Grandier was, as we have said, at Paris when these proceedings were taken
against him, conducting before the Parliament his case against Duthibaut.
The latter received a copy of the decision arrived at by the bishop,
before Grandier knew of the charges that had been formulated against him,
and having in the course of his defence drawn a terrible picture of the
immorality of Grandier's life, he produced as a proof of the truth of his
assertions the damning document which had been put into his hands. The
court, not knowing what to think of the turn affairs had taken, decided
that before considering the accusations brought by Grandier, he must
appear before his bishop to clear himself of the charges, brought against
himself. Consequently he left Paris at once, and arrived at Loudun,
where he only stayed long enough to learn what had happened in his
absence, and then went on to Poitiers in order to draw up his defence.
He had, however, no sooner set foot in the place than he was arrested by
a sheriff's officer named Chatry, and confined in the prison of the
episcopal palace.

It was the middle of November, and the prison was at all times cold and
damp, yet no attention was paid to Grandier's request that he should be
transferred to some other place of confinement. Convinced by this that
his enemies had more influence than he had supposed, he resolved to
possess his soul in patience, and remained a prisoner for two months,
during which even his warmest friends believed him lost, while Duthibaut
openly laughed at the proceedings instituted against himself, which he
now believed would never go any farther, and Barot had already selected
one of his heirs, a certain Ismael Boulieau, as successor to Urbain as
priest and prebendary.

It was arranged that the costs of the lawsuit should be defrayed out of a