marquise de brinvilliers-第12部分

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e；　without　suffering　the　penalty　that　my　sins　have　deserved。　　But　I　have　been　told　that　the　flames　of　purgatory　where　souls　are　burned　for　a　time　are　just　the　same　as　the　flames　of　hell　where　those　who　are　damned　burn　through　all　eternity　tell　me；　then；　how　can　a　soul　awaking　in　purgatory　at　the　moment　of　separation　from　this　body　be　sure　that　she　is　not　really　in　hell？　how　can　she　know　that　the　flames　that　burn　her　and　consume　not　will　some　day　cease？　　For　the　torment　she　suffers　is　like　that　of　the　damned；　and　the　flames　wherewith　she　is　burned　are　even　as　the　flames　of　hell。　　This　I　would　fain　know；　that　at　this　awful　moment　I　may　feel　no　doubt；　that　I　may　know　for　certain　whether　I　dare　hope　or　must　despair。〃

〃Madame；〃　replied　the　doctor；　〃you　are　right；　and　God　is　too　just　to　add　the　horror　of　uncertainty　to　His　rightful　punishments。　　At　that　moment　when　the　soul　quits　her　earthly　body　the　judgment　of　God　is　passed　upon　her：　she　hears　the　sentence　of　pardon　or　of　doom；　she　knows　whether　she　is　in　the　state　of　grace　or　of　mortal　sin；　she　sees　whether　she　is　to　be　plunged　forever　into　hell；　or　if　God　sends　her　for　a　time　to　purgatory。　　This　sentence；　madame；　you　will　learn　at　the　very　instant　when　the　executioner's　axe　strikes　you；　unless；　indeed；　the　fire　of　charity　has　so　purified　you　in　this　life　that　you　may　pass；　without　any　purgatory　at　all；　straight　to　the　home　of　the　blessed　who　surround　the　throne　of　the　Lord；　there　to　receive　a　recompense　for　earthly　martyrdom。〃

〃Sir；〃　replied　the　marquise；　〃I　have　such　faith　in　all　you　say　that　I　feel　I　understand　it　all　now；　and　I　am　satisfied。〃

The　doctor　and　the　marquise　then　resumed　the　confession　that　was　interrupted　the　night　before。　　The　marquise　had　during　the　night　recollected　certain　articles　that　she　wanted　to　add。　　So　they　continued；　the　doctor　making　her　pause　now　and　then　in　the　narration　of　the　heavier　offences　to　recite　an　act　of　contrition。

After　an　hour　and　a　half　they　came　to　tell　her　to　go　down。　　The　registrar　was　waiting　to　read　her　the　sentence。　　She　listened　very　calmly；　kneeling；　only　moving　her　head；　then；　with　no　alteration　in　her　voice；　she　said；　〃In　a　moment：　we　will　have　one　word　more；　the　doctor　and　I；　and　then　I　am　at　your　disposal。〃　　She　then　continued　to　dictate　the　rest　of　her　confession。　　When　she　reached　the　end；　she　begged　him　to　offer　a　short　prayer　with　her；　that　God　might　help　her　to　appear　with　such　becoming　contrition　before　her　judges　as　should　atone　for　her　scandalous　effrontery。　　She　then　took　up　her　cloak；　a　prayer…book　which　Father　Chavigny　had　left　with　her；　and　followed　the　concierge；　who　led　her　to　the　torture　chamber；　where　her　sentence　was　to　be　read。

First；　there　was　an　examination　which　lasted　five　hours。　　The　marquise　told　all　she　had　promised　to　tell；　denying　that　she　had　any　accomplices；　and　affirming　that　she　knew　nothing　of　the　composition　of　the　poisons　she　had　administered；　and　nothing　of　their　antidotes。　When　this　was　done；　and　the　judges　saw　that　they　could　extract　nothing　further；　they　signed　to　the　registrar　to　read　the　sentence。　She　stood　to　hear　it：　it　was　as　follows：

