LUCIE [_more vigorously_] Those doctors told me that if my husband did not change his mode of life, any further children I had by him would, perhaps, be worse than the first, nervous degenerates. The very evening that Professor Hourtin came to see me, my husband came back from some festivity in a state of excitement—[_She stops_]. PRESIDENT. Well? Is that all? LUCIE. No; I’ll have the courage to say everything. I have nothing to lose now. PRESIDENT. Please take note that it is not I who make you go on. LUCIE. No; you would probably prefer if I didn’t. [_Controlling her voice_] During the day something had happened—something serious—that revealed to me all the hideousness of his moral character. I determined no longer to be his wife. He came in, gay with drinking. In spite of my prayers and resistance, my cries of hatred and disgust, he chose that evening to exercise his rights—his rights! He took me by force; he outraged me. PRESIDENT. He was your husband? LUCIE. Yes. PRESIDENT. Then— LUCIE. Of course. The next morning I left his house. PRESIDENT [_starting_] M. Brignac is not in question. LUCIE. I bring him in question! PRESIDENT. I shall not allow you to bring charges against persons unconnected with the case. LUCIE. He ought to be in my place. PRESIDENT. His name does not figure in the indictment. LUCIE. Because your justice doesn’t want to put responsibility on the right shoulders! PRESIDENT. I forbid you to speak like that of M. Brignac. COUNSEL. Pardon me, President. PRESIDENT. I cannot hear you now. COUNSEL. That is why I ask to be heard. PRESIDENT. What do you want? COUNSEL. M. Brignac is called as a witness. PRESIDENT. We have already heard him. COUNSEL. Allow me to remind you of the terms of Article 319 of the Criminal Code, which authorizes me to say against him as well as against his evidence whatever may help the defence. PRESIDENT. And let me remind you of Article 311 in the same Code, which enjoins you to express yourself with moderation. COUNSEL. I ask you, President, kindly to recall M. Brignac to the bar. I have a question to put to him through you. PRESIDENT [_after consulting with his assessors_] Usher, ask M. Brignac kindly to come here. BRIGNAC [_coming forward to the bar_] Here, President. PRESIDENT. What is your question, Maître Verdier? COUNSEL. M. Brignac has heard all that has just been said? BRIGNAC. Yes. COUNSEL. Then I beg M. Brignac to review all the factors in his memory. I make a supreme appeal to his conscience, and I beg you, President, to put this question to M. Brignac: does M. Brignac not recognize himself as morally responsible for the crime imputed to Madame Lucie Jarras, his divorced wife? PRESIDENT. I shall not put the question. Is that all? COUNSEL. For the moment, yes.