la Regnie alluded, and by which he trusted to break the resolution of the prisoner. It was now certain that the unfortunate youth would be put to the torture, which measure her letter, however well intended, would now rather tend to accelerate than retard. In the most miserable agitation, de Scuderi bethought herself, that, in order even to obtain a short delay, the assistance of a lawyer would be requisite. At that time, Pierre Arnaud d'Andilly was the most renowned advocate in Paris; and his deep knowledge of his professional duties was only to be excelled by his unimpeachable honesty, and severe virtue.
De Scuderi, therefore, went to his house immediately, and explained the situation in which Brusson was placed, as far as it was possible to do so without openly betraying Cardillac's guilt. She had supposed that the advocate would, with great zeal, undertake the cause of the unhappy youth, but in such expectations found herself bitterly disappointed. D'Andilly listened quietly to all that she could say, and then answered in the words of Boileau,—"Le vrai pent quelquefois n'etre pas vrai-semblable." He then demonstrated to de Scuderi, that there was against Brusson the strongest grounds of suspicion, and that the proceedings of la Regnie were by no means to be called rash and cruel; but, on the contrary, were quite according to law, and, indeed, he durst not act otherwise without infringing his duties as a judge. For his own part, he did not perceive how, by the cleverest defence which any advocate could make Brusson could be saved from the torture. It was only the young man himself who could bring about this, either by a confession of his guilt; or, if he really were innocent, by a minute detail of the real circumstances which led to the death of Cardillac, and thus perhaps afford some grounds on which he might be defended. "Then," said de Scuderi, in a faltering voice, and bursting into tears, "I shall throw myself at the king's feet—and implore him for mercy!" "For heaven's sake, my lady," cried d'Andilly, do not try this on the present occasion. Reserve the dernier resort,
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