marquise de brinvilliers-第14节

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　though　lying　over　a　wheel。　　To　increase　the　stretch　of　the　limbs；　the　man　gave　two　turns　to　a　crank；　which　pushed　the　feet；　at　first　about　twelve　inches　from　the　rings；　to　a　distance　of　six　inches。　　And　here　we　may　leave　our　narrative　to　reproduce　the　official　report。

〃On　the　small　trestle；　while　she　was　being　stretched；　she　said　several　times；　'　My　God！　　you　are　killing　me！　　And　I　only　spoke　the　truth。'

〃The　water　was　given：　she　turned　and　twisted；　saying；　'You　are　killing　me！'

〃The　water　was　again　given。

〃Admonished　to　name　her　accomplices；　she　said　there　was　only　one　man；　who　had　asked　her　for　poison　to　get　rid　of　his　wife；　but　he　was　dead。

〃The　water　was　given；　she　moved　a　little；　but　would　not　say　anything。

〃Admonished　to　say　why；　if　she　had　no　accomplice；　she　had　written　from　the　Conciergerie　to　Penautier；　begging　him　to　do　all　he　could　for　her；　and　to　remember　that　his　interests　in　this　matter　were　the　same　as　her　own；　she　said　that　she　never　knew　Penautier　had　had　any　understanding　with　Sainte…Croix　about　the　poisons；　and　it　would　be　a　lie　to　say　otherwise；　but　when　a　paper　was　found　in　Sainte…Croix's　box　that　concerned　Penautier；　she　remembered　how　often　she　had　seen　him　at　the　house；　and　thought　it　possible　that　the　friendship　might　have　included　some　business　about　the　poisons；　that；　being　in　doubt　on　the　point；　she　risked　writing　a　letter　as　though　she　were　sure；　for　by　doing　so　she　was　not　prejudicing　her　own　case；　for　either　Penautier　was　an　accomplice　of　Sainte…Croix　or　he　was　not。　　If　he　was；　he　would　suppose　the　marquise　knew　enough　to　accuse　him；　and　would　accordingly　do　his　best　to　save　her；　if　he　was　not；　the　letter　was　a　letter　wasted；　and　that　was　all。

〃The　water　was　again　given；　she　turned　and　twisted　much；　but　said　that　on　this　subject　she　had　said　all　she　possibly　could；　if　she　said　anything　else；　it　would　be　untrue。〃

The　ordinary　question　was　at　an　end。　　The　marquise　had　now　taken　half　the　quantity　of　water　she　had　thought　enough　to　drown　her。　　The　executioner　paused　before　he　proceeded　to　the　extraordinary　question。　Instead　of　the　trestle　two　feet　and　a　half　high　on　which　she　lay；　they　passed　under　her　body　a　trestle　of　three　and　a　half　feet；　which　gave　the　body　a　greater　arch；　and　as　this　was　done　without　lengthening　the　ropes；　her　limbs　were　still　further　stretched；　and　the　bonds；　tightly　straining　at　wrists　and　ankles；　penetrated　the　flesh　and　made　the　blood　run。　　The　question　began　once　more；　interrupted　by　the　demands　of　the　registrar　and　the　answers　of　the　sufferer。　　Her　cries　seemed　not　even　to　be　heard。

〃On　the　large　trestle；　during　the　stretching；　she　said　several　times；　'O　God；　you　tear　me　to；　pieces！　　Lord；　pardon　me！　　Lord；　have　mercy　upon　me！'

〃Asked　if　she　had　nothing　more　to　tell　regarding　her　accomplices；　she　said　they　might　kill　her；　but　she　would　not　tell　a　lie　that　would　destroy　her　soul。

