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the Cardinal of Burgos; then the cardinal's brother had taken him to

the war; and he had served with the Spanish troops; at the battle of

St。 Quentinyhis leg had been shattered by an arquebus ball。  So far

his recital was the counterpart of the one already heard by the

judges from the other man。  Now; they began to differ。  Martin Guerre

stated that he had been conveyed to a house by a man whose features

he did not distinguish; that he thought he was dying; and that

several hours elapsed of which he could give no account; being

probably delirious; that he suffered later intolerable pain; and on

coming to himself; found that his leg had been amputated。  He

remained long between life and death; but he was cared for by

peasants who probably saved his life; his recovery was very slow。  He

discovered that in the interval between being struck down in the

battle and recovering his senses; his papers had disappeared; but it

was impossible to suspect the people who had nursed him with such

generous kindness of theft。  After his recovery; being absolutely

destitute; he sought to return to France and again see his wife and

child: he had endured all sorts of privations and fatigues; and at

length; exhausted; but rejoicing at being near the end of his

troubles; he arrived; suspecting nothing; at his own door。  Then the

terror of the old servant; a few broken words; made him guess at some

misfortune; and the appearance of his wife and of a man so exactly

like himself stupefied him。  Matters had now been explained; and he

only regretted that his wound had not at once ended his existence。



The whole story bore the impress of truth; but when the other

prisoner was asked what he had to say he adhered to his first

answers; maintaining their correctness; and again asserted that he

was the real Martin Guerre; and that the new claimant could only be

Arnauld du Thill; the clever impostor; who was said to resemble

himself so much that the inhabitants of Sagias had agreed in

mistaking him for the said Arnauld。



The two Martin Guerres were then confronted without changing the

situation in the least; the first showing the same assurance; the

same bold and confident bearing; while the second; calling on God and

men to bear witness to his sincerity; deplored his misfortune in the

most pathetic terms。



The judge's perplexity was great: the affair became more and more

complicated; the question remained as difficult; as uncertain as

ever。  All the appearances and evidences were at variance;

probability seemed to incline towards one; sympathy was more in

favour of the other; but actual proof was still wanting。



At length a member of the Parliament; M。 de Coras; proposed as a last

chance before resorting to torture; that final means of examination

in a barbarous age; that Bertrande should be placed between the two

rivals; trusting; he said; that in such a case a woman's instinct

would divine the truth。  Consequently the two Martin Guerres were

brought before the Parliament; and a few moments after Bertrande was

led in; weak; pale; hardly able to stand; being worn out by suffering

and advanced pregnancy。  Her appearance excited compassion; and all

watched anxiously to see what she would do。  She looked at the two

men; who had been placed at different ends of the hall; and turning

from him who was nearest to her; went and knelt silently before the

man with the wooden leg; then; joining her hands as if praying for

mercy; she wept bitterly。  So simple and touching an action roused

the sympathy of all present; Arnauld du Thill grew pale; and everyone

expected that Martin Guerre; rejoiced at being vindicated by this

public acknowledgment; would raise his wife and embrace her。  But he

remained cold and stern; and in a contemptuous tone



〃Your tears; madame;〃 he said; 〃they do not move me in the least;

neither can you seek to excuse your credulity by the examples of my

sisters and my uncle。  A wife knows her husband more intimately than

his other relations; as you prove by your present action; and if she

is deceived it is because she consents to the deception。  You are the

sole cause of the misfortunes of my house; and to you only shall I

ever impute them。〃



Thunderstruck by this reproach; the poor woman had no strength to

reply; and was taken home more dead than alive。



The dignified language of this injured husband made another point in

his favour。  Much pity was felt for Bertrande; as being the victim of

an audacious deception; but everybody agreed that thus it beseemed

the real Martin Guerre to have spoken。  After the ordeal gone through

by the wife had been also essayed by the sisters and other relatives;

who one and all followed Bertrande's example and accepted the new…

comer; the court; having fully deliberated; passed the following

sentence; which we transcribe literally:



〃Having reviewed the trial of Arnauld du Thill or Pansette; calling

himself Martin Guerre; a prisoner in the Conciergerie; who appeals

from the decision of the judge of Rieux; etc。;



〃We declare that this court negatives the appeal and defence of the

said Arnauld du Thill; and as punishment and amends for the

imposture; deception; assumption of name and of person; adultery;

rape; sacrilege; theft; larceny; and other deeds committed by the

aforesaid du Thill; and causing the above…mentioned trial; this court

has condemned and condemns him to do penance before the church of

Artigue; kneeling; clad in his shirt only; bareheaded and barefoot; a

halter on his neck; and a burning torch in his hand; and there he

shall ask pardon from God; from the King; and from justice; from the

said Martin Guerre and Bertrande de Rolls; husband and wife: and this

done; the aforesaid du Thill shall be delivered into the hands of the

executioners of the King's justice; who shall lead him through the

customary streets and crossroads of the aforesaid place of Artigues;

and; the halter on his neck; shall bring him before the house of the

aforesaid Martin Guerre; where he shall be hung and strangled upon a

gibbet erected for this purpose; after which his body shall be burnt:

and for various reasons and considerations thereunto moving the

court; it has awarded and awards the goods of the aforesaid Arnauld

du Thill; apart from the expenses of justice; to the daughter born

unto him by the aforesaid Bertrande de Rolls; under pretence of

marriage falsely asserted by him; having thereto assumed the name and

person of the aforesaid Martin Guerre; by this mans deceiving the

aforesaid de Rolls; and moreover the court has exempted and exempts

from this trial the aforesaid Martin Guerre and Bertrande de Rolls;

also the said Pierre Guerre; uncle of the aforesaid Martin; and has

remitted and remits the aforesaid Arnauld du Thill to the aforesaid

judge of Rieux; in order that the present sentence may be executed

according to its form and tenor。  Pronounced judicially this 12th day

of September 1560。〃



This sentence substituted the gallows for the decapitation decreed by

the first judge; inasmuch as the latter punishment was reserved for

criminals of noble birth; while hanging was inflicted on meaner

persons。



When once his fate was decided; Arnauld du Thill lost all his

audacity。  Sent back to Artigues; he was interrogated in prison by

the judge of Rieux; and confessed his imposture at great length。  He

said the idea first occurred to him when; having returned from the

camp in Picardy; he was addressed as Martin Guerre by several

intimate friends of the latter。  He then inquired as to the sort of

life; the habits and relations of; this man; and having contrived to

be near him; had watched him closely during the battle。  He saw him

fall; carried him away; and then; as the reader has already seen;

excited his delirium to the utmost in order to obtain possession of

his secrets。  Having thus explained his successful imposture by

natural causes; which excluded any idea of magic or sorcery; he

protested his penitence; implored the mercy of God; and prepared

himself for execution as became a Christian。



The next day; while the populace; collecting from the whole

neighbourhood; had assembled before the parish church of Artigues in

order to behold the penance of the criminal; who; barefoot; attired

in a shirt; and holding a lighted torch in his hand; knelt at the

entrance of the church; another scene; no less painful; took place in

the house of Martin Guerre。  Exhausted by her suffering; which had

caused a premature confinement; Bertrande lay on her couch of pain;

and besought pardon from him whom she had innocently wronged;

entreating him also to pray for her soul。  Martin Guerre; sitting at

her bedside; extended his hand and blessed her。  She took his hand

and held it to her lips; she could no longer speak。  All at once a

loud noise was heard outside: the guilty man had just been executed

in front of the house。

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