United States or Montenegro ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
And she fell back upon the leather bed, dying, doubled up, allowing herself to hang suspended from the strap buckled round her waist. "Come, fair one, hold up a little," said Master Pierrat, raising her. "You have the air of the lamb of the Golden Fleece which hangs from Monsieur de Bourgogne's neck." Jacques Charmolue raised his voice, "Clerk, write.
"Be at ease," said Charmolue with a smile; "I'll buckle him down again for you on the leather bed when I get home. But 'tis a devil of a man; he wearies even Pierrat Torterue himself, who hath hands larger than my own. As that good Plautus saith, 'Nudus vinctus, centum pondo, es quando pendes per pedes. The torture of the wheel and axle! 'Tis the most effectual! He shall taste it!"
Meanwhile, the callous hands of Pierrat Torterue's assistants had bared that charming leg, that tiny foot, which had so often amazed the passers-by with their delicacy and beauty, in the squares of Paris. "'Tis a shame!" muttered the tormentor, glancing at these graceful and delicate forms.
She felt the terrible images which had so long persecuted her, gradually departing. All the hideous phantoms, Pierrat Torterue, Jacques Charmolue, were effaced from her mind, all, even the priest. And then, Phoebus was alive; she was sure of it, she had seen him. To her the fact of Phoebus being alive was everything.
During this gayety, a man in the livery of the city, short of stature and robust of mien, mounted the platform and placed himself near the victim. His name speedily circulated among the spectators. It was Master Pierrat Torterue, official torturer to the Chatelet.
Tongs, pincers, large ploughshares, filled the interior of the furnace, and glowed in a confused heap on the coals. The sanguine light of the furnace illuminated in the chamber only a confused mass of horrible things. This Tartarus was called simply, The Question Chamber. On the bed, in a negligent attitude, sat Pierrat Torterue, the official torturer.
A bellringer carrying off a wench, like a vicomte! a lout poaching on the game of gentlemen! that is a rare piece of assurance. However, he paid dearly for it. Master Pierrat Torterue is the harshest groom that ever curried a knave; and I can tell you, if it will be agreeable to you, that your bellringer's hide got a thorough dressing at his hands."
"So you deny them?" "All!" "Proceed," said Charmolue to Pierrat. Pierrat turned the handle of the screw-jack, the boot was contracted, and the unhappy girl uttered one of those horrible cries which have no orthography in any human language. "Stop!" said Charmolue to Pierrat. "Do you confess?" he said to the gypsy. "All!" cried the wretched girl. "I confess! I confess! Mercy!"
Master Pierrat, make room for mademoiselle, and close the door." Pierrat rose with a growl. "If I shut the door," he muttered, "my fire will go out." "Well, my dear fellow," replied Charmolue, "leave it open then." Meanwhile, la Esmeralda had remained standing. That leather bed on which so many unhappy wretches had writhed, frightened her.
Dom Claude seemed absorbed in gloomy abstraction. He turned to Charmolue, "Master Pierrat Master Jacques, I mean, busy yourself with Marc Cenaine." "Yes, yes, Dom Claude. Poor man! he will have suffered like Mummol. What an idea to go to the witches' sabbath! a butler of the Court of Accounts, who ought to know Charlemagne's text; Stryga vel masea!
Word Of The Day