marquise de brinvilliers-第8章

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；　and　his　body　was　burnt。　　So　fully　did　the　tribunal　in　its　wisdom　recognise　the　importance　of　securing　the　sanctity　of　a　sacrament　that　is　indispensable　to　salvation。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THIRD　CASE

An　Armenian　woman　had　inspired　a　violent　passion　in　a　young　Turkish　gentleman；　but　her　prudence　was　long　an　obstacle　to　her　lover's　desires。　　At　last　he　went　beyond　all　bounds；　and　threatened　to　kill　both　her　and　her　husband　if　she　refused　to　gratify　him。　　Frightened　by　this　threat；　which　she　knew　too　well　he　would　carry　out；　she　feigned　consent；　and　gave　the　Turk　a　rendezvous　at　her　house　at　an　hour　when　she　said　her　husband　would　be　absent；　but　by　arrangement　the　husband　arrived；　and　although　the　Turk　was　armed　with　a　sabre　and　a　pair　of　pistols；　it　so　befell　that　they　were　fortunate　enough　to　kill　their　enemy；　whom　they　buried　under　their　dwelling　unknown　to　all　the　world。　　But　some　days　after　the　event　they　went　to　confess　to　a　priest　of　their　nation；　and　revealed　every　detail　of　the　tragic　story。　　This　unworthy　minister　of　the　Lord　supposed　that　in　a　Mahommedan　country；　where　the　laws　of　the　priesthood　and　the　functions　of　a　confessor　are　either　unknown　or　disapproved；　no　examination　would　be　made　into　the　source　of　his　information；　and　that　his　evidence　would　have　the　same　weight　as　any　other　accuser's。　So　he　resolved　to　make　a　profit　and　gratify　his　own　avarice。　　Several　times　he　visited　the　husband　and　wife；　always　borrowing　considerable　sums；　and　threatening　to　reveal　their　crime　if　they　refused　him。　　The　first　few　times　the　poor　creatures　gave　in　to　his　exactions；　but　the　moment　came　at　last　when；　robbed　of　all　their　fortune；　they　were　obliged　to　refuse　the　sum　he　demanded。　　Faithful　to　his　threat；　the　priest；　with　a　view　to　more　reward；　at　once　denounced　them　to　the　dead　man's　father。　　He；　who　had　adored　his　son；　went　to　the　vizier；　told　him　he　had　identified　the　murderers　through　their　confessor；　and　asked　for　justice。　　But　this　denunciation　had　by　no　means　the　desired　effect。　　The　vizier；　on　the　contrary；　felt　deep　pity　for　the　wretched　Armenians；　and　indignation　against　the　priest　who　had　betrayed　them。　He　put　the　accuser　into　a　room　which　adjoined　the　court；　and　sent　for　the　Armenian　bishop　to　ask　what　confession　really　was；　and　what　punishment　was　deserved　by　a　priest　who　betrayed　it；　and　what　was　the　fate　of　those　whose　crimes　were　made　known　in　this　fashion。　　The　bishop　replied　that　the　secrets　of　confession　are　inviolable；　that　Christians　burn　the　priest　who　reveals　them；　and　absolve　those　whom　he　accuses；　because　the　avowal　made　by　the　guilty　to　the　priest　is　proscribed　by　the　Christian　religion；　on　pain　of　eternal　damnation。　The　vizier；　satisfied　with　the　answer；　took　the　bishop　into　another　room；　and　summoned　the　accused　to　declare　all　the　circumstances：　the　poor　wretches；　half　dead；　fell　at　the　vizier's　feet。　　The　woman　spoke；　explaining　that　the　necessity　of　defending　life　and　honour　had　driven　them　to　take　up　arms　to　kill　their　enemy。　　She　added　that　God　alone　had　witnessed　their　crime；　and　it　would　still　be　unknown　had　not　the　law　of　the　same　God　compelled　them　to　confide　it　to　the　ear　of　one　of　His　ministers　for　their　forgiveness。　　Now　the　priest's　insatiable　avarice　had　ruined　them　first　and　then　denounced　them。　The　vizier　made　them　go　into　a　third　room；　and　ordered　the　treacherous　priest　to　be　confronted　with　the　bishop；　making　him　again　rehearse　the　penalties　incurred　by　those　who　betray　confessions。　Then；　applying　this　to　the　guilty　priest；　he　condemned　him　to　be　burnt　alive　in　a　public　place；in　anticipation；　said　he；　of　burning　in　hell；　where　he　would　assuredly　receive　the　punishment　of　his　infidelity　and　crimes。　　The　sentence　was　executed　without　delay。

