make myself the culprit!
Convenient, in truth, to foist on others who have done their duty the
blunders one may have committed oneself!

ATTORNEY-GENERAL [_quietly_] It is indeed.

THE PRESIDENT. And at the Chancellery, when they mention me, they'll
say, "Whatever sort of a councillor is this, who hasn't even the
capacity to preside over an Assize Court at Mauleon!" A man whom we've
taken such trouble to get condemned! And to make me, me, the victim of
such trickery! No, no! Think of another way, my dear Monsieur; you won't
employ that, I can assure you.

VAGRET. Then I shall seek other means; but I shall not leave matters in
their present state.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL. Do what you like, but realize that I have given you no
advice in one direction or another.

VAGRET. I realize that.

THE PRESIDENT. When you have decided to resume the hearing you will
notify us.

VAGRET. I will notify you.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL [_to the President_] Let us go.

_They leave the office._

SCENE IX:--_Vagret, Madame Vagret._

MADAME VAGRET. What is it?

VAGRET. Nothing.

MADAME VAGRET. Nothing? You are so depressed--and yet you've just had
such a success as will tell on your career.

VAGRET. It is that success which alarms me.

MADAME VAGRET. Alarms you?

VAGRET. Yes, I'm afraid--

MADAME VAGRET. Afraid of what?

VAGRET. Of having gone too far.

MADAME VAGRET. Too far! Doesn't the murderer deserve death ten times
over?

VAGRET [_after a pause_] Are you quite certain, yourself, that he is a
murderer?

MADAME VAGRET. Yes.

VAGRET [_in a low voice_] Well--for myself--

MADAME VAGRET. You?

VAGRET. I--I don't know. I know nothing.

MADAME VAGRET. My God!

VAGRET. A dreadful thing happened to me in the course of my indictment.
While I, the State Attorney, the official prosecutor, was exercising my
function, another self was examining the case calmly, in cold blood; an
inner voice kept reproaching me for my violence and insinuating into my
mind a doubt, which has gone on increasing. A painful struggle has been
going on in my mind, a cruel struggle--and if, as I was finishing, I
labored under that emotion of which the President was speaking, if when
I demanded the death penalty my voice was scarcely audible, it was
because I was at the end of my struggle; because my conscience was on
the point of winning the battle, and I made haste to finish, because I
was afraid it would speak out against my will. When I saw