"You confess, then, that you DID instigate La Voisin to cite spirits?"
"I certainly did, but it was all to no purpose. The spirits were excessively disobliging, and refused to appear."
Another murmur of approbation was heard among the friends of the duchess, some of whom applauded audibly.
"You are accused not only of raising spirits, but of citing the devil," pursued Laraynie, in tones of marked reproof. "Have you ever seen the devil?"
"Oh, yes! He is before me now. He is old, ugly, and wears the disguise of a presiding judge."
This time the applause rang through the council-chamber. It was accompanied by shouts of laughter, and no more attempt was made by the amused spectators to preserve the least semblance of decorum. The president, pale with rage, rose from his seat, and darting fiery glances at the irreverent crowd, whom the duchess had named as her particular friends, he cried out:
"The trial is over, and I hereby dismiss the court."
"What—already?" said the duchess, rising languidly from her seat.
"Have you nothing more to say to me, my dear President Laraynie?"
Her "dear president" vouchsafed not a word in reply; he motioned to his compeers to rise, and they all betook themselves to their hall of conference. When the door had closed behind them, Marianna addressed her friends.
"My lords," said she, "I must apologize for the exceeding dulness of the scene you have just witnessed. But who would ever have imagined that such wise men could ask such a tissue of silly questions? I had hoped to experience a sensation by having a distant glimpse of the headsman's axe, and lo! I am cheated into an exhibition of President Laraynie's long ears!" [Footnote: The duchess's own words. This account of the trial is historical.—See Renee, "The Nieces of Mazarin," p. 395.]