Volume I Part 3 (2/2)

The prisoner's lawyer, a celebrated advocate, bent down and whispered a few encouraging words to him Benedetto listened attentively to them and murmured half aloud:

”May God have mercy on me”

”And the devil, too,” whispered Beaucha coward It's a great pity!”

The judge beckoned to the actuary and ordered him to read the indictment It was short and compact; it recited the murder of Caderousse, the robbery in the Count of Monte-Cristo's house, the revelations ard to M de Villefort, the latter's confession, his insanity, and finally the suicide of his wife

”Prisoner, stand up!” said the judge, in a soft voice, ”and tell me your name”

”Benedetto,” replied the forhtened voice

”Are you guilty of the e,” sta his face in his hands, he tried to suppress his sobs

”What kind of a corumbled Beauchas are beco”

Benedetto answered all questions put to hireat sinner, and bow to the justice of the people, as I do to the justice of God”

The duty of the jury was thus rendered easy, the ed, the antecedents of the prisoner were very bad, and the counterfeiter and e of the proceedings

”Call the witnesses,” said the judge

”Count of Monte-Cristo,” cried the clerk

No one answered

”It is singular,” said the judge, ”that Monsieur de Monte-Cristo” (he purposely left out the title of count), ”who is interested in this trial, has refused to obey the order of the court Has he received a subpoena?”

The assistant district-attorney looked over his papers

”The gentleman named,” he said, with a malicious twirl of his lips, ”has sold his property in France and has disappeared, no one knohere”

”Call the other witnesses,” said the judge; ”we shall attend to Monsieur de Monte-Cristo's case later on”

The other witnesses, mainly people who had come to Caderousse's assistance when he had called for help, were not slow in co forward

Their testimony was short and precise They confir found with a knife in his heart