The time was drawing near.
As Dr. Seignebos had announced, the president of the tribunal, M. Domini, had already arrived in Sauveterre.
He was one of those men whose character is an honor to the bench, full of the dignity of his profession, but not thinking himself infallible, firm without useless rigor, cold and still kind-hearted, having no other mistress but Justice, and knowing no other ambition but that of establishing the truth.
He had examined Jacques, as he was bound to do; but the examination had been, as it always is, a mere formality, and had led to no result.
The next step was the selection of a jury.
The jurymen had already begun to arrive from all parts of the department. They lodged at the Hotel de France, where they took their meals in common in the large back dining-room, which is always specially reserved for their use.
In the afternoon one might see them, looking grave and thoughtful, take a walk on the New-Market Square, or on the old ramparts.
M. Gransiere, also, had arrived. But he kept strictly in retirement in his room at the Hotel de la Poste, where M. Galpin every day spent several hours in close conference with him.
“It seems,” said Mechinet in confidence to M. Folgat,—“it seems they are preparing an overwhelming charge.”
The day after, Dionysia opened “The Sauveterre Independent,” and found in it an announcement of the cases set down for each day,—