Page:Statement of the attempted rescue of General Lafayette from Olmutz.djvu/38

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36
Olmutz.

The Court renewed its examinations on the new subject of accusation. Soon after they were allowed to meet in the presence of others, and Professor Passi, their interpreter, always evinced his friendly interest, and took every opportunity he judged discreet to converse with them in French, and told them they had friends who were making exertions in their favor. They afterwards discovered that he particularly alluded to the nobleman in whose family he was a tutor, a Count Mitrowsky, who had taken pains to get their case favorably represented at Court, and had not spared his money to influence the Judge to obtain as lenient a verdict as possible in their case, and procured for them several little indulgences. Still the tedious delays of the examination and trial dragged on for some months more.

The court-room was in the same building as the jail, and sometimes Mr. Huger would be taken to it by the jailor alone, or with only one assitant. He had by this time learned to express himself in German, and understood what was addressed to him. He was on easy terms with those around, as they took the tone of the officers, by whom they saw these prisoners were treated with some consideration.