derues-第27部分

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e　both　for　its　presence　of　mind　and　the　art　with　which　he　made　the　most　of　any　circumstances　likely　to　suggest　doubts　to　the　magistrates　and　soften　the　severity　of　the　first　sentence。　Found　guilty　on　every　point；　he　yet　protested　that　he　was　innocent　of　poisoning。　　Remorse；　which　often　merely　means　fear　of　punishment；　had　no　place　in　his　soul；　and　torture　he　seemed　not　to　dread。　　As　strong　in　will　as　he　was　weak　in　body；　he　desired　to　die　like　a　martyr　in　the　faith　of　his　religion；　which　was　hypocrisy；　and　the　God　whom　he　gloried　on　the　scaffold　was　the　god　of　lies。

On　May　6th；　at　seven　in　the　morning；　the　sentence　of　execution　was　read　to　him。　　He　listened　calmly；　and　when　it　was　finished；　remarked：

〃I　had　not　anticipated　so　severe　a　sentence。〃


A　few　hours　later　the　instruments　of　torture　were　got　ready。　　He　was　told　that　this　part　of　his　punishment　would　be　remitted　if　he　would　confess　his　crimes　and　the　names　of　his　accomplices。　　He　replied：

〃I　have　no　more　to　say。　　I　know　what　terrible　torture　awaits　me；　I　know　I　must　die　to…day；　but　I　have　nothing　to　confess。〃

He　made　no　resistance　when　his　knees　and　legs　were　bound；　and　endured　the　torture　courageously。　　Only；　in　a　moment　of　agony；　he　exclaimed：

〃Accursed　money！　has　thou　reduced　me　to　this？〃

Thinking　that　pain　would　overcome　his　resolution；　the　presiding　magistrate　bent　towards　him；　and　said：

〃Unhappy　man！　confess　thy　crime；　since　death　is　near　at　hand。〃

He　recovered　his　firmness；　and；　looking　at　the　magistrate；　replied：

〃I　know　it；　monseigneur；　I　have　perhaps　not　three　hours　to　live。〃

Thinking　that　his　apparently　feeble　frame　could　not　endure　the　last　wedges；　the　executioner　was　ordered　to　stop。　　He　was　unbound　and　laid　on　a　mattress；　and　a　glass　of　wine　was　brought；　of　which　he　only　drank　a　few　drops；　after　this；　he　made　his　confession　to　the　priest。　For；　dinner；　they　brought　him　soup　and　stew；　which　he　ate　eagerly；　and　inquiring　of　the　gaoler　if　he　could　have　something　more；　an　entree　was　brought　in　addition。　　One　might　have　thought　that　this　final　repast　heralded；　not　death　but　deliverance。　　At　length　three　o'clock　struck　the　hour　appointed　for　leaving　the　prison。

According　to　the　report　of　credible　persons　whom　we　have　consulted；　Paris　on　this　occasion　presented　a　remarkable　appearance；　which　those　who　saw　it　were　never　able　to　forget。　　The　great　anthill　was　troubled　to　its　very　lowest　depth。　　Whether　by　accident　or　design；　the　same　day　had　been　fixed　for　a　function　which　ought　to　have　proved　a　considerable　counter　attraction。　　A　great　festival　in　honour　of　a　German　prince　was　given　on　the　Plaine　de　Grenelle；　at　which　all　the　court　was　present；　and　probably　more　than　one　great　lady　regretted　missing　the　emotions　of　the　Place　de　Greve；　abandoned　to　the　rabble　and　the　bourgeoisie。　　The　rest　of　the　city　was　deserted；　the　streets　silent；　the　houses　closed。　　A　stranger　transported　suddenly　into　such　a　solitude　might　have　reasonably　thought　that　during　the　night　the　town　had　been　smitten　by　the　Angel　of　Death；　and　that　only　a　labyrinth　of　vacant　buildings　remained；　testifying　to　the　life　and　turmoil　of　the　preceding　day。　　A　dark　and　dense　atmosphere　hung　over　the　abandoned　town；　lightning　furrowed　the　heavy　motionless　clouds；　in　the　distance　the　occasional　rumble　of　thunder　was　heard；　answered　by　the　cannon　of　the　royal　fete。　　The　crowd　was　divided　between　the　powers　of　heaven　and　earth：　the　terrible　majesty　of　the　Eternal　on　one　side；　on　the　other　the　frivolous　pomp　of　royaltyeternal　punishment　and　transient　grandeur　in　opposition。　　Like　the　waters　of　a　flood　leaving　dry　the　fields　which　they　have　covered；　so　the　waves　of　the　multitude　forsook　their　usual　course。　　Thousands　of　men　and　women　crowded　together　along　the　route　which　the　death…cart　would　take；　an　ocean　of　heads　undulated　like　the　ears　in　a　wheatfield。　　The　old　houses；　hired　at　high　rates；　quivered　under　the　weight　of　eager　spectators；　and　the　window　sashes　had　been　removed　to　afford　a　better　view。