In　spite　of　the　effect　which　the　advocate　intended　to　produce　by　these　three　cases；　either　the　judges　rejected　them；　or　perhaps　they　thought　the　other　evidence　without　the　confession　was　enough；　and　it　was　soon　clear　to　everyone；　by　the　way　the　trial　went　forward；　that　the　marquise　would　be　condemned。　　Indeed；　before　sentence　was　pronounced；　on　the　morning　of　July　16th；　1676；　she　saw　M。　Pirot；　doctor　of　the　Sorbonne；　come　into　her　prison；　sent　by　the　chief　president。　　This　worthy　magistrate；　foreseeing　the　issue；　and　feeling　that　one　so　guilty　should　not　be　left　till　the　last　moment；　had　sent　the　good　priest。　　The　latter；　although　he　had　objected　that　the　Conciergerie　had　its　own　two　chaplains；　and　added　that　he　was　too　feeble　to　undertake　such　a　task；　being　unable　even　to　see　another　man　bled　without　feeling　ill；　accepted　the　painful　mission；　the　president　having　so　strongly　urged　it；　on　the　ground　that　in　this　case　he　needed　a　man　who　could　be　entirely　trusted。　　The　president；　in　fact；　declared　that；　accustomed　as　he　was　to　dealing　with　criminals；　the　strength　of　the　marquise　amazed　him。　　The　day　before　he　summoned　M。　Pirot；　he　had　worked　at　the　trial　from　morning　to　night；　and　for　thirteen　hours　the　accused　had　been　confronted　with　Briancourt；　one　of　the　chief　witnesses　against　her。　　On　that　very　；day；　there　had　been　five　hours　more；　and　she　had　borne　it　all；　showing　as　much　respect　towards　her　judges　as　haughtiness　towards　the　witness；　reproaching　him　as　a　miserable　valet；　given　to　drink；　and　protesting　that　as　he　had　been　dismissed　for　his　misdemeanours；　his　testimony　against　her　ought　to　go　for　nothing。　　So　the　chief　president　felt　no　hope　of　breaking　her　inflexible　spirit；　except　by　the　agency　of　a　minister　of　religion；　for　it　was　not　enough　to　put　her　to　death；　the　poisons　must　perish　with　her；　or　else　society　would　gain　nothing。　The　doctor　Pirot　came　to　the　marquise　with　a　letter　from　her　sister；　who；　as　we　know；　was　a　nun　bearing　the　name　of　Sister　Marie　at　the　convent　Saint…Jacques。　　Her　letter　exhorted　the　marquise；　in　the　most　touching　and　affectionate　terms；　to　place　her　confidence　in　the　good　priest；　and　look　upon　him　not　only　as　a　helper　but　as　a　friend。

When　M。　Pirot　came　before　the　marquise；　she　had　just　left　the　dock；　where　she　had　been　for　three　hours　without　confessing　anything；　or　seeming　in　the　least　touched　by　what　the　president　said；　though　he；　after　acting　the　part　of　judge；　addressed　her　simply　as　a　Christian；　and　showing　her　what　her　deplorable　position　was；　appearing　now　for　the　last　time　before　men；　and　destined　so　soon　to　appear　before　God；　spoke　to　her　such　moving　words　that　he　broke　down　himself；　and　the　oldest　and　most　obdurate　judges　present　wept　when　they　heard　him。　When　the　marquise　perceived　the　doctor；　suspecting　that　her　trial　was　leading　her　to　death；　she　approached　him；　saying：

〃You　have　come；　sir；　because〃

But　Father　Chavigny；　who　was　with　M。　Pirot；　interrupted　her；　saying：

〃Madame；　we　will　begin　with　a　prayer。〃

They　all　fell　on　their　knees　invoking　the　Holy　Spirit；　then　the　marquise　asked　them　to　add　a　prayer　to　the　Virgin；　and；　this　prayer　finished；　she　went　up　to　the　doctor；　and；　beginning　afresh；　said：

〃Sir；　no　doubt　the　president　has　sent　you　to　give　me　consolation：　with　you　I　am　to　pass　the　little　life　I　have　left。　　I　have　long　been　eager　to　see　you。〃

〃Madame；〃　the　doctor　replied；　〃I　come　to　render　you　any　spiritual　office　that　I　can；　I　only　wish　it　were　on　another　occasion。〃

〃We　must　have　resolution；　sir；〃　said　she；　smiling；　〃for　all　things。〃

Then　turning　to　Father　Chavigny；　she　said：

〃My　father；　I　am　very　grateful　to　you　for　bringing　the　doctor　here；　and　for　all　the　other　visits　you　have　been　willing　to　pay　me。　　Pray　to　God　for　me；　I　entreat　you；　henceforth　I　shall　speak　with　no　one　but　the　doctor；　for　with　him　I　must　speak　of　things　that　can　only　be　discussed　tete…a…tete。　　Farewell；　then；　my　father；　God　will　reward　you　for　the　attention　you　have　been　willing　to　bestow　upon　me。〃

