Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 14.pdf/262

 The Sainte Croix-De Brinvilliers Case. brothers, and sister, in the Chapel of the Conciergerie at the Palais, ten thousand livres damages for the said Mangot" and all the costs, even those assessed against the said Amelin called La Chaussee." It certainly cannot be said that the ancient tribunals of France did not render sweeping decisions. We have now passed beyond the

227

with profound attention, exhibiting not the slightest sign of weakness. When the offi cer had finished, — " Monsieur, will you have the goodness to read it again? My attention was so attracted by the portion relating to theThe tumbril executioner that I fear thenthe prepared rest escaped her forme." the torture, which, it will be remembered, was

THE WATER TORTURE. stage when it was possible to witness a single court administering civil and criminal law at one and the same time, and in one and the same case. In so far as the charge of attempting to murder her sister is concerned, the conviction of Madame de Brinvilliers seems to have been based largely upon her own confession. To the reading of this decree in her prison at the Conciergerie, the Marquise listened 1 Widow of the Civil Lieutenant.

both the "ordinary" and "extraordinary." The form employed was that of "water." For the ordinary, the victim, after having been disrobed, was stretched across a small trestle of the height of about two and a half feet. Legs and arms were fastened to the floor or wall, with ropes drawn tight, so that the entire body described a half circle, al most as though it were stretched on the rim of a wheel. Water was then poured down the throat through a funnel. Five quarts