of a chaplain when it became necessary for him to sign his name.

On the parchment which Robert produced for examination, this sort of vacillation was not so apparent: the writing seemed to have been done in a firmer hand, and by a person who had a better and more vivid idea of the lines he was about to trace. The letters certainly were crooked and unsteady, but still, on a close examination, this appeared rather to have been the effect of art and a design of imitation than of incapacity.

Notwithstanding this, an extreme similarity existed amongst them all, and it required a very minute investigation to discover any important difference between the writings; so minute, indeed, that in the general course of business, the one produced by the Count of Artois would have passed unquestioned, as, but for the suspicions flung out by the Count of Flanders, would have been the case in the present instance.

There was another circumstance which, when pointed out, struck every one, and

was calculated to throw a strong suspicion of foul play. On several, indeed on most of the signatures which had been brought from the archives, there were observed lines. drawn beneath in some color, for the sake of enabling the writer to form his strokes with greater security and ease.

These colors, it is true, had been afterwards effaced, in some instances entirely, in others not completely, but in all of them the mark made by pressure of the pencil-so let me call it-upon the parchment remained whilst, in Robert's document, not the slightest appearance of such prior traces existed.

With regard to the other signatures: those of Philip le Bel were evidently written by himself, without either the assistance of any person to hold his hand or of previous marks upon the parchment; yet was there discovered some slight difference between them. and the indenture in question. In the latter there was a certain something, either a point had been omitted or a scratch or flourish

of the pen been given, or there was something else which universally prevailed to distinguish it from the former. Yet was this dissimilarity so trifling, that it would have escaped the observation of any one who had not examined the writing with the design of making such a discovery.

There was another circumstance greatly tending to increase the opinion now beginning to manifest itself, of Robert's having used unfair means to obtain his long coveted possession.

His indenture appeared to have been held over smoke, or colored by some other artificial means, for the purpose of imparting to it an air of antiquity. This operation had been badly performed: for the layers were irregular, and in some places much darker than in others: whereas in all the indentures brought from the archives, the same hue prevailed throughout, as though it had been produced by age, not

art.

In some places there were specks of mouldiness on the parchments, from their having

long lain exposed to damp, whereas Robert's was free from any thing of this sort, and appeared to be as dry, and in this particular as fresh, as though it had been written but a week or ten days ago.

The casket itself was then examined, but its appearance offered nothing which could in any wise tend to clear up, or to confirm that suspicion, which was now at each succeeding moment growing stronger against the claimant.

His position was, indeed, dreadful; however spotless a man may be, yet when circumstances arise to give him an appearance of guilt, it is very difficult for him to preserve that presence of mind and moral courage, which it is so necessary he should have, in order to prove himself innocent.

Yet however greatly the situation in which he found himself placed might have grieved his heart, it could not abash his spirit; and he bore himself throughout in the manner of one who was not only free from, but incapable of the crime imputed to him.

These facts, however, appeared to afford such strong evidence of guilt, that the opinion of every one present was turned against him. Even those few who had, at first, been most disposed to rejoice at his good fortune, now avoided his eyes, or if theirs met his, they gazed haughtily upon him; though God and themselves only-and perhaps, indeed, not themselves, but God alone!-knew, whether, had they been placed under a like temptation, they would not have committed that crime of which they suspected him.

The King himself, who, whatever anger he might, for some time previous to this period, have entertained against Robert, would, had he been questioned respecting the probability of his committing an act of forgery, unhesitatingly have replied that he was incapable of it; seeing now such strong presumptive evidence of guilt, began also to waver in his opinion.

This was natural enough, for though he had, from the beginning, resolved to hold the scales of justice equally poised, and not suffer