Section 9: pages 186-222 Summary

It is an autumn morning in New York as Olivier stands at the entrance to the Tombs with Mr. O'Hara, Mr. Peek, several other gentlemen, Mathilde and her mother. Olivier borrows money from Mr. Peek to obtain justice, an "event impossible to conceive in France" (p. 189). When Parrot emerges from the prison, Mathilde charges him, but after thanking Olivier, Parrot informs him he cannot leave by himself because an innocent boy will be murdered if he is not released. Olivier claims he cannot help, and Parrot rushes back to the Tombs, causing Mathilde to attack Olivier. Matters are arranged, and the boy is released as the court is willing to commit the boy to the care of any of these gentlemen if they will feed him until the murderer is hanged. Discussing how the boy may grow up to...