〃The　water　was　given；　she　moved　about　a　little；　but　would　not　speak。

〃Admonished　that　she　should　tell　the　composition　of　the　poisons　and　their　antidotes；　she　said　that　she　did　not　know　what　was　in　them；　the　only　thing　she　could　recall　was　toads；　that　Sainte…Croix　never　revealed　his　secret　to　her；　that　she　did　not　believe　he　made　them　himself；　but　had　them　prepared　by　Glazer；　she　seemed　to　remember　that　some　of　them　contained　nothing　but　rarefied　arsenic；　that　as　to　an　antidote；　she　knew　of　no　other　than　milk；　and　Sainte…Croix　had　told　her　that　if　one　had　taken　milk　in　the　morning；　and　on　the　first　onset　of　the　poison　took　another　glassful；　one　would　have　nothing　to　fear。

〃Admonished　to　say　if　she　could　add　anything　further；　she　said　she　had　now　told　everything；　and　if　they　killed　her；　they　could　not　extract　anything　more。

〃More　water　was　given；　she　writhed　a　little；　and　said　she　was　dead；　but　nothing　more。

〃More　water　was　given；　she　writhed　more　violently；　but　would　say　no　more。

〃Yet　again　water　was　given；　writhing　and　twisting；　she　said；　with　a　deep　groan；　'O　my　God；　I　am　killed！'　but　would　speak　no　more。〃

Then　they　tortured　her　no　further：　she　was　let　down；　untied；　and　placed　before　the　fire　in　the　usual　manner。　　While　there；　close　to　the　fire；　lying　on　the　mattress；　she　was　visited　by　the　good　doctor；　who；　feeling　he　could　not　bear　to　witness　the　spectacle　just　described；　had　asked　her　leave　to　retire；　that　he　might　say　a　mass　for　her；　that　God　might　grant　her　patience　and　courage。　　It　is　plain　that　the　good　priest　had　not　prayed　in　vain。

〃Ah；〃　said　the　marquise；　when　she　perceived　him；　〃I　have　long　been　desiring　to　see　you　again；　that　you　might　comfort　me。　　My　torture　has　been　very　long　and　very　painful；　but　this　is　the　last　time　I　shall　have　to　treat　with　men；　now　all　is　with　God　for　the　future。　　See　my　hands；　sir；　and　my　feet；　are　they　not　torn　and　wounded？　　Have　not　my　executioners　smitten　me　in　the　same　places　where　Christ　was　smitten？〃

〃And　therefore；　madame；〃　replied　the　priest；　〃these　sufferings　now　are　your　happiness；　each　torture　is　one　step　nearer　to　heaven。　　As　you　say；　you　are　now　for　God　alone；　all　your　thoughts　and　hopes　must　be　fastened　upon　Him；　we　must　pray　to　Him；　like　the　penitent　king；　to　give　you　a　place　among　His　elect；　and　since　nought　that　is　impure　can　pass　thither；　we　must　strive；　madame；　to　purify　you　from　all　that　might　bar　the　way　to　heaven。〃

The　marquise　rose　with　the　doctor's　aid；　for　she　could　scarcely　stand；　tottering；　she　stepped　forward　between　him　and　the　executioner；　who　took　charge　of　her　immediately　after　the　sentence　was　read；　and　was　not　allowed　to　leave　her　before　it　was　completely　carried　out。　　They　all　three　entered　the　chapel　and　went　into　the　choir；　where　the　doctor　and　the　marquise　knelt　in　adoration　of　the　Blessed　Sacrament。　　At　that　moment　several　persons　appeared　in　the　nave；　drawn　by　curiosity。　　They　could　not　be　turned　out；　so　the　executioner；　to　save　the　marquise　from　being　annoyed；　shut　the　gate　of　the　choir；　and　let　the　patient　pass　behind　the　altar。　　There　she　sat　down　in　a　chair；　and　the　doctor　on　a　seat　opposite；　then　he　first　saw；　by　the　light　of　the　chapel　window；　how　greatly　changed　she　was。　Her　face；　generally　so　pale；　was　inflamed；　her　eyes　glowing　and　feverish；　all　her　body　involuntarily　trembling。　　The　doctor　would　have　spoken　a　few　words　of　consolation；　but　she　did　not　attend。　〃Sir；〃　she　said；　〃do　you　know　that　my　sentence　is　an　ignominious　one？　Do　you　know　there　is　fire　in　the　sentence？〃

