marriage with my dear George. He had promised me that our child
should be able to regard us as regularly married people, and he
wanted to keep his promise, but you prevented him, and it is your
fault that my dear little boy was born in prison, and that his
father was not there to greet him. But you will confess that I am
guilty of no crime, and then you will fulfil my wish, and give me a
written certificate of my innocence--that is," she corrected
herself, blushing, "of my innocence in this matter, that I may be
able to justify myself to my son, when I have to tell him that he
was born in prison. It is such a dreadful thing for a mother to have
anything that she is ashamed to confess to her child!"

A murmur of applause ran through the hall, and the ladies upon the
tribune looked with sympathy upon this fair woman, whose faithful
love made her beautiful, and whose mother-feeling gave her dignity.

"So your name is Mademoiselle Oliva?" asked the president.

"Yes, sir, that unfortunately is the name I am called by," answered
she, sighing, "but as soon as I leave the prison I shall be married,
and then I shall be called Madame George. For my child's sake, you
would do me a great kindness now if you would call me madame."

At these naive words a smile lighted up the stern faces of the
judges, and sped like a ray of sunlight over all the countenances of
the spectators. Even the rigid features of the attorney-general were
touched for an instant with the glow; only those of the Countess
Lamotte darkened.

"Your majesty plays to-day the NAIVE part of a paysanne perversee,"