criminals　to　sit　in？〃
  〃Be　seated；〃　replied　the　officer。　〃The　seat　of　the　accused　is　ready
  for　you；　and　the　chains　upon　it　are　for　those　who　are　not　inclined
  to　take　it。〃
  A　cry　of　anger　escaped　from　her　lips；　and　her　eyes　flashed　an
  annihilating　glance　upon　the　venturesome　officer；　but　he　did　not
  appear　to　be　in　the　least　affected　by　the　lightning　from　her　eyes；
  but　met　it　with　perfect　tranquillity。
  〃If　you　do　not　take　it　of　yourself；　madame；〃　he　said；　〃I　shall　be
  compelled　to　summon　the　police；　we　shall　then　compel　you　to　take　the
  seat；　and　in　order　to　prevent　your　rising；　the　chains　will　be　bound
  around　your　arms。〃
  The　countess　answered　only　with　an　exclamation　of　anger；　and　fixed
  her　inquiring　looks　upon　the　judges；　the　accusers；　the　defenders；
  and　then　again　upon　the　spectators。　Everywhere　she　encountered　only
  a　threatening　mien　and　suspicious　looks；　nowhere　an　expression　of
  sympathy。　But　it　was　just　this　which　seemed　to　give　her　courage　and
  to　steel　her　strength。　She　raised　her　head　proudly；　forced　the　smile
  again　upon　her　lips；　and　took　her　seat　upon　the　chair　with　a　grace
  and　dignity　as　if　she　were　in　a　brilliant　saloon；　and　was　taking　her
  seat　upon　an　elegant　sofa。　The　president　of　the　court　now　turned　his
  grave；　rigid　face　to　the　countess；　and　asked：　〃Who　are　you；　madame？
  What　is　your　name；　and　how　old　are　you？〃
  The　countess　gave　way　to　a　loud；　melodious　laugh。　〃My　lord
  president；〃　answered　she；　〃it　is　very　clear　that　you　are　not　much
  accustomed　to　deal　with　ladies；　or　else　you　would　not　take　the
  liberty　of　asking　a　lady；　like　myself　in　her　prime；　after　her　age。　I
  will　pardon　you　this　breach　of　etiquette；　and　I　will　magnanimously
  pretend　not　to　have　heard　that　question；　in　order　to　answer　the
  others。　You　wish　to　know　my　name？　I　am　the　Countess　Lamotte…Valois
  of　France；　the　latest　descendant　of　the　former　Kings　of　Prance；　and
  if　in　this　unhappy　land；　which　is　trodden　to　the　dust　by　a　stupid
  king　and　a　dissolute　queen；　right　and　justice　still　prevailed；　I
  should　sit　on　the　throne　of　France；　and　the　coquette　who　now
  occupies　it　would　be　sitting　here　in　this　criminal's　chair；　to
  justify　herself　for　the　theft　which　she　has　committed；　for　it　is
  Marie　Antoinette　who　possesses　the　diamonds　of　the　jeweller　Bohmer；
  not　I。〃
  At　the　spectators'　tribune　a　gentle　bravo　was　heard　at　these　words；
  and　this　daring　calumny　upon　the　queen　found　no　reproval　even　from
  the　judges'　bench。
  〃Madame；〃　said　L'Aigre；　after　a　short　pause；　〃instead　of　simply
  answering　my　questions　you　reply　with　a　high…sounding　speech；　which
  contains　an　untruth；　for　it　is　not　true　that　you　can　lay　any　claim
  to　the　throne　of　France。　The　descendants　of　bastards　have　claims
  neither　to　the　name　nor　the　rank　of　their　fathers。　Since；　in　respect
  to　your　name　and　rank；　you　have　answered　with　an　untruth；　I　will
  tell　you　who　and　what　you　are。　Your　father　was　a　poor　peasant　in　the
  village　of　Auteuil。　He　called　himself　Valois；　and　the　clergyman　of
  the　village　one　day　told　the　wife　of　the　proprietor　of　Auteuil；
