English
Afterascendinganddescendingseveralstepsinthecorridors,whichweresodarkthattheywerelightedbylampsatmid–day,LaEsmeralda,stillsurroundedbyherlugubriousescort,wasthrustbythepoliceintoagloomychamber.
Thischamber,circularinform,occupiedthegroundfloorofoneofthosegreattowers,which,eveninourowncentury,stillpiercethroughthelayerofmodernedificeswithwhichmodernParishascoveredancientParis.
Therewerenowindowstothiscellar;nootheropeningthantheentrance,whichwaslow,andclosedbyanenormousirondoor.
Nevertheless,lightwasnotlacking;afurnacehadbeenconstructedinthethicknessofthewall;alargefirewaslightedthere,whichfilledthevaultwithitscrimsonreflectionsanddeprivedamiserablecandle,whichstoodinonecorner,ofallradiance.
Theirongratingwhichservedtoclosetheoven,beingraisedatthatmoment,allowedonlyaviewatthemouthoftheflamingvent–holeinthedarkwall,thelowerextremityofitsbars,likearowofblackandpointedteeth,setflatapart;whichmadethefurnaceresembleoneofthosemouthsofdragonswhichspoutforthflamesinancientlegends.
Bythelightwhichescapedfromit,theprisonerbeheld,allabouttheroom,frightfulinstrumentswhoseuseshedidnotunderstand.
Inthecentrelayaleathermattress,placedalmostflatupontheground,overwhichhungastrapprovidedwithabuckle,attachedtoabrassringinthemouthofaflat–nosedmonstercarvedinthekeystoneofthevault.
Tongs,pincers,largeploughshares,filledtheinteriorofthefurnace,andglowedinaconfusedheaponthecoals.
Thesanguinelightofthefurnaceilluminatedinthechamberonlyaconfusedmassofhorriblethings.
ThisTartaruswascalledsimply,TheQuestionChamber.
Onthebed,inanegligentattitude,satPierratTorterue,theofficialtorturer.
Hisunderlings,twognomeswithsquarefaces,leatheraprons,andlinenbreeches,weremovingtheironinstrumentsonthecoals.
Invaindidthepoorgirlsummonuphercourage;onenteringthischambershewasstrickenwithhorror.
Thesergeantsofthebailiffofthecourtsdrewupinlineononeside,thepriestsoftheofficialityontheother.Aclerk,inkhorn,andatablewereinonecorner.
MasterJacquesCharmolueapproachedthegypsywithaverysweetsmile.
"Mydearchild,"saidhe,"doyoustillpersistinyourdenial?"
"Yes,"shereplied,inadyingvoice.
"Inthatcase,"repliedCharmolue,"itwillbeverypainfulforustohavetoquestionyoumoreurgentlythanweshouldlike.
Praytakethetroubletoseatyourselfonthisbed.
MasterPierrat,makeroomformademoiselle,andclosethedoor."
Pierratrosewithagrowl.
"IfIshutthedoor,"hemuttered,"myfirewillgoout."
"Well,mydearfellow,"repliedCharmolue,"leaveitopenthen."
Meanwhile,laEsmeraldahadremainedstanding.
Thatleatherbedonwhichsomanyunhappywretcheshadwrithed,frightenedher.
Terrorchilledtheverymarrowofherbones;shestoodtherebewilderedandstupefied.
AtasignfromCharmolue,thetwoassistantstookherandplacedherinasittingpostureonthebed.
Theydidhernoharm;butwhenthesementouchedher,whenthatleathertouchedher,shefeltallherbloodretreattoherheart.
Shecastafrightenedlookaroundthechamber.
Itseemedtoherasthoughshebeheldadvancingfromallquarterstowardsher,withtheintentionofcrawlingupherbodyandbitingandpinchingher,allthosehideousimplementsoftorture,whichascomparedtotheinstrumentsofallsortsshehadhithertoseen,werelikewhatbats,centipedes,andspidersareamonginsectsandbirds.
"Whereisthephysician?"askedCharmolue.
"Here,"repliedablackgownwhomshehadnotbeforenoticed.
Sheshuddered.
"Mademoiselle,"resumedthecaressingvoiceoftheprocucratoroftheEcclesiasticalcourt,"forthethirdtime,doyoupersistindenyingthedeedsofwhichyouareaccused?"
Thistimeshecouldonlymakeasignwithherhead.
"Youpersist?"saidJacquesCharmolue."Thenitgrievesmedeeply,butImustfulfilmyoffice."
"MonsieurleProcureurduRoi,"saidPierratabruptly,"Howshallwebegin?"
Charmoluehesitatedforamomentwiththeambiguousgrimaceofapoetinsearchofarhyme.
"Withtheboot,"hesaidatlast.
TheunfortunategirlfeltherselfsoutterlyabandonedbyGodandmen,thatherheadfelluponherbreastlikeaninertthingwhichhasnopowerinitself.
Thetormentorandthephysicianapproachedhersimultaneously.Atthesametime,thetwoassistantsbegantofumbleamongtheirhideousarsenal.
Attheclankingoftheirfrightfulirons,theunhappychildquiveredlikeadeadfrogwhichisbeinggalvanized."Oh!"
shemurmured,solowthatnooneheardher;"Oh,myPhoebus!"
