Make France Great Again-Chapter 983 - 974: Defense Attorney Leon Gambetta

The team escorting Orsini braved the misty rain and accelerated towards the location of the Administrative Court.

About ten minutes later, the escort arrived at the gates of the (Supreme) Administrative Court.

The captain leading the team swiftly dismounted, followed by several cavalrymen who also dismounted alongside the captain.

Then, they handed the reins to their companions who remained on horseback and slowly walked to the door of Orsini’s carriage.

"Prisoner Orsini..." The captain called out the name of the assassin solemnly, "The Supreme Court has arrived, hurry up and get off!"

The carriage slowly opened, and Orsini and three collaborators got off the carriage one after another.

Then, escorted by the cavalry captain, they stepped into the Supreme Administrative Court step by step.

When Orsini reached the hall of the Administrative Court, a unit of soldiers wearing First Empire infantry uniforms, led by an officer in a major’s uniform, approached Orsini.

The cavalry captain responsible for escorting Orsini quickly saluted the other, "Sir!"

The major solemnly returned the salute and then said, "Thank you for your hard work! Leave the rest to us!"

"Yes!" The cavalry captain said firmly, then led his team and turned to leave the Administrative Court.

The major responsible for escorting Orsini to the courtroom looked Orsini up and down with an undisguised look of disdain, "You are Orsini?"

"That’s right!" Orsini raised his head, and with an arrogant demeanor said to the major, "I am Orsini!"

"You’re quite arrogant, huh!" The major smirked contemptuously, his eyes filled with scorn, "Do you think that attempting to assassinate His Majesty was something remarkable?"

"No! I regret what I did before!" Orsini shook his head, expressing sincerely.

Orsini’s answer surprised the major, who had expected the prideful Orsini would not express regret.

However, the major’s attitude towards him remained unchanged. In the major’s view, Orsini only admitted his mistake because he feared death; it was merely a ploy to seek the court’s forgiveness.

Thus, the major sneered and continued, "Regret! It’s too late to regret now!

Do you know that your previous actions almost extinguished a great monarch, a most intimate partner of the French Army!

The entire army is dissatisfied with your despicable behavior. If not for His Majesty advocating for a legal trial, you wouldn’t even get the chance to face trial!

You’re able to live two more months entirely because of His Majesty’s mercy!

Vermin like you should have been taken out and shot long ago!"

Faced with the major’s insults, Orsini showed no anger. He understood that surviving two more months was entirely thanks to Jerome Bonaparte as an involved party.

In such circumstances, not being shot on the spot was already merciful.

"I regret the mistakes I made and am very grateful to His Majesty for granting me the chance of being judged by the law!" Orsini humbly said to the major, then kindly reminded, "Sir, it’s getting late for the trial to start, shall we stay here?"

"Let’s go!" The major led Orsini and three collaborators to the court’s side corridor, waiting for the trial to commence.

At this moment, the courtroom audience seats and the corridor behind them were already crowded with people—some were journalists, some party members, law students, and ordinary bystanders, all eagerly awaiting the trial’s start.

As time arrived at 3 p.m., three judges dressed in red robes with delicate fur collars walked out from the court’s side corridor, marking the formal start of the trial.

After the three judges (one presiding, two deputies) sat at their respective positions, the presiding judge, Auvergne, glanced at the slightly restless audience in the distance, lifted his gavel and tapped it lightly. The crisp sound spread, quieting the audience significantly.

Then, with a tone of authority and sanctity, Auvergne addressed those present, "Silence!"

The entire audience quieted down completely, watching Auvergne on stage, quietly awaiting his next words.

"Bring in the prisoner Orsini..."

At Auvergne’s command, Orsini and the three collaborators were brought forward and placed at the defendant’s spot.

Next, Auvergne requested the plaintiff’s agents (namely Jerome Bonaparte and Augusta’s lawyers) to state Orsini’s crimes.

The lawyer providing legal consultation for Jerome Bonaparte and Augusta was none other than Minister of State Guizot, whose background in law and philosophy allowed him skillfully to apply the Empire’s laws, adding charges over Orsini’s head.

