derues-第31章

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m；　and　remained　for　more　than　a　quarter　of　an　hour　unable　to　say　a　word。　　He　lavished　tender　names　upon　her；　and　professed　much　affliction　at　seeing　her　in　so　miserable　a　condition。

When　she　was　taken　away；　he　asked　permission　to　embrace　her；　and　took　a　most　touching　farewell。　　His　last　words　have　been　preserved。

〃My　dear　wife；〃　he　said；　〃I　recommend　our　beloved　children　to　your　care：　bring　them　up　in　the　fear　of　God。　　You　must　go　to　Chartres；　you　will　there　see　the　bishop；　on　whom　I　had　the　honour　of　waiting　when　I　was　there　last；　and　who　has　always　been　kind　to　me；　I　believe　he　has　thought　well　of　me；　and　that　I　may　hope　he　will　take　pity　on　you　and　on　our　children。〃

It　was　now　seven　in　the　evening；　and　the　crowd　began　to　murmur　at　the　long　delay。　　At　length　the　criminal　reappeared。　　An　onlooker　who　saw　him　go　to　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　and　who　was　carried　by　the　movement　of　the　crowd　to　the　foot　of　the　scaffold；　says　that　when　handed　over　to　the　executioner　he　took　off　his　clothes　himself。　　He　kissed　the　instrument　of　punishment　with　devotion；　then　extended　himself　on　the　St。　Andrew's　cross；　asking　with　a　resigned　smile　that　they　would　make　his　sufferings　as　short　as　possible。　　As　soon　as　his　head　was　covered；　the　executioner　gave　the　signal。　　One　would　have　thought　a　very　few　blows　would　have　finished　so　frail　a　being；　but　he　seemed　as　hard　to　kill　as　the　venomous　reptiles　which　must　be　crushed　and　cut　to　pieces　before　life　is　extinct；　and　the　coup　de　grace　was　found　necessary。　　The　executioner　uncovered　his　head　and　showed　the　confessor　that　the　eyes　were　closed　and　that　the　heart　had　ceased　to　beat。　　The　body　was　then　removed　from　the　cross；　the　hands　and　feet　fastened　together；　and　it　was　thrown　on　the　funeral　pile。

While　the　execution　was　proceeding　the　people　applauded。　　On　the　morrow　they　bought　up　the　fragments　of　bone；　and　hastened　to　buy　lottery　tickets；　in　the　firm　conviction　that　these　precious　relics　would　bring　luck　to　the　fortunate　possessors！

〃In　1777；　Madame　Derues　was　sentenced　to　perpetual　imprisonment；　and　confined　at　the　Salpetriere。　　She　was　one　of　the　first　victims　who　perished　in　the　prison　massacres。





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