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　testimony　that　he　was　the　writer　of　that　signature；　as
  well　as　of　the　letters　to　the　cardinal。　He　was　the　culpable
  instrument　of　the　criminal　Lamotte…Valois。　Those　of　the　judges　who
  are　of　my　opinion　will　rise。〃
  The　judges　arose　as　one　man。
  The　countess　uttered　a　loud　cry　and　fell；　seized　with　fearful
  spasms；　to　the　ground。
  〃I　declare　the　investigation　and　hearings　ended；〃　said　the
  president；　covering　his　head。　〃Let　the　accused　and　the　witnesses　be
  removed；　and　the　spectators'　tribune　be　vacated。　We　will　adjourn　to
  the　council…room　to　prepare　the　sentence；　which　will　be　given　to…
  morrow。〃
  BOOK　II。
  CHAPTER　VII。
  THE　BAD　OMEN
  The　day　was　drawing　to　a　close。　That　endlessly　long　day；　that　31st
  of　August；　1786；　was　coming　to　a　conclusion。　All　Paris　had　awaited
  it　with　breathless　excitement；　with　feverish　impatience。　No　one　had
  been　able　to　attend　to　his　business。　The　stores　were　closed；　the
  workshops　of　the　artisans　were　empty；　even　in　the　restaurants　and
  cafes　all　was　still；　the　cooks　had　nothing　to　do；　and　let　the　fire
  go　out；　for　it　seemed　as　if　all　Paris　had　lost　its　appetiteas　if
  nobody　had　time　to　eat。
  And　in　truth；　on　this　day；　Paris　had　no　hunger　for　food　that　could
  satisfy　the　body。　The　city　was　hungry　only　for　news；　it　longed　for
  food　which　would　satisfy　its　curiosity。　And　the　news　which　would
  appease　its　craving　was　to　come　from　the　court…room　of　the　prison！
  It　was　to　that　quarter　that　Paris　looked　for　the　stilling　of　its
  hunger；　the　satisfying　of　its　desires。
  The　judges　were　assembled　in　the　hall　of　the　prison　to　pronounce　the
  decisive　sentence　in　the　necklace　trial；　and　to　announce　to　all
  France；　yes；　all　Europe；　whether　the　Queen　of　France　was　innocent　in
  the　eyes　of　God　and　His　representatives　on　earth；　or　whether　a　shade
  of　suspicion　was　thenceforth　to　rest　upon　that　lofty　brow！
  At　a　very　early　hour　of　the　morning；　half…past　five；　the　judges　of
  the　high　court　of　Parliament；　forty…nine　in　number；　gathered　at　the
  council…room　in　order　to　pronounce　sentence。　At　the　same　early　hour；
  an　immense；　closely…thronged　crowd　gathered　in　the　broad　square　in
  front　of　the　prison；　and　gazed　in　breathless　expectation　at　the
  great　gate　of　the　building；　hoping　every　minute　that　the　judges
  would　come　out；　and　that　they　should　learn　the　sentence。
  But　the　day　wore　on；　and　still　the　gates　remained　shut；　no　news　came
  from　the　council…room　to　enlighten　the　curiosity　of　the　crowd　that
  filled　the　square　and　the　adjacent　streets。
  Here　and　there　the　people　began　to　complain；　and　loud　voices　were
  heard　grumbling　at　the　protracted　delay；　the　long　deliberations　of
  the　judges。　Here　and　there　faces　were　seen　full　of　scornful
  defiance；　full　of　laughing　malice；　working　their　way　through　the
  crowd；　and　now　and　then　dropping　stinging　words；　which　provoked　to
  still　greater　impatience。　All　the　orators　of　the　clubs　and　of　the
  secret　societies　were　there　among　the　crowd；　all　the　secret　and　open
  enemies　of　the　queen　had　sent　their　instruments　thither　to　work　upon
  the　people　with　poisonous　words　and　mocking　observations；　and　to
  turn　public　opinion　in　advance　against　the　queen；　even　in　case　the
  judges　did　not　condemn　her；　that　is；　if　they　did　not　declare　the
  cardinal　innocent　of　conspiracy　against　the　sovereign；　and　contempt
  of　the　majesty　of　the　queen。
  It　was　known　that　in　his　resume；　the　attorney…general　had　alluded　to
  the　punishment　of　the　cardinal。　That　was　the　only　news　which　had
  worked　its　way　out　of　the　court…room。　Some　favored　journalist；　or
  some　friend　of　the　queen；　had　heard　this；　it　spread　like　the　wind
  all　over　Paris；　and　in　thousands　upon　thousands　of　copies　the　words
  of　the　attorney…general　were　distributed。
  His　address　purported　to　run　as　follows：　that　〃Cardinal　de　Rohan　is
  indicted　on　the　accusation；　and　must　answer　the　Parliament　and　the
  attorney…general　respecting　the　following　charges：　of　audaciously
  mixing　himself　up　with　the　affairs　of　the　necklace；　and　still　more
  audaciously　in　supposing　that　the　queen　would　make　an　appointment
  with　him　by　night；　and　that　for　this　he　would　ask　the　pardon　of　the
  king　and　the　queen　in　presence　of　the　whole　court。　Further；　the
  cardinal　is　enjoined　to　lay　down　his　office　as　grand　almoner　within
  a　certain　time；　to　remove　to　a　certain　distance　from　the　royal
  residence　and　not　to　visit　the　places　where　the　royal　family　may　be
  living；　and　lastly；　to　remain　in　prison　till　the　complete
  termination　of　the　trial。〃
  The　friends　and　dependants　of　the　cardinal；　the　enemies　and
  persecutors　of　the　queen；　received　this　decision　of　the　attorney…
  general　with　vexation　and　anger；　they　found　fault　with　the　servility
  of　the　man　who　would　suffer　the　law　to　bow　before　the　throne；　they
  made　dishonorable　remarks　and　calumnious　innuendoes　about　the　queen；
  who；　with　her　coquetry　and　the　amount　received　from　the　jewels；　had
  gained　over　the　judges；　and　who　would；　perhaps　have　appointed　a
  rendezvous　with　every　one　of　them　in　order　to　gain　him　over　to　her
  side。
  〃Even　if　the　judges　clear　her；〃　cried　the　sharp　v