Gertrude No; you will find the parcel still sealed. Ramel Ah! madame, I sincerely hope so. The Magistrate I very much doubt it; this is one of those audacious criminals-- Gertrude The chamber is in disorder, permit me-- The Magistrate No, no! All three of us will enter it. Ramel Your innocence is now at stake. Gertrude Gentlemen, let us go in together. SCENE EIGHTH Vernon (alone) My poor General! He kneels by the bed of his daughter; he weeps, he prays! Alas! God alone can give her back to him. SCENE NINTH Vernon, Gertrude, Ramel, the Magistrate and the Sheriff's Officer. Gertrude I scarce can believe my senses; I am dreaming--I am-- Ramel You are ruined, madame. Gertrude Yes, sir--But by whom? The Magistrate (to the sheriff's officer) Write down that Madame de Grandchamp having herself unlocked for us the desk in her bedchamber and having herself given into our hands the parcel sealed by M. Baudrillon, this parcel which two days ago was intact is found unsealed and from it has been taken a dose, more than sufficient to produce death. Gertrude Death!--And I? The Magistrate Madame, it was not without reason that I took from your desk this torn piece of paper. We have also picked up in Mlle. de Grandchamp's chamber a piece of paper, which exactly fits to it; and this proves that when you reached your desk, in that confusion which crime always brings upon criminals, you took up this paper to wrap up the dose, which you intended to mix with the infusion. Gertrude You said that you were my protector! And there, see now-- The Magistrate Give me your attention, madame. In face of such suspicions, I feel I shall have to change the writ of summons into a writ of bail or imprisonment. (He signs the document.) And now, madame, you must consider yourself under arrest. Gertrude Of course, I will do all that you wish! But you told me that your mission was to search for the truth--Ah! Let us search for it here--Let us search for it here! The Magistrate Certainly, madame. Gertrude (to Ramel; she is weeping) O M. Ramel! Ramel Have you anything to say in your defence which would lead us to cancel this terrible sentence? Gertrude Gentlemen, I am innocent of the crime of poisoning, and yet all is against me! I implore you, give my your help instead of torturing me! And listen to me--Some one must have taken my key,--can you not understand? Some one must have come into my room--Ah! I see it all now-- (To Ramel) Pauline loved as I loved; she has poisoned herself! Ramel For the sake of your honor, do not say that, without the most convincing proofs, otherwise-- The Magistrate Madame, is it true that, yesterday, you, knowing Doctor Vernon was to dine with you, sent him-- Gertrude Oh! you,--your questions are so many daggers at my heart! And yet you go on, you still go on. The Magistrate Did you send him away to attend a workman at Pre-l'Eveque? Gertrude I did, sir.