Volume I Part 2 (1/2)
Listen, and then judge I was born on the first floor of the house No
28 Rue de la Fontaine, at Auteuil, on the night of the 27th to the 28th of September, 1807 My father, Monsieur de Villefort, told my mother I was dead, wrapped me in a napkin marked H 15, put arden of the house At the same moment he received a thrust in the side with a knife held by a person as concealed, and he sank to the ground unconscious Theout the box which had been buried, and which he supposed contained htasylum, where I was inscribed as No 37 Three months later I was taken from the asylum by the sister-in-law of the ht ht up, and in spite of the care of my foster-parents acquired vices which steeped e
”My ht I was dead; I am a child of sin; I do not knowthrough the court-room at this point; a lady had fainted, and was carried out of the hall by several bystanders
At this cry the procureur du roi arose, and showed his ghastly face to the crowd
”How are you going to prove these astounding revelations?” asked the judge of the prisoner
With a malicious look the latter pointed to Monsieur de Villefort
”Father, they wish to have proofs; do you also wantyou have said is true I resign my office, and desire the court to appoint my successor as procureur du roi,” said Monsieur de Villefort, in a faint voice
”What!” exclaie, ”you, a man whose character is above suspicion, allow yourself to be intimidated by the crazy declarations of a criminal! Collect yourself, and crush the malicious accusations with a word”
Villefort shook his head With tre limbs he left the court-room a broken-down man The crowd respectfullya deep impression upon all hearts
”The court is adjourned until further notice,” said the judge
”Policemen, take your prisoner back to jail”
CHAPTER V
THE RESULT OF THE CATASTROPHE
On the 14th day of January, 1830, three months after the incidents related in the last chapter, Benedetto's trial was again before the Court of Special Sessions Then, as now, life beat rapidly in Paris, one i followed the other, and it came about that the affair of the handso tried before an audience consisting only of lawyers and policemen
The weather was miserable The snow fell in thick flakes, and the cold was so penetrating that it beca out of doors
It was about eleven o'clock in the e stopped in front of the court-house A gentleman stepped out, and was about to ascend the broad steps of the building, when he suddenly stood still He clapped his monocle to his eye, and loudly exclaimed:
”Ah, Chateau-Renaud!”
”Beauchamp,” came back the answer; and the two friends cordially shook hands
”Really,” said Chateau-Renaud, laughing, ”I rateful to chance, which threw s you here?”
”The trial of his highness Prince Benedetto de Cavalcanti, of course”
”I' act of the dra Do you think the poor devil has a chance of escaping the hangman's noose?”
”Hardly--but here we are Why, the hall is about ely