"You are the person who said 'I'?"

The young woman was greatly moved, but she answered firmly:

"Yes, Monsieur. That is so."

"Who are you, Madame?"

The witness collected her forces, pressed her hand to her heart as
though to still its frantic beating: paused. In a clear strong voice
she made her declaration:

"I am Mademoiselle Berthe: I am better known as Bobinette."

Exclamations from the crowd, craning necks, peering eyes, murmurs.

When the excitement was suppressed, the colonel interrogated
Bobinette.

"Why have you taken upon yourself to interrupt the proceedings of the
court?"

"You asked, Monsieur, who could clear up this unfortunate affair. I am
ready to tell you everything. Not only is it a duty imposed on me by
my conscience, it is also my most ardent wish."

The judges were in earnest consultation. Commandant Dumoulin was
shaking his head. He was angrily opposed to this witness being heard,
a witness who had appeared so inopportunely to trouble the majesty of
the sitting.

The counsel for the defence intervened.

"Monsieur the president, I have the honour to request an immediate
hearing for this witness.... It is your absolute right, Monsieur the
president: you have full discretionary powers."

"And if I oppose it?" growled the commandant behind his desk, with a
vicious glance at the defender of his adversary.

Maitre Durul-Burton replied with calm dignity:

"If you oppose it, Monsieur the commissaire, I shall have the honour
of immediately deposing on the bureau of this tribunal conclusive
evidence which will bring this sitting to a close forthwith."

An animated discussion ensued between the members of the council. It
resulted in the colonel's announcement:

"We will hear this witness."

He addressed Bobinette:

"You are allowed to speak, mademoiselle. Swear then to speak the
truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Raise your right
hand and say: 'I swear it!'"

With a certain dignity Bobinette obeyed.

"I swear it!"

Then, in a low trembling voice, trembling from excess of emotion but
not from timidity, Bobinette began her story.

A child of the people, honestly brought up, she had not always
followed the straight path of virtue: there had been lapses.
Intelligent, longing to learn, she had been well educated, and had
intended to take a medical degree.... Again, at the hospital, she had
succumbed to temptations, had led a life of idleness, and had
renounced