Every one agreed that the day was come which
would liberate an innocent man, or dismiss a murderer to the
scaffold.
The parliament, after many long debates, had decided that the blind
man of Argenteuil should be heard. Gervais appeared before them. His
frank and circumstantial deposition made a deep impression; but some
doubt still remained. It was a fearful thing to place a man's life at
the mercy of the fugitive reminiscences of a blind man, who could
only trust to his hearing. It seemed almost impossible that Gervais
should recognise faithfully a voice which he had heard but once only.
The parliament determined to prove him, and to bring before him
successively all the prisoners of the Conciergerie, Martel among the
rest. If, after having heard them speak, the blind man spontaneously,
and without once hesitating, should recognise the voice which had
struck him so powerfully, this evidence, united to others, should be
held conclusive. It was not without design that Christmas-eve was
chosen for this strange trial, unheard-of in the annals of justice.
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