marquise de brinvilliers-第7部分

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to　kill　two　of　the　four　horses　by　which　she　was　conveyed；　and　to　profit　by　the　moment　of　confusion　to　seize　the　chest　and　throw　it　into　the　fire；　otherwise；　she　declared；　she　was　lost。　　Though　Theria　received　none　of　these　letters；　which　were　one　by　one　handed　over　by　Barbier　to　Desgrais；　he　all　the　same　did　go　to　Maestricht；　where　the　marquise　was　to　pass；　of　his　own　accord。　　There　he　tried　to　bribe　the　archers；　offering　much　as　10；000　livres；　but　they　were　incorruptible。　　At　Rocroy　the　cortege　met　M。　Palluau；　the　councillor；　whom　the　Parliament　had　sent　after　the　prisoner；　that　he　might　put　questions　to　her　at　a　time　when　she　least　expected　them；　and　so　would　not　have　prepared　her　answers。　　Desgrais　told　him　all　that　had　passed；　and　specially　called　his　attention　to　the　famous　box；　the　object　of　so　much　anxiety　and　so　many　eager　instructions。　　M。　de　Palluau　opened　it；　and　found　among　other　things　a　paper　headed　〃　My　Confession。〃　This　confession　was　a　proof　that　the　guilty　feel　great　need　of　discovering　their　crimes　either　to　mankind　or　to　a　merciful　God。　Sainte…Croix；　we　know；　had　made　a　confession　that　was　burnt；　and　here　was　the　marquise　equally　imprudent。　　The　confession　contained　seven　articles；　and　began　thus；　〃I　confess　to　God；　and　to　you；　my　father；〃　and　was　a　complete　avowal；　of　all　the　crimes　she　had　committed。

In　the　first　article　she　accused　herself　of　incendiarism　；

In　the　second；　of　having　ceased　to　be　a　virgin　at　seven　years　of　age；

In　the　third　of　having　poisoned　her　father；

In　the　fourth；　of　having　poisoned　her　two　brothers；

In　the　fifth；　that　she　had　tried　to　poison　her　sister；　a　Carmelite　nun。

The　two　other　articles　were　concerned　with　the　description　of　strange　and　unnatural　sins。　　In　this　woman　there　was　something　of　Locusta　and　something　of　Messalina　as　well：　antiquity　could　go　no　further。

M。　de　Palluau；　fortified　by　his　knowledge　of　this　important　document；　began　his　examination　forthwith。　　We　give　it　verbatim；　rejoicing　that　we　may　substitute　an　official　report　for　our　own　narrative。

Asked　why　she　fled　to　Liege；　she　replied　that　she　left　France　on　account　of　some　business　with　her　sister…in…law。

Asked　if　she　had　any　knowledge　of　the　papers　found　in　the　box；　she　replied　that　in　the　box　there　were　several　family　papers；　and　among　them　a　general　confession　which　she　desired　to　make；　when　she　wrote　it；　however；　her　mind　was　disordered；　she　knew　not　what　she　had　said　or　done；　being　distraught　at　the　time；　in　a　foreign　country；　deserted　by　her　relatives；　forced　to　borrow　every　penny。

Asked　as　to　the　first　article；　what　house　it　was　she　had　burnt；　she　replied　that　she　had　not　burnt　anything；　but　when　she　wrote　that　she　was　out　of　her　senses。

Asked　about　the　six　other　articles　she　replied　that　she　had　no　recollection　of　them。

Asked　if　she　had　not　poisoned　her　father　and　brothers；　she　replied　that　she　knew　nothing　at　all　about　it。

Asked　if　it　were　not　Lachaussee　who　poisoned　her　brothers；　she　replied　that　she　knew　nothing　about　it。

Asked　if　she　did　not　know　that　her　sister　could　not　live　long；　having　been　poisoned；　she　said　that　she　expected　her　sister　to　die；　because　she　suffered　in　the　same　way　as　her　brothers；　that　she　had　lost　all　memory　of　the　time　when　she　wrote　this　confession；　admitted　that　she　left　France　by　the　advice　of　her　relations。

Asked　why　her　relations　had　advised　her　thus；　she　replied　that　it　was　in　connection　with　her　brothers'　affairs；　admitted　seeing　Sainte…　Croix　since　his　release　from　the　Bastille。

