Part 2 Chapter 411.docx

Part 2 Chapter 411.docx

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Part2Chapter411

Part2Chapter41

TheTrialThecountrywillrememberthiscelebratedtrialforalongtimetocome.Interestintheaccusedreachedfeverpitch;thiswasbecausehiscrimewasastonishingandyetnotatrocious.Evenifithadbeen,theyoungmanwassohandsome!

Hisgreatdestinyabruptlycutshortheightenedthepityfeltforhim.Willhebecondemned?

thewomenwouldaskthemenoftheiracquaintanceandonecouldseethemgrowpaleastheyawaitedthereply.

　　SAINTE-BEUVEAtlengththedaydawnedsodreadedbyMadamedeRenalandMathilde.

　　Thestrangeappearanceofthetownincreasedtheirterror,anddidnotleaveevenFouque'sstoutheartunmoved.ThewholeProvincehadswarmedintoBesancontowitnessthetrialofthisromanticcase.

　　Forsomedayspasttherehadnotbeenabedtobehadintheinns.ThePresidentoftheAssizeCourtwasassailedwithrequestsforcardsofadmission;alltheladiesofthetownwishedtobepresentatthetrial;Julien'sportraitwashawkedthroughthestreets,etc.,etc.

　　MathildewaskeepinginreserveforthissuprememomentaletterwrittenthroughoutinthehandoftheLordBishopof——.ThisPrelate,whocontrolledtheChurchinFranceandappointedBishops,deignedtoaskfortheacquittalofJulien.Ontheeveofthetrial,Mathildetookthislettertotheall-powerfulVicar-General.

　　Atthecloseoftheinterview,asshewasleavingtheroominafloodoftears:

'Ianswerfortheverdictofthejury,'M.deFrilairtoldher,emergingatlengthfromhisdiplomaticreserve,andalmostshowingsignsofemotionhimself.'Amongthetwelvepersonschargedwiththedutyoffindingwhetheryourprotege'scrimeisproven,andespeciallywhethertherewaspremeditation,Inumbersixfriendsdevotedtomywelfare,andIhavegiventhemtounderstandthatitrestedwiththemtoraisemetotheepiscopate.BarondeValenod,whomIhavemadeMayorofVerrieres,hasentirecontrolovertwoofhissubordinates,MM.deMoirodanddeCholin.Totellthetruth,chancehasgivenus,fordealingwiththisaffair,twojurorswhoareextremelydisaffected;but,althoughUltra-Liberals,theyloyallyobeymyordersongreatoccasions,andIhavesentwordaskingthemtovotewithM.Valenod.Ilearnthatasixthjuroroftheindustrialclass,animmenselyrichandgarrulousLiberal,issecretlyhopingforacontractfromtheMinistryofWar,andnodoubthewouldnotwishtovexme.IhavelethimknowthatM.Valenodhasmylastword.'

　　'AndwhoisthisM.Valenod?

'saidMathilde,anxiously.

　　'Ifyouknewhim,youwouldhavenodoubtofoursuccess.Heisaboldspeaker,impudent,coarse,amanmadetobetheleaderoffools.

　　1814raisedhimfrompenury,andIamgoingtomakehimaPrefect.Heiscapableofthrashingtheotherjurorsiftheyrefusetovoteashewishes.'

　　Mathildewassomewhatreassured.

　　Therewasanotherdiscussioninstoreforherthatevening.Inordernottoprolongapainfulscene,theoutcomeofwhichappearedtohimcertain,Julienwasdeterminednottoopenhismouth.

　　'Mycounselwillspeak,thatisquitesufficient,'hesaidtoMathilde.'Asitis,Ishallbealltoolongexposedasaspectacletomyenemies.TheseprovincialsareshockedbytherapidadvancementwhichIowetoyou,and,believeme,thereisnotoneofthemthatdoesnotwishformyconviction,exceptthathewillcrylikeafoolwhenIamledtothescaffold.'

　　'Theywishtoseeyouhumiliated,itisonlytootrue,'repliedMathilde,'butIdonotbelievethattheyarecruel.MypresenceinBesanconandthespectacleofmygriefhaveinterestedallthewomen;yourhandsomefacewilldotherest.Ifyousaybutonewordbeforeyourjudges,thewholecourtwillbeonyourside,'etc.,etc.

　　Thefollowingmorningatnineo'clock,whenJuliencamedownfromhisprisontoenterthegreathalloftheLawCourts,itwaswiththeutmostdifficultythatthegendarmessucceededinclearingapassagethroughtheimmensecrowdthatpackedthecourtyard.Julienhadsleptwell,hewasquitecalm,andfeltnoothersentimentthanoneofphilosophicalpietytowardsthiscrowdofenviouspersonswho,withoutcruelty,werereadytoapplaudhissentenceofdeath.Hewasquitesurprisedwhen,havingbeendetainedformorethanaquarterofanhouramongthecrowd,hewasobligedtoadmitthathispresencewasinspiringatenderpityintheassembly.Hedidnothearasingleunpleasantremark.'Theseprovincialsarelessevil-mindedthanIsupposed,'hesaidtohimself.

　　Onenteringthecourt,hewasstruckbytheeleganceofthearchitecture.Itwaspuregothic,withanumberofcharminglittlepillarscarvedinstonewiththemostperfectfinish.HeimaginedhimselfinEngland.

