PARISIAN SIGHTS AND FRENCH PRINCIPLLES - Softcover

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1855 Excerpt: ..." You have only to choose them among your great lords and noble ladies. Have they not prevented me by their folly from continuing my own profession of an accoucheur? They commenced by asking of me secrets of the future, and I have drawn their cards, and given them the most brilliant horoscopes; they then demanded of me ifioles de jeunessef and I have sold them pure water under the guise of water of youth. They have asked of me some grains of that powder of succession which succeeded so well with Madame de Brinvilliers, and I have given them my strongest poisons. You now know nil my accomplices.'7 "And, finally," continued the judge, "you are condemned to submit to the torture extraordinary." " I shall answer the best I can, Monsieur Judge. Bind me with my hands behind my back; lash my legs with cords; lay me down upon the wooden horse" (an instrument of torture); " torture me at your leisure: I will continue to laugh, to blaspheme, to sing, regretting all the while that you do not put a little wine in your water." (The species of torture was to cause the prisoner to swallow several quarts of water by means of a little stream trickling slowly into the mouth.) " Go on! courage! Judge and executioner, I am ready." " First pot of water for the torture ordinary," said the judge, making a sign to the executioner. " To your health!" replied La Yoisine. The " question" was begun by two large pints of cold water turned, drop by drop, into the mouth of the criminal. When the jug was emptied, they turned three spokes of the wooden horse, elongating the limbs until the tendons were ready to snap. " You are right, my friends: one should grow at all ages. I always grumbled at being ...