Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-24

there the startling
feature of a wife question ID
ing the identity of her hus-
band: Martin Guerre was
the of well to do
farmer and brickmaker and, was the custom of
the country at the time, he married at the age of
eleven Bertrande de Rolls, who had then reached
the age of ten. For eight years they lived together
Unfortunately, Martin stole bushel of corn from
his father Frightened by the Nervousness of his
crime, he deserted his wife and fed to Spain There
he entered the service of Emperor Charles ", and
forgotten his wife Bertrande and his baby boy
Sancho. At any rate, he ceased to write home, and
his family lost all trace of him. His absence stretched
on to eight years.
Then evening, stranger arrived at the inn
of the village where the deserted wife still liv-
ing. He at once told his host that he Martin
Guerre, and recounted the adventures and hard
ships that had kept him from home SO long. The
runor. of Martin Queries return soon spread, and
his four sisters fastened to the hosiery to welcome
him home. They found him much changed. He
had gone eight years before, scarcely more than
boy; now he was mature man, bronzed and
bearded Nevertheless, they welcomed him. en-
braced him, and carried the news to his wife Ber-
trande FASTENED to him at When she
him first she started back with misgiving. But he
addressed her tendery, repeated word for word
their parting conversation, and mentioned details
that only husband could have known. He
spoke of the clothing he had left behind, and where
it could be found. Bertrande convinced She
begged forgiveness for her doubts, and threw her
self into his An uncle arrived He too hest
tated; but the newcomer detailed to him all the
mnut8 of their business transactions eight years
before, and he also was convinced.
The upshot of the matter that this newly
arrived Martin Guerre returned home with his wife,
and lived happily and without suspicion with her
for four years. During this time they had two chill
dren, and Martins father at his death bequeathed
him farm.
However soldier passing through the village
declared that he had seen Martin at the siege of
ST. Quentin that he had lost leg there but that he
was still alive and the soldier left written depo
Sition to that effect The rumOr spread that the
man living as Martin Guerre impostor.
Bertrande at this filed a criminal information
against the to whom for four years she had
granted the rights of husband. He described
in the accusation Arnault du Tilh, and was
mitted to prison The prisoner said that the uncle
had influenced his wife. and that the whole charge
conspiracy to deprive him of his fortune of
eight thousand livres. He submitted to searching
interrogatory after the French fashion, and
swered all questions satisfactorily. He told of his
campaigns and revealed the most intimate details
of the family history He relied for his Defense too
on the four sisters who still called him brother,
his four years life with Bertrande with her consent
and pressed her in the presence of the Judges to
swear that he not her real husband, declaring
that if she swore, he ready to forfeit his
head. Bertrande refused to take this oath. She
confused by his confident manner.
In the trial hundred and fifty witnesses were
examined. Of this number forty depoSed that
the man was the real Martin Guerre, fifty deposed
that he was Arnault du Tilh, and sixty declined to
pronounce any opinion owing to the extraordinary
resemblance. In spite of the conflicting evidence,
the Judge pronounced him guilty. He at once
appealed to the Parliament of Tou-