to
Maestricht, where the marquise was to pass, of his own accord. There
he tried to bribe the archers, offering much as 10,000 livres, but
they were incorruptible. At Rocroy the cortege met M. Palluau, the
councillor, whom the Parliament had sent after the prisoner, that he
might put questions to her at a time when she least expected them, and
so would not have prepared her answers. Desgrais told him all that had
passed, and specially called his attention to the famous box, the object
of so much anxiety and so many eager instructions. M. de Palluau opened
it, and found among other things a paper headed "My Confession." This
confession was a proof that the guilty feel great need of discovering
their crimes either to mankind or to a merciful God. Sainte-Croix, we
know, had made a confession that was burnt, and here was the marquise
equally imprudent. The confession contained seven articles, and began
thus, "I confess to God, and to you, my father," and was a complete
avowal, of all the crimes she had committed.

In the first article she accused herself of incendiarism;

In the second, of having ceased to be a virgin at seven years of age;

In the third of having poisoned her father;

In the fourth, of having poisoned her two brothers;

In the fifth, that she had tried to poison her sister, a Carmelite nun.

The two other articles were concerned with the description of strange
and unnatural sins. In this woman there was something of Locusta and
something of Messalina as well: antiquity could go no further.

M. de Palluau, fortified by his knowledge of this important document,
began his examination forthwith. We give it verbatim, rejoicing that we
may substitute an official report for our own narrative.

Asked why she fled to Liege, she replied that she left France on account
of some business with her sister-in-law.

Asked if she had any knowledge of the papers found in the box, she
replied that in the box there were several family papers, and among
them a general confession which she desired to make; when she wrote
it, however, her mind was disordered; she knew not what she had said or
done, being distraught at the time, in a foreign country, deserted by
her relatives, forced to borrow every penny.

Asked as to the first article, what house it was she had burnt, she
replied that she had not burnt anything, but when she wrote that she was
out of her senses.

Asked about the six other articles she replied that sh