WITNESS.—Well, thanks to a peculiar arrangement of the cartridges, and thanks, also, to the special nature of the fulminating material, the barrels hardly ever become foul.
A.—(Eagerly.) You are mistaken, sir. I have myself cleaned my gun frequently; and I have, just on the contrary, found the barrels extremely foul.
WITNESS.—Because you had fired too often. But I mean to say that you can use up two or three cartridges without a trace being left in the barrels.
A.—I deny that positively.
P.—(To witness.) And if a dozen cartridges were burnt?
WITNESS.—Oh, then, the barrels would be very foul.
P.—Examine the barrels, and tell us what you see.
WITNESS.—(After a minute examination.) I declare that two cartridges cannot have been used since the gun was cleaned.
P.—(To the accused.) Well, what becomes of that dozen cartridges which you have used up to light your cigars, and which had blackened your hands so badly?
M. MAGLOIRE.—The question is too serious to be left entirely in the hands of a single witness.