"If I appear at the assize court," she said to herself, "I should seem as if I were asking for vengeance."
In spite of all the promises she had made to the director of her conscience and to her husband that she would be discreet, she had scarcely arrived at Besancon before she wrote with her own hand to each of the thirty-six jurymen:—
"I shall not appear on the day of the trial, monsieur, because my presence might be prejudicial to M. Sorel's case.
I only desire one thing in the world, and that I desire passionately—for him to be saved.
Have no doubt about it, the awful idea that I am the cause of an innocent man being led to his death would poison the rest of my life and would no doubt curtail it.
How can you condemn him to death while I continue to live?
No, there is no doubt about it, society has no right to take away a man's life, and above all, the life of a being like Julien Sorel.
Everyone at Verrieres knew that there were moments when he was quite distracted.
This poor young man has some powerful enemies, but even among his enemies, (and how many has he not got?) who is there who casts any doubt on his admirable talents and his deep knowledge?
The man whom you are going to try, monsieur, is not an ordinary person.
For a period of nearly eighteen months we all knew him as a devout and well behaved student. Two or three times in the year he was seized by fits of melancholy that went to the point of distraction.
The whole town of Verrieres, all our neighbours at Vergy, where we live in the fine weather, my whole family, and monsieur the sub-prefect himself will render justice to his exemplary piety. He knows all the Holy Bible by heart.
Would a blasphemer have spent years of study in learning the Sacred Book.
My sons will have the honour of presenting you with this letter, they are children.
Be good enough to question them, monsieur, they will give you all the details concerning this poor young man which are necessary to convince you of how barbarous it would be to condemn him.
Far from revenging me, you would be putting me to death.
"What can his enemies argue against this?
The wound, which was the result of one of those moments of madness, which my children themselves used to remark in their tutor, is so little dangerous than in less than two months it has allowed me to take the post from Verrieres to Besancon.
If I learn, monsieur, that you show the slightest hesitation in releasing so innocent a person from the barbarity of the law, I will leave my bed, where I am only kept by my husband's express orders, and I will go and throw myself at your feet.
Bring in a verdict, monsieur, that the premeditation has not been made out, and you will not have an innocent man's blood on your head, etc." _____
CHAPTER LXXI
THE TRIAL _____
The country will remember this celebrated case for a long time.
The interest in the accused amounted to an agitation. The reason was that his crime was astonishing, and yet not atrocious.
Even if it had been, this young man was so handsome.
His brilliant career, that came to an end so early in his life, intensified the pathos.
"Will they condemn him?" the women asked of the men of their acquaintance, and they could be seen to grow pale as they waited for the answer.—Sainte Beuve. _____
The day that madame de Renal and Mathilde feared so much arrived at last.
Their terror was intensified by the strange appearance of the town, which had its emotional effect even upon Fouque's sturdy soul. All the province had rushed to Besancon to see the trial of this romantic case.
There had been no room left in the inns for some days.
M. the president of the assizes, was besieged by requests for tickets; all the ladies in the town wanted to be present at the trial. Julien's portrait was hawked about the streets, etc., etc.
Mathilde was keeping in reserve for this supreme moment a complete autograph letter from my lord, bishop of ——.
This prelate, who governed the Church of France and created its bishops, was good enough to ask for Julien's acquittal. On the eve of the trial, Mathilde took this letter to the all-powerful grand vicar.
When she was going away in tears at the end of the interview, M. de Frilair at last emerged from his diplomatic reserve and almost shewed some emotion himself.
"I will be responsible for the jury's verdict," he said to her. "Out of the twelve persons charged with the investigation of whether your friend's crime is made out, and above all, whether there was premeditation, I can count six friends who are devoted to my fortunes, and I have given them to understand that they have it in their power to promote me to the episcopate.
Baron Valenod, whom I have made mayor of Verrieres, can do just as he likes with two of his officials, MM. de Moirod, and de Cholin.
As a matter of fact, fate has given us for this business two jurymen of extremely loose views; but, although ultra-Liberals, they are faithful to my orders on great occasions, and I have requested them to vote like M. Valenod.
I have learnt that a sixth juryman, a manufacturer, who is immensely rich, and a garrulous Liberal into the bargain, has secret aspirations for a contract with the War Office, and doubtless he would not like to displease me.
I have had him told that M. de Valenod knows my final injunctions."
"And who is this M. Valenod?" said Mathilde, anxiously.
"If you knew him, you could not doubt our success.
He is an audacious speaker, coarse, impudent, with a natural gift for managing fools.
1814 saw him in low water, and I am going to make a prefect of him.
He is capable of beating the other jurymen if they do not vote his way."
Mathilde felt a little reassured.
Another discussion awaited her in the evening.
To avoid the prolongation of an unpleasant scene, the result of which, in his view, was absolutely certain, Julien had resolved not to make a speech.
"My advocate will speak," he said to Mathilde.
"I shall figure too long anyway as a laughing-stock to all my enemies.
These provincials have been shocked by the rapidity of my success, for which I have to thank you, and believe me, there is not one of them who does not desire my conviction, though he would be quite ready to cry like an idiot when I am taken to my death."