At a sign from the counsel for the prosecution, the Marquis de
Courtornieu left his seat and came forward to the platform.
"I must request you, Monsieur le Marquis," said the duke, "to have the
goodness to read to the commission the deposition written and signed by
your daughter."
This scene must have been prepared in advance for the audience. M. de
Courtornieu cleaned his glasses, drew from his pocket a paper which he
unfolded, and amid a death-like silence, he read:
"I, Blanche de Courtornieu, do declare upon oath that, on the evening
of the fourth of February, between ten and eleven o'clock, on the public
road leading from Sairmeuse to Montaignac, I was assailed by a crowd of
armed brigands. While they were deliberating as to whether they should
take possession of my person and pillage my carriage, I overheard one
of these men say to another, speaking of me: 'She must get out, must she
not, Monsieur d'Escorval?' I believe that the brigand who uttered these
words was a peasant named Chanlouineau, but I dare not assert it on
oath.
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