ABSTRACT
Pierre Laval craved human contact. Isolation was a heavy burden for him. Young Jaffre visited him regularly in prison, carrying communications to him and retrieving Laval's assiduous notes and trial preparations for himself and his colleagues. He saw in young Yves Frederic Jaffre, who had also risen from modest antecedents, something of himself at the outset of his career. His regard for Jaffre took on a paternal air. The bloody combatants ended up in court where Laval had pleaded his own case with the happy result that he was acquitted and his adversary fined sixteen francs. With added pleasure, Laval told Jaffre, the batonnier who was present at the hearing had asked Laval about his plans. Laval intimated to him that the water had aphrodisiac qualities whereupon, Laval claimed, his friend had ordered a full case. Laval was convinced he could win over the jurors, even the most partisan.
