reputed birthplace, at which he was said to have passed the first four
years of his life in the company of his mother. It could scarcely be
supposed that those who knew the young heir, aged four, would be able
to trace much similarity to him in the claimant of seventeen. But
there was far more recognition than might have been anticipated.
Madame de Solar's father fancied that Joseph resembled his grandson,
and he was the more thoroughly convinced of his identity, because he
felt an affection for the youth which he believed to be instinctive.
The brother of the countess was convinced that Joseph was his nephew,
because he had the large knees and round shoulders of the deceased
count. The mistress of the dame-school at Clermont recognised in the
Abbé's protégé her former pupil. Several witnesses also, who could not
be positive as to the identity of the two persons, remembered that the
youthful count had a peculiar lentil-shaped mole on his back, and a
similar mole was found on the back of the claimant. As it afterwards
proved, Joseph was not completely deaf, but was shrewd enough to
conceal the fact. Consequently he succeeded in acquiring a good deal
of useful information with respect to the Solar family, and
re-produced it as the result of his own recollection when the proper
time came.

On the other hand, the evidence against his pretensions was very
strong. Many persons in Toulouse who had been intimately acquainted
with the youthful count declared that Joseph bore no resemblance to
him; and the young countess repudiated him most emphatically,
asserting that he was not her brother, and he failed to recognise her
as his sister. However, he persevered in asserting his rights, and
claimed before the Cour du Châtelet, in Paris, the name and honours of
Count Solar; and orders were given by the court for the arrest of
Cazeaux as his abductor and exposer. The unfortunate lawyer was seized