andIhadhimescortedbyeightortenvigilantmen，towhomIhadgivennoticetowatchhishandsstrictly。Beforeallofushechangedtwopiecesofleadintogoldandsilver。IsentthembothtoM。dePontchartrain；andheafterwardsinformedmebyaletter，nowlyingbeforeme，thathehadshownthemtothemostexperiencedgoldsmithsofParis，whounanimouslypronouncedthemtobegoldandsilveroftheverypurestquality，andwithoutalloy。MyformerbadopinionofDelislewasnowindeedshaken。ItwasmuchmoresowhenheperformedtransmutationfiveorsixtimesbeforemeatSenes，andmademeperformitmyselfbeforehimwithouthisputtinghishandtoanything。
Youhaveseen，sir，theletterofmynephew，thePereBerard，oftheOratoireatParis，ontheexperimentthatheperformedatCastellane，andthetruthofwhichIherebyattest。Anothernephewofmine，theSieurBourget，whowasherethreeweeksago，performedthesameexperimentinmypresence，andwilldetailallthecircumstancestoyoupersonallyatParis。Ahundredpersonsinmydiocesehavebeenwitnessesofthesethings。Iconfesstoyou，sir，that，afterthetestimonyofsomanyspectatorsandsomanygoldsmiths，andaftertherepeatedlysuccessfulexperimentsthatIsawperformed，allmyprejudicesvanished。Myreasonwasconvincedbymyeyes；andthephantomsofimpossibilitywhichIhadconjuredupweredissipatedbytheworkofmyownhands。
“Itnowonlyremainsformetospeaktoyouonthesubjectofhispersonandconduct。Threesuspicionshavebeenexcitedagainsthim:
thefirst，ThathewasimplicatedinsomecriminalproceedingatCisteron，andthathefalsifiedthecoinoftherealm；thesecond，ThattheKingsenthimtwosafe-conductswithouteffect；andthethird，ThathestilldelaysgoingtocourttooperatebeforetheKing。
Youmaysee，sir，thatIdonothideoravoidanything。AsregardsthebusinessatCisteron，theSieurDelislehasrepeatedlyassuredmethattherewasnothingagainsthimwhichcouldreasonablydrawhimwithinthepaleofjustice，andthathehadnevercarriedonanycallinginjurioustotheKing’sservice。Itwastruethat，sixorsevenyearsago，hehadbeentoCisterontogatherherbsnecessaryforhispowder，andthathehadlodgedatthehouseofonePelouse，whomhethoughtanhonestman。PelousewasaccusedofclippingLouisd’ors；andashehadlodgedwithhim，hewassuspectedofbeinghisaccomplice。Thismeresuspicion，withoutanyproofwhatever，hadcausedhimtobecondemnedforcontumacy；acommoncaseenoughwithjudges，whoalwaysproceedwithmuchrigouragainstthosewhoareabsent。DuringmyownsojournatAix，itwaswellknownthataman，namedAndreAluys，hadspreadaboutreportsinjurioustothecharacterofDelisle，becausehehopedtherebytoavoidpayinghimasumoffortyLouisthatheowedhim。Butpermitme，sir，togofurther，andtoaddthat，eveniftherewerewell-foundedsupicionsagainstDelisle，weshouldlookwithsomelittleindulgenceonthefaultsofamanwhopossessesasecretsousefultothestate。Asregardsthetwosafe-conductssenthimbytheKing，IthinkIcananswercertainlythatitwasthroughnofaultofhisthathepaidsolittleattentiontothem。Hisyear，strictlyspeaking，consistsonlyofthefoursummermonths；andwhenbyanymeansheispreventedfrommakingtheproperuseofthem，helosesawholeyear。Thusthefirstsafe-conductbecameuselessbytheirruptionoftheDukeofSavoyin1707；andthesecondhadhardlybeenobtained，attheendofJune1708，whenthesaidDelislewasinsultedbyapartyofarmedmen，pretendingtoactundertheauthorityoftheCountdeGrignan，towhomhewroteseverallettersofcomplaint，withoutreceivinganyanswer，orpromisethathissafetywouldbeattendedto。WhatIhavenowtoldyou，sir，removesthethirdobjection，andisthereasonwhy，atthepresenttime，hecannotgotoParistotheKing，infulfilmentofhispromisesmadetwoyearsago。