for
shame! Never was a nobler cause intrusted to you."

But he shook his head, and murmured,--

"I have no faith in it; and I cannot plead when my conscience does not
furnish the arguments."

And becoming more and more embarrassed, he added,--

"Seignebos was right in saying just now, I am not the man for such a
cause. Here all my experience would be of no use. It will be better to
intrust it to my young brother here."

For the first time in his life, M. Folgat came here upon a case such
as enables a man to rise to eminence, and to open a great future before
him. For the first time, he came upon a case in which were united all
the elements of supreme interest,--greatness of crime, eminence
of victim, character of the accused, mystery, variety of opinions,
difficulty of defence, and uncertainty of issue,--one of those causes
for which an advocate is filled with enthusiasm, which he seizes upon
with all his energies, and in which he shares all the anxiety and all
the hopes with his client.

He would readily have given five years' income to be offered the
management of this case; but he was, above all, an honest man. He said,
therefore,--

"You would not think of abandoning M. de Boiscoran, M. Magloire?"

"You will be more useful to him than I can be," was the reply.

Perhaps M. Folgat was inwardly of the same opinion. Still he said,--

"You have not considered what an effect this would have."

"Oh!"

"What would the public think if they heard all of a sudden that you
had withdrawn? 'This affair of M. de Boiscoran must be a very bad one
indeed,' they would say, 'that M. Magloire should refuse to plead in
it.' And that would be an additional burden laid upon the unfortunate
man."

The doctor gave his friend no time to reply.

"Magloire is not at liberty to withdraw," he said, "but he has the right
to associate a brother-lawyer with himself. He must remain the
advocate and counsel of M. de Boiscoran; but M. Folgat can lend him the
assistance of his advice, the support of his youth and his activity, and
even of his eloquence."

A passing blush colored the cheeks of the young lawyer.

"I am entirely at M. Magloire's service," he said.

The famous advocate of Sauveterre considered a while. After a few
moments he turned to his young colleague, and asked him,--

"Have you any plan? Any idea? What would you do?"

To the astonishment of all, M. Folgat now revealed his true character
to some extent. He look