marquise de brinvilliers-第16节

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　　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　paroxysm；　which　lasted　nearly　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　Lebrun；　who　stood　near；　got　such　a　vivid　impression　of　her　face　that　the　following　night　he　could　not　sleep；　and　with　the　sight　of　it　ever　before　his　eyes　made　the　fine　drawing　whichis　now　in　the　Louvre；　giving　to　the　figure　the　head　of　a　tiger；　in　order　to　show　that　the　principal　features　were　the　same；　and　the　whole　resemblance　very　striking。

The　delay　in　progress　was　caused　by　the　immense　crowd　blocking　the　court；　only　pushed　aside　by　archers　on　horseback；　who　separated　the　people。　The　marquise　now　went　out；　and　the　doctor；　lest　the　sight　of　the　people　should　completely　distract　her；　put　a　crucifix　in　her　hand；　bidding　her　fix　her　gaze　upon　it。　　This　advice　she　followed　till　they　gained　the　gate　into　the　street　where　the　tumbril　was　waiting；　then　she　lifted　her　eyes　to　see　the　shameful　object。　　It　was　one　of　the　smallest　of　carts；　still　splashed　with　mud　and　marked　by　the　stones　it　had　carried；　with　no　seat；　only　a　little　straw　at　the　bottom。　　It　was　drawn　by　a　wretched　horse；　well　matching　the　disgraceful　conveyance。

The　executioner　bade　her　get　in　first；　which　she　did　very　rapidly；　as　if　to　escape　observation。　　There　she　crouched　like　a　wild　beast；　in　the　left　corner；　on　the　straw；　riding　backwards。　　The　doctor　sat　beside　her　on　the　right。　　Then　the　executioner　got　in；　shutting　the　door　behind　him；　and　sat　opposite　her；　stretching　his　legs　between　the　doctor's。　　His　man；　whose　business　it　was　to　guide　the　horse；　sat　on　the　front；　back　to　back　with　the　doctor　and　the　marquise；　his　feet　stuck　out　on　the　shafts。　　Thus　it　is　easy　to　understand　how　Madame　de　Sevigne；　who　was　on　the　Pont　Notre…Dame；　could　see　nothing　but　the　headdress　of　the　marquise　as　she　was　driven　to　Notre…Dame。

The　cortege　had　only　gone　a　few　steps；　when　the　face　of　the　marquise；　for　a　time　a　little　calmer；　was　again　convulsed。　　From　her　eyes；　fixed　constantly　on　the　crucifix；　there　darted　a　flaming　glance；　then　came　a　troubled　and　frenzied　look　which　terrified　the　doctor。　　He　knew　she　must　have　been　struck　by　something　she　saw；　and；　wishing　to　calm　her；　asked　what　it　was。

〃Nothing；　nothing；〃　she　replied　quickly；　looking　towards　him；　〃it　was　nothing。〃

〃But；　madame；〃　said　he；　〃you　cannot　give　the　lie　to　your　own　eyes；　and　a　minute　ago　I　saw　a　fire　very　different　from　the　fire　of　love；　which　only　some　displeasing　sight　can　have　provoked。　　What　may　this　be？　　Tell　me；　pray；　for　you　promised　to　tell　me　of　any　sort　of　temptation　that　might　assail　you。〃

〃Sir；〃　she　said；　〃I　will　do　so；　but　it　is　nothing。〃　　Then；　looking　towards　the　executioner；　who；　as　we　know；　sat　facing　the　doctor；　she　said；　〃Put　me　in　front　of　you；　please；　hide　that　man　from　me。〃　　And　she　stretched　out　her　hands　towards　a　man　who　was　following　the　tumbril　on　horseback；　and　so　dropped　the　torch；　which　the　doctor　took；　and　the　crucifix；　which　fell　on　the　floor。　　The　executioner　looked　back；　and　then　turned　sideways　as　she　wished；　nodding　and　saying；　〃Oh　yes；　I　understand。〃　　The　doctor　pressed　to　know　what　it　meant；　and　she　said；　〃It　is　nothing　worth　telling　you；　and　it　is　a　weakness　in　me　not　to　be　able　to　bear　the　sight　of　a　man　who　has　ill…　used　me。　　The　man　who　touched　the　back　of　the　tumbril　is　Desgrais；　who　arrested　me　at　Liege；　and　treated　me　so　badly　all　along　the　road。　When　I　saw　him；　I　could　not　control　myself；　as　you　noticed。〃

〃Madame；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃I　have　heard　of　him；　and　you　yourself　spoke　of　him　in　confession；　but　the　man　was　sent　to　arrest　you；　and　was　in　a　responsible　position；　so　that　he　had　to　guard　you　closely　and　rigorously；　even　if　he　had　been　more　severe；　he　would　only　have　been　carrying　out　his　orders。　　Jesus　Christ；　madame；　could　but　have　regarded　His　executioners　as　ministers　of　iniquity；　servants　of　injustice；　who　added　of　their　own　accord　every　indignity　they　could　think　of；　yet　all　along　the　way　He　looked　on　them　with　patience　and　more　than　patience；　and　in　His　death　He　prayed　for　them。〃

