The counsel for the defence rose in his turn, and in a calm tone, which contrasted with the violence of Commandant Dumoulin, declared:
"I am in agreement with this demand, Monsieur the President.... Will you order that the further hearing of this case be in camera?"
Here Commandant Dumoulin, to whom Lieutenant Servin had made a suggestion, intervened anew:
"Monsieur the President, gentlemen, having regard to the grave declarations made by this witness, I require her immediate arrest!"
Hardly had this demand been voiced when a loud cry rang out, electrifying the whole court. Bobinette had swallowed the contents of a small phial hidden in her muff!
Juve, guessing Bobinette's intention, had rushed to her, but, in spite of his rapid action, he reached her only in time to receive the fainting girl in his arms.
"She has poisoned herself!" shouted Juve.
The public broke bounds, knocked over chairs and benches, rolled in a surge of excited curiosity to the very feet of the Council of War, crowding round this fresh centre of interest—Bobinette!
Fandor was too stunned by the avalanche of incidents to move.
"The hearing is suspended!" shouted the colonel in an angry voice. There was nothing else to be done: the court was in an uproar!