martin guerre-第9章

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breathless。　　Bertrande　hastened　towards　her　in　astonishment；　followed

by　her　husband；　but　when　near　enough　to　speak　she　could　only　answer

with　inarticulate　sounds；　pointing　with　terror　to　the　courtyard　of

the　house。　　They　looked　in　this　direction；　and　saw　a　man　standing　at

the　threshold；　they　approached　him。　　He　stepped　forward；　as　if　to

place　himself　between　them。　　He　was　tall；　dark；　his　clothes　were

torn；　he　had　a　wooden　leg；　his　countenance　was　stern。　　He　surveyed

Bertrande　with　a　gloomy　look：　she　cried　aloud；　and　fell　back

insensible；　。　。　。　she　recognised　her　real　husband！



Arnauld　du　Thill　stood　petrified。　　While　Marguerite；　distracted

herself；　endeavoured　to　revive　her　mistress；　the　neighbours；

attracted　by　the　noise；　invaded　the　house；　and　stopped；　gazing　with

stupefaction　at　this　astonishing　resemblance。　　The　two　men　had　the

same　features；　the　same　height；　the　same　bearing；　and　suggested　one

being　in　two　persons。　　They　gazed　at　each　other　in　terror；　and　in

that　superstitious　age　the　idea　of　sorcery　and　of　infernal

intervention　naturally　occurred　to　those　present。　　All　crossed

themselves；　expecting　every　moment　to　see　fire　from　heaven　strike　one

or　other　of　the　two　men；　or　that　the　earth　would　engulf　one　of　them。

Nothing　happened；　however；　except　that　both　were　promptly　arrested；

in　order　that　the　strange　mystery　might　be　cleared　up。



The　wearer　of　the　wooden　leg；　interrogated　by　the　judges；　related

that　he　came　from　Spain；　where　first　the　healing　of　his　wound；　and

then　the　want　of　money；　had　detained　him　hitherto。　　He　had　travelled

on　foot；　almost　a　beggar。　　He　gave　exactly　the　same　reasons　for

leaving　Artigues　as　had　been　given　by　the　other　Martin　Guerre；

namely；　a　domestic　quarrel　caused　by　jealous　suspicion；　the　desire　of

seeing　other　countries；　and　an　adventurous　disposition。　　He　had　gone

back　to　his　birthplace；　in　Biscay；　thence　he　entered　the　service　of

the　Cardinal　of　Burgos；　then　the　cardinal's　brother　had　taken　him　to

the　war；　and　he　had　served　with　the　Spanish　troops；　at　the　battle　of

St。　Quentinyhis　leg　had　been　shattered　by　an　arquebus　ball。　　So　far

his　recital　was　the　counterpart　of　the　one　already　heard　by　the

judges　from　the　other　man。　　Now；　they　began　to　differ。　　Martin　Guerre

stated　that　he　had　been　conveyed　to　a　house　by　a　man　whose　features

he　did　not　distinguish；　that　he　thought　he　was　dying；　and　that

several　hours　elapsed　of　which　he　could　give　no　account；　being

probably　delirious；　that　he　suffered　later　intolerable　pain；　and　on

coming　to　himself；　found　that　his　leg　had　been　amputated。　　He

remained　long　between　life　and　death；　but　he　was　cared　for　by

peasants　who　probably　saved　his　life；　his　recovery　was　very　slow。　　He

discovered　that　in　the　interval　between　being　struck　down　in　the

battle　and　recovering　his　senses；　his　papers　had　disappeared；　but　it

was　impossible　to　suspect　the　people　who　had　nursed　him　with　such

generous　kindness　of　theft。　　After　his　recovery；　being　absolutely

destitute；　he　sought　to　return　to　France　and　again　see　his　wife　and

child：　he　had　endured　all　sorts　of　privations　and　fatigues；　and　at

length；　exhausted；　but　rejoicing　at　being　near　the　end　of　his

troubles；　he　arrived；　suspecting　nothing；　at　his　own　door。　　Then　the

terror　of　the　old　servant；　a　few　broken　words；　made　him　guess　at　some

misfortune；　and　the　appearance　of　his　wife　and　of　a　man　so　exactly

like　himself　stupefied　him。　　Matters　had　now　been　explained；　and　he

only　regretted　that　his　wound　had　not　at　once　ended　his　existence。



The　whole　story　bore　the　impress　of　truth；　but　when　the　other

