The whole audience is in a state of great excitement. P.--Do the same thing to the other barrel. The accused does it. The handkerchief remains clean. P.--You see, and still you have told us that you had burnt, perhaps, a dozen cartridges to light your cigars. But the prosecution had foreseen this objection, and they are prepared to meet it. Sheriff, bring in the witness, Maucroy. Our readers all know this gentleman, whose beautiful collection of weapons, sporting-articles, and fishing-tackle, is one of the ornaments of our great Square. He is dressed up, and without hesitation takes the required oath. P.--Repeat your deposition with regard to this gun. WITNESS.--It is an excellent gun, and very costly: such guns are not made in France, where people are too economical. At this answer the whole audience laughs. M. Maucroy is not exactly famous for cheap bargains. Even some of the jurymen can hardly control their laughter. P.--Never mind your reflections on that object. Tell us only what you know about the peculiarities of this gun. WITNESS.--Well, thanks to a peculiar arrangement of the cartridges, and thanks, also, to the special nature of the fulminating material, the barrels hardly ever become foul. A.--(Eagerly.) You are mistaken, sir. I have myself cleaned my gun frequently; and I have, just on the contrary, found the barrels extremely foul. WITNESS.--Because you had fired too often. But I mean to say that you can use up two or three cartridges without a trace being left in the barrels. A.--I deny that positively. P.--(To witness.) And if a dozen cartridges were burnt? WITNESS.--Oh, then, the barrels would be very foul. P.--Examine the barrels, and tell us what you see. WITNESS.--(After a minute examination.) I declare that two cartridges cannot have been used since the gun was cleaned. P.--(To the accused.) Well, what becomes of that dozen cartridges which you have used up to light your cigars, and which had blackened your hands so badly? M. MAGLOIRE.--The question is too serious to be left entirely in the hands of a single witness. THE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY.--We only desire the truth. It is easy to make an experiment. WITNESS.--Oh, certainly! P.--Let it be done. Witness puts a cartridge into each barrel, and goes to the window to explode them. The sudden explosion is followed by the screams of several ladies. WITNESS.--(Returning, and showing that the barrels are no more foul than they were before.) Well, you see I was right. P.--(To the accused.) You see this circumstance on which you relied so securely, so far from helping you, only proves that your explanation of the blackened state of your hands was a falsehood. Upon the president’s order, witness is taken out, and the examination of the accused is continued. P.--What were your relations with Count Claudieuse? A.--We had no intercourse with each other. P.--But it was known all over the country that you hated him?