Asked　if　Sainte…Croix　had　not　persuaded　her　to　get　rid　of　her　father；　she　replied　that　she　could　not　remember；　neither　did　she　remember　if　Sainte…Croix　had　given　her　powders　or　other　drugs；　nor　if　Sainte…　Croix　had　told　her　he　knew　how　to　make　her　rich。

Eight　letters　having　been　produced；　asked　to　whom　she　had　written　them；　she　replied　that　she　did　not　remember。

Asked　why　she　had　promised　to　pay　30；000　livres　to　Sainte…Croix；　she　replied　that　she　intended　to　entrust　this　sum　to　his　care；　so　that　she　might　make　use　of　it　when　she　wanted　it；　believing　him　to　be　her　friend；　she　had　not　wished　this　to　be　known；　by　reason　of　her　creditors；　that　she　had　an　acknowledgment　from　Sainte…Croix；　but　had　lost　it　in　her　travels；　that　her　husband　knew　nothing　about　it。

Asked　if　the　promise　was　made　before　or　after　the　death　of　her　brothers；　she　replied　that　she　could　not　remember；　and　it　made　no　difference。

Asked　if　she　knew　an　apothecary　called　Glazer；　she　replied　that　she　had　consulted　him　three　times　about　inflammation。

Asked　why　she　wrote　to　Theria　to　get　hold　of　the　box；　she　replied　that　she　did　not　understand。

Asked　why；　in　writing　to　Theria；　she　had　said　she　was　lost　unless　he　got　hold　of　the　box；　she　replied　that　she　could　not　remember。

Asked　if　she　had　seen　during　the　journey　with　her　father　the　first　symptoms　of　his　malady；　she　replied　that　she　had　not　noticed　that　her　father　was　ill　on　the　journey；　either　going　or　coming　back　in　1666。

Asked　if　she　had　not　done　business　with　Penautier；　she　replied　that　Penautier　owed　her　30；000　livres。

Asked　how　this　was；　she　replied　that　she　and　her　husband　had　lent　Penautier　10；000　crowns；　that　he　had　paid　it　back；　and　since　then　they　had　had　no　dealings　with　him。

The　marquise　took　refuge；　we　see；　in　a　complete　system　of　denial：　arrived　in　Paris；　and　confined　in　the　Conciergerie；　she　did　the　same；　but　soon　other　terrible　charges　were　added；　which　still　further　overwhelmed　her。

The　sergeant　Cluet　deposed：　that；　observing　a　lackey　to　M。　d'Aubray；　the　councillor；　to　be　the　man　Lachaussee；　whom　he　had　seen　in　the　service　of　Sainte…Croix；　he　said　to　the　marquise　that　if　her　brother　knew　that　Lachaussee　had　been　with　Sainte…Croix　he　would　not　like　it；　but　that　Madame　de　Brinvilliers　exclaimed；　〃Dear　me；　don't　tell　my　brothers；　they　would　give　him　a　thrashing；　no　doubt；　and　he　may　just　as　well　get　his　wages　as　any　body　else。〃　　He　said　nothing　to　the　d'Aubrays；　though　he　saw　Lachaussee　paying　daily　visits　to　Sainte…　Croix　and　to　the　marquise；　who　was　worrying　Sainte…Croix　to　let　her　have　her　box；　and　wanted　her　bill　for　two　or　three　thousand　pistoles。　Other　wise　she　would　have　had　him　assassinated。　　She　often　said　that　she　was　very　anxious　that　no　one　should　see　the　contents　of　the　box；　that　it　was　a　very　important　matter；　but　only　concerned　herself。　After　the　box　was　opened；　the　witness　added；　he　had　told　the　marquise；　that　the　commissary　Picard　said　to　Lachaussee　that　there　were　strange　things　in　it；　but　the　lady　blushed；　and　changed　the　subject。　　He　asked　her　if　she　were　not　an　accomplice。　　She　said；　〃What！　　I？〃　but　then　muttered　to　herself：　〃　Lachaussee　ought　to　be　sent　off　to　Picardy。〃　　The　witness　repeated　that　she　had　been　after　Sainte…Croix　along　time　about　the　box；　and　if　she　had　got　it　she　would　have　had　his　throat　cut。　　The　witness　further　said　that　when　he　told　Briancourt　that　Lachaussee　was　taken　and　would　doubtless　confess　all；　Briancourt；　speaking　of　the　marquise；　remarked；　〃She　is　a　lost　woman。〃　　That　d'Aubray's　daughter　had　called　Briancourt　a　rogue；　but　Briancourt　had　replied　that　she　little　knew　what　obligations　she　was　under　to　him；　that　they　had　wanted　to　poison　both　her　and　the　lieutenant's　widow；　and　he　alone　had　hindered　it。　　He　had　heard　from　Briancourt　that　the　marquise　had　often　said　that　there　are　means　to　get　rid　of　people　one　dislikes；　and　they　can　easily　be　put　an　end　to　in　a　bowl　of　soup。