After Minister Guizot finished speaking, he smiled slightly at Auvergne, "That is all I have to say, Your Honor!"

"Guizot Da..." Auvergne immediately realized the inappropriate address and quickly corrected himself, "Lawyer Guizot, please sit down!"

Guizot slightly bowed to Auvergne, then looked at the defense lawyer opposite him.

"Defendant, do you have anything you wish to say?" Auvergne directed his gaze at Orsini and asked.

Orsini glanced at his defense lawyer, then smiled and asked, "What do you think?"

Faced with such an unfavorable situation, Orsini’s defense lawyer did not choose to give up; he quickly stood up and refuted the charges just set by Guizot.

Even though there were some issues with parts of the rebuttal, overall, the defense lawyer’s thinking was relatively clear.

Guizot and Auvergne couldn’t help but regard the defense lawyer across from them more highly.

The audience in the gallery, who thought this would be a one-sided battle, likewise found themselves deeply interested in the defense.

Although they already knew this case would certainly end with Orsini’s death, they still wanted to see who was more proficient in the law between Guizot and this lawyer.

One was a renowned veteran lawyer; the other was a totally unknown layman lawyer who was blind in one eye.

The battle between the two was in itself a very interesting affair.

Following this, Guizot once again countered Orsini’s defense lawyer, while presenting some evidence and witnesses to Auvergne.

Seeing this, Orsini’s defense lawyer had no choice but to attempt to argue for a reduced sentence for Orsini on the grounds of attempted murder and voluntarily turning himself in.

Just as Orsini’s defense lawyer and Guizot were engaged in an intense exchange, Orsini, who hadn’t spoken this entire time, suddenly declared, "I plead guilty!"

With this statement, the defense lawyer was powerless to change the outcome; he could only clench his fists and remain silent.

"Since the defendant has already confessed to the crime, I hereby sentence Orsini to death..." Auvergne pronounced Orsini’s death sentence in court, and two of the three Sardinian accomplices were also sentenced to death.

The remaining one was sentenced to over twenty years in prison (as this individual did not participate in the actual assassination).

Upon the announcement of the verdict, Auvergne impatiently banged the gavel in his hand, indicating that the ruling would take effect immediately.

The entire trial took only over an hour to conclude, and Orsini and his three accomplices were once again taken away.

Guizot glanced at the defendant’s defense lawyer across from him, who was sorting through documents. He walked slowly to the lawyer and praised, "For someone still a law student, you’ve done remarkably well!"

The defense lawyer looked surprised upon hearing Guizot’s remark, "How did you know?"

"Because your interpretation of the law is a bit too textbook," Guizot told the defense lawyer, "An attorney with a little more experience would never do it this way!"

"I see!" the defense lawyer muttered, then perked up and responded to Guizot, "Next time, next time I won’t do it the same way!"

"I’m very much looking forward to your next time!" Guizot replied to the defense lawyer, then asked, "By the way, can you tell me your name?"

To be honest, Guizot wanted to recruit this promising young man under his command.

Just as Talleyrand and Thiers had done in the past, he felt a premonition that this young man’s future would be limitless.

Unfortunately, the other party did not choose to rely on him because of his status. "Minister Guizot, I’m sorry, my faith doesn’t allow me to join you!"

"Your faith? What faith is that?" Guizot asked curiously.

"Minister Guizot, I am a firm Republican! I believe that Republicanism will surely bloom brilliantly on this land!" the defense lawyer said firmly to Guizot.

Upon realizing that his opponent was a Republican, Guizot did not give up. He told the other that even being a Republican posed no problem and that in this world, pragmatism is the most straightforward belief.

However, his counterpart was not a pragmatist like Guizot; he shook his head again, refusing Guizot’s invitation and stating firmly that he would never change his beliefs.

Guizot could only shake his head regretfully and then asked for the other party’s name.

"Minister Guizot, my name is Leon Gambetta!" Leon Gambetta said boldly, "My goal is to overthrow the Empire’s rule, so there’s no compromise in my dictionary!"