prisoner　was　asked　what　he　had　to　say　he　adhered　to　his　first

answers；　maintaining　their　correctness；　and　again　asserted　that　he

was　the　real　Martin　Guerre；　and　that　the　new　claimant　could　only　be

Arnauld　du　Thill；　the　clever　impostor；　who　was　said　to　resemble

himself　so　much　that　the　inhabitants　of　Sagias　had　agreed　in

mistaking　him　for　the　said　Arnauld。



The　two　Martin　Guerres　were　then　confronted　without　changing　the

situation　in　the　least；　the　first　showing　the　same　assurance；　the

same　bold　and　confident　bearing；　while　the　second；　calling　on　God　and

men　to　bear　witness　to　his　sincerity；　deplored　his　misfortune　in　the

most　pathetic　terms。



The　judge's　perplexity　was　great：　the　affair　became　more　and　more

complicated；　the　question　remained　as　difficult；　as　uncertain　as

ever。　　All　the　appearances　and　evidences　were　at　variance；

probability　seemed　to　incline　towards　one；　sympathy　was　more　in

favour　of　the　other；　but　actual　proof　was　still　wanting。



At　length　a　member　of　the　Parliament；　M。　de　Coras；　proposed　as　a　last

chance　before　resorting　to　torture；　that　final　means　of　examination

in　a　barbarous　age；　that　Bertrande　should　be　placed　between　the　two

rivals；　trusting；　he　said；　that　in　such　a　case　a　woman's　instinct

would　divine　the　truth。　　Consequently　the　two　Martin　Guerres　were

brought　before　the　Parliament；　and　a　few　moments　after　Bertrande　was

led　in；　weak；　pale；　hardly　able　to　stand；　being　worn　out　by　suffering

and　advanced　pregnancy。　　Her　appearance　excited　compassion；　and　all

watched　anxiously　to　see　what　she　would　do。　　She　looked　at　the　two

men；　who　had　been　placed　at　different　ends　of　the　hall；　and　turning

from　him　who　was　nearest　to　her；　went　and　knelt　silently　before　the

man　with　the　wooden　leg；　then；　joining　her　hands　as　if　praying　for

mercy；　she　wept　bitterly。　　So　simple　and　touching　an　action　roused

the　sympathy　of　all　present；　Arnauld　du　Thill　grew　pale；　and　everyone

expected　that　Martin　Guerre；　rejoiced　at　being　vindicated　by　this

public　acknowledgment；　would　raise　his　wife　and　embrace　her。　　But　he

remained　cold　and　stern；　and　in　a　contemptuous　tone



〃Your　tears；　madame；〃　he　said；　〃they　do　not　move　me　in　the　least；

neither　can　you　seek　to　excuse　your　credulity　by　the　examples　of　my

sisters　and　my　uncle。　　A　wife　knows　her　husband　more　intimately　than

his　other　relations；　as　you　prove　by　your　present　action；　and　if　she

is　deceived　it　is　because　she　consents　to　the　deception。　　You　are　the

sole　cause　of　the　misfortunes　of　my　house；　and　to　you　only　shall　I

ever　impute　them。〃



Thunderstruck　by　this　reproach；　the　poor　woman　had　no　strength　to

reply；　and　was　taken　home　more　dead　than　alive。



The　dignified　language　of　this　injured　husband　made　another　point　in

his　favour。　　Much　pity　was　felt　for　Bertrande；　as　being　the　victim　of

an　audacious　deception；　but　everybody　agreed　that　thus　it　beseemed

the　real　Martin　Guerre　to　have　spoken。　　After　the　ordeal　gone　through

by　the　wife　had　been　also　essayed　by　the　sisters　and　other　relatives；

who　one　and　all　followed　Bertrande's　example　and　accepted　the　new…

comer；　the　court；　having　fully　deliberated；　passed　the　following

sentence；　which　we　transcribe　literally：



〃Having　reviewed　the　trial　of　Arnauld　du　Thill　or　Pansette；　calling

himself　Martin　Guerre；　a　prisoner　in　the　Conciergerie；　who　appeals

from　the　decision　of　the　judge　of　Rieux；　etc。；



〃We　declare　that　this　court　negatives　the　appeal　and　defence　of　the

said　Arnauld　du　Thill；　and　as　punishment　and　amends　for　the

imposture；　deception；　assumption　of　name　and　of　person；　adultery；

rape；　sacrilege；　theft；　larceny；　and　other　deeds　committed　by　the

