urbain grandier-第7部分

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bring　forth　wondrous　things；　that　the　chief　devil　would　speak　more
distinctly　than　hitherto；　that　he　would　leave　the　body　of　the
superior；　giving　such　clear　signs　of　his　passage　that　no　one　would
dare　to　doubt　any　longer　that　it　was　a　case　of　genuine　possession。
Thereupon　the　criminal　lieutenant；　Henri　Herve；　who　had　been　present
during　the　exorcism；　said　they　must　seize　upon　the　moment　of　his　exit
to　ask　about　Pivart；　who　was　unknown　at　Loudun；　although　everyone　who
lived　there　knew　everybody　else。　　Barre　replied　in　Latin；　〃Et　hoc
dicet　epuellam　nominabit〃　（He　will　not　only　tell　about　him；　but　he
will　also　name　the　young　girl）。　　The　young　girl　whom　the　devil　was　to
name　was；　it　may　be　recollected；　she　who　had　introduced　the　flowers
into　the　convent；　and　whose　name　the　demon　until　now　had　absolutely
refused　to　give。　　On　the　strength　of　these　promises　everyone　went
home　to　await　the　morrow　with　impatience。




CHAPTER　IV

That　evening　Grandier　asked　the　bailiff　for　an　audience。　　At　first　he
had　made　fun　of　the　exorcisms；　for　the　story　had　been　so　badly
concocted；　and　the　accusations　were　so　glaringly　improbable；　that　he
had　not　felt　the　least　anxiety。　　But　as　the　case　went　on　it　assumed
such　an　important　aspect；　and　the　hatred　displayed　by　his　enemies　was
so　intense；　that　the　fate　of　the　priest　Gaufredi；　referred　to　by
Mignon；　occurred　to　Urbain's　mind；　and　in　order　to　be　beforehand　with
his　enemies　he　determined　to　lodge　a　complaint　against　them。　　This
complaint　was　founded　on　the　fact　that　Mignon　had　performed　the　rite
of　exorcism　in　the　presence　of　the　civil　lieutenant；　the　bailiff；　and
many　other　persons；　and　had　caused　the　nuns　who　were　said　to　be
possessed；　in　the　hearing　of　all　these　people；　to　name　him；　Urbain；
as　the　author　of　their　possession。　　This　being　a　falsehood　and　an
attack　upon　his　honour；　he　begged　the　bailiff；　in　whose　hands　the
conduct　of　the　affair　had　been　specially　placed；　to　order　the　nuns　to
be　sequestered；　apart　from　the　rest　of　the　sisterhood　and　from　each
other；　and　then　to　have　each　separately　examined。　　Should　there
appear　to　be　any　evidence　of　possession；　he　hoped　that　the　bailiff
would　be　pleased　to　appoint　clerics　of　well…known　rank　and　upright
character　to　perform　whatever　exorcisms　were　needful；　such　men　having
no　bias　against　him　would　be　more　impartial　than　Mignon　and　his
adherents。　　He　also　called　upon　the　bailiff　to　have　an　exact　report
drawn　up　of　everything　that　took　place　at　the　exorcisms；　in　order
that；　if　necessary；　he　as　petitioner　might　be　able　to　lay　it　before
anyone　to　whose　judgment　he　might　appeal。　　The　bailiff　gave　Grandier
a　statement　of　the　conclusions　at　which　he　had　arrived；　and　told　him
that　the　exorcisms　had　been　performed　that　day　by　Barre；　armed　with
the　authority　of　the　Bishop　of　Poitiers　himself。　　Being；　as　we　have
seen；　a　man　of　common　sense　and　entirely　unprejudiced　in　the　matter；
the　bailiff　advised　Grandier　to　lay　his　complaint　before　his　bishop；
but　unfortunately　he　was　under　the　authority　of　the　Bishop　of
Poitiers；　who　was　so　prejudiced　against　him　that　he　had　done
everything　in　his　power　to　induce　the　Archbishop　of　Bordeaux　to
refuse　to　ratify　the　decision　in　favour　of　Grandier；　pronounced　by
the　presidial　court。　　Urbain　could　not　hide　from　the　magistrate　that
he　had　nothing　to　hope　for　from　this　quarter；　and　it　was　decided　that
he　should　wait　and　see　what　the　morrow　would　bring　forth；　before
taking　any　further　step。

