Novels online

Chapter 94: Public Trial

In the courtroom, the young lawyer defending the victims listened with a faint smile as the judge confounded black and white, yet he remained silent.

Soon, accompanied by the heart-wrenching wails of the murdered siblings' parents, Vezinier raised his gavel and declared, "This court finds Runacher not guilty of rape and murder, and he is hereby acquitted."

Just as his gavel was about to fall, the young lawyer suddenly rose to his feet and proclaimed loudly, "This is an illegal judgment! You are trampling on the law!"

Vezinier shook his head. He had seen too many unruly young men like this. He sneered, then waved a hand at the bailiffs. "Get this fellow out of here! And what's his name? He will subsequently be charged with contempt of court."

The lawyer stood firm. "My name is Danton! Georges Jacques Danton, go ahead and charge me!"

He then held several papers high above his head. "But Judge, you must first explain what these letters are about!"

"Letters? What letters?" Vezinier stared at the pages, finding them vaguely familiar. Suddenly, his expression changed. They looked like the letters he had written to Valayer! How had they fallen into this lawyer's hands?!

The letters, of course, had been handed to the lawyer by the Police Intelligence Bureau.

Not long ago, Joseph had coincidentally heard Fouché mention that the lawyer for the victims in the "Runacher case" was named Danton. He immediately had someone check the registered lawyers at the High Court and found only one named "Jacques Danton."

Historically, Danton despised evil, possessed exceptional oratorical skills, and could easily incite thousands to riot.

Therefore, Joseph immediately decided to entrust him with the task of finishing off Vezinier. Danton would surely cause a huge stir when faced with a case of such egregious nature.

At the trial, Danton leaped onto a chair in the spectator's gallery and loudly read out the evidentiary parts of Vezinier's letter: "My dear old friend, I have seen your manservant. However, I still need to confirm: do you truly want me to intervene in Runacher's case?

"As for the money, it will all be used for payoffs. As you know, the evidence room alone requires ten thousand livres, for destroying evidence is a grave crime...

"I don't know how they intend to deal with that witness, but I swear to you, as long as that damned carpenter doesn't speak, I can acquit your nephew...

"Poor Runacher must have had enough of the damp, moldy prison. Oh, he was originally meant to stay there until death, or even face the gallows. But rest assured, I will have him released after the next court session..."

"Bailiffs! Stop him!" Vezinier shrieked, pointing at Danton like a madman. "He's lying!"

Before the few bailiffs in the courtroom could react, Vezinier impatiently stepped onto a chair, leaped out from behind the judge's bench, and, with bloodshot eyes, lunged at Danton.

Danton, however, deftly weaved and dodged among the courtroom's tables and chairs, all while continuing to read the letter.

By the time he finished reading the crucial passages, he had reached the courtroom door. He shoved aside the bailiff guarding it and burst out.

Outside the High Court, thousands of citizens had already gathered, far more than usually came to protest. They had been assembled by Marat, Desmoulins, and others specifically to coordinate with the trial.

Danton rushed to the court's iron fence and cried out, "That shameless and despicable wretch just humiliated the law in front of everyone! He actually acquitted that murderer!"

Angry shouts immediately erupted from the crowd: "Hang the killer!"

"Hang that corrupt judge with him!"

"Gallows! He must be sentenced to the gallows!"

Danton gestured for silence, raising the letter in his hand. "I have evidence of that judge's corruption, and I will ensure he receives the punishment he deserves!"

A few bailiffs attempted to intercept Danton, but under the intimidation of those thousands of people, they trembled and dared not advance.

In fact, just a dozen paces away, more than thirty police officers were on standby. If the bailiffs had dared to make a move, they would have immediately rushed in to save Danton.

Danton continued to shout, "To prevent them from destroying the evidence, I propose we hold a public trial right here!"

The crowd immediately burst into another wave of shouts:

"Public trial!"

"Right here, let us watch the proceedings!"

"The judge who freed the murderer needs to come out!"

Thus, the enraged populace roared for an entire day, with more and more people gathering.

It wasn't until dusk, when Chief Minister Brienne appeared and publicly promised that the Royal Plenary Court would take charge and openly try Vezinier's bribery case in the square before the High Court, that the crowds gradually dispersed.

At eleven o'clock that night, Vezinier had his subordinates repeatedly confirm that there were no longer any protesters outside the court before he donned coachman's clothes and secretly slipped out through the back door.

What he didn't know, however, was that agents from the Police Intelligence Bureau had been keeping a close eye on him from the shadows.

Vezinier's carriage had barely traveled two streets when someone shouted, "The judge who conspired with the murderer is right here!"

"Everyone, quick, Vezinier is here!"

Torches quickly flared around them. Marat, leading a hundred people, surged forward, dragged Vezinier from the carriage, and, without allowing for argument, subjected him to a severe beating.

From a corner, dozens of police officers, sensing it was enough, hurried out, blowing their whistles and separating the crowd—after all, they couldn't actually beat the culprit to death, or there would be no one left to try.

On the ground, Vezinier was already beaten beyond recognition, lying in a pool of blood and twitching uncontrollably.

Two days later, judges dispatched by the Royal Plenary Court publicly tried the Vezinier case in front of the High Court.

The Royal Plenary Court, dominated by the King, had held significant authority in the era before Louis XIV. Its powers were later gradually transferred to the High Court, and it had since become a ceremonial institution.

The judges never dreamed they would have a day where they actually presided over a trial again.

However, under the watchful eyes of thousands of angry citizens, no one dared to question their qualifications to preside over the case.

Vezinier, his leg broken and his body swathed in bandages, lay to one side, letting out intermittent groans of pain.

Danton handed the letters to the judges, simultaneously asserting that there were more at Vezinier's home.

The judges immediately ordered a search of Vezinier's home, and soon, letters from Valayer were found in his study.

The correspondence between the two parties corroborated each other, further solidifying the fact that Vezinier had taken bribes to acquit Runacher.

Lying on the wooden board, Vezinier couldn't fathom how these letters, which he had clearly burned, had reappeared in his home.

In reality, Valayer's letters had all been written in duplicate. One copy was for Vezinier to burn, while the other was secretly placed in his study by her maid.

Subsequently, the Montry family was also summoned to testify. Faced with the evidence and the furious gazes of countless people, the couple quickly admitted to bribing the judge.

The Royal Plenary Court then publicly declared Vezinier guilty of bribery, shielding criminals, and destroying evidence, sentencing him to fifty years in prison. Furthermore, due to Vezinier's deplorable conduct, the court announced that all cases he had previously judged would be sent back for retrial.

The thousands of onlookers immediately erupted in thunderous cheers. Only Danton, Marat, and others remained subdued; there was only one verdict they had wanted, and that was the gallows.