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effaced。
To settle this point； which seemed a mere accessory to the trial and
somewhat puerile （but which is really essential in the justification
which history owes to these young men）； the experts and Pigoult； who
were despatched by the president to examine the park； reported that
they could find no traces of a bonfire。
Bordin summoned two laborers； who testified to having dug over； under
the direction of the forester； a tract of ground in the park where the
grass had been burned； but they declared they had not observed the
nature of the ashes they had buried。
The forester； recalled by the defence； said he had received from the
senator himself； as he was passing the chateau of Gondreville on his
way to the masquerade at Arcis； an order to dig over that particular
piece of ground which the senator had remarked as needing it。
〃Had papers； or herbage been burned there？〃
〃I could not say。 I saw nothing that made me think that papers had
been burned there；〃 replied the forester。
〃At any rate；〃 said Bordin； 〃if； as it appears； a fire was kindled on
that piece of ground some one brought to the spot whatever was burned
there。〃
The testimony of the abbe and that of Mademoiselle Goujet made a
favorable impression。 They said that as they left the church after
vespers and were walking towards home； they met the four gentlemen and
Michu leaving the chateau on horseback and making their way to the
forest。 The character； position； and known uprightness of the Abbe
Goujet gave weight to his words。
The summing up of the public prosecutor； who felt sure of obtaining a
verdict； was in the nature of all such speeches。 The prisoners were
the incorrigible enemies of France； her institutions and laws。 They
thirsted for tumult and conspiracy。 Though they had belonged to the
army of Conde and had shared in the late attempts against the life of
the Emperor； that magnanimous sovereign had erased their names from
the list of /emigres/。 This was the return they made for his clemency！
In short； all the oratorical declamations of the Bourbons against the
Bonapartists； which in our day are repeated against the republicans
and the legitimists by the Younger Branch； flourished in the speech。
These trite commonplaces； which might have some meaning under a fixed
government； seem farcical in the mouth of administrators of all epochs
and opinions。 A saying of the troublous times of yore is still
applicable： 〃The label is changed； but the wine is the same as ever。〃
The public prosecutor； one of the most distinguished legal men under
the Empire； attributed the crime to a fixed determination on the part
of returned /emigres/ to protest against the sale of their estates。 He
made the audience shudder at the probable condition of the senator；
then he massed together proofs； half…proofs； and probabilities with a
cleverness stimulated by a sense that his zeal was certain of its
reward； and sat down tranquilly to await the fire of his opponents。
Monsieur de Grandville never argued but this one criminal case； and it
made his reputation。 In the first place； he spoke with the same
glowing eloquence which to…day we admire in Berryer。 He was profoundly
convinced of the innocence of his clients； and that in itself is a
most powerful auxiliary of speech。 The following are the chief points
of his defence； which was reported in full by all the leading
newspapers of the period。 In the first place he exhibited the
character and life of Michu in its true light。 He made it a noble
tale； ringing with lofty sentiments； and it awakened the sympathies of
many。 When Michu heard himself vindicated by that eloquent voice；
tears sprang from his yellow eyes and rolled down his terrible face。
He appeared then for what he really was；a man as simple and as wily
as a child； a being whose whole existence had but one thought； one
aim。 He was suddenly explained to the minds of all present； more
especially by his tears； which produced a great effect upon the jury。
His able defender seized that moment of strong interest to enter upon
a discussion of the charges：
〃Where is the body of the person abducted？ Where is the senator？〃 he
asked。 〃You accuse us of walling him up with stones and plaster。 If
so； we alone know where he is； you have kept us twenty…three days in
prison； and the senator must be dead by this time for want of food。 We
are therefore murderers； but you have not accused us of murder。 On the
other hand； if he still lives； we must have accomplices。 If we have
them； and if the senator is living； we should assuredly have set him
at liberty。 The scheme in relation to Gondreville which you attribute
to us is a failure； and only aggravates our position uselessly。 We
might perhaps obtain a pardon for an abortive attempt by releasing our
victim； instead of that we persist in detaining a man from whom we can
obtain no benefit whatever。 It is absurd！ Take away your plaster； the
effect is a failure；〃 he said； addressing the public prosecutor。 〃We
are either idiotic criminals （which you do not believe） or the
innocent victims of circumstances as inexplicable to us as they are to
you。 You ought rather to search for the mass of papers which were
burned at Gondreville； which will reveal motives stronger far than
yours or ours and put you on the track of the causes of this
abduction。〃
The speaker discussed these hypotheses with marvellous ability。 He
dwelt on the moral character of the witnesses for the defence； whose
religious faith was a living one； who believed in a future life and in
eternal punishment。 He rose to grandeur in this part of his speech and
moved his hearers deeply：
〃Remember！〃 he said； 〃these criminals were tranquilly dining when told
of the abduction of the senator。 When the officer of gendarmes
intimated to them the best means of ending the whole affair by giving
up the senator； they refused； for they did not understand what was
asked of them！〃
Then； reverting to the mystery of the matter； he declared that its
solution was in the hands of time； which would eventually reveal the
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 publ