Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-05-07

the rack For FRANCHISE denied everything
the theft-the circumstances of the theft-all !;
constantly reminding me of Montereau, of her
mother, of the days of our childhood-of our
relationship.
II had ordered the question
"The robe Of FRANCHISE was taken off
ooh the cry of young girl brought naked
before her judges. God spare you from ever
hearing that cry. The torture was applied.
Her cries grew weaker. But Francois turned
her eyes upon me. Gentlemen, have had
sword thrust through my body to the hilt
That look stabbed more keenly.
"They put her knee in the leaden boot.
''Her cries grew weaker"
At this part of the recital of the President
thrill Of horror ran through us all.
"They then put the fire to the pit of her
stomach.
''Francoise was silent she had ceased to
shrek.
Gentlemen, FRANCHISE was innocent! /
knew it. 1t was l who had hidden the dia-
mond box in her bed in order that she might
be tried, condemned, executed"
The ladies covered their faces If / had
had knife in my hand | would have struck
it into the old presidents heart.
But the president closed his eyes, collected
himself for moment and said =
"They crushed her right hand" every
finger every joint, like that"
He made a gesture. My nerves jerked
spasmodically in imitation of it.
A cloud of blood passed before my eyes, and
the terrible scene vanished.
"Francoise had tainted in confessing the
theft Yes, she had confessed it but proclaim.
ing that / was her foster brother, that she had
come to Paris to see me- that to see me she
had brsved every thing-to hang once more
upon her foster brothers neck.
The president had scarcely finished this
agonzng sentence, when l saw rise before
Madame de Hacqueville, like phantom, a
woman, with difficulty and pain drawing off
her gloves, permitted to be seen a hand broken
and crushed, which she placed upon the head
of NJ. de Page.
Like one crushed, the old man raised his
eyes in terror beneath that hand which weigh
ed him down.
The other people were pale l looked at
myself in the glass; was more than pale-I
was green.
Tears and sobs from the eyes and mouths
of these two, ruined by each other, mingled
together and NJ. de Page took that hand and
carrying it to his lips kissed the host, and he
was pardoued as the dying man is pardoned-
for Madame Casa Blanca passed the arm
which was free around the neck of M. de
Page.
"rhat evening"" continued the president,
there was Court Ball Iappeared at it still
clothed in my judicial robes, and bearing with
me the death warrant of Fra ncoise. Bending
my knee to the earth said to Louis XVI =
''Sire, to day the bones of my foster ter
have been broken upon the rack. was her
accuser, sire, and she has confessed ALL"
"WeIl 2" said the king.
"Sire, Invented the story of the theft"
The king recoied in terror.
"And wherefore Monsieur %
because wished to prove to France tina
with the torture the most frightful falsehood
was believed, the hottest truth assassinated.
Sire, to this proof / have sacrificed the thing
dearest to me in the world. My opinion,
therefore, cannot be doubted"
"Messieurs," said the king, "let the ball
continue" Then turning to his Chancellor,
Monsieur, from this night the torture is
abolished in France. Let it be made known
throughout the kingdom"