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"Here it is. Is it the one you have previously seen?” "It is."

"Write down," said the judge, "that the accused recognises the statue as the one he has heretofore seen in the possession of M. de la Mole."

"No, no, no!" interposed Coconnas, “do not let us mistake one another; write that I say it is the same figure I saw at René's."

“Well, be it so—at René's, and on what day?”

"The only day la Mole and myself ever were at René's.” "You admit, then, having been there with M. de la Mole?” "Why I never denied it, did I?”

"Write down that the accused admits having gone to Rene's to work certain charms and conjurations

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"Stop, if you please, M. le president, and moderate your enthusiasm a little-I said no such thing."

"You deny having gone to René's house, for the sake of charms and magical purposes?"

"I do; the conjuration that took place was by chance, and wholly unpremeditated."

"But still it took place?"

"Certainly; I cannot deny that something resembling the working of a charm did occur."

"Write down that the accused admits having gone to René's, for the sake of obtaining a charm against the king's life."

"The king's life!" exclaimed Coconnas-"'tis a base lie; no such charm was ever made or sought for."

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There, gentlemen!" said la Mole, "you hear!"

"Silence!" vociferated the president, then turning towards the clerk, he said-" Against the king's life. Have you written it ?"

"No, no!" cried Coconnas, "I said no such thing, and then the figure is not that of a man, but of a woman.”

"What did I tell you, gentlemen?" inquired la Mole. "M. de la Mole," said the president, "reply when you are questioned, but do not interrupt the interrogatory of others." "You say that the figure is that of a female?" resumed the judge.

"Of course I do."
"Why, then, does it wear a royal crown and

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"Pardieu! for a very simple reason-because the figure was meant for

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Here la Mole rose, and placed a finger on his lips.

"True!" said Coconnas, "I was beginning to relate matters with which these gentlemen have nothing at all to do." "You persist, then, in your assertion, that this waxen image was intended to represent a woman?"

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Certainly, I do persist in stating the truth." "And you refuse to say who the woman was?" "A female in my own country," said la Mole, loved, and by whom I was desirous of being beloved."

"whom I

"You are not the person interrogated, M. de la Mole,” exclaimed the president; "either be silent, or I shall be obliged to have you gagged."

"Gag a gentleman, and my friend, merely for speakingcan it be possible that I hear aright?-for shame! for shame!" "Bring in René!" said the attorney-general.

"Yes, yes, by all means, fetch René," said Coconnas, "fetch him, pray; we shall soon see who is right then."

René entered, pale, shrunken, and so altered, that the two young men seemed scarce to recognise him. The wretched old man appeared more conscience stricken, and bowed down by the weight of the crime he was about to commit, than by those he had already perpetrated.

"Maître René!" said the judge, "do you know the two accused persons here present?"

"I do," answered René, in a voice which betrayed his emotion.

"As having seen them where?"

"In various places, but more especially at my own house." "How frequently at your house?"

"Only once."

As René proceeded, the countenance of Coconnas grew brighter; la Mole, on the contrary, as though warned by some presentiment of evil, looked graver than before. "And on what occasion did they pay you a visit?" René seemed to hesitate a moment, then said— "To order me to make a small waxen figure."

"Maître René," interrupted Coconnas, "permit me to tel you, you are making a little mistake."

"Silence, I command!" cried the president; then turning

towards René, he said—“ And pray was this figure to represent a man or a woman?"

"A man!" answered René.

Coconnas sprung up as though he had received an electric shock.

"A man, do you say?" asked he.

"A man!" responded René, but in so feeble a voice that the president could scarcely hear him.

"And why was this statue clad in a royal mantle, with a crown on its head?"

"Because," replied René, "it represented a king."

“Infamous liar!” cried Coconnas, perfectly infuriated. "Hold your peace, Coconnas," interposed la Mole, "every man has a right to sell his soul his own way; let the wretched being say what he chooses."

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Ay, but he has no right to destroy the bodies of others while he barters his own soul!" answered Coconnas.

