnly。
〃You said that you wanted proof that that was not the queen who gave
the rendezvous to the cardinal in Versailles； that the promissory
note was not subscribed by the queen； and that the letters to the
cardinal were not written by her。 If the proof of this were to be
displayed to you； it would be right to accuse you of high…treason。
We have already exhibited the proof that it was not Queen Marie
Antoinette who made an appointment with the cardinal in Versailles；
but that it was the comedy planned and brought out by yourself； with
which you deceived the cardinal； and made him believe that he was
going to buy the necklace of which you intended to rob him。 It only
remains to show you that the subscription of the queen and the
letters to the cardinal were forged by you。〃
〃And certainly；〃 cried the countess； 〃I am very curious to have you
exhibit the proofs of this！〃
〃That is a very simple matter；〃 answered the president； calmly。 〃We
confront you with him who at your direction imitated the handwriting
of the queen and wrote the letters。 Officer； summon the last
witness！〃
The officer threw open the door which led to the next room。 A
breathless silence prevailed in the great hall； every one was
intensely eager to see this last witness who was to uncover the web
of frauds of the countess's spinning。 The great burning eyes of the
accused； too； were turned to this door； and her compressed lips and
her piercing glance disclosed a little of the anxiety of her soul；
although her bearing and manner were still impudent and scornful。
And now the door opened； and a cry of amazement and rage broke from
the lips of the countess。
〃Retaux de Vilette；〃 cried she madly； doubling up her little hands
into fists and extending them toward the man who now entered the
hall。 〃Shameful； shameful！ He has turned against me！〃
And losing for a moment her composure； she sank back upon the seat
from which she had risen in her fright。 A deathly paleness covered
her cheeks； and； almost swooning； she rested her head on the back of
the chair。
〃You now see that God is just；〃 said the president； after a brief
pause。 〃Your own conscience testifies against you and compels you to
confess yourself guilty。〃
She sprang up and compelled herself to resume her self…possessed
manner； and to appear cool and defiant as before。
〃No！〃 she said； 〃I do not confess myself guilty； and I have no
reason to！ My heart only shuddered when I saw this man enter； whom I
have saved from hunger； overwhelmed with kindness； and whom my
enemies have now brought up to make him testify against me！ But it
is overI am now ready to see new lies； new infamies heaped upon
me： M。 Retaux de Vilette may now speak on； his calumnies will only
drop from the undented mail of my conscience！〃
And with possessed bearing and an air of proud scorn； Countess
Lamotte looked at the man who； bowing and trembling； advanced by the
side of the officer to the green table； and sedulously shunned
meeting the eyes of Lamotte； which rested on him like two fiery
daggers。
The president propounded the usual questions as to name and rank。 He
answered that his name was Retaux de Vilette； and that he was
steward and secretary of the Countess Lamotte…Valois。 On further
questioning； he declared that after the count and the countess had
been arrested he had fled； and had gone to Geneva in order to await
the end of the trial。 But as it lingered so long； he had attempted
to escape to England； but had been arrested。
〃Why do you wish to escape？〃 asked the attorney…general。
〃Because I feared being involved in the affairs of the Countess
Lamotte；〃 answered Retaux de Vilette； in low tones。
〃Say rather you knew that you would be involved with them。 You have
at a previous examination deposed circumstantially； and you cannot
take back what you testified then； for your denial would be of no
avail。 Answer； therefore： What have you done？ Why were you afraid of
being involved in the trial of Countess Lamotte？〃
〃Because I had done a great wrong；〃 answered Retaux； with vehemence。
〃Because I had allowed myself to be led astray by the promises； the
seductive arts； the deceptions of the countess。 I was poor； I lived
unseen and unnoticed； and I wished to be rich； honored； and
distinguished。 The countess promised me all this。 She would persuade
the cardinal to advance me to honor； she would introduce me to the
court； and through her means I should become rich and sought after。
I believed all this； and like her devoted slave I did all that she
asked of me。〃
〃Slavish soul！〃 cried the countess； with an expression of
unspeakable scorn。
〃What did the countess desire of you？〃 asked the president。 〃What
did you do in her service？〃
〃I wrote the letters which were intended for the cardinal；〃 answered
Retaux de Vilette。 〃The countess composed them； and I wrote them in
the handwriting of the queen。〃
〃How did you know her handwriting？〃
〃The countess gave me a book in which a letter of the queen's was
printed in exact imitation of her hand。 I copied the letters as
nearly as I could； and so worked out my sentences。〃
〃He lies； he lies！〃 cried the countess； with a fierce gesture。
〃And how was it with the promissory note to the jewellers； Bohmer
and Bassenge？ Do you know about that？〃
〃Yes；〃 answered Retaux； with a sigh； 〃I do know about it； for I
wrote it at the direction of the countess； and added the signature。〃
〃Had you a copy？〃
〃Yes； the signature of the fac…simile。〃
〃In the printed letter was there the subscription which you
inserted？〃
〃No； there was only the name 'Marie Antoinette；' nothing further；
but the countess thought that this was only a confidential way of
writing her name； as a daughter might use it in a letter to a mother
（it was a letter written by the queen to her mother）； but that in a
document of a more business…like character there must be an official
signature。 We had a long discussion about it； which resulted in our
coming to the conclusion that the proper form would be 'Marie
Antoinette of France。' So I practised this several times； and
finally wrote it on the promissory note。〃
〃He lies！〃 cried the countess； stamping on the floor。 〃He is a born
liar and slanderer。〃
〃I am prepared to show the proof at once that I speak the truth；〃
said Retaux de Vilette。 〃If you will give me writing…materials I
will write the signature of the queen in the manner in which it is
written on the promissory note。〃
The president gave the order for the requisite articles to be
brought and laid on a side…table。 Retaux took the pen； and with a
rapid hand wrote some words； which he gave to the officer to be
carried to the president。
The latter took the paper and compared it with the words which were
written on the promissory note。 He then passed the two to the
attorney…general； and he to the judge next to him。 The papers passed
from hand to hand； and； after they came back to the president again；
he rose from his seat：
〃I believe that the characters on this paper precisely accord with
those on the note。 The witness has given what seems to me
irrefutable tes