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because； if I am to have no hope； it is needless for me to confess。〃
〃I wish to think； madame；〃 replied the doctor； in spite of himself half frightened at the marquise； 〃that this your first question is only put by way of a general thesis； and has nothing to do with your own state。 I shall answer the question without any personal application。 No； madame； in this life there are no unpardonable sinners； terrible and numerous howsoever their sins may be。 This is an article of faith； and without holding it you could not die a good Catholic。 Some doctors； it is true； have before now maintained the contrary； but they have been condemned as heretics。 Only despair and final impenitence are unpardonable； and they are not sins of our life but in our death。〃
〃Sir；〃 replied the marquise； 〃God has given me grace to be convinced by what you say； and I believe He will pardon all sinsthat He has often exercised this power。 Now all my trouble is that He may not deign to grant all His goodness to one so wretched as I am； a creature so unworthy of the favours already bestowed on her。〃
The doctor reassured her as best he could； and began to examine her attentively as they conversed together。 〃She was；〃 he said； 〃a woman naturally courageous and fearless； naturally gentle and good； not easily excited； clever and penetrating； seeing things very clearly in her mind； and expressing herself well and in few but careful words； easily finding a way out of a difficulty； and choosing her line of conduct in the most embarrassing circumstances； light…minded and fickle； unstable； paying no attention if the same thing were said several times over。 For this reason；〃 continued the doctor； 〃I was obliged to alter what I had to say from time to time； keeping her but a short time to one subject； to which； however； I would return later； giving the matter a new appearance and disguising it a little。 She spoke little and well； with no sign of learning and no affectation； always； mistress of herself； always composed and saying just what she intended to say。 No one would have supposed from her face or from her conversation that she was so wicked as she must have been； judging by her public avowal of the parricide。 It is surprising； thereforeand one must bow down before the judgment of God when He leaves mankind to himselfthat a mind evidently of some grandeur； professing fearlessness in the most untoward and unexpected events； an immovable firmness and a resolution to await and to endure death if so it must be； should yet be so criminal as she was proved to be by the parricide to which she confessed before her judges。 She had nothing in her face that would indicate such evil。 She had very abundant chestnut hair； a rounded； well…shaped face； blue eyes very pretty and gentle； extraordinarily white skin； good nose； and no disagreeable feature。 Still； there was nothing unusually attractive in the face： already she was a little wrinkled； and looked older than her age。 Something made me ask at our first interview how old she was。 'Monsieur；' she said； 'if I were to live till Sainte… Madeleine's day I should be forty…six。 On her day I came into the world； and I bear her name。 I was christened Marie…Madeleine。 But near to the day as we now are； I shall not live so long： I must end to…day； or at latest to…morrow； and it will be a favour to give me the one day。 For this kindness I rely on your word。' Anyone would have thought she was quite forty…eight。 Though her face as a rule looked so gentle； whenever an unhappy thought crossed her mind she showed it by a contortion that frightened one at first； and from time to time I saw her face twitching with anger； scorn； or ill…will。 I forgot to say that she was very little and thin。 Such is； roughly given； a description of her body and mind； which I very soon came to know； taking pains from the first to observe her； so as to lose no time in acting on what I discovered。〃
As she was giving a first brief sketch of her life to her confessor； the marquise remembered that he had not yet said mass； and reminded him herself that it was time to do so； pointing out to him the chapel of the Conciergerie。 She begged him to say a mass for her and in honour of Our Lady； so that she might gain the intercession of the Virgin at the throne of God。 The Virgin she had always taken for her patron saint； and in the midst of her crimes and disorderly life had never ceased in her peculiar devotion。 As she could not go with the priest； she promised to be with him at least in the spirit。 He left her at half…past ten in the morning； and after four hours spent alone together； she had been induced by his piety and gentleness to make confessions that could not be wrung from her by the threats of the judges or the fear of the question。 The holy and devout priest said his mass； praying the Lord's help for confessor and penitent alike。 After mass； as he returned； he learned from a librarian called Seney； at the porter's lodge； as he was taking a glass of wine； that judgment had been given； and that Madame de Brinvilliers was to have her hand cut off。 This severityas a fact； there was a mitigation of the sentencemade him feel yet more interest in his penitent； and he hastened back to her side。
As soon as she saw the door open； she advanced calmly towards him； and asked if he had truly prayed for her； and when he assured her of this； she said； 〃Father； shall I have the consolation of receiving the viaticum before I die？〃
〃Madame；〃 replied the doctor； 〃if you are condemned to death； you must die without that sacrament； and I should be deceiving you if I let you hope for it。 We have heard of the death of the constable of Saint…Paul without his obtaining this grace； in spite of all his entreaties。 He was executed in sight of the towers of Notre…Dame。 He offered his own prayer； as you may offer yours； if you suffer the same fate。 But that is all： God； in His goodness； allows it to suffice。〃
〃But；〃 replied the marquise； 〃I believe M。 de Cinq…Mars and M。 de Thou communicated before their death。〃
〃I think not； madame；〃 said the doctor； 〃 for it is not so said in the pages of Montresor or any other book that describes their execution。〃
〃But M。 de Montmorency？〃 said she。
〃But M。 de Marillac？〃 replied the doctor。
In truth； if the favour had been granted to the first； it had been refused to the second； and the marquise was specially struck thereby； for M。 de Marillac was of her own family； and she was very proud of the connection。 No doubt she was unaware that M。 de Rohan had received the sacrament at the midnight mass said for the salvation of his soul by Father Bourdaloue； for she said nothing about it； and hearing the doctor's answer； only sighed。
〃Besides；〃 he continued； 〃in recalling examples of the kind； madame； you must not build upon them； please： they are extraordinary cases； not the rule。 You must expect no privilege； in your case the ordinary laws will be carried out； and your fate will not differ from the fate of other condemned persons。 How would it have been had you lived and died before the reign of Charles VI？ Up to the reign of this prince； the guilty died without confession； and it was only by this king's orders that there was a relaxation of this severity。 Besides； communion is not absolutely necessary to salvation； and one may communicate spiritually in reading the word； which is like the body； in uniting oneself with the Church； which is the mystical substance of Christ； and in suffering for Him and with Him； this last communion of agony that is your portion； madame； and is the most perfect communion of all。 If you heartily detest your crime and love God with all your soul； if you have faith and charity； your death is a martyrdom and a new baptism。〃
〃Alas； my God；〃 replied the marquise； 〃after what you tell me； now that I know the executioner's hand was necessary to my salvation； what should I have become had I died at Liege？ Where should I have been now？ And even if I had not been taken； and had lived another twenty years away from France； what would my death have been； since it needed the scaffold for my purification？ Now I see all my wrong… doings； and the worst of all is the lastI mean my effrontery before the judges。 But all is not yet lost； God be thanked； and as I have one last examination to go through； I desire to make a complete confession about my whole life。 You； Sir； I entreat specially to ask pardon on my behalf of the first president； yesterday； when I was in the dock； he spoke very touching words to me； and I was deeply moved； but I would not show it； thinking that if I made no avowal the evidence would not be sufficiently strong to convict me。 But it has happened otherwise； and I must have scandalised my judges by such an exhibition of hardihood。 Now I recognise my fault； and will repair it。 Furthermore； sir； far from feeling angry with the president for the judgment he to…day passes against me； far from complaining of the prosecutor who has demanded it； I thank them both most humbly； for my salvation depends upon it。〃
The doctor was about to answer； encouraging her； when the door opened： it was dinner coming in； for it was now half…past one。 The marquise paused and watc