太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > martin guerre >

第9节

martin guerre-第9节

小说: martin guerre 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!




his deposition had been confirmed by all the witnesses examined。



〃Do you know of no others?〃 continued the magistrate。  〃Have you no

relatives except those you have mentioned?〃



〃I have no others;〃 answered the prisoner。



〃Then what do you say to this man?〃 said the judge; opening a door。



An old man issued forth; who fell on the prisoner's neck; exclaiming;

〃My nephew!〃



Martin trembled in every limb; but only for a moment。  Promptly

recovering himself; and gazing calmly at the newcomer; he asked

coolly



〃And who may you be?〃



〃What!〃 said the old man; 〃do you not know me?  Dare you deny me?

me; your mother's brother; Carbon Barreau; the old soldier!  Me; who

dandled you on my knee in your infancy; me; who taught you later to

carry a musket; me; who met you during the war at an inn in Picardy;

when you fled secretly。  Since then I have sought you everywhere; I

have spoken of you; and described your face and person; until a

worthy inhabitant of this country offered to bring me hither; where

indeed I did not expect to find my sister's son imprisoned and

fettered as a malefactor。  What is his crime; may it please your

honour?〃



〃You shall hear;〃 replied the magistrate。  〃Then you identify the

prisoner as your nephew?  You affirm his name to be…?〃



〃Arnauld du Thill; also called 'Pansette;' after his father; Jacques

Pansa。  His mother was Therese Barreau; my sister; and he was born in

the village of Sagias。〃



〃What have you to say?〃 demanded the judge; turning to the accused。



〃Three things;〃 replied the latter; unabashed; 〃this man is either

mad; or he has been suborned to tell lies; or he is simply mistaken。〃



The old man was struck dumb with astonishment。 But his supposed

nephew's start of terror had not been lost upon the judge; also much

impressed by the straightforward frankness of Carbon Barreau。  He

caused fresh investigations to be made; and other inhabitants of

Sagias were summoned to Rieux; who one and all agreed in identifying

the accused as the same Arnauld du Thill who had been born and had

grown up under their very eyes。  Several deposed that as he grew up

he had taken to evil courses; and become an adept in theft and lying;

not fearing even to take the sacred name of God in vain; in order to

cover the untruth of his daring assertions。  From such testimony the

judge naturally concluded that Arnauld du Thill was quite capable of

carrying on; an imposture; and that the impudence which he displayed

was natural to his character。  Moreover; he noted that the prisoner;

who averred that he was born in Biscay; knew only a few words of the

Basque language; and used these quite wrongly。  He heard later

another witness who deposed that the original Martin Guerre was a

good wrestler and skilled in the art of fence; whereas the prisoner;

having wished to try what he could do; showed no skill whatever。

Finally; a shoemaker was interrogated; and his evidence was not the

least damning。  Martin Guerre; he declared; required twelve holes to

lace his boots; and his surprise had been great when he found those

of the prisoner had only nine。  Considering all these points; and the

cumulative evidence; the judge of Rieux set aside the favourable

testimony; which he concluded had been the outcome of general

credulity; imposed on by an extraordinary resemblance。 He gave due

weight also to Bertrande's accusation; although she had never

confirmed it; and now maintained an obstinate silence; and he

pronounced a judgment by which Arnauld du Thill was declared

〃attainted and convicted of imposture; and was therefore condemned to

be beheaded; after which his body should be divided into four

quarters; and exposed at the four corners of the town。〃



This sentence; as soon as it was known; caused much diversity of

opinion in the town。  The prisoner's enemies praised the wisdom of

the judge; and those less prejudiced condemned his decision; as such

conflicting testimony left room for doubt。  Besides; it was thought

that the possession of property and the future of the children

required much consideration; also that the most absolute certainty

was demanded before annulling a past of two whole years; untroubled

by any counter claim whatever。



The condemned man appealed from this sentence to the Parliament of

Toulouse。  This court decided that the case required more careful

consideration than had yet been given to it; and began by ordering

Arnauld du Thill to be confronted with Pierre Guerre and Bertrande de

Rolls。



Who can say what feelings animate a man who; already once condemned;

