hearing, to the case heard by Solomon, in which one child was claimed by
two mothers.

The Marquis de Saint-Maixent and Madame de Bouille being dead,
were naturally no parties to the suit, which was fought against the
Saint-Geran family by la Pigoreau and Mesdames du Lude and de Ventadour.
These ladies no doubt acted in good faith, at first at any rate, in
refusing to believe the crime; for if they had originally known the
truth it is incredible that they could have fought the case so long and
so obstinately.

They first of all went to the aid of the midwife, who had fallen sick in
prison; they then consulted together, and resolved as follows:

That the accused should appeal against criminal proceedings;

That la Pigoreau should lodge a civil petition against the judgments
which ordered her arrest and the confronting of witnesses;

That they should appeal against the abuse of obtaining and publishing
monitories, and lodge an interpleader against the sentence of the
judge of first instruction, who had condemned the matron to capital
punishment;

And that finally, to carry the war into the enemy's camp, la Pigoreau
should impugn the maternity of the countess, claiming the child as her
own; and that the ladies should depose that the countess's accouchement
was an imposture invented to cause it to be supposed that she had given
birth to a child.