"
Heartlessly self-possessed as he was, the public reception of his
last reply had shaken his nerve. He now spoke in low tones,
turning his back on the spectators, and fixing his eyes again on
the green baize of the table at which he stood.
"Prisoners, have you any objection to make, any evidence to call,
invalidating the statement by which Citizen Danville has cleared
himself of suspicion?" inquired the president.
"He has cleared himself by the most execrable of all falsehoods,"
answered Trudaine. "If his mother could be traced and brought
here, her testimony would prove it."
"Can you produce any other evidence in support of your
allegation?" asked the president.
"I cannot."
"Citizen Superintendent Danville, you are at liberty to retire.
Your statement will be laid before the authority to whom you are
officially responsible. Either you merit a civic crown for more
than Roman virtue, or--" Having got thus far, the president
stopped abruptly, as if unwilling to commit himself too soon to
an opinion, and merely repeated, "You may retire."
Danville left the court immediately, going out again by the
public door. He was followed by murmurs from the women's benches,
which soon ceased, however, when the president was observed to
close his note-book, and turn round toward his colleagues. "The
sentence!" was the general whisper now. "Hush, hush--the
sentence!"
After a consultation of a few minutes with the persons behind
him, the president rose, and spoke the momentous words:
"Louis Trudaine and Rose Danville, the revolutionary tribunal,
having heard the charge against you, and having weighed the value
of what you have said in answer to it, decides that you are both
guilty, and condemns you to the penalty of death.
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