marquise de brinvilliers-第6部分

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　to　nothing；

＇Note：　There　were　two　kinds　of　question；　one　before　and　one　after　the　sentence　was　passed。　　In　the　first；　an　accused　person　would　endure　frightful　torture　in　the　hope　of　saving　his　life；　and　so　would　often　confess　nothing。　　In　the　second；　there　was　no　hope；　and　therefore　it　was　not　worth　while　to　suffer　additional　pains。＇

so；　in　virtue　of　this　appeal；　a　judgment；　on　March　4th；　1673；　declared　that　Jean　Amelin　Lachaussee　was　convicted　of　having　poisoned　the　lieutenant　and　the　councillor；　for　which　he　was　to　be　broken　alive　on　the　wheel；　having　been　first　subjected　to　the　question　both　ordinary　and　extraordinary；　with　a　view　to　the　discovery　of　his　accomplices。　　At　the　same　time　Madame　de　Brinvilliers　was　condemned　in　default　of　appearance　to　have　her　head　cut　off。

Lachaussee　suffered　the　torture　of　the　boot。　　This　was　having　each　leg　fastened　between　two　planks　and　drawn　together　in　an　iron　ring；　after　which　wedges　were　driven　in　between　the　middle　planks；　the　ordinary　question　was　with　four　wedges；　the　extraordinary　with　eight。　At　the　third　wedge　Lachaussee　said　he　was　ready　to　speak；　so　the　question　was　stopped；　and　he　was　carried　into　the　choir　of　the　chapel　stretched　on　a　mattress；　where；　in　a　weak　voicefor　he　could　hardly　speakhe　begged　for　half　an　hour　to　recover　himself。　　We　give　a　verbatim　extract　from　the　report　of　the　question　and　the　execution　of　the　death…sentence：

〃Lachaussee；　released　from　the　question　and　laid　on　the　mattress；　the　official　reporter　retired。　　Half　an　hour　later　Lachaussee　begged　that　he　might　return；　and　said　that　he　was　guilty；　that　Sainte…Croix　told　him　that　Madame　de　Brinvilliers　had　given　him　the　poison　to　administer　to　her　brothers；　that　he　had　done　it　in　water　and　soup；　had　put　the　reddish　water　in　the　lieutenant's　glass　in　Paris；　and　the　clear　water　in　the　pie　at　Villequoy；　that　Sainte…Croix　had　promised　to　keep　him　always；　and　to　make　him　a　gift　of　100　pistolets；　that　he　gave　him　an　account　of　the　effect　of　the　poisons；　and　that　Sainte…　Croix　had　given　him　some　of　the　waters　several　times。　　Sainte…Croix　told　him　that　the　marquise　knew　nothing　of　his　other　poisonings；　but　Lachaussee　thought　she　did　know；　because　she　had　often　spoken　to　him　about　his　poisons；　that　she　wanted　to　compel　him　to　go　away；　offering　him　money　if　he　would　go；　that　she　had　asked　him　for　the　box　and　its　contents；　that　if　Sainte…Croix　had　been　able　to　put　anyone　into　the　service　of　Madame　d'Aubray；　the　lieutenant's　widow；　he　would　possibly　have　had　her　poisoned　also；　for　he　had　a　fancy　for　her　daughter。〃


