An Order Came From Court To
Bring Him To His Trial, When He Was Found Guilty, And Condemned
To Be Broke On The Wheel.
Joseph said he drank a bottle of wine
with him the night before his execution.
He bore his fate with
great resolution, observing that if the letter which he had
written to the King had been delivered, he certainly should have
obtained his Majesty's pardon. His executioner was one of his own
gang, who was pardoned on condition of performing this office.
You know, that criminals broke upon the wheel are first
strangled, unless the sentence imports, that they shall be broke
alive. As Mandrin had not been guilty of cruelty in the course of
his delinquency, he was indulged with this favour. Speaking to
the executioner, whom he had formerly commanded, "Joseph (dit
il), je ne veux pas que tu me touche, jusqu'a ce que je sois roid
mort," "Joseph," said he, "thou shalt not touch me till I am
quite dead." - Our driver had no sooner pronounced these words,
than I was struck with a suspicion, that he himself was the
executioner of his friend Mandrin. On that suspicion, I
exclaimed, "Ah! ah! Joseph!" The fellow blushed up to the eyes,
and said, Oui, son nom etoit Joseph aussi bien que le mien, "Yes,
he was called Joseph, as I am." I did not think proper to
prosecute the inquiry; but did not much relish the nature of
Joseph's connexions. The truth is, he had very much the looks of
a ruffian; though, I must own, his behaviour was very obliging
and submissive.
On the fifth day of our journey, in the morning, we passed the
famous bridge at St. Esprit, which to be sure is a great
curiosity, from its length, and the number of its arches: but
these arches are too small: the passage above is too narrow; and
the whole appears to be too slight, considering the force and
impetuosity of the river. It is not comparable to the bridge at
Westminster, either for beauty or solidity. Here we entered
Languedoc, and were stopped to have our baggage examined; but the
searcher, being tipped with a three-livre piece, allowed it to
pass. Before we leave Dauphine, I must observe, that I was not a
little surprized to see figs and chestnuts growing in the open
fields, at the discretion of every passenger. It was this day I
saw the famous Pont du Garde; but as I cannot possibly include,
in this letter, a description of that beautiful bridge, and of
the other antiquities belonging to Nismes, I will defer it till
the next opportunity, being, in the mean time, with equal truth
and affection, - Dear Sir, Your obliged humble Servant.
LETTER X
MONTPELLIER, November 10, 1763.
DEAR SIR, - By the Pont St. Esprit we entered the province of
Languedoc, and breakfasted at Bagniole, which is a little paltry
town; from whence, however, there is an excellent road through a
mountain, made at a great expence, and extending about four
leagues.
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