"I was appointed, I grant you, but I never entered upon my duties. What constitutes the title? Not the bare possession of the title itself, but the performance of the functions attached to the title. Now, I never performed a single one of the functions of the post to which I was promoted; I never set foot in my jurisdiction; there was on my part no entrance upon my duties; therefore I am no more governor of Braune than I was a captain before being governor, or a lieutenant before being a captain." "But you were taken upon the road to Braune, monsieur." "True; but a hundred yards beyond the point where I was arrested, the road divides; thence one road leads to Braune, but the other to Isson. Who can say that I was not going to Isson, rather than to Braune?" "Enough," said the princess; "the tribunal will take under consideration the force of your defence. Clerk, write him down governor of Braune." "I cannot prevent your Highness from ordering the clerk to write down whatever seems best to you." "It is done, madame," said the clerk. "Good. Now, monsieur, sign your deposition." "It would give me the greatest pleasure, madame," said Cauvignac; "I should be enchanted to do anything that would be agreeable to your Highness; but in the struggle I was forced to wage this morning against the populace of Bordeaux,--a struggle in which your Highness so generously came to my rescue with your musketeers,--I had the misfortune to have my right wrist injured, and it has always been impossible for me to write with my left hand." "Record the refusal of the accused to sign, monsieur," said the princess to the clerk. "Impossibility, monsieur; write impossibility," said Cauvignac. "God forbid that I should refuse to do anything in my power at the bidding of so great a princess as your Highness!" With that, Cauvignac bowed with the utmost respect, and left the room, accompanied by his two guards. "I think that you were right, Monsieur Lenet," said the Duc de La Rochefoucauld, "and that we were wrong not to make sure of that man." Lenet was too preoccupied to reply. This time his usual perspicacity was sadly at fault; he hoped that Cauvignac would draw down the wrath of the tribunal upon his single head; but with his everlasting subterfuges he had amused his judges rather than irritated them. Moreover his examination had destroyed all the effect, if any, produced by Canolles; and the noble bearing, the outspokenness and loyalty of the first prisoner had disappeared, if we may say so, beneath the wiles of the second. Cauvignac had effaced Canolles. And so when the vote was taken, every vote was given for death.