martin guerre-第13章

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and；　the　halter　on　his　neck；　shall　bring　him　before　the　house　of　the

aforesaid　Martin　Guerre；　where　he　shall　be　hung　and　strangled　upon　a

gibbet　erected　for　this　purpose；　after　which　his　body　shall　be　burnt：

and　for　various　reasons　and　considerations　thereunto　moving　the

court；　it　has　awarded　and　awards　the　goods　of　the　aforesaid　Arnauld

du　Thill；　apart　from　the　expenses　of　justice；　to　the　daughter　born

unto　him　by　the　aforesaid　Bertrande　de　Rolls；　under　pretence　of

marriage　falsely　asserted　by　him；　having　thereto　assumed　the　name　and

person　of　the　aforesaid　Martin　Guerre；　by　this　mans　deceiving　the

aforesaid　de　Rolls；　and　moreover　the　court　has　exempted　and　exempts

from　this　trial　the　aforesaid　Martin　Guerre　and　Bertrande　de　Rolls；

also　the　said　Pierre　Guerre；　uncle　of　the　aforesaid　Martin；　and　has

remitted　and　remits　the　aforesaid　Arnauld　du　Thill　to　the　aforesaid

judge　of　Rieux；　in　order　that　the　present　sentence　may　be　executed

according　to　its　form　and　tenor。　　Pronounced　judicially　this　12th　day

of　September　1560。〃



This　sentence　substituted　the　gallows　for　the　decapitation　decreed　by

the　first　judge；　inasmuch　as　the　latter　punishment　was　reserved　for

criminals　of　noble　birth；　while　hanging　was　inflicted　on　meaner

persons。



When　once　his　fate　was　decided；　Arnauld　du　Thill　lost　all　his

audacity。　　Sent　back　to　Artigues；　he　was　interrogated　in　prison　by

the　judge　of　Rieux；　and　confessed　his　imposture　at　great　length。　　He

said　the　idea　first　occurred　to　him　when；　having　returned　from　the

camp　in　Picardy；　he　was　addressed　as　Martin　Guerre　by　several

intimate　friends　of　the　latter。　　He　then　inquired　as　to　the　sort　of

life；　the　habits　and　relations　of；　this　man；　and　having　contrived　to

be　near　him；　had　watched　him　closely　during　the　battle。　　He　saw　him

fall；　carried　him　away；　and　then；　as　the　reader　has　already　seen；

excited　his　delirium　to　the　utmost　in　order　to　obtain　possession　of

his　secrets。　　Having　thus　explained　his　successful　imposture　by

natural　causes；　which　excluded　any　idea　of　magic　or　sorcery；　he

protested　his　penitence；　implored　the　mercy　of　God；　and　prepared

himself　for　execution　as　became　a　Christian。



The　next　day；　while　the　populace；　collecting　from　the　whole

neighbourhood；　had　assembled　before　the　parish　church　of　Artigues　in

order　to　behold　the　penance　of　the　criminal；　who；　barefoot；　attired

in　a　shirt；　and　holding　a　lighted　torch　in　his　hand；　knelt　at　the

entrance　of　the　church；　another　scene；　no　less　painful；　took　place　in

the　house　of　Martin　Guerre。　　Exhausted　by　her　suffering；　which　had

caused　a　premature　confinement；　Bertrande　lay　on　her　couch　of　pain；

and　besought　pardon　from　him　whom　she　had　innocently　wronged；

entreating　him　also　to　pray　for　her　soul。　　Martin　Guerre；　sitting　at

her　bedside；　extended　his　hand　and　blessed　her。　　She　took　his　hand

and　held　it　to　her　lips；　she　could　no　longer　speak。　　All　at　once　a

loud　noise　was　heard　outside：　the　guilty　man　had　just　been　executed

in　front　of　the　house。　　When　finally　attached　to　the　gallows；　he

uttered　a　terrible　cry；　which　was　answered　by　another　from　inside　the

house。　　The　same　evening；　while　the　body　of　the　malefactor　was　being

consumed　by　fire；　the　remains　of　a　mother　and　child　were　laid　to　rest

in　consecrated　ground。











End