The National tribune., 1882-04-29
JUSTIN VITALFS CLIENT.

V.
French procedure as has been said, isolates
2 prisoner-cuts him off from all human
succor. and leaves him alone with the Official
inouisitor as a fly with spider. The 3age
,T;Dsfrucsion weaves web of evidence round
his victim, patiently, laboriOusly. There is
no reason why be should hurry. for the
longer time he takes so much the less chance
will there be Of the prisoners escape, and
il is the Judges business TO convict rather
than to Judge. When at last the web has
been made so strong that not thread is
wanting: when the net seems to encompass
fbe captive on all sides with its serrled,
symmetrical meshes, then the spider magls-
trate opens the door TO the counsel for the
defense-and the hy-Gnd says compiacentiy,
"Now break through my handiwork II you
can!"
When he recovered from his first shock of
horror, Vitali decided that Clotlldes con-
fession could only have been wrung from
her by moral torture. The tormentors craft
WAS NOT abolished when the rack and thumb
screws were done away with, and now, rs IN
old times, innocent persons have been known
to plead guilty so as to escape from the SUI
ferincs of an endless inquisition. Vital
made no doubt that this was the case with
Cotilde. His truly was the faith that re-
moves mountains.
SO early cn the morrow as he's ,eoIiG eYpect
to cain sanittance he repaired to the prison
II vas Ten oclock, and the morning was
l.;.a: and balEy, one Of the sort that IN
s.,.> h..sA The dismal portals Of the gaol
90. t1 receive The advocate; some SOL
d. "r.as in the entrance yard stood
as. ....-esfally and whispered his name
7.a, .s-. and d turnkey conducted him
e. .rsed passage into a small white
...t furnished with a deal table,
H., .5tomcd chairs and a stove. This
w. ..-, ...lsol's parlor. 1t looked pitiiully
larr. a-.a tie iron gate which closed it in
lieu =. dor $50 as 10 admit of a gendarme'
surveillance from without brought back
the lsiuGs OF visitors implacably to the
nature Of the building in which they stood
But Justin Vital forgot that itwas prison
At last. after weeks Of anguish that had
seemed like years, he was going to see again
the woman whose image one brief interview
had impressed so ineffaceably on his mind
and at the thought his heart beat like {
schoolboy's. Five minutes passed. There
were some light steps down the passage;
sister of mercy in black robe and large white
winged cap appeared at the gate, opened i
noiseIessIy with key at her girdle, an(
stood back q step while the prisoner entered
then drew the gate back again with clang
ing snap and vanished. Vital and Clotild
sDesplans stood together alone.
The prisoner was dressed in a black merin
with white collar and cuffs. She was wastes
to thinness; her complexion was as wax, an'
her ewes, preternaturally enlarged, glistenet
with the fire Of inward fever. She was bu
the shadow of the lovely, smartly-dresse'
little woman who ten weeks previously ha'
introduced herself so abruptly to Vital
SO that as the Corsican gazcd at her his hear
was moved to its depths, and violen
ouivering of his lips spoke of the intensit
of the emotions ne felt. AS for her, sh
scarcely seemed to recognize her defender
She had seen him but once, and apparentl
he had not been present in her thought
night and day ever since, as she had bee
in his. She looked at him sadly a momen
as if to ask on what errand he had come
then bowed to him with slight smile an
sank into a chair.
"Ob. it's you, NJ. Vitali," she signed. 9Th
sister did not tell me. hope you have CON
10 say that all this misery is going to en-
soon."
"yery soon, trust" replied Vital, tryin
to command his voice, as he took the oth'
chair. Il have come to confer with yo
about your defense
"yhat is the use OF defending me?" 81
asked. in q tone Of utter WEAKNESS. 1.-THE
viii have it that am guilty of murder
have ended by agreeing with them, in ord
that they may let ne have peace"
"Rut everybody knows that q confessiC
extorted by such means as have been brougl
to bear on you IS worth nothing"
sOh. isn't IL? :aIn sorry for that" i" wailt
Cloti,de. putting up her hands before h
ewes rs II to shut out hidcous visio
"suvthine IS better than what have gol
through. To be iusulted, threatened, Al
ssoncs,ioned day after day-to have :
lls. gats Of my life twisted into crimes
l,b-aaeht to loolupon the edisinterrcd bOdi
or ~iv husband and Captain Lacroix, and
T.. n...l that witness upon witness are syyea
ia-ta nay gli,lt-oh:"
nhuman fends!" murmured Vita
-; ID pacing about the room.
~,a garu'a kind of thcln," continu
Clri.sc l.laintiveIy, -" foi they s2w that
W., eoaE and could not ans9er their
eo.oas charges WhcneYeT / opened Il
hps they told me L was telling u