Carbon Barreau, on the other hand, was equally positive in his recognition of each of them as his nephew, Arnauld du Thill. They were all excited and terrified, and there seemed to be not the slightest guide by which the truth might be made to appear. How was it possible to distinguish between two who were such exact counterparts as Arnauld du Thill and Martin-Guerre? "The Evil One himself would be at his wit's end," said Carbon Barreau, in his confusion between his two nephews. But in unravelling this unprecedented and extraordinary freak of Nature, the most reliable guides for Gabriel and the judges, failing material differences, would be contradictions in matters of fact and divergent characteristics. In the story of their early years, Martin and Arnauld du Thill, each in his turn, told exactly the same facts, remembered the same dates, and mentioned the same names, with remarkable unanimity. In support of his statements, Arnauld produced Bertrande's letters, the family papers, and the ring which was blessed on his wedding day. But Martin explained it by telling how Arnauld, after having given him up to be hung at Noyon, had had an opportunity to steal all the papers and his wedding-ring. Thus nothing removed the perplexity of the judges, and their uncertainty never grew less. The appearances and indications were as strong and convincing on one side as on the other; and the allegations of the two accused seemed equally sincere. Fresh proofs and additional testimony were needed to untie so complicated a knot. Gabriel undertook to find and produce them. In the first place, the presiding judge propounded this question anew to Martin and to Arnauld du Thill, separately as before. "Where did you pass your time between your twelfth and your sixteenth year?" The immediate answer of each of the accused was,-- "At St. Sébastien, in Biscaye, with my cousin Sanxi." Sanxi was present, summoned as a witness, and testified to the truth of the fact. Gabriel approached him, and whispered a word in his ear. Sanxi laughed, and began to address Arnauld in the Basque tongue. Arnauld turned pale, and said not a word. "What!" said Gabriel, "you passed four years at St. Sébastien, and yet do not understand the dialect of the province?" "I have forgotten it," stammered Arnauld. Martin-Guerre, when submitted to this test in his turn, chattered away in Basque for a quarter of an hour, to the great delight of Cousin Sanxi and the edification of the spectators and judges. This first indication to throw light upon the truth was soon followed by another, which although similar to an experience of Ulysses was no less significant. The inhabitants of Artigues who were contemporaries of Martin-Guerre still remembered with admiration not unmixed with envy his skill at tennis; but since his return the false Martin had always declined to play when it was suggested, on the plea of a wound in his right hand.