Causes Célèbres. premises, no money was found; but there were discovered two bags and a red ribbon, which were identified by Mirabel as those which he had delivered to his friend. The account given by the latter differed, in some material particulars, from that of Mirabel. He had enjoyed, indeed, some cas ual acquaintance with that gentleman. They had dined together once at his (Auguier's) house. He had accepted the hospitality of Monsieur Mirabel, as often, at a tavern. He had advanced that gentleman a crown. Mirabel had spoken of a ghost and money, and had talked of placing the latter in his charge. At present, he had, however, lim ited his confidence to the deposit of two empty bags and a red ribbon. All the other allegations he indignantly denied. Deeply impressed with the marvellous his tory, the Lieutenant-Criminel decided that the matter should be sifted to the bottom. The process continued. Magdalene Paret deposed that Mirabel had called on her one day, looking pale and agitated, and declared that he had been hold ing converse with an apparition, which had revealed to him the situation of some buried treasure. She was present when the parcel, apparently containing money, was found, and she remembered Mirabel's stating, sub sequently, that he had placed it for safety in the hands of Auguier. Gaspard Deleuil repeated the narrative told by Mirabel of the ghost and the gold, adding that he had met him on the 7th of September, near the Porte des Faineants (Idlers' Gate), carrying two bags; that he saw him hand them over to a man who ap peared to be waiting for him, and saw him receive in return a piece of paper; and that, on joining him, Mirabel stated that he had intrusted to Auguier some newly found treasure, taking his acknowledgment for the same. Francois Fourniere, the third witness, confirmed the story of the spectre and the money, as related by Mirabel, who appeared deeply stricken by the extraordinary favor
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shown him in this supernatural visitation. On his pressing for a sight of the treasure, Mirabel took the witness to his chamber, and removing some bricks from the chim ney, displayed a large bag filled with gold coin. Having afterwards heard of Auguier's alleged dishonesty, the witness reproached him with it; when he became deadly pale, and entreated that the subject might be dropped. Other witnesses deposed to the sudden intimacy, more noticeable on account of their difference in station, that had sprung up between Mirabel and Auguier, dating from the period of the discovery of the gold. Sundry experts bore testimony to the re semblance of the writing of the receipt, signed " Louis Auguier," to the autograph of the latter. The ghost and Mirabel carried the day. In fact, it was a mere walk over the course. The Lieutenant-Criminel, entirely with them, decreed that Auguier should be arrested and submitted to the question. Appeal, however, was made to the Parlia ment of Aix, and the matter began to excite considerable notice. Persons were found to censure the ready credence given by the Lieutenant-Criminel to the story of the ghost; and, the case coming to hearing, an able advocate of the day buckled on his armor to do battle with the shade. Is it credible, he asked, that a spirit should quit the repose of another world expressly to inform M. de Mirabel, a gen tleman with whose existence it seems to have had no previous acquaintance, of the hiding-place of this treasure? How offi cious must be the nature of that ghost which should select, in a caprice, a man it did not personally know, to enrich him with a treasure for the due enjoyment of which his social position made him so unfit? How slight must be the prescience of a spirit that could not foresee that Mirabel would be deprived of his treasure by the first knave he had the misfortune to trust! There could be no such spirit, be assured!
