A Night on the Borders of the Black Forest Part 33

_Lieut._ "At what time did the ma.s.s begin?"

_Jacques._ "At seven o'clock, Monsieur le Lieutenant."

Pierre and Henri were next examined.

These witnesses corroborated the testimony of Father Jacques. The first in a nervous and confused manner, the second in a bold and steady voice.

Pierre looked several times in a contrite and supplicating manner towards the Chevalier de Fontane and Madame de Peyrelade; but neither observed him.

He was very penitent and unhappy. He felt that it was through his indiscretion that the betrothed lover of his mistress was placed in this position of peril; and he would have given the world to be far enough away in the desolate _Buron_.

Henri stated that, after finding the body, he climbed the high tree beneath which it lay, for the purpose of reconnoitring; but no person was in sight.

The Lieutenant of Police next examined the _boutillier_ Pierre.

_Lieut._ "Repeat what you said of the quarrel between Monsieur le Chevalier and the Baron de Pradines."

_Pierre._ [in great confusion]: "I know nothing, Monsieur, beyond what the poor people say about the village."

_Lieut._ "Well, and what do the poor people say about the village?"

_Pierre._ "Indeed, Monsieur, I know nothing."

_Lieut._ "You must speak. You must not trifle with the law."

_Pierre._ "_Mon Dieu!_ they only said that Monsieur le Baron wanted Madame's money and estates himself, and that he hated Monsieur le Chevalier, because Monsieur le Chevalier loved Madame and Madame loved him."

_Lieut._ "And from whom did you hear these reports?"

_Pierre._ "From Pere Jacques, Monsieur le Lieutenant."

_Lieut._ [cross-examining Jacques the cowkeeper] "What did _you_ know, witness, of the difference between these gentlemen?"

_Jacques._ "Nothing, M. le Lieutenant."

_Lieut._ "Did you ever hear of any such quarrel?"

_Jacques._ "I don't deny to have heard it talked about, Monsieur."

_Lieut._ "Whom did you hear talk about it?"

_Jacques._ "I have heard Gustave, Monsieur le Chevalier's valet, say so many times."

_Lieut._ [examining Gustave] "Relate all you know or have heard respecting the differences that are said to have arisen between your master and the late Baron de Pradines."

_Gustave._ "I came with my master, the Chevalier de Fontane, from Prussia, about ten weeks ago. As soon as we got near the Chateau de Peyrelade, my master met with an accident. We got him into the house, where he stayed some weeks, till he had quite recovered. The Countess and my master were old lovers, and very glad to meet each other again.

They made up the match between themselves the very next day, and Madame sent for a priest, who absolved her of a vow that she had made, never to marry again. After the priest was gone, M. le Baron, who had been out since the morning, came home, and Madame informed him that she was betrothed to the Chevalier, and that the marriage would take place in a few weeks. M. le Baron was furious. He swore at Madame, and at M. de Fontane, and even at the priest. He asked Madame if she had no respect for her vow or her soul, and he called M. le Chevalier a villain and a coward to his face. M. le Chevalier was too ill and weak to pay any attention to him; but Madame was very indignant, and told her brother that it was himself who was the coward, so to insult a woman and a sick man. In a word, Madame said that, if he could not conduct himself more like a gentleman, he had better leave the house. And so M. le Baron did leave the house that very night, and set off for his regiment. But it did not end here. M. le Baron had been gone only a very few days when he sent abusive and violent letters to Madame, and to Monsieur le Chevalier; and I heard that he had also the audacity to send one to the holy priest; but this I cannot be sure of. Madame had no sooner read hers than she burnt it; but Monsieur le Chevalier only laughed, and threw his into his writing-case. He said that the writer deserved a good thras.h.i.+ng, but did not seem at all angry. In a few days there came another letter to M. le Chevalier, and this time the Baron threatened to bring the matter before Holy Church on account of Madame's broken vow, as he called it; for he would not hear of the absolution granted by M.

le Cure. This letter vexed M. le Chevalier a good deal, for he could not bear the idea of Madame's name being brought into a court of ecclesiastical law; and so he wrote back a very sharp answer to M. le Baron, representing the odium which it would bring both upon himself and the family, and telling him how perfectly useless such a step would be, since Madame was altogether absolved from her rash engagement. Well, the Baron never wrote any reply to this letter; but about a week before All Saints' Day, Madame sent a very kind and loving letter to her brother (at least so I overheard her telling Monsieur le Chevalier), and invited him to the wedding. Whether it was that M. le Baron thought it would be no use holding out; or whether he really was sorry for having been so unkind; or whether he only intended to spoil the festivities by being disagreeable to everybody, I cannot tell; but at all events he wrote back, accepting Madame's invitation, and saying he hoped she would be happy, and that she and Monsieur would forget the past, and receive him as a brother. You may be sure that Madame was delighted; and Monsieur le Chevalier declared that for his part he was quite ready to shake hands with him. No more letters pa.s.sed, and I never saw M. de Pradines again till he was brought in dead on the evening of All Saints' Day."

Here the judge desired that the writing-case of M. de Fontane should be brought into court; and a small black folio was accordingly laid upon the table by one of the attendants. It was found to contain, among various unimportant papers, two letters from the deceased addressed to M. le Chevalier. Both were corroborative of the depositions of the last witness, and were couched in violent and abusive language.

The Lieutenant of Police, cross-examining the servant of M. de Fontane, then continued:--

"Where was M. de Fontane on All-Saints' Day?"

_Gustave._ "My master left the Chateau early in the morning for Murat, where the notary resided to whom he had confided the drawing up of the contract and settlements. Monsieur was to have returned by six o'clock, bringing the papers with him; but he did not arrive till between nine and ten o'clock."

_Lieut._ "Let the notary be called."

M. Francois, notary and _avocat_ of Murat, was then called to the witness-box.

_Lieut._ "At what hour did the Chevalier de Fontane leave your offices at Murat?"

_M. Francois._ "At about six o'clock: the papers were not ready, and he waited for them."

_Lieut._ "How long would it take a man to ride from Murat to the Chateau?"

_M. Francois._ "About two hours."

_Lieut._ "He should then have reached Peyrelade about eight?"

_M. Francois._ "I suppose so, Monsieur."

_Lieut._ "Did the Chevalier appear at all excited or out of humour?"

_M. Francois._ "He appeared excited, and in the highest spirits; but not in the least out of humour."

Marguerite de Peyrelade, _nee_ Pradines, was then summoned by the crier.

She rose from her chair with difficulty, leaning on the arm of the Commandeur, and was about to proceed to the witness-box, but the judge begged her to remain seated.

A sympathetic murmur ran through the court. She raised her veil and looked steadily at the Lieutenant, never once glancing towards the prisoner, who, pale and trembling, was observing her every movement.

"Madame de Peyrelade," said the Lieutenant, "do you remember to have heard M. de Fontane utter any hostile expressions on receipt of either of the letters lately examined?"

Madame had nothing to say beyond what had been stated by Gustave, Monsieur de Fontane's servant.

"Did Madame think that Monsieur de Fontane thoroughly pardoned the imprudent language of M. de Pradines?"

The lady said that she believed it from her heart.

"Did not Madame, on the night of her _fete_, leave the _salon_ and go out a little after nine o'clock on the terrace at the west side of the Chateau?"

She answered in the affirmative.

"Did not Madame aver that she then heard two shots fired, at a considerable distance from the Chateau?"

She did, and was greatly terrified.

"Could Madame have been mistaken as to the second report? Is Madame certain that she distinguished more than one?"