Cinq Mars, v1

a di Dio, q

a da ciascu

ifesto agli occ

should be open to the public; but they soon repented this measure. They were all interested in the destruction of Urbain Grandier; but they desired

n this occasion he fully justified the choice that had been made of him. He committed but one error-that of allowing a public trial, contrary

p of dark-clad citizens was near him; but the great gates, closing, left the part of the court where the people stood in such darkness that there was no likelihood of his being recognized. Although it was only midday, the hall was lighted with torches; but they were nearly all placed at the farther end, where rose the judges' bench behind a long table. The chairs, tables, and steps were all covered with black cloth, and cast a livid hue over the faces of those near them. A seat reserved for the prisoner was placed upon t

ead; he seemed occupied in arranging papers, which he then passed to the judges. The accusers, all ecclesiastics, sat upon the right hand of the judges; they wore their albs and stoles. Father Lactantius was distinguishable among them by his simple Capuchin habit, his tonsure, and the extreme hardness of his

and the beams, and full of a terror which communicated itself to the judges, for it arose from an interest in

the Superior of the Ursulines passed M. de Laubardemont she was heard to say to him, "You have deceived me,

and hoarse that it was impossible to follow it. He made himself heard only when what he had to say was intended to impose upon the minds of the people. He divided the evidence into two

, and Mignon bowed low, r

terpart of the contract he has made with Lucifer, and which he was obliged to carry about him in order to preserve his power, have been recognized an

in the throng. The president reddened, and made a sign to the archers, who

re called Astaroth, of the order of Seraphim; Eazas, Celsus, Acaos, Cedron, Asmodeus, of the order of Thrones; Alex, Zebulon, Cham, Uriel, and

gathering, but, upon some halber

refused to answer to unknown questions in Greek or Arabic, the reverend fathers have, to establish our belief, deigned to explain to us that the malignity of evil spirits being extreme, it was not surprising that they should feign this ignorance in order that they might be less pressed with questions; and that in their answers they had committed various solecisms and other grammatical faults in orde

of high birth. She had just exhaled her last breath in the public street, in the arms of the reverend Father Mignon, Canon; and we learned from the said father here present, and from several other grave personages, that, suspecting the young lady to be possessed, by reason of the current rumor for some time past of the admir

oudly reechoed; the halberdiers commanded silence with a loud voice, but it was ob

; "upon her person was found this work, written by the hand of Urbain

ried Urbain

cried the judge to the ar

is about to manifest

e voice; "tighten his

ed, "Her name was Madelein

cried the accused, as he

gitated; for a moment the

he loved her

lady!" crie

Grandier, without his being taken from the court, an

eginning of this book to the c

ne thought of my soul. All those thoughts tend to thee, celestial creature, because in thee they return to the aim and object of m

ea of death, and weeping at life? Or that, when thou kneelest before me at the tribunal of penitence, and, speaking in the presence of God, canst find naught of evil to reveal to me, so wholly have I kept thy soul in the pure regions of heaven? What, then, could offend our Creator? Perhaps-yes! perhaps some spirit of heaven may have envied me my happiness when on Easter morn I saw thee kneeling before me, purified by long austerities from the slight stain which original sin had left in thee! Beautiful, indeed, wert thou! Thy glance sought thy God in heaven, and my trembling hand held His image to thy pure lips, which human lip had

think I have offered too high a worship to thy virtue? Fearest t

ould not make him understand that they had not prepared this interruption. Besides, ere they could exchange looks, to the amazement of the assembly, three women, 'en chemise', with naked feet, each with a cord round her neck and a wax taper in her hand, came through the door and advanced to the middle of the platform. It was the Superior of the Ursulines, followed

or of the Convent of the Ursulines of Loudun, ask pardon of God and man for the crime I have committed in acc

udges arose; the archers, in doubt, looked at the presiden

said, in a sharp voice;

ng a hand that nothing could affright him-

thers?" said he, makin

to save his friend. Ob

a terrible voice, af

eri

erved to augment; she seemed a soul escaped from hell appearing to, her seducer. With her dark eyes she cast fierce glances upon the monks; Lactantius lowered his beneath that look.

eceived me; you said he was not to be tried. To-day, for the first time, I know that he is t

demon bewi

ghtens me. Daughters, miserable as

ill kneeling and weeping, for they were not animated

ng away her companion, she drew her into the crowd, who affectionately received them. A thousand voices swore to protect them. Imprecations arose; the

ession ten years before all motion entirely ceases in them. His eyes seemed veiled by a half sleep; his gaping mouth mumbled a few vague and habitual words of prayer without meaning or application; the entire amount of intelligence he retained was the ability to distinguish the man who had most power, and him he obeyed, regardless at what price. He had accordingly signed the sentence of the doctors of the Sorbonne which dec

ment to recover from the sudden attack made u

e possession, for the Superior never before has

lfiel, firm as ever. "I can not be sufficiently humiliated upon e

t, but he tried to recover his composure. "What absurd

rength, pressed her hand upon her heart as if she desired to stay

with his head hanging down as if dead, slowly raised his eyes toward her, and retu

have breathed in his discourses, which my eyes drew in from his cel

ose of indignation-"it is you who told me that he loved; you, who this morning have too cruelly avenged me by killing my rival with a word. Alas, I only sought to separate them! It was a crime; but, by my mother, I am an It

before Urbain and burst

und hands, and giving her hi

see. I have before said to you, and you now see, that the pass

's forehead. "Miscreant!" he exclaimed, "dar

itted her boso

girl," said

he was of a livid hue and almost lifeless. Fear had driven all the women from the assembly; many had been carri

bility. The archers were not numerous enough to repel them. It became necessary to yield; and accordingly Laubardemont in an agitated voice ann

ITOR'S B

ways better compos

a calm temper g

the cho

es of style o

h, more lofty

s, "smiling

nd between Truth in a

o does not out

be a man, and he spo

oo was a

augh at the costu

now what i

that virtue als

l of woman

n thing between gent

ow that I have

dealist n

more dislike o

d by rendering

like a town, and

at art impli

crupulous obser

against the plague

nts life rather

re to distinguish f

n Gra

ry of facts, if not

than death, and her

re in the