The next day, at about ten in the morning, Popinot, who had written
out his report the previous evening, made his way to the Palais de
Justice, intending to have prompt and righteous justice done. As he
went to the robing-room to put on his gown and bands, the usher told
him that the President of his Court begged him to attend in his
private room, where he was waiting for him. Popinot forthwith obeyed.
“Good-morning, my dear Popinot,” said the President, “I have been
waiting for you.”
“Why, Monsieur le President, is anything wrong?”
“A mere silly trifle,” said the President. “The Keeper of the Seals,
with whom I had the honor of dining yesterday, led me apart into a
corner. He had heard that you had been to tea with Madame d’Espard, in
whose case you were employed to make inquiries. He gave me to
understand that it would be as well that you should not sit on this
case——”
“But, Monsieur le President, I can prove that I left Madame d’Espard’s
house at the moment when tea was brought in. And my conscience——”
“Yes, yes; the whole Bench, the two Courts, all the profession know
you. I need not repeat what I said about you to his Eminence; but, you
know, ‘Caesar’s wife must not be suspected.’ So we shall not make this
foolish trifle a matter of discipline, but only of proprieties.
Between ourselves, it is not on your account, but on that of the
Bench.”
“But, monsieur, if you only knew the kind of woman——” said the
judge, trying to pull his report out of his pocket.
“I am perfectly certain that you have proceeded in this matter with
the strictest independence of judgment. I myself, in the provinces,
have often taken more than a cup of tea with the people I had to try;
but the fact that the Keeper of the Seals should have mentioned it,
and that you might be talked about, is enough to make the Court avoid
any discussion of the matter. Any conflict with public opinion must
always be dangerous for a constitutional body, even when the right is
on its side against the public, because their weapons are not equal.
Journalism may say or suppose anything, and our dignity forbids us
even to reply. In fact, I have spoken of the matter to your President,
and M. Camusot has been appointed in your place on your retirement,
which you will signify. It is a family matter, so to speak. And I now
beg you to signify your retirement from the case as a personal favor.
To make up, you will get the Cross of the Legion of Honor, which has
so long been due to you. I make that my business.”
When he saw M. Camusot, a judge recently called to Paris from a
provincial Court of the same class, as he went forward bowing to the
Judge and the President, Popinot could not repress an ironical smile.
This pale, fair young man, full of covert ambition, looked ready to
hang and unhang, at the pleasure of any earthy king, the innocent and
the guilty alike, and to follow the example of a Laubardemont rather
than that of a Mole.
Popinot withdrew with a bow; he scorned to deny the lying accusation
that had been brought against him.
PARIS, February 1836.
Nguồn: Wikisource English — The Commission in Lunacy/Section 5. Văn bản được nhập và định dạng lại; CC BY-SA 4.0, có thể áp dụng điều khoản bổ sung của tác phẩm.