The　girl　Edme　Huet；　a　woman　of　Brescia；　deposed　that　Sainte…Croix　went　to　see　the　marquise　every　day；　and　that　in　a　box　belonging　to　that　lady　she　had　seen　two　little　packets　containing　sublimate　in　powder　and　in　paste：　she　recognised　these；　because　she　was　an　apothecary's　daughter。　　She　added　that　one　day　Madame　de　Brinvilliers；　after　a　dinner　party；　in　a　merry　mood；　said；　showing　her　a　little　box；　〃Here　is　vengeance　on　one's　enemies：　this　box　is　small；　but　holds　plenty　of　successsions！〃　　That　she　gave　back　the　box　into　her　hands；　but　soon　changing　from　her　sprightly　mood；　she　cried；　〃Good　heavens；　what　have　I　said？　　Tell　nobody。〃　　That　Lambert；　clerk　at　the　palace；　told　her　he　had　brought　the　packets　to　Madame　from　Sainte…Croix；　that　Lachaussee　often　went　to　see　her；　and　that　she　herself；　not　being　paid　ten　pistoles　which　the　marquise　owed　her；　went　to　complain　to　Sainte…Croix；　threatening　to　tell　the　lieutenant　what　she　had　seen；　and　accordingly　the　ten　pistoles　were　paid；　further；　that　the　marquise　and　Sainte…Croix　always　kept　poison　about　them；　to　make　use　of；　in　case　of　being　arrested。

Laurent　Perrette；　living　with　Glazer；　said　that　he　had　often　seen　a　lady　call　on　his　mistress　with　Sainte…Croix；　that　the　footman　told　him　she　was　the　Marquise　de　Brinvilliers；　that　he　would　wager　his　head　on　it　that　they　came　to　Glazer's　to　make　poison；　that　when　they　came　they　used　to　leave　their　carriage　at　the　Foire　Saint…Germain。

Marie　de　Villeray；　maid　to　the　marquise；　deposed　that　after　the　death　of　M。　d'Aubray　the　councillor；　Lachaussee　came　to　see　the　lady　and　spoke　with　her　in　private；　that　Briancourt　said　she　had　caused　the　death　of　a　worthy　men；　that　Briancourt　every　day　took　some　electuary　for　fear　of　being　poisoned；　and　it　was　no　doubt　due　to　this　precaution　that　he　was　still　alive；　but　he　feared　he　would　be　stabbed；　because　she　had　told　him　the　secret　about　the　poisoning；　that　d'Aubray's　daughter　had　to　be　warned；　and　that　there　was　a　similar　design　against　the　tutor　of　M。　de　Brinvillier's　children。　Marie　de　Villeray　added　that　two　days　after　the　death　of　the　councillor；　when　Lachaussee　was　in　Madame's　bedroom；　Couste；　the　late　lieutenant's　secretary；　was　announced；　and　Lachaussee　had　to　be　hidden　in　the　alcove　by　the　bed。　　Lachaussee　brought　the　marquise　a　letter　from　Sainte…Croix。

Francois　Desgrais；　officer；　deposed　that　when　he　was　given　the　king's　orders　he　arrested　the　marquise　at　Liege；　that　he　found　under　her　bed　a　box　which　he　sealed；　that　the　lady　had　demanded　a　paper　which　was　in　it；　containing　her　confession；　but　he　refused　it；　that　on　the　road　to　Paris　the　marquise　had　told　him　that　she　believed　it　was　Glazer　who　made　the　poisons　for　Sainte…Croix；　that　Sainte…Croix；　who　had　made　a　rendezvous　with　her　one　day　at　the　cross　Saint…Honore；　there　showed　her　four　little　bot