With　these　words　the　father　retired；　leaving　the　marquise　alone　with　the　doctor　and　the　two　men　and　one　woman　always　in　attendance　on　her。　They　were　in　a　large　room　in　the　Montgomery　tower　extending；　throughout　its　whole　length。　　There　was　at　the　end　of　the　room　a　bed　with　grey　curtains　for　the　lady；　and　a　folding…bed　for　the　custodian。　It　is　said　to　have　been　the　same　room　where　the　poet　Theophile　was　once　shut　up；　and　near　the　door　there　were　still　verses　in　his　well…　known　style　written　by　his　hand。

As　soon　as　the　two　men　and　the　woman　saw　for　what　the　doctor　had　come；　they　retired　to　the　end　of　the　room；　leaving　the　marquise　free　to　ask　for　and　receive　the　consolations　brought　her　by　the　man　of　God。　　Then　the　two　sat　at　a　table　side　by　side。　　The　marquise　thought　she　was　already　condemned；　and　began　to　speak　on　that　assumption；　but　the　doctor　told　her　that　sentence　was　not　yet　given；　and　he　did　not　know　precisely　when　it　would　be；　still　less　what　it　would　be；　but　at　these　words　the　marquise　interrupted　him。

〃Sir；〃　she　said；　〃I　am　not　troubled　about　the　future。　　If　my　sentence　is　not　given　yet；　it　soon　will　be。　　I　expect　the　news　this　morning；　and　I　know　it　will　be　death：　the　only　grace　I　look　for　from　the　president　is　a　delay　between　the　sentence　and　its　execution；　for　if　I　were　executed　to…day　I　should　have　very　little　time　to　prepare；　and　I　feel　I　have　need　for　more。〃

The　doctor　did　not　expect　such　words；　so　he　was　overjoyed　to　learn　what　she　felt。　　In　addition　to　what　the　president　had　said；　he　had　heard　from　Father　Chavigny　that　he　had　told　her　the　Sunday　before　that　it　was　very　unlikely　she　would　escape　death；　and　indeed；　so　far　as　one　could　judge　by　reports　in　the　town；　it　was　a　foregone　conclusion。　　When　he　said　so；　at　first　she　had　appeared　stunned；　and　said　with　an　air　of　great　terror；　〃Father；　must　I　die？〃　　And　when　he　tried　to　speak　words　of　consolation；　she　had　risen　and　shaken　her　head；　proudly　replying

〃No；　no；　father；　there　is　no　need　to　encourage　me。　　I　will　play　my　part；　and　that　at　once：　I　shall　know　how　to　die　like　a　woman　of　spirit。〃

Then　the　father　had　told　her　that　we　cannot　prepare　for　death　so　quickly　and　so　easily；　and　that　we　have　to　be　in　readiness　for　a　long　time；　not　to　be　taken　by　surprise；　and　she　had　replied　that　she　needed　but　a　quarter　of　an　hour　to　confess　in；　and　one　moment　to　die。

So　the　doctor　was　very　glad　to　find　that　between　Sunday　and　Thursday　her　feelings　had　changed　so　much。

〃Yes；〃　said　she；　〃the　more　I　reflect　the　more　I　feel　that　one　day　would　not　be　enough　to　prepare　myself　for　God's　tribunal；　to　be　judged　by　Him　after　men　have　judged　me。〃

〃Madame；〃　replied　the　doctor；　〃I　do　not　know　what　or　when　your　sentence　will　be；　but　should　it　be　death；　and　given　to…day；　I　may　venture　to　promise　you　that　it　will　not　be　carried　out　before　to…　morrow。　　But　although　death　is　as　yet　uncertain；　I　think　it　well　that　you　should　be　prepared　for　any　event。〃

〃Oh；　my　death　is　quite　certain；〃　said　she；　〃and　I　must　not　give　way　to　useless　hopes。　　I　must　repose　in　you　the　great　secrets　of　my　whole　life；　but；　father；　before　this　opening　of　my　heart；　let　me　hear　from　your　lips　the　opinion　you　have　formed　of　me；　and　what　you　think　in　my　present　state　I　ought　to　do。〃

〃You　perceive　my　plan；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃and　you　anticipate　what　I　was　about　to　say。　　Before　entering　into　the　secrets　of　your　conscience；　before　opening　the　discussion　of　your　affairs　with　God；　I　am　ready；　madame；　to　give　you　certain　definite　rules。　　I　do　not　yet　know　whether　you　a