This　declaration；　which　left　no　room　for　doubt；　led　to　the　judgment　that　came　next；　thus　described　in　the　Parliamentary　register：　〃Report　of　the　question　and　execution　on　the　24th　of　March　1673；　containing　the　declarations　and　confessions　of　Jean　Amelin　Lachaussee；　the　court　has　ordered　that　the　persons　mentioned；　Belleguise；　Martin；　Poitevin；　Olivier；　Veron　pere；　the　wife　of　Quesdon　the　wigmaker；　be　summoned　to　appear　before　the　court　to　be　interrogated　and　heard　concerning　matters　arising　from　the　present　inquiry；　and　orders　that　the　decree　of　arrest　against　Lapierre　and　summons　against　Penautier　decreed　by　the　criminal　lieutenant　shall　be　carried　out。　　In　Parliament；　27th　March　1673。〃　　In　virtue　of　this　judgment；　Penautier；　Martin；　and　Belleguise　were　interrogated　on　the　2lst；　22nd；　and　24th　of　April。　On　the　26th　of　July；　Penautier　was　discharged；　fuller　information　was　desired　concerning　Belleguise；　and　the　arrest　of　Martin　was　ordered。　On　the　24th　of　March；　Lachaussee　had　been　broken　on　the　wheel。　　As　to　Exili；　the　beginner　of　it　all；　he　had　disappeared　like　Mephistopheles　after　Faust's　end；　and　nothing　was　heard　of　him。　　Towards　the　end　of　the　year　Martin　was　released　for　want　of　sufficient　evidence。　　But　the　Marquise　de　Brinvilliers　remained　at　Liege；　and　although　she　was　shut　up　in　a　convent　she　had　by　no　means　abandoned　one；　at　any　rate；　of　the　most　worldly　pleasures。　　She　had　soon　found　consolation　for　the　death　of　Sainte…Croix；　whom；　all　the　same；　she　had　loved　so　much　as　to　be　willing　to　kill　herself　for　his　sake。　　But　she　had　adopted　a　new　lover；　Theria　by　name。　　About　this　man　it　has　been　impossible　to　get　any　information；　except　that　his　name　was　several　times　mentioned　during　the　trial。　　Thus；　all　the　accusations　had；　one　by　one；　fallen　upon　her；　and　it　was　resolved　to　seek　her　out　in　the　retreat　where　she　was　supposed　to　be　safe。　　The　mission　was　difficult　and　very　delicate。　　Desgrais；　one　of　the　cleverest　of　the　officials；　offered　to　undertake　it。　　He　was　a　handsome　man；　thirty…six　years　old　or　thereabouts：　nothing　in　his　looks　betrayed　his　connection　with　the　police；　he　wore　any　kind　of　dress　with　equal　ease　and　grace；　and　was　familiar　with　every　grade　in　the　social　scale；　disguising　himself　as　a　wretched　tramp　or　a　noble　lord。　　He　was　just　the　right　man；　so　his　offer　was　accepted。

He　started　accordingly　for　Liege；　escorted　by　several　archers；　and；　fortified　by　a　letter　from　the　king　addressed　to　the　Sixty　of　that　town；　wherein　Louis　xiv　demanded　the　guilty　woman　to　be　given　up　for　punishment。　　After　examining　the　letter；　which　Desgrais　had　taken　pains　to　procure；　the　council　authorised　the　extradition　of　the　marquise。

This　was　much；　but　it　was　not　all。　　The　marquise；　as　we　know；　had　taken　refuge　in　a　convent；　where　Desgrais　dared　not　arrest　her　by　force；　for　two　reasons：　first；　because　she　might　get　information　beforehand；　and　hide　herself　in　one　of　the　cloister　retreats　whose　secret　is　known　only　to　the　superior；　secondly；　because　Liege　was　so　religious　a　town　that　the　event　would　produce　a　great　sensation：　the　act　might　be　looked　upon　as　a　sacrilege；　and　might　bring　about　a　popular　rising；　during　which　the　marquise　might　possibly　contrive　to　escape。　　So　Desgrais　paid　a　visit　to　his　wardrobe；　and　feeling　that　an　abbe's　dress　would　best　free　him　from　suspicion；　he　appeared　at　the　doors　of　the　convent　in　the　guise　of　a　fellow…countryman　just　returned　from　Rome；　unwilling　to　pass　through　Liege　without　presenting　his　compliments　to　the　lovely　and　unfortunate　marquise。　Desgrais　had　just　the　manner　of　the　younger　son　of　a　great　house：　he　was　as　flattering　as　a　courtier；　as　enterprising　as　a　musketeer。　　In　this　first　visit　he　made　himself　attractive　by　his　wit　and　his　audacity；　so　much　so　that　more　easily　than　he　had　dared　to　hope；　he　got　leave　to　pay　a　second　call。　　The　second　visit　was　not　long　delayed：　Desgrais　presented　himself　the　very　next　day。　　Such　eagerness　was　flattering　to　the　marquise；　so　Desgrais　was　received　even　better　than　the　night　before。　　She；　a　woman　of　rank　and　fashion；　for　more　than　a　year　had　been　robbed　of　all　intercourse　with　people　of　a　certain　set；　so　with　Desgrais　the　marquise　resumed　her　Parisian　manner。　　Unhappily　the　charming　abbe　was　to　leave　Liege　in　a　few　days；　and　on　that　account　he　became　all　the　more　pressing；　and　a　third　visit；　to　take　place　next　day；　was　formally　arranged。　　Desgrais　was　punctual：　the　marquise　was　impatiently　waiting　him；　but　by　a　conjunction　of　circumstances　that　Desgrais　had　no　doubt　arranged　beforehand；　the　amorous　meeting　was　disturbed　two　or　three　times　just　as　they　were　getting　more　intimate　and　least　wanting　to　be　observed。　Desgrais　complained　of　these　tiresome　checks；　besides；　the　marquise　and　he　too　would　be　compromised：　he　owed　concealment　to　his　cloth：　He　begged　her　to　grant　him　a　rendezvous　outside　the　town；　in　some　deserted　walk；　where　there　would　be　no　fear　of　their　being　recognised　or　followed：　the　marquise　hesitated　no　longer　than　would　serve　to　put　a　price　on　the　favour　she　was　granting；　and　the　rendezvous　was　fixed　for　the　same　evening。