finds himself subjected to a second trial?  The torture scarcely

ended begins again; and Hope; though reduced to a shadow; regains her

sway over his imagination; which clings to her skirts; as it were;

with desperation。  The exhausting efforts must be recommenced; it is

the last strugglea struggle which is more desperate in proportion

as there is less strength to maintain it。  In this case the defendant

was not one of those who are easily cast down; he collected all his

energy; all his courage; hoping to come victoriously out of the new

combat which lay before him。



The magistrates assembled in the great hall of the Parliament; and

the prisoner appeared before them。  He had first to deal with Pierre;

and confronted him calmly; letting him speak; without showing any

emotion。  He then replied with indignant reproaches; dwelling on

Pierre's greed and avarice; his vows of vengeance; the means employed

to work upon Bertrande; his secret manoeuvres in order to gain his

ends; and the unheard…of animosity displayed in hunting up accusers;

witnesses; and calumniators。  He defied Pierre to prove that he was

not Martin Guerre; his nephew; inasmuch as Pierre had publicly

acknowledged and embraced him; and his tardy suspicions only dated

from the time of their violent quarrel。  His language was so strong

and vehement; that Pierre became confused and was unable to answer;

and the encounter turned entirely in Arnauld's favour; who seemed to

overawe his adversary from a height of injured innocence; while the

latter appeared as a disconcerted slanderer。



The scene of his confrontation with Bertrande took a wholly different

character。  The poor woman; pale; cast down; worn by sorrow; came

staggering before the tribunal; in an almost fainting condition。  She

endeavoured to collect herself; but as soon as she saw the prisoner

she hung her head and covered her face with her hands。  He approached

her and besought her in the gentlest accents not to persist in an

accusation which might send him to the scaffold; not thus to avenge

any sins he might have committed against her; although he could not

reproach himself with any really serious fault。



Bertrande started; and murmured in a whisper; 〃And Rose?〃



〃Ah!〃 Arnauld exclaimed; astonished at this revelation。



His part was instantly taken。  Turning to the judges



〃Gentlemen;〃 he said; 〃my wife is a jealous woman!  Ten years ago;

when I left her; she had formed these suspicions; they were the cause

of my voluntary exile。  To…day she again accuses me of; guilty

relations with the same person; I neither deny nor acknowledge them;

but I affirm that it is the blind passion of jealousy which; aided by

my uncle's suggestions; guided my wife's hand when she signed this

denunciation。〃



Bertrande remained silent。



〃Do you dare;〃 he continued; turning towards her;〃 do you dare to

swear before God that jealousy did not inspire you with the wish to

ruin me?〃



〃And you;〃 she replied; 〃dare you swear that I was deceived in my

suspicions?〃



〃You see; gentlemen;〃 exclaimed the prisoner triumphantly; 〃her

jealousy breaks forth before your eyes。  Whether I am; or am not;

guilty of the sin she attributes to me; is not the question for you

to decide。  Can you conscientiously admit the testimony of a woman

who; after publicly acknowledging me; after receiving me in her

house; after living two years in perfect amity with me; has; in a fit

of angry vengeance; thought she could give the lie to all her wards

and actions?  Ah!  Bertrande;〃 he continued; 〃if it only concerned my

life I think I could forgive a madness of which your love is both the

cause and the excuse; but you are a mother; think of that!  My

punishment will recoil on the head of my daughter; who is unhappy

enough to have been born since our reunion; and also on our unborn

child; which you condemn beforehand to curse the union which gave it

being。  Think of this; Bertrande; you will have to answer before God

for what you are now doing!〃



The unhappy woman fell on her knees; weeping。



〃I adjure you;〃 he continued solemnly; 〃you; my wife; Bertrande de

Rolls; to swear now; here; on the crucifix; that I am an impostor and

a cheat。〃



A crucifix was placed before Bertrande; she made a sign as if to push

it away; endeavoure

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的