"And what is the signification of the needle found sticking in the heart of the image, with a small banner bearing the letter m at the end?”

"The needle is emblematical of the sword or dagger, and the letter m stands for mort."

Coconnas sprung forward, as though to strangle René, but was held back by the guards.

"That will do!" said the officer; "the tribunal is in possession of all it desires to know. Let the prisoners be reconducted to the waiting-room.”

"But," exclaimed Coconnas, "it is quite impossible to hear oneself accused of such crimes without protesting against them."

"Protest as much as you like, gentlemen, no person hinders you.-Guards, take the prisoners away."

The officials seized upon la Mole and Coconnas, and led them away, each by a separate door.

The attorney-general then signed to the man with bare arms, whom Coconnas had observed on entering, and said"Do not go away, my good fellow, there will be work for you ere the night is over.'

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"Which shall I begin with?" said the man, respectfully raising his cap.

"With that one!" answered the president, pointing to

la Mole, whose shadow could just be discerned between his two guards; then approaching René, who stood in trembling expectation of being ordered back to his place of confinement in the Châtelet.

"You have well spoken, my friend; be under no alarm; both the king and queen shall be made acquainted that it is to you they will be indebted for coming at the real truth of this affair."

But this promise, instead of inspiring René with fresh hope, seemed but to augment his alarm, and he replied only by a deep sigh, almost resembling the groan of one in pain.

CHAPTER LVIII.

THE TORTURE OF THE BOOT.

It was only when again conducted to his chamber, and the door secured on him, that Coconnas, no longer sustained by the altercation with the judges, fell into a train of reflections.

"It seems to me," thought he, "matters are going against us. They really wish to cut off our heads. I think it is time to go to the chapel."

These words, pronounced in a low tone, were cut short by a cry so shrill, so piercing, that it seemed impossible it could proceed from a human being, for it penetrated through the thick wall, and vibrated against the iron bars.

Coconnas shuddered with terror, although he was so brave that his courage was nearly allied to that of wild beasts.

He stood motionless, doubting whether what he had heard + was not the wind, when he heard it again; and this time he was convinced not only that the voice was human, but that it was the voice of la Mole.

At this voice, the Piedmontese forgot he was himself a prisoner confined by two doors, three grates, and a wall twelve feet thick; he rushed forward, crying

"They are murdering some one here!"

But he encountered the wall so violently, that the shock threw him back on a stone bench.

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"Oh, they have killed him!" repeated he; "it is abomi nable, and without arms."

He looked about on every side for a weapon.

At this moment, the door opened, and the same voice that had been before so disagreeable to him, said

"Come, sir, the court attends you."

"Good!" said Coconnas; "to hear my sentence, I suppose." "Yes, sir."

"I breathe again—go on, sir."

And he followed the officer, who marched in front, his black wand in his hand.

Spite of his expressed satisfaction, Coconnas glanced anxiously on either side.

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Oh," murmured he, "I do not see my worthy jailer; I wish he was here."

On entering the chamber, Coconnas perceived the attorneygeneral, who had conducted the prosecution with most palpable animosity, for Catherine had charged him to carry on the affair earnestly.

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A curtain was drawn back, and exposed the recesses of this chamber: so terrible were those recesses, thus lighted up, Coconnas felt his knees tremble, and he exclaimed―

"Oh, mon Dieu!"

The sight before him was indeed alarming. The portion of the apartment which had been concealed during the examination by a curtain, now raised, seemed like the vestibule of Hell.

"Oh!" said Coconnas, "the chamber of torture is prepared, and only waits the victim. What does this mean?"

"Kneel down, M. Hannibal de Coconnas!" thundered a voice, "kneel down, and hear your sentence."

And before he had time even to collect his thoughts, two strong hands laid hold of him, and forced him to his knees.

The voice continued

"Sentence of the court sitting at Vincennes on Mark Hannibal de Coconnas, accused and convicted of the crime of high treason, of an attempt to poison, of sacrilege and magic against the person of the king, of a conspiracy against the state, and of having driven a prince of the blood into rebellion by his pernicious counsels.

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