twenty years after(二十年后)-第63章

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〃The　former　executioner　of　Bethune；　who　has　just　been
brought　in　here；　assassinated　by　Spaniards；　and　who　is　now
being　confessed　by　an　Augustine　friar。〃
〃The　old　executioner　of　Bethune；〃　muttered　Grimaud；　〃a　man
between　fifty…five　and　sixty；　tall；　strong；　swarthy；　black
hair　and　beard？〃
〃That　is　he；　except　that　his　beard　has　turned　gray　and　his
hair　is　white；　do　you　know　him？〃　asked　the　host。
〃I　have　seen　him　once；〃　replied　Grimaud；　a　cloud　darkening
his　countenance　at　the　picture　so　suddenly　summoned　to　the
bar　of　recollection。
At　this　instant　a　second　cry；　less　piercing　than　the　first；
but　followed　by　prolonged　groaning；　was　heard。
The　three　listeners　looked　at　one　another　in　alarm。
〃We　must　see　what　it　is；〃　said　Grimaud。
〃It　sounds　like　the　cry　of　one　who　is　being　murdered；〃
murmured　the　host。
〃Mon　Dieu！〃　said　the　woman；　crossing　herself。
If　Grimaud　was　slow　in　speaking；　we　know　that　he　was　quick
to　act；　he　sprang　to　the　door　and　shook　it　violently；　but　it
was　bolted　on　the　other　side。
〃Open　the　door！〃　cried　the　host；　〃open　it　instantly；　sir
monk！〃
No　reply。
〃Unfasten　it；　or　I　will　break　it　in！〃　said　Grimaud。
The　same　silence；　and　then；　ere　the　host　could　oppose　his
design；　Grimaud　seized　a　pair　of　pincers　he　perceived　in　a
corner　and　forced　the　bolt。　The　room　was　inundated　with
blood；　dripping　from　the　mattresses　upon　which　lay　the
wounded　man；　speechless；　the　monk　had　disappeared。
〃The　monk！〃　cried　the　host；　〃where　is　the　monk？〃
Grimaud　sprang　toward　an　open　window　which　looked　into　the
courtyard。
〃He　has　escaped　by　this　means；〃　exclaimed　he。
〃Do　you　think　so？〃　said　the　host；　bewildered；　〃boy；　see　if
the　mule　belonging　to　the　monk　is　still　in　the　stable。〃
〃There　is　no　mule；〃　cried　he　to　whom　this　question　was
addressed。
The　host　clasped　his　hands　and　looked　around　him
suspiciously；　whilst　Grimaud　knit　his　brows　and　approached
the　wounded　man；　whose　worn；　hard　features　awoke　in　his　mind
such　awful　recollections　of　the　past。
〃There　can　be　no　longer　any　doubt　but　that　it　is　himself；〃
said　he。
〃Does　he　still　live？〃　inquired　the　innkeeper。
Making　no　reply；　Grimaud　opened　the　poor　man's　jacket　to
feel　if　the　heart　beat；　whilst　the　host　approached　in　his
turn；　but　in　a　moment　they　both　fell　back；　the　host　uttering
a　cry　of　horror　and　Grimaud　becoming　pallid。　The　blade　of　a
dagger　was　buried　up　to　the　hilt　in　the　left　side　of　the
executioner。
〃Run！　run　for　help！〃　cried　Grimaud；　〃and　I　will　remain
beside　him　here。〃
The　host　quitted　the　room　in　agitation；　and　as　for　his　wife；
she　had　fled　at　the　sound　of　her　husband's　cries。

