urbain grandier-第18部分

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〃All　persons；　of　whatever　rank　or　profession；　are　hereby　expressly
forbidden　to　traduce；　or　in　any　way　malign；　the　nuns　and　other
persons　at　Loudun　possessed　by　evil　spirits；　or　their　exorcists；　or
those　who　accompany　them　either　to　the　places　appointed　for　exorcism
or　elsewhere；　in　any　form　or　manner　whatever；　on　pain　of　a　fine　of
ten　thousand　livres；　or　a　larger　sum　and　corporal　punishment　should
the　case　so　require；　and　in　order　that　no　one　may　plead　ignorance
hereof；　this　proclamation　will　be　read　and　published　to…day　from　the
pulpits　of　all　the　churches；　and　copies　affixed　to　the　church　doors
and　in　other　suitable　public　places。

〃　Done　at　Loudun；　July　2nd；　1634。〃

This　order　had　great　influence　with　worldly　folk；　and　from　that
moment；　whether　their　belief　was　strengthened　or　not；　they　no　longer
dared　to　express　any　incredulity。　　But　in　spite　of　that；　the　judges
were　put　to　shame；　for　the　nuns　themselves　began　to　repent；　and　on
the　day　following　the　impious　scene　above　described；　just　as　Pere
Lactanee　began　to　exorcise　Sister　Claire　in　the　castle　chapel；　she
rose；　and　turning　towards　the　congregation；　while　tears　ran　down　her
cheeks；　said　in　a　voice　that　could　be　heard　by　all　present；　that　she
was　going　to　speak　the　truth　at　last　in　the　sight　of　Heaven。
Thereupon　she　confessed　that　all　that　she　had　said　during　the　last
fortnight　against　Grandier　was　calumnious　and　false；　and　that　all　her
actions　had　been　done　at　the　instigation　of　the　Franciscan　Pere
Lactance；　the　director；　Mignon；　and　the　Carmelite　brothers。　　Pere
Lactance；　not　in　the　least　taken　aback；　declared　that　her　confession
was　a　fresh　wile　of　the　devil　to　save　her　master　Grandier。　　She　then
made　an　urgent　appeal　to　the　bishop　and　to　M。　de　Laubardemont；　asking
to　be　sequestered　and　placed　in　charge　of　other　priests　than　those
who　had　destroyed　her　soul；　by　making　her　bear　false　witness　against
an　innocent　man；　but　they　only　laughed　at　the　pranks　the　devil　was
playing；　and　ordered　her　to　be　at　once　taken　back　to　the　house　in
which　she　was　then　living。　　When　she　heard　this　order；　she　darted　out
of　the　choir；　trying　to　escape　through　the　church　door；　imploring
those　present　to　come　to　her　assistance　and　save　her　from　everlasting
damnation。　　But　such　terrible　fruit　had　the　proclamation　borne　that
noon　dared　respond；　so　she　was　recaptured　and　taken　back　to　the　house
in　which　she　was　sequestered；　never　to　leave　it　again。




CHAPTER　X

The　next　day　a　still　more　extraordinary　scene　took　place。　　While　M。
de　Laubardemont　was　questioning　one　of　the　nuns；　the　superior　came
down　into　the　court；　barefooted；　in　her　chemise；　and　a　cord　round　her
neck；　and　there　she　remained　for　two　hours；　in　the　midst　of　a　fearful
storm；　not　shrinking　before　lightning；　thunder；　or　rain；　but　waiting
till　M。　de　Laubardemont　and　the　other　exorcists　should　come　out。　　At
length　the　door　opened　and　the　royal　commissioner　appeared；　whereupon
Sister　Jeanne　des　Anges；　throwing　herself　at　his　feet；　declared　she
had　not　sufficient　strength　to　play　the　horrible　part　they　had　made
her　learn　any　longer；　and　that　before　God　and　man　she　declared　Urbain
Grandier　innocent；　saying　that　all　the　hatred　which　she　and　her
companions　had　felt　against　him　arose　from　the　baffled　desires　which
his　comeliness　awokedesires　which　the　seclusion　of　conventional
life　made　still　more　ardent。　　M。　de　Laubardemont　threatened　her　with
the　full　weight　of　his　displeasure；　but　she　answered；　weeping
bitterly；　that　all　she　now　dreaded　was　her　sin；　for　though　the　mercy
of　the　Saviour　was　great；　she　felt　that　the　crime　she　had　committed
could　never　be　pardoned。　　M。　de　Laubardemont　exclaimed　that　it　was
the　demon　who　dwelt　in　her　who　was　speaking；　but　she　replied　that　the
only　demon　by　whom　she　had　even　been　possessed　was　the　spirit　of
vengeance；　and　that　it　was　indulgence　in　her　own　evil　thoughts；　and
not　a　pact　with　the　devil；　which　had　admitted　him　into　her　heart。