The　doctor　gave　no　answer；　but；　thinking　she　needed　something；　bade　the　gaoler　to　bring　her　wine。　　A　minute　later　he　brought　it　in　a　cup；　and　the　doctor　handed　it　to　the　marquise；　who　moistened　her　lips　and　then　gave　it　back。　　She　then　noticed　that　her　neck　was　uncovered；　and　took　out　her　handkerchief　to　cover　it；　asking　the　gaoler　for　a　pin　to　fasten　it　with。　　When　he　was　slow　in　finding　a　pin；　looking　on　his　person　for　it；　she　fancied　that　he　feared　she　would　choke　herself；　and　shaking　her　head；　said；　with　a　smile；　〃You　have　nothing　to　fear　now；　and　here　is　the　doctor；　who　will　pledge　his　word　that　I　will　do　myself　no　mischief。〃

〃Madame；〃　said　the　gaoler；　handing　her　the　pin　she　wanted；　〃I　beg　your　pardon　for　keeping　you　waiting。　　I　swear　I　did　not　distrust　you；　if　anyone　distrusts　you；　it　is　not　I。〃

Then　kneeling　before　her；　he　begged　to　kiss　her　hand。　　She　gave　it；　and　asked　him　to　pray　to　God　for　her。　　〃Ah　yes；〃　he　cried；　sobbing；　〃with　all　my　heart。〃　　She　then　fastened　her　dress　as　best　she　could　with　her　hands　tied；　and　when　the　gaoler　had　gone　and　she　was　alone　with　the　doctor；　said：

〃Did　you　not　hear　what　I　said；　sir？　　I　told　you　there　was　fire　in　my　sentence。　　And　though　it　is　only　after　death　that　my　body　is　to　be　burnt；　it　will　always　be　a　terrible　disgrace　on　my　memory。　　I　am　saved　the　pain　of　being　burnt　alive；　and　thus；　perhaps；　saved　from　a　death　of　despair；　but　the　shamefulness　is　the　same；　and　it　is　that　I　think　of。〃

〃Madame；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃it　in　no　way　affects　your　soul's　salvation　whether　your　body　is　cast　into　the　fire　and　reduced　to　ashes　or　whether　it　is　buried　in　the　ground　and　eaten　by　worms；　whether　it　is　drawn　on　a　hurdle　and　thrown　upon　a　dung…heap；　or　embalmed　with　Oriental　perfumes　and　laid　in　a　rich　man's　tomb。　Whatever　may　be　your　end；　your　body　will　arise　on　the　appointed　day；　and　if　Heaven　so　will；　it　will　come　forth　from　its　ashes　more　glorious　than　a　royal　corpse　lying　at　this　moment　in　a　gilded　casket。　Obsequies；　madame；　are　for　those　who　survive；　not　for　the　dead。〃

A　sound　was　heard　at　the　door　of　the　choir。　　The　doctor　went　to　see　what　it　was；　and　found　a　man　who　insisted　on　entering；　all　but　fighting　with　the　executioner。　　The　doctor　approached　and　asked　what　was　the　matter。　　The　man　was　a　saddler；　from　whom　the　marquise　had　bought　a　carriage　before　she　left　France；　this　she　had　partly　paid　for；　but　still　owed　him　two　hundred　livres。　　He　produced　the　note　he　had　had　from　her；　on　which　was　a　faithful　record　of　the　sums　she　had　paid　on　account。　　The　marquise　at　this　point　called　out；　not　knowing　what　was　going　on；　and　the　doctor　and　executioner　went　to　her。　　〃Have　they　come　to　fetch　me　already？〃　said　she。　　〃I　am　not　well　prepared　just　at　this　moment；　but　never　mind；　I　am　ready。〃

The　doctor　reassured　her；　and　told　her　what　was　going　on