gave up the office。 I still assist at executions； but no
longer strike the blow myself no； indeed。〃
〃You have； then； a repugnance to your profession？〃
〃So long as I struck in the name of the law and of justice
my profession allowed me to sleep quietly； sheltered as I
was by justice and law； but since that terrible night when I
became an instrument of private vengeance and when with
personal hatred I raised the sword over one of God's
creatures since that day 〃
The executioner paused and shook his head with an expression
of despair。
〃Tell me about it；〃 said the monk； who； sitting on the foot
of the bed； began to be interested in a story so strangely
introduced。
〃Ah！〃 cried the dying man； with all the effusiveness of a
grief declared after long suppression； 〃ah！ I have sought to
stifle remorse by twenty years of good deeds； I have
assuaged the natural ferocity of those who shed blood； on
every occasion I have exposed my life to save those who were
in danger； and I have preserved lives in exchange for that I
took away。 That is not all； the money gained in the exercise
of my profession I have distributed to the poor； I have been
assiduous in attending church and those who formerly fled
from me have become accustomed to seeing me。 All have
forgiven me； some have even loved me； but I think that God
has not pardoned me； for the memory of that execution
pursues me constantly and every night I see that woman's
ghost rising before me。〃
〃A woman！ You have assassinated a woman； then？〃 cried the
monk。
〃You also！〃 exclaimed the executioner； 〃you use that word
which sounds ever in my ears ‘assassinated！' I have
assassinated； then； and not executed！ I am an assassin；
then； and not an officer of justice！〃 and he closed his eyes
with a groan。
The monk doubtless feared that he would die without saying
more； for he exclaimed eagerly：
〃Go on； I know nothing； as yet； when you have finished your
story； God and I will judge。〃
〃Oh； father；〃 continued the executioner； without opening his
eyes； as if he feared on opening them to see some frightful
object； 〃it is especially when night comes on and when I
have to cross a river； that this terror which I have been
unable to conquer comes upon me； it then seems as if my hand
grew heavy； as if the cutlass was still in its grasp； as if
the water had the color of blood； and all the voices of
nature the whispering of the trees； the murmur of the
wind； the lapping of the wave united in a voice tearful；
despairing； terrible； crying to me； ‘Place for the justice
of God！'〃
〃Delirium！〃 murmured the monk； shaking his head。
The executioner opened his eyes； turned toward the young man
and grasped his arm。
〃‘Delirium；'〃 he repeated； 〃‘delirium；' do you say？ Oh； no！
I remember too well。 It was evening； I had thrown the body
into the river and those words which my remorse repeats to
me are those which I in my pride pronounced。 After being the
instrument of human justice I aspired to be that of the
justice of God。〃
〃But let me see； how was it done？ Speak；〃 said the monk。
〃It was at night。 A man came to me and showed me an order
and I followed him。 Four other noblemen awaited me。 They led
me away masked。 I reserved the right of refusing if the
office they required of me should seem unjust。 We traveled
five or six leagues； serious； silent； and almost without
speaking。 At length； through the window of a little hut；
they showed me a woman sitting； leaning on a table； and
said； ‘there is the person to be executed。'〃
〃Horrible！〃 said the monk。 〃And you obeyed？〃
〃Father； that woman was a monster。 It was said that she had
poisoned her second husband； she had tried to assassinate
her brother…in…law； she had just poisoned a young woman who
was her rival； and before leaving England she had； it was
believed； caused the favorite of the king to be murdered。〃
〃Buckingham？〃 cried the monk。
〃Yes； Buckingham。〃
〃The woman was English； then？〃
〃No； she was French； but she had married in England。〃
The monk turned pale； wiped his brow and went and bolted the
door。 The executioner thought that he had abandoned him and
fell back； groaning； upon his bed。
〃No； no； I am here；〃 said the monk； quickly coming back to
him。 〃Go on； who were those men？〃
〃One of them was a foreigner； English； I think。 The four
others were French and wore the uniform of musketeers。〃
〃Their names？〃 asked the monk。
〃I don't know them； but the four other noblemen called the
Englishman ‘my lord。'〃
〃Was the woman handsome？〃
〃Young and beautiful。 Oh； yes； especially beautiful。 I see
her now； as on her knees at my feet； with her head thrown
back； she begged for life。 I have never understood how I
could have laid low a head so beautiful； with a face so
pale。〃
The monk seemed agitated by a strange emotion； he trembled
all over； he seemed eager to put a question which yet he
dared not ask。 At length； with a violent effort at
self…control：
〃The name of that woman？〃 he said。
〃I don't know what it was。 As I have said； she was twice
married； once in France； the second time in England。〃
〃She was young； you say？〃
〃Twenty…five years old。〃
〃Beautiful？〃
〃Ravishingly。〃