With　these　words　she　withdrew　slowly；　still　weeping；　and　going　into
the　garden；　attached　one　end　of　the　cord　round　her　neck　to　the　branch
of　a　tree；　and　hanged　herself。　　But　some　of　the　sisters　who　had
followed　her　cut　her　down　before　life　was　extinct。

The　same　day　an　order　for　her　strict　seclusion　was　issued　for　her　as
for　Sister　Claire；　and　the　circumstances　that　she　was　a　relation　of
M。　de　Laubardemont　did　not　avail　to　lessen　her　punishment　in　view　of
the　gravity　of　her　fault。

It　was　impossible　to　continue　the　exorcisms　other　nuns　might　be
tempted　to　follow　the　example；　of　the　superior　and　Sister　Claire；　and
in　that　case　all　would　be　lost。　　And　besides；　was　not　Urbain　Grandier
well　and　duly　convicted？　　It　was　announced；　therefore；　that　the
examination　had　proceeded　far　enough；　and　that　the　judges　would
consider　the　evidence　and　deliver　judgment。

This　long　succession　of　violent　and　irregular　breaches　of　law
procedure；　the　repeated　denials　of　his　claim　to　justice；　the　refusal
to　let　his　witnesses　appear；　or　to　listen　to　his　defence；　all
combined　to　convince　Grandier　that　his　ruin　was　determined　on；　for
the　case　had　gone　so　far　and　had　attained　such　publicity　that　it　was
necessary　either　to　punish　him　as　a　sorcerer　and　magician　or　to
render　a　royal　commissioner；　a　bishop；　an　entire　community　of　nuns；
several　monks　of　various　orders；　many　judges　of　high　reputation；　and
laymen　of　birth　and　standing；　liable　to　the　penalties　incurred　by
calumniators。　　But　although；　as　this　conviction　grew；　he　confronted
it　with　resignation；　his　courage　did　not　fail；and　holding　it　to　be
his　duty　as　a　man　and　a　Christian　to　defend　his　life　and　honour　to
the　end；　he　drew　up　and　published　another　memorandum；　headed　Reasons
for　Acquittal；　and　had　copies　laid　before　his　judges。　　It　was　a
weighty　and；　impartial　summing　up　of　the　whole　case；　such　as　a
stranger　might　have　written；　and　began；　with　these　words。

〃I　entreat　you　in　all　humility　to　consider　deliberately　and　with
attention　what　the　Psalmist　says　in　Psalm　82；　where　he　exhorts　judges
to　fulfil　their　charge　with　absolute　rectitude；　they　being　themselves
mere　mortals　who　will　one　day　have　to　appear　before　God；　the
sovereign　judge　of　the　universe；　to　give　an　account　of　their
administration。　　The　Lord's　Anointed　speaks　to　you　to…day　who　are
sitting　in　judgment；　and　says

〃'God　standeth　in　the　congregation　of　the　mighty：　He　judgeth　among
the　gods。

〃'How　long　will　ye　judge　unjustly；　and　accept　the　persons　of　the
wicked？

〃'Defend　the　poor　and　fatherless：　do　justice　to　the　afflicted　and
needy。

〃'Deliver　the　poor　and　needy：　rid　them　out　of　the　hand　of　the　wicked。

〃'I　have　said；　Ye　are　gods；　and　all　of　you　are　children　of　the　Most
High。

〃'But　ye　shall　die　like　men；　and　fall　like　one　of　the　princes。'〃

But　this　appeal；　although　convincing　and　dignified；　had　no　influence
upon　the　commission；　and　on　the　18th　of　August　the　following　verdict
and　sentence　was　pronounced：

