marquise de brinvilliers-第17章

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This　assurance　calmed　the　marquise　somewhat；　and　she　thanked　the　man。　Then　turning　to　the　doctor；　she　said；　〃Here　is　a　rosary　that　I　would　rather　should　not　fall　into　this　person's　hands。　　Not　that　he　could　not　make　good　use　of　it；　for；　in　spite　of　their　trade；　I　fancy　that　these　people　are　Christians　like　ourselves。　　But　I　should　prefer　to　leave　this　to　somebody　else。〃

〃Madame；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃if　you　will　tell　me　your　wishes　in　this　matter；　I　will　see　that　they　are　carried　out。〃

〃Alas！〃　she　said；　〃there　is　no　one　but　my　sister；　and　I　fear　lest　she；　remembering　my　crime　towards　her；　may　be　too　horrified　to　touch　anything　that　belonged　to　me。　　If　she　did　not　mind；　it　would　be　a　great　comfort　to　me　to　think　she　would　wear　it　after　my　death；　and　that　the　sight　of　it　would　remind　her　to　pray　for　me；　but　after　what　has　passed；　the　rosary　could　hardly　fail　to　revive　an　odious　recollection。　　My　God；　my　God！　　I　am　desperately　wicked；　can　it　be　that　you　will　pardon　me？〃

〃Madame；〃　replied　the　doctor；　〃I　think　you　are　mistaken　about　Mlle；　d'Aubray。　　You　may　see　by　her　letter　what　are　her　feelings　towards　you；　and　you　must　pray　with　this　rosary　up　to　the　very　end。　　Let　not　your　prayers　be　interrupted　or　distracted；　for　no　guilty　penitent　must　cease　from　prayer；　and　I；　madame；　will　engage　to　deliver　the　rosary　where　it　will　be　gladly　received。〃

And　the　marquise；　who　had　been　constantly　distracted　since　the　morning；　was　now；　thanks　to　the　patient　goodness　of　the　doctor；　able　to　return　with　her　former　fervour　to　her　prayers。　　She　prayed　till　seven　o'clock。　　As　the　clock　struck；　the　executioner　without　a　word　came　and　stood　before　her；　she　saw　that　her　moment　had　come；　and　said　to　the　doctor；　grasping　his　arm；　〃A　little　longer；　just　a　few　moments；　I　entreat。〃

〃Madame；〃　said　the　doctor；　rising；　〃we　will　now　adore　the　divine　blood　of　the　Sacrament；　praying　that　you　may　be　thus　cleansed　from　all　soil　and　sin　that　may　be　still　in　your　heart。　　Thus　shall　you　gain　the　respite　you　desire。〃

The　executioner　then　tied　tight　the　cords　round　her　hands　that　he　had　let　loose　before；　and　she　advanced　pretty　firmly　and　knelt　before　the　altar；　between　the　doctor　and　the　chaplain。　　The　latter　was　in　his　surplice；　and　chanted　a　'Veni　Creator；　Salve　Regina；　and　Tantum　ergo'。　　These　prayers　over；　he　pronounced　the　blessing　of　the　Holy　Sacrament；　while　the　marquise　knelt　with　her　face　upon　the　ground。　The　executioner　then　went　forward　to　get　ready　a　shirt；　and　she　made　her　exit　from　the　chapel；　supported　on　the　left　by　the　doctor's　arm；　on　the　right　by　the　executioner's　assistant。　　Thus　proceeding；　she　first　felt　embarrassment　and　confusion。　　Ten　or　twelve　people　were　waiting　outside；　and　as　she　suddenly　confronted　them；　she　made　a　step　backward；　and　with　her　hands；　bound　though　they　were；　pulled　the　headdress　down　to　cover　half　her　face。　　She　passed　through　a　small　door；　which　was　closed　behind　her；　and　then　found　herself　between　the　two　doors　alone；　with　the　doctor　and　the　executioner's　man。　　Here　the　rosary；　in　consequence　of　her　violent　movement　to　cover　her　face；　came　undone；　and　several　beads　fell　on　the　floor。　　She　went　on；　however；　without　observing　this；　but　the　doctor　stopped　her；　and　he　and　the　man　stooped　down　and　picked　up　all　the　beads；　which　they　put　into　her　hand。　　Thanking　them　humbly　for　this　attention；　she　said　to　the　man；　〃Sir；　I　know　I　have　now　no　worldly　possessions；　that　all　I　have　upon　me　belongs　to　you；　and　I　may　not　give　anything　away　without　your　consent；　but　I　ask　you　kindly　to　allow　me　to　give　this　chaplet　to　the　doctor　before　I　die：　you　will　not　be　much　the　loser；　for　it　is　of　no　value；　and　I　am　giving　it　to　him　for　my　sister。　　Kindly　let　me　do　this。〃

〃Madame；〃　said　the　man；　〃it　is　the　custom　for　us　to　get　all　the　property　of　the　condemned；　but　you　are　mistress　of　all　you　have；　and　if　the　thing　were　of　the　very　greatest　value　you　might　dispose　of　it　as　you　pleased。〃

