d'Hauteserre； and the marquis sat with their eyes fixed on the swarthy
and deeply pitted face of the old lawyer； who was now to pronounce the
words of life or death。 Monsieur d'Hauteserre wiped the sweat from his
brow。 Laurence looked at the younger man and noted his saddened face。
〃Well； my dear Bordin？〃 said the marquis at last； holding out his
snuffbox； from which the old lawyer took a pinch in an absent…minded
way。
Bordin rubbed the calf of his leg； covered with thick stockings of
black raw silk； for he always wore black cloth breeches and a coat
made somewhat in the shape of those which are now termed /a la
Francaise/。 He cast his shrewd eyes upon his clients with an anxious
expression； the effect of which was icy。
〃Must I analyze all that？〃 he said； 〃am I to speak frankly？〃
〃Yes； go on； monsieur；〃 said Laurence。
〃All that you have innocently done can be converted into proof against
you；〃 said the old lawyer。 〃We cannot save your friends； we can only
reduce the penalty。 The sale which you induced Michu to make of his
property will be taken as evident proof of your criminal intentions
against the senator。 You sent your servants to Troyes so that you
might be alone； that is all the more plausible because it is actually
true。 The elder d'Hauteserre made an unfortunate speech to Beauvisage；
which will be your ruin。 You yourself； mademoiselle； made another in
your own courtyard； which proves that you have long shown ill…will to
the possessor of Gondreville。 Besides； you were at the gate of the
/rond…point/； apparently on the watch； about the time when the
abduction took place； if they have not arrested you； it is solely
because they fear to bring a sentimental element into the affair。〃
〃The case cannot be successfully defended；〃 said Monsieur de
Grandville。
〃The less so；〃 continued Bordin； 〃because we cannot tell the whole
truth。 Michu and the Messieurs de Simeuse and d'Hauteserre must hold
to the assertion that you merely went for an excursion into the forest
and returned to Cinq…Cygne for luncheon。 Allowing that we can show you
were in the house at three o'clock （the exact hour at which the attack
was made）； who are our witnesses？ Marthe； the wife of one of the
accused； the Durieus； and Catherine； your own servants； and Monsieur
and Madame d'Hauteserre； father and mother of two of the accused。 Such
testimony is valueless； the law does not admit it against you； and
commonsense rejects it when given in your favor。 If； on the other
hand； you were to say you went to the forest to recover eleven hundred
thousand francs in gold； you would send the accused to the galleys as
robbers。 Judge； jury； audience； and the whole of France would believe
that you took that gold from Gondreville； and abducted the senator
that you might ransack his house。 The accusation as it now stands is
not wholly clear； but tell the truth about the matter and it would
become as plain as day； the jury would declare that the robbery
explained the mysterious features；for in these days； you must
remember； a royalist means a thief。 This very case is welcomed as a
legitimate political vengeance。 The prisoners are now in danger of the
death penalty； but that is not dishonoring under some circumstances。
Whereas； if they can be proved to have stolen money； which can never
be made to seem excusable； you lose all benefit of whatever interest
may attach to persons condemned to death for other crimes。 If； at the
first； you had shown the hiding…places of the treasure； the plan of
the forest； the tubes in which the gold was buried； and the gold
itself； as an explanation of your day's work； it is possible you might
have been believed by an impartial magistrate； but as it is we must be
silent。 God grant that none of the prisoners may reveal the truth and
compromise the defence； if they do； we must rely on our cross…
examinations。〃
Laurence wrung her hands in despair and raised her eyes to heaven with
a despondent look； for she saw at last in all its depths the gulf into
which her cousins had fallen。 The marquis and the young lawyer agreed
with the dreadful view of Bordin。 Old d'Hauteserre wept。
〃Ah！ why did they not listen to the Abbe Goujet and fly！〃 cried Madame
d'Hauteserre； exasperated。
〃If they could have escaped； and you prevented them；〃 said Bordin；
〃you have killed them yourselves。 Judgment by default gains time； time
enables the innocent to clear themselves。 This is the most mysterious
case I have ever known in my life； in the course of which I have
certainly seen and known many strange things。〃
〃It is inexplicable to every one； even to us；〃 said Monsieur de
Grandville。 〃If the prisoners are innocent some one else has committed
the crime。 Five persons do not come to a place as if by enchantment；
obtain five horses shod precisely like those of the accused； imitate
the appearance of some of them； and put Malin apparently underground
for the sole purpose of casting suspicion on Michu and the four
gentlemen。 The unknown guilty parties must have had some strong reason
for wearing the skin； as it were； of five innocent men。 To discover