32
The　Absolution。

This　is　what　had　taken　place：　We　have　seen　that　it　was　not
of　his　own　free　will；　but；　on　the　contrary；　very
reluctantly；　that　the　monk　attended　the　wounded　man　who　had
been　recommended　to　him　in　so　strange　a　manner。　Perhaps　he
would　have　sought　to　escape　by　flight　had　he　seen　any
possibility　of　doing　so。　He　was　restrained　by　the　threats　of
the　two　gentlemen　and　by　the　presence　of　their　attendants；
who　doubtless　had　received　their　instructions。　And　besides；
he　considered　it　most　expedient；　without　exhibiting　too　much
ill…will；　to　follow　to　the　end　his　role　as　confessor。
The　monk　entered　the　chamber　and　approached　the　bed　of　the
wounded　man。　The　executioner　searched　his　face　with　the
quick　glance　peculiar　to　those　who　are　about　to　die　and　have
no　time　to　lose。　He　made　a　movement　of　surprise　and　said：
〃Father；　you　are　very　young。〃
〃Men　who　bear　my　robe　have　no；　age；〃　replied　the　monk；
dryly。
〃Alas；　speak　to　me　more　gently；　father；　in　my　last　moments　I
need　a　friend。〃
〃Do　you　suffer　much？〃　asked　the　monk。
〃Yes；　but　in　my　soul　much　more　than　in　my　body。〃
〃We　will　save　your　soul；〃　said　the　young　man；　〃but　are　you
really　the　executioner　of　Bethune；　as　these　people　say？〃
〃That　is　to　say；〃　eagerly　replied　the　wounded　man；　who
doubtless　feared　that　the　name　of　executioner　would　take
from　him　the　last　help　that　he　could　claim　　〃that　is　to
say；　I　was；　but　am　no　longer；　it　is　fifteen　years　since　I
gave　up　the　office。　I　still　assist　at　executions；　but　no
longer　strike　the　blow　myself　　no；　indeed。〃
〃You　have；　then；　a　repugnance　to　your　profession？〃
〃So　long　as　I　struck　in　the　name　of　the　law　and　of　justice
my　profession　allowed　me　to　sleep　quietly；　sheltered　as　I
was　by　justice　and　law；　but　since　that　terrible　night　when　I
became　an　instrument　of　private　vengeance　and　when　with
personal　hatred　I　raised　the　sword　over　one　of　God's
creatures　　since　that　day　　〃
The　executioner　paused　and　shook　his　head　with　an　expression
of　despair。
〃Tell　me　about　it；〃　said　the　monk；　who；　sitting　on　the　foot
of　the　bed；　began　to　be　interested　in　a　story　so　strangely
introduced。
〃Ah！〃　cried　the　dying　man；　with　all　the　effusiveness　of　a
grief　declared　after　long　suppression；　〃ah！　I　have　sought　to
stifle　remorse　by　twenty　years　of　good　deeds；　I　have
assuaged　the　natural　ferocity　of　those　who　shed　blood；　on
every　occasion　I　have　exposed　my　life　to　save　those　who　were
in　danger；　and　I　have　preserved　lives　in　exchange　for　that　I
took　away。　That　is　not　all；　the　money　gained　in　the　exercise
of　my　profession　I　have　distributed　to　the　poor；　I　have　been
assiduous　in　attending　church　and　those　who　formerly　fled
from　me　have　become　accustomed　to　seeing　me。　All　have
forgiven　me；　some　have　even　loved　me；　but　I　think　that　God
has　not　pardoned　me；　for　the　memory　of　that　execution
pursues　me　constantly　and　every　night　I　see　that　woman's
ghost　rising　before　me。〃
〃A　woman！　You　have　assassinated　a　woman；　then？〃　cried　the
monk。
〃You　also！〃　exclaimed　the　executioner；　〃you　use　that　word
which　sounds　ever　in　my　ears　　‘assassinated！'　I　have
assassinated；　then；　and　not　executed！　I　am　an　assassin；
then；　and　not　an　officer　of　justice！〃　and　he　closed　his　eyes
with　a　groan。
The　monk　doubtless　feared　that　he　would　die　without　saying
more；　for　he　exclaimed　eagerly：
〃Go　on；　I　know　nothing；　as　yet；　when　you　have　finished　your
story；　God　and　I　will　judge。〃
〃Oh；　father；〃　continued　the　executioner；　without　opening　his
eyes；　as　if　he　feared　on　opening　them　to　see　some　frightful
object；　〃it　is　especially　when　night　comes　on　and　when　I
have　to　cross　a　river；　that　this　terror　which　I　have　been
unable　to　conquer　comes　upon　me；　it　then　seems　as　if　my　hand
grew　heavy；　as　if　the　cutlass　was　still　in　its　grasp；　as　if
the　water　had　the　color　of　blood；　and　all　the　voices　of
nature　　the　whispering　of　the　trees；　the　murmur　of　the
wind；　the　lapping　of　the　wave　　united　in　a　voice　tearful；
despairing；　terrible；　crying　to　me；　‘Place　for　the　justice
of　God！'〃
〃Delirium！〃　murmured　the　monk；　shaking　his　head。
The　executioner　opened　his　eyes；　turned　toward　the　young　man
and　grasped　his　arm。
〃‘Delirium；'〃　he　repeated；　〃‘delirium；'　do　you　say？　Oh；　no！
I　remember　too　well。　It　was　evening；　I　had　thrown　the　body
into　the　river　and　those　words　which　my　remorse　repeats　to
me　are　those　which　I　in　my　pride　pronounced。　After　being　the
instrument　of　human　justice　I　aspired　to　be　that　of　the
justice　of　God。〃
〃But　let　me　see；　how　was　it　done？　Speak；〃　said　the　monk。
〃It　was　at　night。　A　man　came　to　me　and　showed　me　an　order
and　I　followed　him。　Four　other　noblemen　awaited　me。　They　led
me　away　masked。　I　reserved　the　right　of　refusing　if　the
office　they　required　of　me　should　seem　unjust。　We　traveled
five　or　six　leagues；　serious；　silent；　and　almost　without
speaking。　At　length；　through　the　window　of　a　little　hut；
they　showed　me　a　woman　sitting；　leaning　on　a　table；　and
said；　‘there　is　the　person　to　be　executed。'〃
〃Horrible！〃　said　the　monk。　〃And　you　obeyed？〃
〃Father；　that　woman　was　a　monster。　It　was　said　that　she　had
poisoned　her　second　husband；　she　had　tried　to　assassinate
her　brother…in…law；　she　had　just　poisoned　a　young　woman　who
was　her　rival；　and　before　leaving　England　she　had；　it　was
believed；　caused　the　favorite　of　the　king　to　be　murdered。〃
〃Buckingham？〃　cried　the　monk。
〃Yes；　Buckingham。〃
〃The　woman　was　English；　then？〃
〃No；　she　was　French；　but　she　had　married　in　England。〃
The　monk　turned　pale；　wiped　his　brow　and　went　and　bolted　the
door。　The　executioner　thought　that　he　had　abandoned　him　and
fell　back；　groaning；　upon　his　bed。
〃No；　no；　I　am　he