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His sojourn in the prison where he was process to raise the question of the inno cence of Lesnier and the error of his judges; obliged to remain until the formalities of the law could be complied with, was sweetened a second process must then settle this ques tion. If Lespagne, Marie Cessac, and by the visits of his father and his former Daignaud were found guilty, Lesnier would friends, and by long interviews with M. be obliged to appear with them before a new Gergeres. On the 25th of March, 1855, the trial of jury who would choose from among these condemned all recognized by the law as the Lespagnes and Daignaud commenced before the Court of Assizes of the Gironde. guilty of the same crime, — necessary for malities, but very trying to an innocent man. The trial was quickly disposed of, and the Lesnier, however, was resigned to quitting jury rendered a verdict finding Lespagne France. He did not share the hopes of his guilty of murder, and Marie Cessac and father. The order for his departure arrived Daignaud guilty of perjury, with extenuating the 1st of July, 1854; but his father had circumstances in favor of all three. The court then sentenced each of the accused to asked for and obtained a delay. Many let ters came from Fieu, which showed him the twenty years at hard labor. The next day, the almoner of prisons, the gradual transformation of hope into cer tainty, and the 23d of August his father Abbe Parenteau, called upon Lesnier and arrived at the galleys at Brest. " They are congratulated him upon the verdict which arrested, they have confessed! " These were proved his innocence, and added some re his first words to his son. Young Lesnier marks upon the sentence of the accused. staggered and fell back pale as death. " Ah! " Mon Dieu! " replied Lesnier, " I assure now I shall die happy," he cried. He wept; you, Monsieur, if they had been sentenced to he saw nothing, he could think of nothing, but six months' imprisonment, I should be but repeated mechanically, " I shall die content. It is enough for me that I am rec ognized as innocent." happy." On the 25th of June, 1855, before the The 25th a despatch arrived from Paris; Court of Assizes of Haute-Garonne, the the shackles of Lesnier were broken. Ex cess of joy produced upon him the same second trial necessary for the complete re effect as despair; a fierce fever seized him, habilitation of Lesnier took place. Lesnier and he presently became delirious. A single was there acquitted by the jury, and once idea occupied his troubled brain, and his lips again restored to the liberty of which he had been so long unjustiy deprived. Pierre murmured unceasingly, " Oh, what hap piness! Think of it! But I have suffered Lespagne was sentenced by this tribunal to hard labor for life. much!" After his liberation Lesnier received one On the 27th he was able to depart. The journey was a painful one to him. He was or two appointments under the government, but his long confinement and terrible suffer under an escort of gendarmes, and an inno cent man as he was now acknowledged to be, ings had broken him down physically as well he was forced to sleep in twenty-five prisons as mentally. He died at Carcassonne on before reaching his destination. He arrived the 22d of December, 1858, at the age of thirty-five. The worthy magistrate who from at Libourne on the 25th of September. A night passed at Libourne refreshed him, the wreck of this life had saved at least its and he was able to collect his scattered ideas. honor, was with him in his dying moments, and when all was over, tenderly closed his He wrote to M. Charandeau a grateful, touch ing letter. eyes.