The opportunity came now. Marget sent and asked him to defend her uncle in the approaching trial, and he was greatly pleased, and stopped drinking and began his preparations with diligence. With more diligence than hope, in fact, for it was not a promising case. He had many interviews in his office with Seppi and me, and threshed out our testimony pretty thoroughly, thinking to find some valuable grains among the chaff, but the harvest was poor, of course. If Satan would only come! That was my constant thought. He could invent some way to win the case; for he had said it would be won, so he necessarily knew how it could be done. But the days dragged on, and still he did not come. Of course I did not doubt that it would win, and that Father Peter would be happy for the rest of his life, since Satan had said so; yet I knew I should be much more comfortable if he would come and tell us how to manage it. It was getting high time for Father Peter to have a saving change toward happiness, for by general report he was worn out with his imprisonment and the ignominy that was burdening him, and was like to die of his miseries unless he got relief soon. At last the trial came on, and the people gathered from all around to witness it; among them many strangers from considerable distances. Yes, everybody was there except the accused. He was too feeble in body for the strain. But Marget was present, and keeping up her hope and her spirit the best she could. The money was present, too. It was emptied on the table, and was handled and caressed and examined by such as were privileged. The astrologer was put in the witness-box. He had on his best hat and robe for the occasion. _Question._ You claim that this money is yours? _Answer._ I do. _Q._ How did you come by it? _A._ I found the bag in the road when I was returning from a journey. _Q._ When? _A._ More than two years ago. _Q._ What did you do with it? _A._ I brought it home and hid it in a secret place in my observatory, intending to find the owner if I could. _Q._ You endeavored to find him? _A._ I made diligent inquiry during several months, but nothing came of it. _Q._ And then? _A._ I thought it not worth while to look further, and was minded to use the money in finishing the wing of the foundling-asylum connected with the priory and nunnery. So I took it out of its hiding-place and counted it to see if any of it was missing. And then-- _Q._ Why do you stop? Proceed. _A._ I am sorry to have to say this, but just as I had finished and was restoring the bag to its place, I looked up and there stood Father Peter behind me. Several murmured, “That looks bad,” but others answered, “Ah, but he is such a liar!” _Q._ That made you uneasy? _A._ No; I thought nothing of it at the time, for Father Peter often came to me unannounced to ask for a little help in his need.