Attired　in　the　shirt　worn　by　condemned　criminals；　and　bearing　a　placard　both　in　front　and　behind；　with　the　words　〃Wilful　Poisoner；〃　Derues　descended　the　great　staircase　of　the　Chatelet　with　a　firm　step。　　It　was　at　this　moment；　on　seeing　the　crucifix；　that　he　exclaimed；　〃O　Christ；　I　shall　suffer　like　Thee！〃　He　mounted　the　tumbril；　looking　right　and　left　amongst　the　crowd。　　During　the　progress　he　recognised　and　bowed　to　several　of　his　old　associates；　and　bade　adieu　in　a　clear　voice　to　the　former　mistress　of　his　'prentice　days；　who　has　recorded　that　she　never　saw　him　look　so　pleasant。　　Arrived　at　the　door　of　Notre　Dame；　where　the　clerk　was　awaiting　him；　he　descended　from　the　tumbril　without　assistance；　took　a　lighted　wax　taper　weighing　two　pounds　in　his　hand；　and　did　penance；　kneeling；　bareheaded　and　barefooted；　a　rope　round　his　neck；　repeating　the　words　of　the　death…warrant。　　He　then　reascended　the　cart　in　the　midst　of　the　cries　and　execrations　of　the　populace；　to　which　he　appeared　quite　insensible。　　One　voice　only；　endeavouring　to　dominate　the　tumult；　caused　him　to　turn　his　head：；　it　was　that　of　the　hawker　who　was　crying　his　sentence；　and　who　broke　off　now　and　then　to　say

〃Well！　my　poor　gossip　Derues；　how　do　you　like　that　fine　carriage　you're　in？　　Oh　yes；　mutter　your　prayers　and　look　up　to　heaven　as　much　as　you　like；　you　won't　take　us　in　now。　　Ah！　thief　who　said　I　stole　from　you！　　Wasn't　I　right　when　I　said　I　should　be　selling　your　sentence　some　day？〃

Then；　adding　her　own　wrongs　to　the　list　of　crimes；　she　declared　that　the　Parliament　had　condemned　him　as　much　for　having　falsely　accused　her　of　theft　as　for　having　poisoned　Madame　de　Lamotte　and　her　son！

When　arrived　at　the　scaffold；　he　gazed　around　him；　and　a　sort　of　shiver　of　impatience　ran　through　the　crowd。　　He　smiled；　and　as　if　anxious　to　trick　mankind　for　the　last　time；　asked　to　be　taken　to　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　which　was　granted；　in　the　hope　that　he　would　at　last　make　some　confession；　but　he　only　persisted　in　saying　that　he　was　guiltless　of　poisoning。　　He　had　an　interview　with　his　wife；　who　nearly　fainted　on　seeing　him；　and　remained　for　more　than　a　quarter　of　an　hour　unable　to　say　a　word。　　He　lavished　tender　names　upon　her；　and　professed　much　affliction　at　seeing　her　in　so　miserable　a　condition。

When　she　was　taken　away；　he　asked　permission　to　embrace　her；　and　took　a　most　touching　farewell。　　His　last　words　have　been　preserved。

〃My　dear　wife；〃　he　said；　〃I　recommend　our　beloved　children　to　your　care：　bring　them　up　in　the　fear　of　God。　　You　must　go　to　Chartres；　you　will　there　see　the　bishop；　on　whom　I　had　the　honour　of　waiting　when　I　was　there　last；　and　who　has　always　been　kind　to　me；　I　believe　he　has　thought　well　of　me；　and　that　I　may　hope　he　will　take　pity　on　you　and　on　our　children。〃

It　was　now　seven　in　the　evening；　and　the　crowd　began　to　murmur　at　the　long　delay。　　At　length　the　criminal　reappeared。　　An　onlooker　who　saw　him　go　to　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　and　who　was　carried　by　the　movement　of　the　crowd　to　the　foot　of　the　scaffold；　says　that　when　handed　over　to　the　executioner　he　took　off　his　clothes　himself。　　He　kissed　the　instrument　of　punishment　with　devotion；　then　extended　himself　on　the　St。　Andrew's　cross；　asking　with　a　resigned　smile　that　they　would　make　his　sufferings　as　short　as　possible。　　As　soon　as　his　head　was　covered；　the　executioner　gave　the　signal。　　One　would　have　thought　a　very　few　blows　would　have　finished　so　frail　a　being；　but　he　seemed　as　hard　to　kill　as　the　venomous　reptiles　which　must　be　crushed　and　cut　to　pieces　before　life　is　extinct；　and　the　coup　de　grace　was　found　necessary。　　The　executioner　uncovered　his　head　and　showed　the　confessor　that　the　eyes　were　closed　and　that　the　heart　had　ceased　to　beat。　　The　body　was　then　removed　from　the　cross；　the　hands　and　feet　fastened　together；　and　it　was　thrown　on　the　funeral　pile。

While　the　execution　was　proceeding　the　people　applauded。　　On　the　morrow　they　bought　up　the　fragments　of　bone；　and　hastened　to　buy　lottery　tickets；　in　the　firm　conviction　that　these　precious　relics　would　bring　luck　to　the　fortunate　possessors！

〃In　1777；　Madame　Derues　was　sentenced　to　perpetual　imprisonment；　and　confined　at　the　Salpetriere。　　She　was　one　of　the　first　victims　who　perished　in　the　prison　massacres。





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