  Madame　de　Boulainvillier；　that　the　peasant　of　Valois　was　in
  possession　of　family　papers；　according　to　which　it　was
  unquestionable　that　he　was　an　illegitimate　descendant　of　the　old
  royal　family。
  The　good　priest　at　the　same　time　recommended　the　poor；　hungry
  children　of　the　day…laborer　Valois　to　the　kindness　of　Madame　de
  Boulainvillier；　and　the　old　lady　hastened　to　comply　with　this
  recommendation。　She　had　the　daughter　of　Valois　called　to　her　to　ask
  her　how　she　could　assist　her　in　her　misery。〃
  〃Say　rather　to　gain　for　herself　the　credit　that　she　had　shown
  kindnesses　to　the　descendants　of　the　Kings　of　France；〃　interrupted
  the　countess；　quickly。
  〃This　would　have　been　a　sorry　credit；〃　replied　President　L'Aigre。
  〃The　Valois　family　had　for　a　long　time　been　extinct；　and　the　last
  man　of　that　name　who　is　known；　was　detected　in　counterfeiting；
  sentenced；　and　executed。　Your　grandfather　was　an　illegitimate　son　of
  the　counterfeiter　Valois。　That　is　the　sum　total　of　your　relation　to
  the　royal　family　of　France。　It　is　possible　that　upon　this　very　chair
  on　which　you　now　sit；　accused　of　this　act　of　deception；　your　natural
  great…grandfather　once　sat；　accused　like　you　of　an　act　of　deception；
  in　order；　after　conviction　of　his　crime；　to　be　punished　according　to
  the　laws　of　France。〃
  The　countess　made　a　motion　as　if　she　wanted　to　rise　from　the
  unfortunate　seat；　but　instantly　the　heavy　hand　of　the　officer　was
  laid　upon　her　shoulder；　and　his　threatening　voice　said；　〃Sit　still；
  or　I　put　on　the　chains！〃
  The　Countess　Lamotte…Valois　of　France　sank　back　with　a　loud　sob　upon
  the　chair；　and　for　the　first　time　a　death…like　paleness　diffused
  itself　over　her　hitherto　rosy　cheeks。
  〃So　Madame　de　Boulainvillier　had　the　children　of　the　day…laborer
  Valois　called；〃　continued　the　president；　with　his　imperturbable
  self…possession。　〃The　oldest　daughter；　a　girl　of　twelve　years；
  pleased　her　in　consequence　of　her　lively　nature　and　her　attractive
  exterior。　She　took　her　to　herself；　she　gave　her　an　excellent
  education；　she　was　resolved　to　provide　for　her　whole　future；　when
  one　day　the　young　Valois　disappeared　from　the　chateau　of　Madame　de
  Boulainvillier。　She　had　eloped　with　the　sub…lieutenant；　Count
  Lamotte；　and　announced　to　her　benefactress；　in　a　letter　which　she
  left　behind；　that　she　was　escaping　from　the　slavery　in　which　she　had
  hitherto　lived；　and　that　she　left　her　curse　to　those　who　wanted　to
  hinder　her　marrying　the　man　of　her　choice。　But　in　order　to
  accomplish　her　marriage；　she　confessed　that　she　had　found　it
  necessary　to　rob　the　casket　of　Madame　de　Boulainvillier；　and　that
  out　of　this　money　she　should　defray　her　expenses。　It　was　a　sum　of
  twenty　thousand　francs　which　the　fugitive　had　robbed　from　her
  benefactress。〃
  〃I　take　the　liberty　of　remarking　to　you；　Mr。　President；　that　you　are
  there　making　use　of　a　totally　false　expression；〃　interrupted　the
  countess。　〃It　cannot　be　said　that　I　robbed　this　sum。　It　was　the
  dowry　which　Madame　de　Boulainvillier　had　promised　to　give　me　in　case
  of　my　marriage；　and　I　only　took　what　was　my　own；　as　I　was　upon　the