The　impatiently　expected　day　dawned　at　last；　and　at　eight　o'clock　in
the　morning　the　bailiff；　the　king's　attorney；　the　civil　lieutenant；
the　criminal　lieutenant；　and　the　provost's　lieutenant；　with　their
respective　clerks；　were　already　at　the　convent。　　They　found　the　outer
gate　open；　but　the　inner　door　shut。　　In　a　few　moments　Mignon　came　to
them　and　brought　them　into　a　waiting…room。　　There　he　told　them　that
the　nuns　were　preparing　for　communion；　and　that　he　would　be　very　much
obliged　to　them　if　they　would　withdraw　and　wait　in　a　house　across　the
street；　just　opposite　the　convent；　and　that　he　would　send　them　word
when　they　could　come　back。　　The　magistrates；　having　first　informed
Mignon　of　Urbain's　petition；　retired　as　requested。

An　hour　passed；　and　as　Mignon　did　not　summon　them；　in　spite　of　his
promise；　they　all　went　together　to　the　convent　chapel；　where　they
were　told　the　exorcisms　were　already　over。　　The　nuns　had　quitted　the
choir；　and　Mignon　and　Barre　came　to　the　grating　and　told　them　that
they　had　just　completed　the　rite；　and　that；　thanks　to　their
conjurations；　the　two　afflicted　ones　were　now　quite　free　from　evil
spirits。　　They　went　on　to　say　that　they　had　been　working　together　at
the　exorcism　from　seven　o'clock　in　the　morning；　and　that　great
wonders；　of　which　they　had　drawn　up　an　account；　had　come　to　pass；　but
they　had　considered　it　would　not　be　proper　to　allow　any　one　else　to
be　present　during　the　ceremony　besides　the　exorcists　and　the
possessed。　　The　bailiff　pointed　out　that　their　manner　of　proceedings
was　not　only　illegal；　but　that　it　laid　them　under　suspicion　of　fraud
and　collusion；　in　the　eyes　of　the　impartial：　　Moreover；　as　the
superior　had　accused　Grandier　publicly；　she　was　bound　to　renew　and
prove　her　accusation　also　publicly；　and　not　in　secret；　furthermore；
it　was　a　great　piece　of　insolence　on　the　part　of　the　exorcists　to
invite　people　of　their　standing　and　character　to　come　to　the　convent；
and　having　kept　them　waiting　an　hour；　to　tell　them　that　they
considered　them　unworthy　to　be　admitted　to　the　ceremony　which　they。
had　been　requested　to　attend；　and　he　wound　up　by　saying　that　he　would
draw　up　a　report；　as　he　had　already　done　on　each　of　the　preceding
days；　setting　forth　the　extraordinary　discrepancy　between　their
promises　and　their　performance。　　Mignon　replied　that　he　and　Barre　had
had　only　one　thing　in　view；　viz。　the　expulsion　of　the；　demons；　and
that　in　that　they　had　succeeded；　and　that　their　success　would　be　of
great　benefit　to　the　holy　Catholic　faith；　for　they　had　got　the　demons
so　thoroughly　into　their　power　that　they　had　been　able　to　command
them　to　produce　within　a　week　miraculous　proofs　of　the　spells　cast　on
the　nuns　by　Urbain　Grandier　and　their　wonderful　deliverance
therefrom；　so　that　in　future　no　one　would　be　able　to　doubt　as　to　the
reality　of　the　possession。　　Thereupon　the　magistrates　drew　up　a
report　of　all　that　had　happened；　and　of　what　Barre　and　Mignon　had
said。　　This　was　signed　by　all　the　officials　present；　except　the
criminal　lieutenant；　who　declared　that；　having　perfect　confidence　in
the　statements　of　the　exorcists；　he　was　anxious　to　do　nothing　to
increase　the　doubting　spirit　which　was　unhappily　so　prevalent　among
the　worldly。