The　doctor；　whose　arm　she　held；　felt　her　shiver　at　this　gallantry；　which　for　her；　with　her　natural　haughty　disposition；　must　have　been　the　worst　humiliation　imaginable；　but　the　movement　was　restrained；　and　her　face　gave　no　sign。　　She　now　came　to　the　porch　of　the　Conciergerie；　between　the　court　and　the　first　door；　and　there　she　was　made　to　sit　down；　so　as　to　be　put　into　the　right　condition　for　making　the　'amende　honorable'。　　Each　step　brought　her　nearer　to　the　scaffold；　and　so　did　each　incident　cause　her　more　uneasiness。　　Now　she　turned　round　desperately；　and　perceived　the　executioner　holding　a　shirt　in　his　hand。　　The　door　of　the　vestibule　opened；　and　about　fifty　people　came　in；　among　them　the　Countess　of　Soissons；　Madame　du　Refuge；　Mlle。　de　Scudery；　M；　de　Roquelaure；　and　the　Abbe　de　Chimay。　At　the　sight　the　marquise　reddened　with　shame；　and　turning　to　the　doctor；　said；　〃Is　this　man　to　strip　me　again；　as　he　did　in　the　question　chamber？　　All　these　preparations　are　very　cruel；　and；　in　spite　of　myself；　they　divert　my　thoughts；　from　God。〃

Low　as　her　voice　was；　the　executioner　heard；　and　reassured　her；　saying　that　they　would　take　nothing　off；　only　putting　the　shirt　over　her　other　clothes。

He　then　approached；　and　the　marquise；　unable　to　speak　to　the　doctor　with　a　man　on　each　side　of　her；　showed　him　by　her　looks　how　deeply　she　felt　the　ignominy　of　her　situation。　　Then；　when　the　shirt　had　been　put　on；　for　which　operation　her　hands　had　to　be　untied；　the　man　raised　the　headdress　which　she　had　pulled　down；　and　tied　it　round　her　neck；　then　fastened　her　hands　together　with　one　rope　and　put　another　round　her　waist；　and　yet　another　round　her　neck；　then；　kneeling　before　her；　he　took　off　her　shoes　and　stockings。　　Then　she　stretched　out　her　hands　to　the　doctor。

〃Oh；　sir；〃　she　cried；　〃in　God's　name；　you　see　what　they　have　done　to　me！　　Come　and　comfort　me。〃

The　doctor　came　at　once；　supporting　her　head　upon　his　breast；　trying　to　comfort　her；　but　she；　in　a　tone　of　bitter　lamentation；　gazing　at　the　crowd；　who　devoured　her　with　all　their　eyes；　cried；　〃Oh；　sir；　is　not　this　a　strange；　barbarous　curiosity？〃

〃Madame；〃　said　he；　the　tears　in　his　eyes；　〃do　not　look　at　these　eager　people　from　the　point　of　view　of　their　curiosity　and　barbarity；　though　that　is　real　enough；　but　consider　it　part　of　the　humiliation　sent　by　God　for　the　expiation　of　your　crimes。　　God；　who　was　innocent；　was　subject　to　very　different　opprobrium；　and　yet　suffered　all　with　joy；　for；　as　Tertullian　observes；　He　was　a　victim　fattened　on　the　joys　of　suffering　alone。〃

As　the　doctor　spoke　these　words；　the　executioner　placed　in　the　marquise's　hands　the　lighted　torch　which　she　was　to　carry　to　Notre…　Dame；　there　to　make　the　'amende　honorable'；　and　as　it　was　too　heavy；　weighing　two　pounds；　the　doctor　supported　it　with　his　right　hand；　while　the　registrar　read　her　sentence　aloud　a　second　time。　　The　doctor　did　all　in　his　power　to　prevent　her　from　hearing　this　by　speaking　unceasingly　of　God。　　Still　she　grew　frightfully　pale　at　the　words；　〃When　this　is　done；　she　shall　be　conveyed　on　a　tumbril；　barefoot；　a　cord　round　her　neck；　holding　in　her　hands　a　burning　torch　two　pounds　in　weight；〃　and　the　doctor　could　feel　no　doubt　that　in　spite　of　his　efforts　she　had　heard。　　It　became　still　worse　when　she　reached　the　threshold　of　the　vestibule　and　saw　the　great　crowd　waiting　in　the　court。　　Then　her　face　worked　convulsively；　and　crouching　down；　as　though　she　would　bury　her　feet　in　the　earth；　she　addressed　the　doctor　in　words　both　plaintive　and　wild：　〃Is　it　possible　that；　after　what　is　now　happening；　M。　de　Brinvilliers　can　endure　to　go　on　living？〃

〃Madame；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃when　our　Lord　was　about　to　leave　His　disciples；　He　did　not　ask　God　to　remove　them　from　this　earth；　but　to　preserve　them　from　all　sin。　　'My　Father；'　He　said；　'I　ask　not　that　You　take　them　from　the　world；　but　keep　them　safe　from　evil。'　If；　madame；　you　pray　for　M。　de　Brinvilliers；　let　it　be　only　that　he　may　be　kept　in　grace；　if　he　has　it；　and　may　attain　to　it　if　he　has　it　not。〃

But　the　words　were　useless：　at　that　moment　the　humiliation　was　too　great　and　too　public；　her　face　contracted；　her　eyebrows　knit；　flames　darted　from　her　eyes；　her　mouth　was　all　twisted。　　Her　whole　appearance　was　horrible；　the　devil　was　once　more　in　possession。　During　this　paro