Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 01.pdf/393

352 She fell back, fainting. The priests approached the unhappy girl. When she again opened her eyes, one of them, the Abbe Gode, told her in a gentle voice that all hope was not yet gone; that if she was truly innocent she must rely upon the justice of God, which never failed, as did the justice of man.

At these kind words Victoire gazed more attentively at the good men who surrounded her. "Alas, gentlemen," said she, "I am innocent. God is my witness."

"Keep up your courage," said the Abbe Gode; "all is not lost. Say nothing regarding this matter. Monseigneur the keeper of the seals is here. I will give him a petition to a person who is well known at court, and who will protect you if you are innocent."

A little comforted by these words of hope, poor Victoire thanked those around her. The three priests withdrew, recommending her to the concierge, and deeply moved by what they had seen and heard.

One of them at once went to an advocate of the Parliament of Rouen, M. Lecauchois, a very able and learned man. He was very energetic, and had no fear of any magistrate, however powerful; just the advocate for such a case.

The priest told M. Lecauchois in a few words what he had heard at the prison. He had hurriedly written down the responses of the prisoner.

"All that," said M. Lecauchois, with brusqueness,—"all that amounts to nothing. Two tribunals have found this girl guilty. What can be done? Let justice take its course."

"But I am told that one of the judges, M. Hotot, did not believe her guilty."

"That may be, but all the others agreed in condemning her. We had better not meddle with this affair. Besides, we must have positive information, and it is not easy to obtain it."

"But if we succeed in obtaining it? I have written for it, and in two weeks, please God, you shall have all that is necessary to inform yourself as to this trial."

M. Lecauchois finally promised to under take this good work, but on the condition that if he found the girl guilty he should abandon her to her fate.

To gain time they advised Victoire to declare herself enceinte. She was so prostrated by terror and despair that it was impossible to remove her to Caen until the 29th of May, 1782, twelve days after her condemnation.

The return of this criminal domestic was impatiently awaited. The people, always brutal and greedy for dramatic spectacles, hoped to enjoy on the next day the pleasures of an execution. In fact, the next morning early, the assistants of the executioner carried the wood to the public place and prepared the instruments of torture. The military were put under arms.

All these preparations were brought to naught by Victoire declaring herself enceinte. Article 23, Chap. XXV, of the Criminal Ordinance did not allow the authorities to proceed further. Two women appointed to examine as to the physical condition of Victoire could not affirm that she was imposing upon justice. The execution was suspended until the 29th of July, and the condemned was placed in confinement so solitary and barbarous that they even stopped up the windows of her cell.

Five weeks before the expiration of this short delay, M. Lecauchois received the promised information.

At the first glance he thought he perceived, in the disorder of this trial, numerous irregularities, contradictions, and even prevarications, and evidences of bad faith. It was easy to see that the magistrate had acted with great precipitation. He began to believe in the innocence of Victoire, and hastened to write her the following letter: