A.--I shall answer that question at the same time with the other. Q.--You must have had very strong reasons to keep you out, as you were expected by your betrothed, Miss Chandore? A.--I had written to her not to expect me.’” “Ah! M. Galpin is a clever fellow,” growled M. Magloire. “Finally,” said M. Folgat, “here is a passage from your last but one examination,-- “‘Q.--When you wanted to send anybody to Sauveterre, whom did you usually employ? A.--The son of one of my tenants, Michael. Q.--It was he, I suppose, who, on the evening of the crime, carried the letter to Miss Chandore, in which you told her not to expect you? A.--Yes. Q.--You pretended you would be kept by some important business? A.--That is the usual pretext. Q.--But in your case it was no pretext. Where had you to go? and where did you go? A.--As long as I have not seen counsel I shall say nothing. Q.--Have a care: the system of negation and concealment is dangerous. A.--I know it, and I accept the consequences.’” Jacques was dumfounded. And necessarily every accused person is equally surprised when he hears what he has stated in the examination. There is not one who does not exclaim,-- “What, I said that? Never!” He has said it, and there is no denying it; for there it is written, and signed by himself. How could he ever say so? Ah! that is the point. However clever a man may be, he cannot for many months keep all his faculties on the stretch, and all his energy up to its full power. He has his hours of prostration and his hours of hope, his attacks of despair and his moments of courage; and the impassive magistrate takes advantage of them all. Innocent or guilty, no prisoner can cope with him. However powerful his memory may be, how can he recall an answer which he may have given weeks and weeks before? The magistrate, however, remembers it; and twenty times, if need be, he brings it up again. And as the small snowflake may become an irresistible avalanche, so an insignificant word, uttered at haphazard, forgotten, then recalled, commented upon, and enlarged may become crushing evidence. Jacques now experienced this. These questions had been put to him so skilfully, and at such long intervals of time, that he had totally forgotten them; and yet now, when he recalled his answers, he had to acknowledge that he had confessed his purpose to devote that evening to some business of great importance. “That is fearful!” he cried. And, overcome by the terrible reality of M. Folgat’s apprehension, he added,-- “How can we get out of that?” “I told you,” replied M. Folgat, “we must find some plausible explanation.” “I am sure I am incapable of that.” The young lawyer seemed to reflect a moment, and then he said,-- “You have been a prisoner while I have been free. For a month now I have thought this matter over.” “Ah!” “Where was your wedding to be?” “At my house at Boiscoran.” “Where was the religious ceremony to take place?” “At the church at Brechy.”