〃Blond？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Abundance of hair falling over her shoulders？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Eyes of an admirable expression？〃
〃When she chose。 Oh； yes； it is she！〃
〃A voice of strange sweetness？〃
〃How do you know it？〃
The executioner raised himself on his elbow and gazed with a
frightened air at the monk； who became livid。
〃And you killed her？〃 the monk exclaimed。 〃You were the tool
of those cowards who dared not kill her themselves？ You had
no pity for that youthfulness； that beauty； that weakness？
you killed that woman？〃
〃Alas！ I have already told you； father； that woman； under
that angelic appearance； had an infernal soul； and when I
saw her； when I recalled all the evil she had done to me
〃
〃To you？ What could she have done to you？ Come； tell me！〃
〃She had seduced and ruined my brother； a priest。 She had
fled with him from her convent。〃
〃With your brother？〃
〃Yes； my brother was her first lover； and she caused his
death。 Oh； father； do not look in that way at me！ Oh； I am
guilty； then； you will not pardon me？〃
The monk recovered his usual expression。
〃Yes； yes；〃 he said； 〃I will pardon you if you tell me all。〃
〃Oh！〃 cried the executioner； 〃all！ all！ all！〃
〃Answer； then。 If she seduced your brother you said she
seduced him； did you not？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃If she caused his death you said that she caused his
death？〃
〃Yes；〃 repeated the executioner。
〃Then you must know what her name was as a young girl。〃
〃Oh； mon Dieu！〃 cried the executioner； 〃I think I am dying。
Absolution； father！ absolution。〃
〃Tell me her name and I will give it。〃
〃Her name was My God； have pity on me！〃 murmured the
executioner； and he fell back on the bed； pale； trembling；
and apparently about to die。
〃Her name！〃 repeated the monk； bending over him as if to
tear from him the name if he would not utter it； 〃her name！
Speak； or no absolution！〃
The dying man collected all his forces。
The monk's eyes glittered。
〃Anne de Bueil；〃 murmured the wounded man。
〃Anne de Bueil！〃 cried the monk； standing up and lifting his
hands to Heaven。 〃Anne de Bueil！ You said Anne de Bueil； did
you not？〃
〃Yes； yes； that was her name； and now absolve me； for I am
dying。〃
〃I； absolve you！〃 cried the priest； with a laugh which made
the dying man's hair stand on end； 〃I； absolve you？ I am not
a priest。〃
〃You are not a priest！〃 cried the executioner。 〃What； then；
are you？〃
〃I am about to tell you； wretched man。〃
〃Oh； mon Dieu！〃
〃I am John Francis de Winter。〃
〃I do not know you；〃 said the executioner。
〃Wait； wait； you are going to know me。 I am John Francis de
Winter；〃 he repeated； 〃and that woman 〃
〃Well； that woman？〃
〃Was my mother！〃
The executioner uttered the first cry； that terrible cry
which had been first heard。
〃Oh； pardon me； pardon me！〃 he murmured； 〃if not in the name
of God； at least in your own name； if not as priest； then as
son。〃
〃Pardon you！〃 cried the pretended monk； 〃pardon you！ Perhaps
God will pardon you； but I； never！〃
〃For pity's sake；〃 said the executioner； extending his arms。
〃No pity for him who had no pity！ Die； impenitent； die in
despair； die and be damned！〃 And drawing a poniard from
beneath his robe he thrust it into the breast of the wounded
man； saying； 〃Here is my absolution！〃
Then was heard that second cry； not so loud as the first and
followed by a long groan。
The executioner； who had lifted himself up； fell back upon
his bed。 As to the monk； without withdrawing the poniard
from the wound； he ran to the window； opened it； leaped out
into the flowers of a small garden； glided onward to the
stable； took out his mule； went out by a back gate； ran to a
neighbouring thicket； threw off his monkish garb； took from
his valise the complete habiliment of a cavalier； clothed
himself in it； went on foot to the first post； secured there
a horse and continued with a loose rein his journey to
Paris。
33
Grimaud Speaks。
Grimaud was left alone with the executioner； who in a few
moments opened his eyes。
〃Help； help；〃 he murmured； 〃oh； God！ have I not a single
friend in the world who will aid me either to live or to
die？〃
〃Take courage；〃 said Grimaud； 〃they are gone to find
assistance。〃
〃Who are you？〃 asked the wounded man； fixing his half opened
eyes on Grimaud。
〃An old acquaintance；〃 replied Grimaud。
〃You？〃 and the wounded man sought to recall the features of
the person now before him。
〃Under what circumstances did we meet？〃 he asked again。
〃One night； twenty years ago； my master fetched you from
Bethune and conducted you to Armentieres。〃
〃I know you well now；〃 said the executioner； 〃you were one
of the four grooms。〃
〃Just so。〃
〃Where do you come from now？〃
〃I was passing by and drew up at this inn to rest my horse。
They told me the executioner of Bethune was here and
wounded； when you uttered two piercing cries。 At the first
we ran to the door and at the second forced it open。〃
〃And the monk？〃 exclaimed the executioner； 〃did you see the
monk？〃
〃What monk？〃
〃The monk that was shut in with me。〃
〃No； he was no longer here； he appears to have fled by the
window。 Was he the man that stabbe