aforesaid　du　Thill；　and　causing　the　above…mentioned　trial；　this　court

has　condemned　and　condemns　him　to　do　penance　before　the　church　of

Artigue；　kneeling；　clad　in　his　shirt　only；　bareheaded　and　barefoot；　a

halter　on　his　neck；　and　a　burning　torch　in　his　hand；　and　there　he

shall　ask　pardon　from　God；　from　the　King；　and　from　justice；　from　the

said　Martin　Guerre　and　Bertrande　de　Rolls；　husband　and　wife：　and　this

done；　the　aforesaid　du　Thill　shall　be　delivered　into　the　hands　of　the

executioners　of　the　King's　justice；　who　shall　lead　him　through　the

customary　streets　and　crossroads　of　the　aforesaid　place　of　Artigues；

and；　the　halter　on　his　neck；　shall　bring　him　before　the　house　of　the

aforesaid　Martin　Guerre；　where　he　shall　be　hung　and　strangled　upon　a

gibbet　erected　for　this　purpose；　after　which　his　body　shall　be　burnt：

and　for　various　reasons　and　considerations　thereunto　moving　the

court；　it　has　awarded　and　awards　the　goods　of　the　aforesaid　Arnauld

du　Thill；　apart　from　the　expenses　of　justice；　to　the　daughter　born

unto　him　by　the　aforesaid　Bertrande　de　Rolls；　under　pretence　of

marriage　falsely　asserted　by　him；　having　thereto　assumed　the　name　and

person　of　the　aforesaid　Martin　Guerre；　by　this　mans　deceiving　the

aforesaid　de　Rolls；　and　moreover　the　court　has　exempted　and　exempts

from　this　trial　the　aforesaid　Martin　Guerre　and　Bertrande　de　Rolls；

also　the　said　Pierre　Guerre；　uncle　of　the　aforesaid　Martin；　and　has

remitted　and　remits　the　aforesaid　Arnauld　du　Thill　to　the　aforesaid

judge　of　Rieux；　in　order　that　the　present　sentence　may　be　executed

according　to　its　form　and　tenor。　　Pronounced　judicially　this　12th　day

of　September　1560。〃



This　sentence　substituted　the　gallows　for　the　decapitation　decreed　by

the　first　judge；　inasmuch　as　the　latter　punishment　was　reserved　for

criminals　of　noble　birth；　while　hanging　was　inflicted　on　meaner

persons。



When　once　his　fate　was　decided；　Arnauld　du　Thill　lost　all　his

audacity。　　Sent　back　to　Artigues；　he　was　interrogated　in　prison　by

the　judge　of　Rieux；　and　confessed　his　imposture　at　great　length。　　He

said　the　idea　first　occurred　to　him　when；　having　returned　from　the

camp　in　Picardy；　he　was　addressed　as　Martin　Guerre　by　several

intimate　friends　of　the　latter。　　He　then　inquired　as　to　the　sort　of

life；　the　habits　and　relations　of；　this　man；　and　having　contrived　to

be　near　him；　had　watched　him　closely　during　the　battle。　　He　saw　him

fall；　carried　him　away；　and　then；　as　the　reader　has　already　seen；

excited　his　delirium　to　the　utmost　in　order　to　obtain　possession　of

his　secrets。　　Having　thus　explained　his　successful　imposture　by

natural　causes；　which　excluded　any　idea　of　magic　or　sorcery；　he

protested　his　penitence；　implored　the　mercy　of　God；　and　prepared

himself　for　execution　as　became　a　Christian。



The　next　day；　while　the　populace；　collecting　from　the　whole

neighbourhood；　had　assembled　before　the　parish　church　of　Artigues　in

order　to　behold　the　penance　of　the　criminal；　who；　barefoot；　attired

in　a　shirt；　and　holding　a　lighted　torch　in　his　hand；　knelt　at　the

entrance　of　the　church；　another　scene；　no　less　painful；　took　place　in

the　house　of　Martin　Guerre。　　Exhausted　by　her　suffering；　which　had

caused　a　premature　confinement；　Bertrande　lay　on　her　couch　of　pain；

and　besought　pardon　from　him　whom　she　had　innocently　wronged；

entreating　him　also　to　pray　for　her　soul。　　Martin　Guerre；　sitting　at

her　bedside；　extended　his　hand　and　blessed　her。　　She　took　his　hand

and　held　it　to　her　lips；　she　could　no　longer　speak。　　All　at　once　a

loud　noise　was　heard　outside：　the　guilty　man　had　just　been　executed

in　front　of　the　house。　　When　finally　attached　to　the　gallows；　he

uttered　a