them； even to get upon their traces； we need as much power as the
government itself； as many agents and as many eyes as there are
townships in a radius of fifty miles。〃
〃The thing is impossible；〃 said Bordin。 〃There's no use thinking of
it。 Since society invented law it has never found a way to give an
innocent prisoner an equal chance against a magistrate who is pre…
disposed against him。 Law is not bilateral。 The defence； without spies
or police； cannot call social power to the rescue of its innocent
clients。 Innocence has nothing on her side but reason； and reasoning
which may strike a judge is often powerless on the narrow minds of
jurymen。 The whole department is against you。 The eight jurors who
have signed the indictment are each and all purchasers of national
domain。 Among the trial jurors we are certain to have some who have
either sold or bought the same property。 In short； we can get nothing
but a Malin jury。 You must therefore set up a consistent defence； hold
fast to it； and perish in your innocence。 You will certainly be
condemned。 But there's a court of appeal； we will go there and try to
remain there as long as possible。 If in the mean time we can collect
proofs in your favor you must apply for pardon。 That's the anatomy of
the business； and my advice。 If we triumph （for everything is possible
in law） it will be a miracle； but your advocate Monsieur de Grandville
is the most likely man among all I know to produce that miracle； and
I'll do my best to help him。〃
〃The senator has the key to the mystery；〃 said Monsieur de Grandville；
〃for a man knows his enemies and why they are so。 Here we find him
leaving Paris at the close of the winter； coming to Gondreville alone；
shutting himself up with his notary； and delivering himself over； as
one might say； to five men who seize him。〃
〃Certainly；〃 said Bordin； 〃his conduct seems inexplicable。 But how
could we； in the face of a hostile community； become accusers when we
ourselves are the accused？ We should need the help and good…will of
the government and a thousand times more proof than is wanted in
ordinary circumstances。 I am convinced there was premeditation； and
subtle premeditation； on the part of our mysterious adversaries； who
must have known the situation of Michu and the Messieurs de Simeuse
towards Malin。 Not to utter one word； not to steal one thing！
remarkable prudence！ I see something very different from ordinary
evil…doers behind those masks。 But what would be the use of saying so
to the sort of jurors we shall have to face？〃
This insight into hidden matters which gives such power to certain
lawyers and certain magistrates astonished and confounded Laurence；
her heart was wrung by that inexorable logic。
〃Out of every hundred criminal cases；〃 continued Bordin； 〃there are
not ten where the law really lays bare the truth to its full extent；
and there is perhaps a good third in which the truth is never brought
to light at all。 Yours is one of those cases which are inexplicable to
all parties； to accused and accusers； to the law and to the public。 As
for the Emperor； he has other fish to fry than to consider the case of
these gentlemen； supposing even that they had not conspired against
him。 But who the devil /is/ Malin's enemy？ and what has really been
done with him？〃
Bordin and Monsieur de Grandville looked at each other； they seemed in
doubt as to Laurence's veracity。 This evident suspicion was the most
cutting of all the many pangs the girl had suffered in the affair； and
she turned upon the lawyers a look which effectually put an end to
their distrust。
The next day the indictment was handed over to the defence； and the
lawyers were then enabled to communicate with the prisoners。 Bordin
informed the family that the six accused men were 〃well supported；〃
using a professional term。
〃Monsieur de Grandville will defend Michu；〃 said Bordin。
〃Michu！〃 exclaimed the Marquis de Chargeboeuf； amazed at the change。
〃He is the pivot of the affairthe danger lies there；〃 replied the
old lawyer。
〃If he is more in danger than the others； I think that is just；〃 cried
Laurence。
〃We see certain chances；〃 said Monsieur de Grandville； 〃and we shall
study them carefully。 If we are able to save these gentlemen it will
be because Monsieur d'Hauteserre ordered Michu to repair one of the
stone posts in the covered way； and also because a wolf has been seen
in the forest； in a criminal court everything depends on discussions；
and discussions often turn on trivial matters which then become of
immense importance。〃
Laurence sank into that inward dejection which humiliates the soul of
all thoughtful and energetic persons when the uselessness of thought
and action is made manifest to them。 It was no longer a matter of
overthrowing a usurper； or of coming to the help of devoted friends；
fanatical sympathies wrapped in a shroud of mystery。 She now saw all
social forces full…armed against her cousins and herself。 There was no
taking a prison by assault with her own hands； no deliverance of
prisoners from the midst of a