_A court house, of which only two sides are visible. The footlights would almost correspond with a line drawn from one angle to the opposite one. On the left to the front is the raised seat of the public Minister. Further back, to the left, the court. Facing the audience, successively, counsels’ bench; the defendants’ bench, a little raised; and the police bench._ _In the centre, facing the table on which lie the ‘pièces à conviction,’ is the witness-box._ _To the extreme right are three or four benches, of which a part only is visible, reserved for the public. The jury, which is not visible, would be in the prompter’s place._ _There are present the advocate-general: the president of the court and his assessors; also the counsel for the defence and some junior barristers. In the dock are Madame Thomas, Marie Caubert, Tupin, Madame Tupin and several policemen. Madame Chevillot is among the public._ PRESIDENT [_authoritatively, to the counsel for the defence_] Maître Verdier, you cannot speak now. I see what line you propose to take for the defence, and I give you fair warning that I shall use my whole power and authority to prevent you from making light of the criminal acts attributed to the defendants. COUNSEL FOR THE DEFENCE. You are mistaken, M. le président. I have no intention of making light of them. On the contrary, I declare definitely that in my eyes abortion is a crime, because it deprives of life a creature already living; and to condone it would lead to condoning infanticide also. But what I propose to demonstrate is that in not permitting affiliation and in not respecting all motherhood, whatever its origin may be, society has lost its right to condemn a crime rendered excusable by the hypocrisy of custom and the indifference of the laws. PRES. This is not the time for your address. Let the woman Thomas stand up. [_To Madame Thomas_] So you hunted up your clients in the provinces? MME. THOMAS. No, M. le président. They came and found me. PRES. We shall see. Usher, bring forward the witness—[_he hunts for the name in his notes_]—Madame Lucie Brignac. MME. CHEV [_among the audience, to her neighbor_] Mustn’t Brignac be in a hurry to get his divorce! _Lucie has approached the witness-bar. She is thinner and older._ PRES [_to the usher_] Has the witness been sworn? USHER. Yes, M. le président. PRES [_to Lucie_] Was it of her own free will that your sister, the unfortunate Annette Jarras, in consequence of whose death the defendants have been arrested, came to Paris and placed herself in the hands of this woman? LUCIE. Yes, M. le président. PRES. Very well. Go and sit down. I will call you again presently. [_Lucie retires to her place, sobbing_]. Marie Caubert, come forward. [_A small, thin woman rises_]. Your name is Marie Caubert? How old are you? SCHOOLMISTRESS. Twenty-seven. PRES. Profession? SCH. Schoolmistress.