esday when she went to bed at eight o''clock. There, I am telling the truth; you have only to ask.
Ah, yes! how stupid I am!
Paris is a gulf. Who knows Father Champmathieu there?
But M. Baloup does, I tell you. Go see at M. Baloup''s; and after all, I don''t know what is wanted of me."
The man ceased speaking, and remained standing.
He had said these things in a loud, rapid, hoarse voice, with a sort of irritated and savage ingenuousness.
Once he paused to salute some one in the crowd. The sort of affirmations which he seemed to fling out before him at random came like hiccoughs, and to each he added the gesture of a wood-cutter who is splitting wood.
When he had finished, the audience burst into a laugh.
He stared at the public, and, perceiving that they were laughing, and not understanding why, he began to laugh himself.
It was inauspicious.
The President, an attentive and benevolent man, raised his voice.
He reminded "the gentlemen of the jury" that "the sieur Baloup, formerly a master-wheelwright, with whom the accused stated that he had served, had been summoned in vain.
He had become bankrupt, and was not to be found."
Then turning to the accused, he enjoined him to listen to what he was about to say, and added:
"You are in a position where reflection is necessary.