In　the　heart　of　the　marquise　a　hard　struggle　was　passing；　and　this　was　reflected　on　her　face；　but　it　was　only　for　a　moment；　and　after　a　last　convulsive　shudder　she　was　again　calm　and　serene；　then　she　said：

〃Sir；　you　are　right；　and　I　am　very　wrong　to　feel　such　a　fancy　as　this：　may　God　forgive　me；　and　pray　remember　this　fault　on　the　scaffold；　when　you　give　me　the　absolution　you　promise；　that　this　too　may　be　pardoned　me。〃　　Then　she　turned　to　the　executioner　and　said；　〃Please　sit　where　you　were　before；　that　I　may　see　M。　Desgrais。〃　　The　man　hesitated；　but　on　a　sign　from　the　doctor　obeyed。　　The　marquise　looked　fully　at　Desgrais　for　some　time；　praying　for　him；　then；　fixing　her　eyes　on　the　crucifix；　began　to　pray　for　herself：　this　incident　occurred　in　front　of　the　church　of　Sainte…Genevieve　des　Ardents。

But；　slowly　as　it　moved；　the　tumbril　steadily　advanced；　and　at　last　reached　the　place　of　Notre…Dame。　　The　archers　drove　back　the　crowding　people；　and　the　tumbril　went　up　to　the　steps；　and　there　stopped。　　The　executioner　got　down；　removed　the　board　at　the　back；　held　out　his　arms　to　the　marquise；　and　set　her　down　on　the　pavement。　　The　doctor　then　got　down；　his　legs　quite　numb　from　the　cramped　position　he　had　been　in　since　they　left　the　Conciergerie。　　He　mounted　the　church　steps　and　stood　behind　the　marquise；　who　herself　stood　on　the　square；　with　the　registrar　on　her　right；　the　executioner　on　her　left；　and　a　great　crowd　of　people　behind　her；　inside　the　church；　all　the　doors　being　thrown　open。　　She　was　made　to　kneel；　and　in　her　hands　was　placed　the　lighted　torch；　which　up　to　that　time　the　doctor　had　helped　to　carry。　　Then　the　registrar　read　the　'amende　honorable'　from　a　written　paper；　and　she　began　to　say　it　after　him；　but　in　so　low　a　voice　that　the　executioner　said　loudly；　〃Speak　out　as　he　does；　repeat　every　word。　　Louder；　louder！〃　　Then　she　raised　her　voice；　and　loudly　and　firmly　recited　the　following　apology。

〃I　confess　that；　wickedly　and　for　revenge；　I　poisoned　my　father　and　my　brothers；　and　attempted　to　poison　my　sister；　to　obtain　possession　of　their　goods；　and　I　ask　pardon　of　God；　of　the　king；　and　of　my　country's　laws。〃

The　'amende　honorable'　over；　the　executioner　again　carried　her　to　the　tumbril；　not　giving　her　the　torch　any　more：　the　doctor　sat　beside　her：　all　was　just　as　before；　and　the　tumbril　went　on　towards　La　Greve。　　From　that　moment；　until　she　arrived　at　the　scaffold；　she　never　took　her　eyes　off　the　crucifix；　which　the　doctor　held　before　her　the　whole　time；　exhorting　her　with　religious　words；　trying　to　divert　her　attention　from　the　terrible　noise　which　the　people　made　around　the　car；　a　murmur　mingled　with　curses。

When　they　reached　the　Place　de　Greve；　the　tumbril　stopped　at　a　little　distance　from　the　scaffold。　　Then　the　registrar　M。　Drouet；　came　up　on　horseback；　and；　addressing　the　marquise；　said；　〃Madame；　have　you　nothing　more　to　say？　　If　you　wish　to　make　any　declaration；　the　twelve　commissaries　are　here　at　hand；　ready　to　receive　it。〃

〃You　see；　madame；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃we　are　now　at　the　end　of　our　journey；　and；　thank　God；　you　have　not　lost　your　power　of　endurance　on　the　road；　do　not　destroy　the　effect　of　all　you　have　suffered　and　all　you　have　yet　to　suffer　by　concealing　what　you　know；　if　perchance　you　do　know　more　than　you　have　hitherto　said。〃

〃I　have　told　all　I　know；〃　said　the　marquise；　〃and　there　is　no　more　I　can　say。〃

〃Repeat　these　words　in　a　loud　voice；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃so　that　everybody　may　hear。〃

Then　in　her　loudest　voice　the　marquise　repeated

〃I　have　told　all　I　know；　and　there　is　no　more　I　can　say。〃

After　this　declaration；　they　were　going　to　drive　the　tumbril　nearer　to　the　scaffold；　but　the　crowd　was　so　dense　that　the　assistant　could　not　force　a　way　through；　though　he　struck　out　on　every　side　with　his　whip。　　So　they　had　to　stop　a　few　paces　short。　　The　executioner　had　already　got　down；　and　was　adjusting　the　ladder。　　In　this　terrible　moment　of　waiting；　the　marquise　looked　calmly　and　gratefully　at　the　doctor；　and　when　she　felt　that　the　tumbril　had　stopped；　said；　〃Sir；　it　is　not　here　we　part：　you　promised　not　to　leave　me　till　my　head　is　cut　off。　　I　trust　you　will　keep　your　word。〃

〃To　be　sure　I　will；〃　the　doctor　replied；　〃we　shall　n