Part 4 (1/2)

The black horse had all the while been pawing the earth, tossing his head with impatience, and whinnying. Cinq-Mars, as agitated and restless as his steed, gave it the rein; and the whole party was soon near the city of Tours, which the bells of St. Gatien had announced from afar.

To the disappointment of old Grandchamp, Cinq-Mars would not enter the town, but proceeded on his way, and five days later he entered, with his escort, the old city of Loudun in Poitou, after an uneventful journey.

CHAPTER II. THE STREET

Je m'avancais d'un pas penible et mal a.s.sure vers le but de ce convoi tragique.--NODIER, 'Smarra'.

The reign of which we are about to paint a few years--a reign of feebleness, which was like an eclipse of the crown between the splendors of Henri IV and those of Louis le Grand--afflicts the eyes which contemplate it with dark stains of blood, and these were not all the work of one man, but were caused by great and grave bodies. It is melancholy to observe that in this age, still full of disorder, the clergy, like a nation, had its populace, as it had its n.o.bility, its ignorant and its criminal prelates, as well as those who were learned and virtuous. Since that time, its remnant of barbarism has been refined away by the long reign of Louis XIV, and its corruptions have been washed out in the blood of the martyrs whom it offered up to the revolution of 1793.

We felt it necessary to pause for a moment to express this reflection before entering upon the recital of the facts presented by the history of this period, and to intimate that, notwithstanding this consolatory reflection, we have found it inc.u.mbent upon us to pa.s.s over many details too odious to occupy a place in our pages, sighing in spirit at those guilty acts which it was necessary to record, as in relating the life of a virtuous old man, we should lament over the impetuosities of his pa.s.sionate youth, or over the corrupt tendencies of his riper age.

When the cavalcade entered the narrow streets of Loudun, they heard strange noises all around them. The streets were filled with agitated ma.s.ses; the bells of the church and of the convent were ringing furiously, as if the town was in flames; and the whole population, without paying any attention to the travellers, was pressing tumultuously toward a large edifice that adjoined the church. Here and there dense crowds were collected, listening in silence to some voice that seemed raised in exhortation, or engaged in emphatic reading; then, furious cries, mingled with pious exclamations, arose from the crowd, which, dispersing, showed the travellers that the orator was some Capuchin or Franciscan friar, who, holding a wooden crucifix in one hand, pointed with the other to the large building which was attracting such universal interest.

”Jesu Maria!” exclaimed an old woman, ”who would ever have thought that the Evil Spirit would choose our old town for his abode?”

”Ay, or that the pious Ursulines should be possessed?” said another.

”They say that the demon who torments the Superior is called Legion,”

cried a third:

”One demon, say you?” interrupted a nun; ”there were seven in her poor body, whereunto, doubtless, she had attached too much importance, by reason of its great beauty, though now 'tis but the receptacle of evil spirits. The prior of the Carmelites yesterday expelled the demon Eazas through her mouth; and the reverend Father Lactantius has driven out in like manner the demon Beherit. But the other five will not depart, and when the holy exorcists (whom Heaven support!) summoned them in Latin to withdraw, they replied insolently that they would not go till they had proved their power, to the conviction even of the Huguenots and heretics, who, misbelieving wretches! seem to doubt it. The demon Elimi, the worst of them all, as you know, has threatened to take off Monsieur de Laubardemont's skull-cap to-day, and to dangle it in the air at Miserere.”

”Holy Virgin!” rejoined the first speaker, ”I'm all of a tremble! And to think that many times I have got this magician Urbain to say ma.s.ses for me!”

”For myself,” exclaimed a girl, crossing herself; ”I too confessed to him ten months ago! No doubt I should have been possessed myself, but for the relic of Saint-Genevieve I luckily had about me, and--”

”Luckily, indeed, Martine,” interposed a fat gossip; ”for--no offence!--you, as I remember, were long enough with the handsome sorcerer.”

”Pshaw!” said a young soldier, who had joined the group, smoking his pipe, ”don't you know that pretty Martine was dispossessed a month ago.”

The girl blushed, and drew the hood of her black cloak over her face.

The elder gossips cast a glance of indignation at the reckless trooper, and finding themselves now close to the door of the building, and thus sure of making their way in among the first when it should be thrown open, sat down upon the stone bench at the side, and, talking of the latest wonders, raised the expectations of all as to the delight they were about to have in being spectators of something marvellous--an apparition, perhaps, but at the very least, an administration of the torture.

”Is it true, aunt,” asked Martine of the eldest gossip, ”that you have heard the demons speak?”

”Yes, child, true as I see you; many and many can say the same; and it was to convince you of it I brought you with me here, that you may see the power of the Evil One.”

”What kind of voice has he?” continued the girl, glad to encourage a conversation which diverted from herself the invidious attention procured her by the soldier's raillery.

”Oh, he speaks with a voice like that of the Superior herself, to whom Our Lady be gracious! Poor young woman! I was with her yesterday a long time; it was sad to see her tearing her breast, turning her arms and her legs first one way and then another, and then, all of a sudden, twisting them together behind her back. When the holy Father Lactantius p.r.o.nounced the name of Urbain Grandier, foam came out of her mouth, and she talked Latin for all the world as if she were reading the Bible. Of course, I did not understand what she said, and all I can remember of it now is, 'Urba.n.u.s Magicus rosas diabolica,' which they tell me means that the magician Urbain had bewitched her with some roses the Devil had given him; and so it must have been, for while Father Lactantius spoke, out of her ears and neck came a quant.i.ty of flame-colored roses, all smelling of sulphur so strongly that the judge-Advocate called out for every one present to stop their noses and eyes, for that the demons were about to come out.”

”Ah, look there now!” exclaimed with shrill voices and a triumphant air the whole bevy of a.s.sembled women, turning toward the crowd, and more particularly toward a group of men attired in black, among whom was standing the young soldier who had cut his joke just before so unceremoniously.

”Listen to the noisy old idiots!” exclaimed the soldier. ”They think they're at the witches' Sabbath, but I don't see their broomsticks.”

”Young man, young man!” said a citizen, with a sad air, ”jest not upon such subjects in the open air, or, in such a time as this, the wind may become gus.h.i.+ng flames and destroy you.”

”Pooh! I laugh at your exorcists!” returned the soldier; ”my name is Grand-Ferre, and I've got here a better exorciser than any of you can show.”