The　same　day　the　bailiff　secretly　warned　Urbain　of　the　refusal　of　the
criminal　lieutenant　to　join　with　the　others　in　signing　the　report；
and　almost　at　the　same　moment　he　learned　that　the　cause　of　his
adversaries　was　strengthened　by　the　adhesion　of　a　certain　Messire
Rene　Memin；　seigneur　de　Silly；　and　prefect　of　the　town。　　This
gentleman　was　held　in　great　esteem　not　only　on　account　of　his　wealth
and　the　many　offices　which　he　filled；　but　above　all　on　account　of　his
powerful　friends；　among　whom　was　the　cardinal…duke　himself；　to　whom
he　had　formerly　been　of　use　when　the　cardinal　was　only　a　prior。　　The
character　of　the　conspiracy　had　now　become　so　alarming　that　Grandier
felt　it　was　time　to　oppose　it　with　all　his　strength。　　Recalling　his
conversation　with　the　bailiff　the　preceding　day；　during　which　he　had
advised　him　to　lay　his　complaint　before　the　Bishop　of　Poitiers；　he
set　out；　accompanied　by　a　priest　of　Loudun；　named　Jean　Buron；　for　the
prelate's　country　house　at　Dissay。　　The　bishop；　anticipating　his
visit；　had　already　given　his　orders；　and　Grandier　was　met　by　Dupuis；
the　intendant　of　the　palace；　who；　in　reply　to　Grandier's　request　to
see　the　bishop；　told　him　that　his　lordship　was　ill。　　Urbain　next
addressed　himself　to　the　bishop's　chaplain；　and　begged　him　to　inform
the　prelate　that　his　object　in　coming　was　to　lay　before　him　the
official　reports　which　the　magistrates　had　drawn　up　of　the　events
which　had　taken　place　at　the　Ursuline　convent；　and　to　lodge　a
complaint　as　to　the　slanders　and　accusations　of　which　he　was　the
victim。　　Grandier　spoke　so　urgently　that　the　chaplain　could　not
refuse　to　carry　his　message；　he　returned；　however；　in　a　few　moments；
and　told　Grandier；　in　the　presence　of　Dupuis；　Buron；　and　a　certain
sieur　Labrasse；　that　the　bishop　advised　him　to　take　his　case　to　the
royal　judges；　and　that　he　earnestly　hoped　he　would　obtain　justice
from　them。　　Grandier　perceived　that　the　bishop　had　been　warned
against　him；　and　felt　that　he　was　becoming　more　and　more　entangled　in
the　net　of　conspiracy　around　him；　but　he　was　not　a　man　to　flinch
before　any　danger。　　He　therefore　returned　immediately　to　Loudun；　and
went　once　more　to　the　bailiff；　to　whom　he　related　all　that　had
happened　at　Dissay；　he　then；　a　second　time；　made　a　formal　complaint
as　to　the　slanders　circulated　with　regard　to　him；　and　begged　the
magistrates　to　have　recourse　to　the　king's　courts　in　the　business。
He　also　said　that　he　desired　to　be　placed　under　the　protection　of　the
king　and　his　justice；　as　the　accusations　made　against　him　were　aimed
at　his　honour　and　his　life。　　The　bailiff　hastened　to　make　out　a
certificate　of　Urbain's　protest；　which　forbade　at　the　same　time　the
repetition　of　the　slanders　or　the　infliction　on　Urbain　of　any　injury。

Thanks　to　this　document；　a　change　of　parts　took　place：　Mignon；　the
accuser；　became　the　accused。　　Feeling　that　he　had　powerful　support
behind　him；　he　had　the　audacity　to　appear　before　the　bailiff　the　same
day。　　He　said　that　he　did　not　acknowledge　his　jurisdiction；　as　in
what　concerned　Grandier　and　himself；　they　being　both　priests；　they
could　only　be　judged　by　their　bishop；　he　nevertheless　protested
against　the　complaint　lodged　by　Grandier；　which　characterised　him　as
a　slanderer；　and　declared　that　he　was　ready　to　give　himself　up　as　a
prisoner；　in　order　to　show　everyone　that　he　did　not　fear　the　result
of　any　inquiry。　　Furthermore；　he　had　taken　an　oath　on　the　sacred
elements　the　day　before；　in　the　presence　of　his　parishioners　who　had
come　to　mass；　that　in　all　he