given him a serenade. He mentioned their
names.

Bertrande corroborated every circumstance.
There was only one important point upon which
Martin had been silent—the story that they were
bewitched. On being pressed, Martin related
every circumstance connected with that rumour,
almost in the very words in which Bertrande had
already stated them on paper.

No less than one hundred and fifty witnesses
were examined as to whether they recognised
the accused as Martin Guerre, or Arnold Tilh.

Sixty of these witnesses declared that the
resemblance between the two men was so
extraordinary, that they could not make a solemn
declaration either way. Thirty or forty declared
that they unhesitatingly believed the accused to
be Martin Guerre, whom they had known from
his boyhood. They recognised him by certain
marks upon his person, as well as by his face
and figure. Fifty witnesses declared that the
accused was Arnold Tilh, of Sagias, whom they
had known from a child!

Martin's son, young Sanxi, was confronted
with the accused; there was no resemblance
between them. On the other hand, the four
sisters Guerre were as like him as one egg is to
another.

The judges of Rieux pronounced that the
accused was convicted of imposture; and
sentenced him to be executed and quartered. The
accused appealed to a higher tribunal, and the
High Court of Justice of Toulouse ordered a
new trial.

Investigations were now set on foot respecting
Bertrande's character, with a view to induce
her to make a full declaration of everything
within her knowledge. They were all in her
favour. Every witness bore testimony to her
high moral character and virtuous conduct. It
seemed impossible that so innocent a woman
could have lived for three years with a man as
his wife, unless she was firmly convinced that
he was her husband. For eight years, in the
full bloom of youth and beauty, she had patiently
waited, had declined every inducement to sever
the already half-broken band of matrimony and
contract a second marriage, had remained faithful
to her absent husband. On being confronted
with the accused, she became confused. In a
cheerful voice he asked her to tell the whole
truth; she must swear whether he was or was
not her real husband; if she denied him, life
had no longer any charm for him.

Bertrande could only reply that she could not
swear it.

The view taken by the new judge of this reply
was favourable to the accused. Bertrande had
been so importuned and frightened that she had
reluctantly given her adhesion to the accusation
of her uncle; she had committed an error from
fear and weakness; and now, fear of punishment
prevented her from retracting. Moreover,
the open countenance of the accused,
and his calm and collected replies when
confronted with Bertrande and the uncle—who
trembled and were greatly discomposed—had a
powerful effect upon the jury, who fancied they
saw evidences of falsehood in the demeanour of
Peter Guerre.

Thirty witnesses were again examined. Some
swore to the identity of Martin Guerre, others
to the identity of Arnold Tilh.

According to the depositions of all who had
known this Arnold Tilh, he was a wild young
fellow, a gambler, blasphemer, thief, and clever
swindler. Witnesses beyond suspicion, owned
that the resemblance between him and Martin
Guerre was extraordinary, and that a casual
observer could not distinguish one from the
other. Martin Guerre was, however, somewhat
taller and darker, and had a stooping gait.
Arnold Tilh was of stronger build, and held his
head upright. The latter description was in
keeping with the personal appearance of the
accused at the bar. But he also had, as
advanced by Martin's witnesses, the mark of a
swelling on his face, and a scar over the right
eyebrow. The evidence as to these marks was,
however, contradictory. Some said the left
eyebrow, others declared that the mark on Martin's
face was larger, some that it was less. No two
witnesses could agree. Among the accusations
brought against the prisoner was one of witchcraft;
and the High Court of Toulouse, and its
Councillor Coras who belonged to the Reformed
Church, laid stress upon it. By the black art
the accused had acquired the knowledge of every
circumstance connected with Martin Guerre's
history.

Bertrande was not for a moment suspected
of complicity with the imposition, or of having
been bewitched by him. Her conduct throughout
proved that she was an amiable timid
woman, incapable of forming any strong
resolution to do harm to any one. It was considered
that it required an immense effort on the part
of a virtuous woman to declare publicly that
she had mistaken her husband's identity; such
a declaration would imply the illegitimacy of
her children. This was taken as an
explanation of her half retraction and anxiety.
Among the witnesses who solemnly declared
the accused to be Arnold Tilh, some had had
dealings with him, or had acted as witnesses
to transactions with him. They showed documents
bearing his signature, but these were no
proofs against a man who disowned them. On
the other hand, an innkeeper of a town in the
vicinity deposed that, under the seal of confidence,
the prisoner had confessed to him that he
was Arnold Tilh, but that Martin Guerre had
made him his heir. Two other witnesses stated
that when they wished to speak to him he had
made them a sign to be silent, and that one of
them had received a present from him. It was
further stated that Martin Guerre was a good
swordsman and wrestler, and that the accused
was not. Martin Guerre was originally from
Blscaya. The accused was ignorant of the
Basque dialect, except a few words which he
occasionally introduced into his conversation.
The shoemaker formerly employed by Martin
Guerre swore that the number of his last was