Montgeron adds, that this exhibition has been witnessed at least a hundred times, and by a multitude of persons.  And he expressly states, that the stools, which consisted of iron frames, with a board upon each, were placed entirely within the fireplace, and one on each side of the fire; so that, as Marie Sonnet rested her head on one stool and her feet on the other, her body remained suspended immediately above the fire; and further, that, “no matter how intense the heat, not only did she suffer no inconvenience, but the cloth in which she was wrapped was never injured, nor even singed, though it was sometimes actually in the flames."[31]

He declares, also, that Marie, on other occasions, remained over the fire much longer than is above certified.  The author of the “Vains Efforts” admits that “she remained exposed to the fire long enough to roast a piece of mutton or veal.”

Montgeron informs us, in addition, that Marie Sonnet sometimes varied the form of this experiment, with a somewhat varying result.  He says,—­“I have seen her five or six times, and in the presence of a multitude of persons, thrust both her feet, with shoes and stockings on, into the midst of a burning brazier; but in this case the fire did not respect the shoes, as, in the other, it had respected the cloth that enwrapped her.  The shoes caught fire, and the soles were reduced to ashes, but without the convulsionist experiencing pain in her feet, which she continued to keep for a considerable time in the fire.  Once I had the curiosity to examine the soles of her stockings, in order to ascertain if they, too, were burnt.  As soon as I touched them they crumbled to powder, so that the sole of the foot remained bare."[32]

Dr. A——­, in the letter already alluded to, which he published against this girl, admits, that, “while in the midst of flames, or stretched over a burning brazier, she received no injury whatever."[33]

M. Poncet, whom I have elsewhere mentioned as one of the chief writers against the Succorists, admits the following:—­

“This convulsionist [Gabrielle Moler] placed herself on her knees before a large fire full of burning coals all in flame.  Then, a person being seated behind her, and holding her by a band, she plunged her head into the flames, which closed over it; then, being drawn back, she repeated the same, continuing it with a regular alternate movement.  She has been seen thus to throw herself on the fire six hundred times in succession.  Usually she wore a bonnet, but sometimes not; and when she did wear one, the top of the bonnet was occasionally burned."[34] Montgeron adds, “but her hair never."[35]