The　evening　came：　both　waited　with　the　same　impatience；　but　with　very　different　hopes。　　The　marquise　found　Desgrais　at　the　appointed　spot：　he　gave　her　his　arm　then　holding　her　hand　in　his　own；　he　gave　a　sign；　the　archers　appeared；　the　lover　threw　off　his　mask；　Desgrais　was　confessed；　and　the　marquise　was　his　prisoner。　　Desgrais　left　her　in　the　hands　of　his　men；　and　hastily　made　his　way　to　the　convent。　　Then；　and　not　before；　he　produced　his　order　from　the　Sixty；　by　means　of　which　he　opened　the　marquise's　room。　　Under　her　bed　he　found　a　box；　which　he　seized　and　sealed；　then　he　went　back　to　her；　and　gave　the　order　to　start。

When　the　marquise　saw　the　box　in　the　hands　of　Desgrais；　she　at　first　appeared　stunned；　quickly　recovering；　she　claimed　a　paper　inside　it　which　contained　her　confession。　　Desgrais　refused；　and　as　he　turned　round　for　the　carriage　to　come　forward；　she　tried　to　choke　herself　by　swallowing　a　pin。　　One　of　the　archers；　called　Claude；　Rolla；　perceiving　her　intention；　contrived　to　get　the　pin　out　of　her　mouth。　After　this；　Desgrais　commanded　that　she　should　be　doubly　watched。

They　stopped　for　supper。　　An　archer　called　Antoine　Barbier　was　present　at　the　meal；　and　watched　so　that　no　knife　or　fork　should　be　put　on　the　table；　or　any　instrument　with　which　she　could　wound　or　kill　herself。　　The　marquise；　as　she　put　her　glass　to　her　mouth　as　though　to　drink；　broke　a　little　bit　off　with　her　teeth；　but　the　archer　saw　it　in　time；　and　forced　her　to　put　it　out　on　her　plate。　Then　she　promised　him；　if　he　would　save　her；　that　she　would　make　his　fortune。　　He　asked　what　he　would　have　to　do　for　that。　　She　proposed　that　he　should　cut　Desgrais'　throat；　but　he　refused；　saying　that　he　was　at　her　service　in　any　other　way。　　So　she　asked　him　for　pen　and　paper；　and　wrote　this　letter：

〃DEAR　THERIA；I　am　in　the　hands　of　Desgrais；　who　is　taking　me　by　road　from　Liege　to　Paris。　　Come　quickly　and　save　me。〃

Antoine　Barbier　took　the　letter；　promising　to　deliver　it　at　the　right　address；　but　he　gave　it　to　Desgrais　instead。　　The　next　day；　finding　that　this　letter　had　not　been　pressing　enough；　she　wrote　him　another；　saying　that　the　escort　was　only　eight　men；　who　could　be　easily　overcome　by　four　or　five　determined　assailants；　and　she　counted　on　him　to　strike　this　bald　stroke。　　But；　uneasy　when　she　got　no　answer　and　no　result　from　her　letters；　she　despatched　a　third　missive　to　Theria。　　In　this　she　implored　him　by　his　own　salvation；　if　he　were　not　strong　enough　to　attack　her　escort　and　save　her；　at　least　to　kill　two　of　the　four　horses　by　which　she　was　conveyed；　and　to　profit　by　the　moment　of　confusion　t