  point　of　marrying。　Madame　de　Boulainvillier　herself　justified　me　in
  taking　this　sum；　for　she　never　asked　me　to　return　it　or　filed　an
  accusation　against　me。〃
  〃Because　she　wanted　to　prevent　the　matter　becoming　town…talk；〃
  remarked　the　president；　quietly。　〃Madame　de　Boulainvillier　held　her
  peace；　and　relinquished　punishment　to　the　righteous　Judge　who　lives
  above　the　stars。〃
  〃And　who　surely　has　not　descended　from　the　stars　to　assume　the
  president's　chair　of　this　court；〃　cried　Lamotte；　with　a　mocking
  laugh。
  President　L'Aigre；　without　heeding　the　interruption；　continued：
  〃The　daughter　of　the　laborer　Valois　married　the　sub…lieutenant
  Lamotte；　who　lived　in　a　little　garrison　city　of　the　province；　and
  sought　to　increase　his　meagre　salary　by　many　ingenious　devices。　He
  not　merely　gave　instruction　in　fencing　and　riding；　but　he　was　also　a
  very　skilful　card…playerso　skilful；　that　fortune　almost　always
  accompanied　him。〃
  〃My　lord；〃　cried　the　countess；　springing　up；〃　you　seem　to　want　to
  hint　that　Count　Lamotte　played　a　false　game。　You　surely　would　not
  venture　to　say　this　if　the　count　were　free；　for　he　would　challenge
  you　for　this　insult；　and　it　is　well　known　that　his　stroke　is　fatal
  to　those　who　stand　in　the　way　of　his　dagger。〃
  〃I　hint　at　nothing；　and　I　merely　call　things　by　their　right　names；〃
  replied　the　president；　smiling。　〃In　consequence　of　strong　suspicions
  of　false　play；　Count　Lamotte　was　driven　out　of　his　regiment；　and　as
  the　young　pair　had　in　the　meantime　consumed　the　stolen　wedding…
  money；　they　must　discover　some　new　way　of　making　a　living。　The　young
  husband　repaired　to　the　south　of　France　to　continue　his　card…
  playing；　the　young　wife；　having　for　her　fortune　her　youth　and　the
  splendor　of　her　name；　repaired　to　Paris；　both　resolved　de　corriger
  la　fortune　wherever　and　however　they　could。　〃This；　madame；〃
  continued　the　president；　after　a　pause；　〃this　is　the　true　answer　to
  my　question；　how　you　are　called；　and　who　you　are。〃
  〃The　answer　is；　however；　not　yet　quite　satisfactory；〃　replied
  Lamotte；　in　an　impudent　tone。　〃You　have　forgotten　to　add　that　I　am
  the　friend　of　the　cardinal；　Prince　Louis　de　Rohan；　the　confidante
  and　friend　of　Queen　Marie　Antoinette；　and　that　both　now　want　to　do
  me　the　honor　to　make　me　their　bete　de　souffrance；　and　to　let　me
  suffer　for　what　they　have　done　and　are　guilty　of。　My　whole　crime
  lies　in　this；　that　I　helped　the　Queen　of　France　gain　the　jewels　for
  which　her　idle　and　trivial　soul　longed；　that　I　helped　the　amorous
  and　light…minded　cardinal　approach　the　object　of　his　love；　and
  procured　for　him　an　interview　with　the　queen。　That　is　all　that　can
  be　charged　upon　me；　I　procured　for　the　queen　the　fine　necklace　of
  Messrs。　Bohmer　and　Bassenge；　I　gave　the　cardinal；　as　the　price　of　a
  part　of　the　necklace；　a　tender　tete…a…tete　with　the　queen。　The
  cardinal　will　not　deny　that　in　the　garden　of　Versailles　he　had　a
  rendezvous　with　the　queen；　that　he　kissed　her　hand　and　received　a
  rose　from　her；　and　the　queen　will　be　compelled　to　confess　in　the　end
  that　the　necklace　is　in　her　possession。　What　blame　can　be　laid　on　me