“Madame,” said the doctor, “if you will tell me your wishes in this matter, I will see that they are carried out.”

“Alas!” she said, “there is no one but my sister; and I fear lest she, remembering my crime towards her, may be too horrified to touch anything that belonged to me.  If she did not mind, it would be a great comfort to me to think she would wear it after my death, and that the sight of it would remind her to pray for me; but after what has passed, the rosary could hardly fail to revive an odious recollection.  My God, my God!  I am desperately wicked; can it be that you will pardon me?”

“Madame,” replied the doctor, “I think you are mistaken about Mlle, d’Aubray.  You may see by her letter what are her feelings towards you, and you must pray with this rosary up to the very end.  Let not your prayers be interrupted or distracted, for no guilty penitent must cease from prayer; and I, madame, will engage to deliver the rosary where it will be gladly received.”

And the marquise, who had been constantly distracted since the morning, was now, thanks to the patient goodness of the doctor, able to return with her former fervour to her prayers.  She prayed till seven o’clock.  As the clock struck, the executioner without a word came and stood before her; she saw that her moment had come, and said to the doctor, grasping his arm, “A little longer; just a few moments, I entreat.”

“Madame,” said the doctor, rising, “we will now adore the divine blood of the Sacrament, praying that you may be thus cleansed from all soil and sin that may be still in your heart.  Thus shall you gain the respite you desire.”

The executioner then tied tight the cords round her hands that he had let loose before, and she advanced pretty firmly and knelt before the altar, between the doctor and the chaplain.  The latter was in his surplice, and chanted a ‘Veni Creator, Salve Regina, and Tantum ergo’.  These prayers over, he pronounced the blessing of the Holy Sacrament, while the marquise knelt with her face upon the ground.  The executioner then went forward to get ready a shirt, and she made her exit from the chapel, supported on the left by the doctor’s arm, on the right by the executioner’s assistant.  Thus proceeding, she first felt embarrassment and confusion.  Ten or twelve people were waiting outside, and as she suddenly confronted them, she made a step backward, and with her hands, bound though they were, pulled the headdress down to cover half her face.  She passed through a small door, which was closed behind her, and then found herself between the two doors alone, with the doctor and the executioner’s man.  Here the rosary, in consequence of her violent movement to cover her face, came undone, and several beads fell on the floor.  She went on, however, without observing this; but the doctor stopped her, and he and the man stooped down and picked up all the beads, which they put into her hand.  Thanking them humbly for this attention, she said to the man, “Sir, I know I have now no worldly possessions, that all I have upon me belongs to you, and I may not give anything away without your consent; but I ask you kindly to allow me to give this chaplet to the doctor before I die:  you will not be much the loser, for it is of no value, and I am giving it to him for my sister.  Kindly let me do this.”