Butwhetherthesesuspicionsareabsurdornot，hitormiss，itistheadvocate’sduty，asitappears，tourgethem。HewantstomakeasunfavorableanimpressionaspossiblewithregardtoPeytel’scharacter。he，therefore，must，forcontrast’ssake，giveallsortsofpraisetohisvictim，andawakeneverysympathyinthepoorfellow’sfavor。Havingdonethis，asfarasliesinhispower，havingexaggeratedeverycircumstancethatcanbeunfavorabletoPeytel，andgivenhisowntaleinthebaldestmannerpossible——
havingdeclaredthatPeytelisthemurdererofhiswifeandservant，theCrownnowproceedstobackthisassertion，byshowingwhatinterestedmotiveshehad，andbyrelating，afteritsownfashion，thecircumstancesofhismarriage。
Theymaybetoldbrieflyhere。Peytelwasofagoodfamily，ofMacon，andentitled，athismother’sdeath，toaconsiderableproperty。Hehadbeeneducatedasanotary，andhadlatelypurchasedabusiness，inthatline，inBelley，forwhichhehadpaidalargesumofmoney。partofthesum，15，000francs，forwhichhehadgivenbills，wasstilldue。
NearBelley，PeytelfirstmetFeliciteAlcazar，whowasresidingwithherbrother-in-law，MonsieurdeMontrichard。and，knowingthattheyounglady’sfortunewasconsiderable，hemadeanofferofmarriagetothebrother-in-law，whothoughtthematchadvantageous，andcommunicatedonthesubjectwithFelicite’smother，MadameAlcazar，atParis。AfteratimePeytelwenttoParis，topresshissuit，andwasaccepted。Thereseemstohavebeennoaffectationofloveonhisside。andsomelittlerepugnanceonthepartofthelady，whoyielded，however，tothewishesofherparents，andwasmarried。Thepartiesbegantoquarrelontheverydayofthemarriage，andcontinuedtheirdisputesalmosttothecloseoftheunhappyconnection。Felicitewashalfblind，passionate，sarcastic，clumsyinherpersonandmanners，andilleducated。Peytel，amanofconsiderableintellectandpretensions，whohadlivedforsometimeatParis，wherehehadmingledwithgoodliterarysociety。Theladywas，infact，asdisagreeableapersonascouldwellbe，andtheevidencedescribessomesceneswhichtookplacebetweenherandherhusband，showinghowdeeplyshemusthavemortifiedandenragedhim。
AchargeveryclearlymadeoutagainstPeytel，isthatofdishonesty。