When thus formally introduced, M. Folgat bowed, and said,—
“I am all hope. But I think with Miss Chandore, that we must go to work without losing a second. Before I can decide, however, upon what is to be done, I must know all the facts.”
“Unfortunately we know nothing,” replied M. de Chandore,—“nothing, except that Jacques is kept in close confinement.”
“Well, then, we must try to find out. You know, no doubt, all the law officers of Sauveterre?”
“Very few. I know the commonwealth attorney.”
“And the magistrate before whom the matter has been brought.”
The older of the two Misses Lavarande rose, and exclaimed,—
“That man, M. Galpin, is a monster of hypocrisy and ingratitude. He called himself Jacques’s friend; and Jacques liked him well enough to induce us, my sister and myself, to give our consent to a marriage between him and one of our cousins, a Lavarande. Poor child. When she learned the sad truth, she cried, ‘Great God! God be blessed that I escaped the disgrace of becoming the wife of such a man!’”
“Yes,” added the other old lady, “if all Sauveterre thinks Jacques guilty, let them also say, ‘His own friend has become his judge.’”
M. Folgat shook his head, and said,—