Thenshefellbackoncemoreintoherimmobilityandhermarblesilence.
Thisspectaclewouldhaverentanyotherheartthanthoseofherjudges.
Onewouldhavepronouncedherapoorsinfulsoul,beingtorturedbySatanbeneaththescarletwicketofhell.
Themiserablebodywhichthatfrightfulswarmofsaws,wheels,andrackswereabouttoclaspintheirclutches,thebeingwhowasabouttobemanipulatedbytheharshhandsofexecutionersandpincers,wasthatgentle,white,fragilecreature,apoorgrainofmilletwhichhumanjusticewashandingovertotheterriblemillsoftorturetogrind.
Meanwhile,thecalloushandsofPierratTorterue'sassistantshadbaredthatcharmingleg,thattinyfoot,whichhadsooftenamazedthepassers–bywiththeirdelicacyandbeauty,inthesquaresofParis.
"'Tisashame!"mutteredthetormentor,glancingatthesegracefulanddelicateforms.
Hadthearchdeaconbeenpresent,hecertainlywouldhaverecalledatthatmomenthissymbolofthespiderandthefly.
Soontheunfortunategirl,throughamistwhichspreadbeforehereyes,beheldthebootapproach;shesoonbeheldherfootencasedbetweenironplatesdisappearinthefrightfulapparatus.Thenterrorrestoredherstrength.
"Takethatoff!"shecriedangrily;anddrawingherselfup,withherhairalldishevelled:"Mercy!"
Shedartedfromthebedtoflingherselfatthefeetoftheking'sprocurator,butherlegwasfastintheheavyblockofoakandiron,andshesankdownupontheboot,morecrushedthanabeewithalumpofleadonitswing.
AtasignfromCharmolue,shewasreplacedonthebed,andtwocoarsehandsadjustedtoherdelicatewaistthestrapwhichhungfromtheceiling.
"Forthelasttime,doyouconfessthefactsinthecase?"demandedCharmolue,withhisimperturbablebenignity.
"Iaminnocent."
"Then,mademoiselle,howdoyouexplainthecircumstancelaidtoyourcharge?"
"Alas,monseigneur,Idonotknow."
"Soyoudenythem?"
"All!"
"Proceed,"saidCharmoluetoPierrat.
Pierratturnedthehandleofthescrew–jack,thebootwascontracted,andtheunhappygirlutteredoneofthosehorriblecrieswhichhavenoorthographyinanyhumanlanguage.
"Stop!"saidCharmoluetoPierrat."Doyouconfess?"hesaidtothegypsy.
"All!"criedthewretchedgirl."Iconfess!Iconfess!Mercy!"
Shehadnotcalculatedherstrengthwhenshefacedthetorture.Poorchild,whoselifeuptothattimehadbeensojoyous,sopleasant,sosweet,thefirstpainhadconqueredher!
"Humanityforcesmetotellyou,"remarkedtheking'sprocurator,"thatinconfessing,itisdeaththatyoumustexpect."
"Icertainlyhopeso!"saidshe.Andshefellbackupontheleatherbed,dying,doubledup,allowingherselftohangsuspendedfromthestrapbuckledroundherwaist.
"Come,fairone,holdupalittle,"saidMasterPierrat,raisingher."YouhavetheairofthelamboftheGoldenFleecewhichhangsfromMonsieurdeBourgogne'sneck."
JacquesCharmolueraisedhisvoice,
"Clerk,write.YoungBohemianmaid,youconfessyourparticipationinthefeasts,witches'sabbaths,andwitchcraftsofhell,withghosts,hags,andvampires?Answer."
"Yes,"shesaid,solowthatherwordswerelostinherbreathing.
"YouconfesstohavingseentheramwhichBeelzebubcausestoappearinthecloudstocalltogetherthewitches'sabbath,andwhichisbeheldbysocerersalone?"
"Yes."
"YouconfesstohavingadoredtheheadsofBophomet,thoseabominableidolsoftheTemplars?"
"Yes."
"Tohavinghadhabitualdealingswiththedevilundertheformofagoatfamiliar,joinedwithyouinthesuit?"
"Yes."
"Lastly,youavowandconfesstohaving,withtheaidofthedemon,andofthephantomvulgarlyknownasthesurlymonk,onthenightofthetwenty–ninthofMarchlast,murderedandassassinatedacaptainnamedPhoebusdeChâteaupers?"
Sheraisedherlarge,staringeyestothemagistrate,andreplied,asthoughmechanically,withoutconvulsionoragitation,—
"Yes."
Itwasevidentthateverythingwithinherwasbroken.
"Write,clerk,"saidCharmolue.And,addressingthetorturers,"Releasetheprisoner,andtakeherbacktothecourt."
Whentheprisonerhadbeen"unbooted,"theprocuratoroftheecclesiasticalcourtexaminedherfoot,whichwasstillswollenwithpain.
"Come,"saidhe,"there'snogreatharmdone.Youshriekedingoodseason.Youcouldstilldance,mybeauty!"
Thenheturnedtohisacolytesoftheofficiality,—"Beholdjusticeenlightenedatlast!Thisisasolace,gentlemen!
Madamoisellewillbearuswitnessthatwehaveactedwithallpossiblegentleness."
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