New-York tribune., 1909-10-24

dramatic interest A hu- " RI
man life at stake, and
there the startling
feature of a wife question Il
ing the identity of her hus- AA
band. Martin Guerre zszzMAzzA
the of a we'll to do
farmer and brickmaker; and as was the custom of
the country at the time, he married at the age of
eleven Bertrande de Ros 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 fled to Spain There
he entered the service of Emperor Charles v. and
after several years of campaigning seems to have
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
to eight years.
Then, one evening, a stranger arrived at the inn
of the village where the deserted wife still lv
ing. He at once told his host that he was Martin
Guerre, and recounted the adventures and hard
ships that had kept him from home long. The
rumor of Martin Guerre's return soon spread and
his four sisters hastened to the hoselry welcome
him home. They found him much changed He
had gone eight years before scarcely more than
boy; now he mature man, bronzed and
bearded. Nevertheless, they welcomed him. en-
braCed him, and carried the news to his wife Ber-
trande hastened to him at once. When she saw
him first she started back with misgiving. But he
addressed her tenderly, repeated word for word
their parting conversation, and mentioned details
that only a husband could have known He even
spoke of the clothing he had left behind and where
1t could be found. Bertrande was convinced. She
threw
self into his arms An uncle arrived. He too hest
tated but the newcomer detailed to him all the
ninuta of their business transactions eight years
before, and he also convinced.
The upshOt of the matter was 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 a farm
However, a soldier passing through the village
declared that he had seen Martin at the siege of
StQuentin that he had lost leg there but that he
sitlon to that effect. The rumOr spread that the
man living Martin Guerre was an impOstOr.
Bertrande at this filed a criminal information
against the to whom for four years she had
granted the rights of a husband. He was described
IN the accusation as Arnault du Tilh and was COM
mitted to prison The prisoner said that the uncle
had influenced his wife and that the whole charge
a conspiracy to deprive him of his fortune of
eight thousand livres. He submitted to a searching
interrogatOry, after the French fashion and an
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
the four sisters who still called him brother on
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
head Bertrande refused to take this oath She
confused by his confident manner
In the trial a hundred and fifty witnesses were
examined. OF this number forty deposed that
the man the real Martin Guerre fifty deposed
that he Arnault du IIlh, 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-
louise.
q On this appeal thirty witnesses were
reeXamned Ten deposed that he was
= Martin CrueTre. eight that he