　　Butpresentlyhiswholeattentionwasabsorbedintwelveorfifteenprettywomenwho,seatedoppositethedock,filledthethreegalleriesabovethebenchandthejurybox.Onturningroundtowardsthepublicseats,hesawthatthecirculargallerywhichoverhungthewellofthecourtwasfilledwithwomen;mostofthemwereyoungandseemedtohimextremelypretty;theireyeswerebrightandfullofinterest.Intherestofthecourt,thecrowdwasenormous;peoplewerestrugglingatthedoors,andthesentrieswereunabletopreservesilence.

　　WhenalltheeyesthatwerelookingforJulienbecameawareofhispresence,onseeinghimtakehisplaceontheslightlyraisedbenchreservedfortheprisoner,hewasgreetedwithamurmurofastonishmentandtenderinterest.

　　Onewouldhavesaidthatmorningthathewasnotyettwenty;hewasdressedquitesimply,butwithaperfectgrace;hishairandbrowwerecharming;Mathildehadinsistedonpresidinginpersonoverhistoilet.

　　Hispallorwasintense.Assoonashehadtakenhisseatonthebench,heheardpeoplesayonallsides:

'Lord,howyoungheis!

…''Butheisaboy.''Heisfarbetterlookingthanhisportrait.'

　　'Prisoner,'saidthegendarmeseatedonhisright,'doyouseethosesixladieswhoareonthatbalcony?

'Thegendarmepointedtoalittlegallerywhichjuttedoutabovetheamphitheatreinwhichthejurywasplaced.

　　'ThatisthePrefect'slady,'thegendarmecontinued;'nexttoher,MadamelaMarquisedeM——;thatonelovesyoudearly.Iheardherspeaktotheexaminingmagistrate.NexttoherisMadameDerville.'

　　'MadameDerville,'exclaimedJulien,andavividblushsuffusedhisbrow.'Whensheleavesthecourt,'hethought,'shewillwritetoMadamedeRenal.'HeknewnothingofMadamedeRenal'sarrivalatBesancon.

　　Thewitnesseswerequicklyheard.Atthefirstwordsofthespeechfortheprosecutionmadebythecounselfortheprosecution,twooftheladiesseatedonthelittlebalconyburstintotears.'MadameDervilleisnotsoeasilymoved,'thoughtJulien.Henoticed,however,thatshewasextremelyflushed.

　　ThecounselfortheprosecutionwaslabouringanemotionalpointinbadFrenchaboutthebarbarityofthecrimethathadbeencommitted;JuliennoticedthatMadameDerville'sneighboursshowedsignsofstrongdisapproval.Severalofthejury,evidentlyfriendsoftheseladies,spoketothemandseemedtoreassurethem.'Thatcanonlybeagoodsign,'thoughtJulien.

　　Untilthenhehadfelthimselfpenetratedbyanunmixedcontemptforallthemenwhoweretakingpartinthistrial.Theinsipideloquenceofthecounselfortheprosecutionincreasedthissenseofdisgust.ButgraduallytheserenenessofJulien'sheartmeltedbeforethemarksofinterestofwhichhewasplainlytheobject.

　　Hewaspleasedwiththefirmexpressionofhiscounsel.'Nofinelanguage,'hemurmuredtohimashestooduptospeak.

　　'AlltheemphasisstolenfromBossuet,whichhasbeendisplayedagainstyou,hashelpedyourcase,'saidthecounsel.Andindeed,hehadnotbeenspeakingforfiveminutesbeforealmostalltheladieshadtheirhandkerchiefsintheirhands.Thecounsel,encouragedbythis,addressedthejuryinextremelystronglanguage.Julienshuddered,hefeltthathewasonthepointofburstingintotears.'GreatGod!

Whatwillmyenemiessay?

'

　　Hewasabouttoyieldtotheemotionthatwasoverpoweringhim,when,fortunatelyforhimself,hecaughtaninsolentglancefromM.

　　Valenod.

　　'Thatwretch'seyesareablaze,'hesaidtohimself;'whatatriumphforthatvilenature!

Hadmycrimeledtothisalone,Ishouldbeboundtoabhorit.HeavenknowswhathewillsayofmetoMadamedeRenal!

'

　　Thisthoughtobliteratedalltherest.Shortlyafterwards,Julienwasrecalledtohimselfbysoundsofapprovalfromthepublic.Hiscounselhadjustconcludedhisspeech.Julienrememberedthatitwasthecorrectthingtoshakehandswithhim.Thetimehadpassedquickly.

　　Refreshmentswerebroughttocounselandprisoner.ItwasonlythenthatJulienwasstruckbyacuriouscircumstance:

noneofthewomenhadleftthecourtfordinner.

　　'Faith,Iamdyingofhunger,'saidhiscounsel,'andyou?

'

　　'Iamalso,'repliedJulien.

　　'Look,thereisthePrefect'sladygettingherdinner,too,'hiscounselsaidtohim,pointingtothelittlebalcony.'Cheerup,everythingisgoingwell.'Thetrialwasresumed.

　　AsthePresidentwassummingup,midnightstruck.Hewasobligedtopause;amidthesilenceoftheuniversalanxiety,theechoingnotesoftheclockfilledthecourt.

　　'Herebeginsthelastdayofmylife,'thoughtJulien.Presentlyhefelthimselfinflamedbytheideaofduty.Hehadkepthisemotionincheckuntilthen,andmaintainedhisdeterminationnottospeak;butwhenthePresidentoftheAssizesaskedhimifhehadanythingtosay,herose.HesawinfrontofhimtheeyesofMadameDerville,which,inthelamp-light,seemedtoshinewithastrangebrilliance.'Canshebecrying,byanychance,'hewondered.

　　'GentlemenoftheJury,'MyhorrorofthecontemptwhichIbelievedthatIcouldendureatthemomentofmydeath,impelsmetospeak.Gentlem