or cleared his throat, and when he was finished, an
even deeper hush came over the crowd. It was as if
everyone had been stunned. Now, when I turned and
looked around, I saw all eyes were on me. Beau had
done such a good job of telling our story, many were
beginning to wonder if it couldn't be so. I felt my
hopes rise to the surface of my troubled thoughts. Monsieur Williams rose. "Just a few questions,
if I may, Your Honor."
"Go on," the judge said.
"Monsieur Andreas. You said your wife was
diagnosed with St. Louis encephalitis while you were
at your country estate. A doctor made the diagnosis?" "Yes."
"Didn't this doctor know he was diagnosing
your wife, Gisselle?" Beau looked toward Monsieur
Polk. "If so, why didn't you bring him here to testify
that it was Gisselle and not Ruby?" Monsieur
Williams hammered. Beau didn't respond.
"Monsieur Andreas?" the judge said. "Your honor," Monsieur Polk said. "Since the
twins are so identical, we didn't think the doctor
would be able to testify beyond a doubt as to which twin he examined. I have researched the medical history of the twins, as much as could be researched, and we are willing to admit that identical twins share so many physiological characteristics, it is virtually
impossible to use medical data to identify them." "You have no medical records to enter into the
record?" Judge Barrow asked.
"No, sir."
"Then what hard evidence to you intend to
enter into the record to substantiate this fantastic
story, sir?" the judge asked, getting right to the point. "We are prepared at this time," Monsieur Polk
said, approaching the judge, "to present handwriting
samples that you will quickly be able to see
distinguish one twin from the other. These come from
school records and legal documents," Monsieur Polk