"Judge," stammered Benedetto, "I must acknowledge my guilt." And burying his face in his hands, he tried to suppress his sobs.
"What kind of a comedy is the rascal playing?" grumbled Beauchamp.
"Hush!" replied Chateau-Renaud, "the proceedings are becoming interesting."
Benedetto answered all questions put to him without hesitation.
"I know," he said, "I am a great 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 murder was acknowledged, the antecedents of the prisoner were very bad, and the counterfeiter and murderer was as good as convicted at this stage of the proceedings.
"Call the witnesses," said the judge.
"Count of Monte-Cristo," cried the clerk.
No one answered.