〃We　have　declared；　and　do　hereby　declare；　Urbain　Grandier　duly
accused　and　convicted　of　the　crimes　of　magic　and　witchcraft；　and　of
causing　the　persons　of　certain　Ursuline　nuns　of　this　town　and　of
other　females　to　become　possessed　of　evil　spirits；　wherefrom　other
crimes　and　offences　have　resulted。　　By　way　of　reparation　therefor；　we
have　sentenced；　and　do　hereby　sentence；　the　said　Grandier　to　make
public　apology；　bareheaded；　with　a　cord　around　his　neck；　holding　a
lighted　torch　of　two　pounds　weight　in　his　hand；　before　the　west　door
of　the　church　of　Saint…Pierre　in　the　Market　Place　and　beforethat　of
Sainte…Ursule；　both　of　this　town；　and　there　on　bended　knee　to　ask
pardon　of　God　and　the　king　and　the　law；　and　this　done；　to　be　taken　to
the　public　square　of　Sainte…Croix　and　there　to　be　attached　to　a
stake；　set　in　the　midst　of　a　pile　of　wood；　both　of　which　to　be
prepared　there　for　this　purpose；　and　to　be　burnt　alive；　along　with
the　pacts　and　spells　which　remain　in　the　hands　of　the　clerk　and　the
manuscript　of　the　book　written　by　the　said　Grandier　against　a
celibate　priesthood；　and　his　ashes；　to　be　scattered　to　the　four　winds
of　heaven。　　And　we　have　declared；　and　do　hereby　declare；　all　and
every　part　of　his　property　confiscate　to　the　king；　the　sum　of　one
hundred　and　fifty　livres　being　first　taken　therefrom　to　be　employed
in　the　purchase　of　a　copper　plate　whereon　the　substance　of　the
present　decree　shall　be　engraved；　the　same　to　be　exposed　in　a
conspicuous　place　in　the　said　church　of　Sainte…Ursule；　there　to
remain　in　perpetuity；　and　before　this　sentence　is　carried　out；　we
order　the　said　Grandier　to　be　put　to　the　question　ordinary　and
extraordinary；　so　that　his　accomplices　may　become　known。

〃Pronounced　at　Loudun　against　the　said　Grandier　this　18th　day　of
August　1634。〃


On　the　morning　of　the　day　on　which　this　sentence　was　passed；　M。　de
Laubardemont　ordered　the　surgeon　Francois　Fourneau　to　be　arrested　at
his　own　house　and　taken　to　Grandier's　cell；　although　he　was　ready　to
go　there　of　his　own　free　will。　　In　passing　through　the　adjoining　room
he　heard　the　voice　of　the　accused　saying：

〃What　do　you　want　with　me；　wretched　executioner？　　Have　you　come　to
kill　me？　　You　know　how　cruelly　you　have　already　tortured　my　body。
Well　I　am　ready　to　die。〃

On　entering　the　room；　Fourneau　saw　that　these　words　had　been
addressed　to　the　surgeon　Mannouri。

One　of　the　officers　of　the　'grand　privot　de　l'hotel'；　to　whom　M。　de
Laubardemont　lent　for　the　occasion　the　title　of　officer　of　the　king's
guard；　ordered　the　new　arrival　to　shave　Grandier；　and　not　leave　a
single　hair　on　his　whole　body。　　This　was　a　formality　employed　in
cases　of　witchcraft；　so　that　the　devil　should　have　no　place　to　hide
in；　for　it　was　the　common　belief　that　if　a　single　hair　were　left；　the
devil　could　render　the　accused　insensible　to　the　pains　of　torture。
》From　this　Urbain　understood　that　the　verdict　had　gone　against　him　and
that　he　was　condemned　to　death。

Fourneau　having　saluted　Grandier；　proceeded　to　carry　out　his　orders；
whereupon　a　judge　said　it　was　not　sufficient　to　shave　the　body　of　the
prisoner；　but　that　his　nails　must　also　be　torn　out；　lest　the　devil
should　hide　beneath　them。　　Grandier　looked　at　the　speaker　with　an
expression　of　unutterable　pity；　and　held　out　his　hands　to　Four