〃That　by　the　finding　of　the　court；　d'Aubray　de　Brinvilliers　is　convicted　of　causing　the　death　by　poison　of　Maitre　Dreux　d'Aubray；　her　father；　and　of　the　two　Maitres　d'Aubray；　her　brothers；　one　a　civil　lieutenant；　the　other　a　councillor　to　the　Parliament；　also　of　attempting　the　life　of　Therese　d'Aubray；　her　sister；　in　punishment　whereof　the　court　has　condemned　and　does　condemn　the　said　d'Aubray　de　Brinvilliers　to　make　the　rightful　atonement　before　the　great　gate　of　the　church　of　Paris；　whither　she　shall　be　conveyed　in　a　tumbril；　barefoot；　a　rope　on　her　neck；　holding　in　her　hands　a　burning　torch　two　pounds　in　weight；　and　there　on　her　knees　she　shall　say　and　declare　that　maliciously；　with　desire　for　revenge　and　seeking　their　goods；　she　did　poison　her　father；　cause　to　be　poisoned　her　two　brothers；　and　attempt　the　life　of　her　sister；　whereof　she　doth　repent；　asking　pardon　of　God；　of　the　king；　and　of　the　judges；　and　when　this　is　done；　she　shall　be　conveyed　and　carried　in　the　same　tumbril　to　the　Place　de　Greve　of　this　town；　there　to　have　her　head　cut　off　on　a　scaffold　to　be　set　up　for　the　purpose　at　that　place；　afterwards　her　body　to　be　burnt　and　the　ashes　scattered；　and　first　she　is　to　be　subjected　to　the　question　ordinary　and　extraordinary；　that　she　may　reveal　the　names　of　her　accomplices。　　She　is　declared　to　be　deprived　of　all　successions　from　her　said　father；　brothers；　and　sister；　from　the　date　of　the　several　crimes；　and　all　her　goods　are　confiscated　to　the　proper　persons；　and　the　sum　of　4000　livres　shall　be　paid　out　of　her　estate　to　the　king；　and　400　livres　to　the　Church　for　prayers　to　be　said　on　behalf　of　the　poisoned　persons；　and　all　the　costs　shall　be　paid；　including　those　of　Amelin　called　Lachaussee。　　In　Parliament；　16th　July　1676。〃

The　marquise　heard　her　sentence　without　showing　any　sign　of　fear　or　weakness。　　When　it　was　finished；　she　said　to　the　registrar；　〃　Will　you；　sir；　be　so　kind　as　to　read　it　again？　　I　had　not　expected　the　tumbril；　and　I　was　so　much　struck　by　that　that　I　lost　the　thread　of　what　followed。〃

The　registrar　read　the　sentence　again。　　From　that　moment　she　was　the　property　of　the　executioner；　who　approached　her。　　She　knew　him　by　the　cord　he　held　in　his　hands；　and　extended　her　own；　looking　him　over　coolly　from　head　to　foot　without　a　word。　　The　judges　then　filed　out；　disclosing　as　they　did　so　the　various　apparatus　of　the　question。　　The　marquise　firmly　gazed　upon　the　racks　and　ghastly　rings；　on　which　so　many　had　been　stretched　crying　and　screaming。　　She　noticed　the　three　buckets　of　water

＇Note：　The　torture　with　the　water　was　thus　administered。　　There　were　eight　vessels；　each　containing　2　pints　of　water。　　Four　of　these　were　given　for　the　ordinary；　and　eight　for　the　extraordinary。　　The　executioner　inserted　a　horn　into　the　patient's　mouth；　and　if　he　shut　his　teeth；　forced　him　to　open　them　by　pinching　his　nose　with　the　finger　and　thumb。＇

prepared　for　her；　and　turned　to　the　registrarfor　she　would　not　address　the　executionersaying；　with　a　smile；　〃No　doubt　all　this　water　is　to　drown　me　in？　　I　hope　you　don't　suppose　that　a　person　of　my　size　could　swallow　it　all。〃　　The　executioner　said　not　a　word；　but　began　taking　off　her　cloak　and　all　her　other　garments；　until　she　was　completely　naked。　　He　then　led　her　up　to　the　wall　and　made　her　sit　on　the　rack　of　the　ordinary　question；　two　feet　from　the　ground。　　There　she　was　again　asked　to　give　the　names　of　her　accomplices；　the　composition　of　the　poison　and　its　antidote；　but　she　made　the　same　reply　as　to　the　doctor；　only　adding；　〃If　you　do　not　believe　me；　you　have　my　body　in　your　hands；　and　you　can　torture　me。〃

The　registrar　signed　to　the　executioner　to　do　his　duty。　　He　first　fastened　the　feet　of　the　marquise　to　two　rings　close　together　fixed　to　a　board；　then　making　her　lie　down；　he　fastened　her　wrists　to　two　other　rings　in　the　wall；　distant　about　three　feet　from　each　other。　The　head　was　at　the　same　height　as　the　feet；　and　the　body；　held　up　on　a　trestle；　described　a　half…curve；　as　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；　tha