marquise de brinvilliers- 第14部分

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　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　refle