ace," said Desroches, when the matter was all explained,
"a civil suit is not to be thought of. Your Romilly peasant-woman might
have her hands full of proofs, but she has no ground herself to stand
upon; she has no legal interest in contesting the rights of this
recognized natural son."

"Yes, that is what Vinet said just now."

"As for the criminal case, you could, no doubt, compel it by giving
information to the police authorities of this alleged imposture--"

"Vinet," interrupted Maxime, "inclined to the criminal proceeding."

"Yes, but there are a great many objections to it. In the first place,
in order that the complaint be received at all, you must produce
a certain amount of proof; then, supposing it is received, and the
authorities are determined to pursue the case, you must have more
evidence of criminality than you have now; and, moreover, supposing that
you can show that the so-called Marquis de Sallenauve committed a fraud,
how will you prove that the so-called son was privy to it? He might have
been the dupe of some political schemer."

"But what interest could such a schemer have in giving Dorlange the many
advantages he has derived from the recognition?"

"Ah! my dear fellow, in political manners all queer proceedings are
possible; there is no such fertile source for compilers of _causes
celebres_ and novelists. In the eyes of the law, you must remember, the
counterfeiting of a person is not always a crime."

"How so?" asked Maxime.

"Here," said Desroches, taking up the Five Codes; "do me the favor to
read Article 5 of the Penal Code, the only one which gives an opening to
the case you have in mind."

Maxime read aloud the article, which was as follows:--

"'Any functionary or public officer who, in the exercise of his
function, shall commit forgery--either by false signatures, by
alterations of deeds, writings, or signatures, or by counterfeiting
persons--' There, you see," said Maxime, interrupting himself,--"'by
counterfeiting persons--'"

"Go on," insisted Desroches.

"'--by counterfeiting persons,'" resumed de Trailles, "'either by
writings made or intercalated in the public records or other documents,
shall be punished by imprisonment at hard labor for life.'"

Maxime lingered lovingly over the last words, which gave his revenge a
foretaste of the fate that awaited Sallenauve.

"My dear count," said Desroches, "you do as the barristers do; they read
to the jury only so much of a