RECORDER. That the Attorney-General has arrived. LA BOUZOLE. No--I know nothing of it. RECORDER. Yes, he has just arrived. It seems he brings the nomination of one of these gentlemen to the post of Councillor in the Court of Appeal. LA BOUZOLE. Ah, ah! And whose is the prize, in your opinion, Benoit? Vagret's? RECORDER. That was my opinion. I hesitated a long time between him and his Honor the President, and I decided it would be Monsieur Vagret. But now I think I am wrong. LA BOUZOLE. Do you think Monsieur Bunerat is appointed? RECORDER. No, your worship. I feel very proud--I believe it is my employer who has the honor. LA BOUZOLE. Monsieur Mouzon! RECORDER. Yes, your worship. LA BOUZOLE. What makes you think that? RECORDER. His Honor the Attorney-General requested me to beg Monsieur Mouzon to come and speak to him before the rising of the Court. LA BOUZOLE. My congratulations, my dear Monsieur Benoit. _Madame Bunerat enters._ SCENE IV:--_The same and later Madame Vagret, Bunerat, the President of Assizes, and Mouzon, then the Attorney-General._ MADAME BUNERAT [_in tears_] Oh, my dear Monsieur La Bouzole! LA BOUZOLE. What has happened, Madame Bunerat? MADAME BUNERAT. It's that advocate! What talent! What a heart! What feeling! What genius! I feel quite shaken--quite upset-- LA BOUZOLE. It's an acquittal? MADAME BUNERAT. They hope so-- MADAME VAGRET [_entering_] Well, my dear Monsieur La Bouzole, you have heard this famous advocate! What a ranter! LA BOUZOLE. It seems he has touched the jury. That means an acquittal. MADAME VAGRET. I'm very much afraid it does. _Enter Bunerat in a black gown._ BUNERAT. Do you know what they tell me? The Attorney-General is here! MADAME BUNERAT. Really! MADAME VAGRET. Are you certain? LA BOUZOLE. It is true enough. He brings Monsieur Mouzon his appointment to the Court of Appeal at Pau. BUNERAT. Mouzon! MADAME VAGRET AND MADAME BUNERAT. And my husband! We had a definite promise! _The President of Assizes enters, wearing a red gown._ THE PRESIDENT. Good-day, gentlemen. You have not seen the Attorney-General, have you? LA BOUZOLE. No, your honor--but if you will wait-- THE PRESIDENT. No. Tell me, La Bouzole--you are an old stager--were you in Court? LA BOUZOLE. From the balloting for the jurymen to the plea for the defence. THE PRESIDENT. Did you notice if I let anything pass that would make an appeal to the Court of Cassation possible? LA BOUZOLE. I am sure you didn't. THE PRESIDENT. It's my constant fear--I am thinking of nothing else all the time counsel are speaking. I always have the Manual of the President of Assizes wide open in front of me; I'm always afraid, nevertheless, of forgetting some formality. You see the effect of being in the Chancellery--I never have a quiet conscience until the time-limit has expired. [_A pause_] They tell me there were journalists here from Toulouse and Bordeaux. LA BOUZOLE. And one from Paris.