Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1909-12-22


Even the Wife. Of the Man who..
Place He usVrPed-The Return Of
the Real cusrre and the Exposure.
Perhaps the most rensrkab,. caso
OF doubles In all history Is that of
Mar'ih Suerre. a trenchman. who
WAS born near BayOnnc IN the first
haif OF the sixteenth century. Marin
"uerre WAS the son OF a we'll IN ,o
FARMER aud brickmaeer. ana. MS WAS
'ne custom of the country al the time
ne married at the age OF eleven Rer-
uahue dc Rolls. who had then reached
the age OF ten. For eight years they
lived together.
Unfortunately Martin stole "a husho,
OF corn from his father. Frightened
oy the Nervousness OF his crime he de-
serted bis wife and Ged 10 Spain.
mere he entered the service of EN-
per"r Charles Y. aud after several
years or campaigning seems to have
forgotten his wife. Bertraade. and hia
baby boy. Sancho At any rare no
ceased 10 write home. and his family
ioSt all trace OF him His absence
stretched on 20 eight years
ihen one evening stranger arrived
nj the inn Of tie village where the de-
serted wife was still living flo n,
once told his host that he was Martin
"uerre aud recounted the adventures
and hardShips that had kept him from
home so long The rumur of Martin
Huerre'S return soon spread. and his
TOUR sisters FASTENED Ia the hostelrv
10 welcome him home They found
hilp much changed. tie had gone
eight years before. scarcely more than
boy Now he was mature man
bronzed and bearded. Nevertheless
they welcomed him. embraced him
and carried the news TO his wife
Bertrande FASTENED TO him al once
When she saw him first she started
back with misgiving But be address
cd her tenderly. repeated word FOR
word their parting conversation and
mentioned details that only n husband
could have known. lie even smoke OF
the clothing he had left behind and
where II could Toe found Berrrande
was convinced She begged forgive
ness for her doubts and threw herself
INTO his arms. An uncle arrived He
TOO. hesitated. but the newcomer de-
tailed TO him all the minutiae OF their
business transactions eight years be
fore. and he also was convinced
The upshot OF the matter was that
this newly arrived Martin Guerre re-
turned home with his wife and lived
happily and without suspicion with
her for four years. During this time
they hcd two children. and Martins
father at his death bequeathed him n
farm.
However. soldier passing through
the village declared that he had seen
Martin at the siege or 81. Quentin.
that he had lost n leg there. but that
he was still alive. and the soldier left
a written deposition 10 that effect.
The rumor spread thar the man living
as Martin Guerre was an impostor
Bertrande at this filed criminal
information against the man 10 whom
Tor four years she had granted the
rights OF husband lie was descrih.
Ell In the accusation as ArnauIt DIN
Illh and WAS committed 10 prison.
The prisoner said that the uncle had
influenced his wife and that the whole
charge was conspiracy TO deprive
him OF his fortune OF 5000 Iivres. He
submitted 10 Il searching interrogation.
after the French fashion. and an.
swer"d all questions satisfactorily. He
toid oi his campaigns aud revealed the
most intimate details OF the family his
tory. lie relied for his defense. too. on
the four sisters who stii called him
brother. on his four years life with
Bertrande with her consent. and press.
ed her in the presence OF the Judges TO
swear that he was not her real hus-
band. declaring that If she SO swore he
was ready TO forfeit his head. Ber-
rande refused 10 take this oath She
was confused by his confident manner.
In the trial 100 witnesses were exam
ined. OF this number forty depoSed
that the man was the real Martin
Gnerre. fifty deposed that he was Ar
naull du Tilh. and sixty declined tc
pronounce any opinion. owing TO the
extraordinary resemblance In spite
or the conflicting evidence the Judge
pronounced him guilty. He at once
appealed 10 the parliament OF Tou.
louise.
On this appeal thirty witnesses were
re-examined. Ten deposed that he was
Martin Guerre, eight that be was an
impostor. and the remainder confessed
that they were too bewildered 10 have
any opinion. The judges were sorely
perpleXed and leaned TO the side OF the
prisoner.
BY a curious coincidence just nj this
juncture the real Martin Guerre made
his appearance on the scene. He show
ed the same marks on his face as those
borne by the prisoner. The men were
confronted with each other in court
Even the four sisters. who till now had
clung TO their belief in the prisoner
confessed their mistake. The prisoner
lost his nerve. confessed his crime and
begged forgiveness. He was condemn
ed 10 death and executed. The rea
Martin was restored 10 his rights
~.