Itwasnotverylongbeforethenameofthemagicianwhohadworkedthiswonderbegantobementionedquiteopenly:Satan，itwassaid，haddrawnUrbainGrandierintohispower，throughhispride。UrbainhadenteredintoapactwiththeEvilSpiritbywhichhehadsoldhimhissoulinreturnforbeingmadethemostlearnedmanonearth。Now，asUrbain'sknowledgewasmuchgreaterthanthatoftheinhabitantsofLoudun，thisstorygainedgeneralcredenceinthetown，althoughhereandtherewastobefoundamansufficientlyenlightenedtoshrughisshouldersattheseabsurdities，andtolaughatthemummeries，ofwhichasyethesawonlytheridiculousside，ForthenexttenortwelvedaysMignonandBarrespentthegreaterpartoftheirtimeattheconvent；sometimesremainingthereforsixhoursatastretch，sometimestheentireday。
　　Atlength，onMonday，the11thofOctober，1632，theywrotetothepriestofVenier，toMessireGuillaumeCerisaydelaGueriniere，bailiffoftheLoudenois，andtoMessireLouisChauvet，civillieutenant，beggingthemtovisittheUrsulineconvent，inordertoexaminetwonunswhowerepossessedbyevilspirits，andtoverifythestrangeandalmostincrediblemanifestationsofthispossession。Beingthusformallyappealedto，thetwomagistratescouldnotavoidcompliancewiththerequest。Itmustbeconfessedthattheywerenotfreefromcuriosity，andfeltfarfromsorryatbeingabletogettothebottomofthemysteryofwhichforsometimethewholetownwastalking。
　　Theyrepaired，therefore，totheconvent，intendingtomakeathoroughinvestigationastotherealityofthepossessionandastotheefficacyoftheexorcismsemployed。Shouldtheyjudgethatthenunswerereallypossessed，andthatthosewhotriedtodeliverthemwereinearnest，theywouldauthorisethecontinuationoftheeffortsatexorcism；butiftheywerenotsatisfiedonthesetwopoints，theywouldsoonputanendtothewholethingasacomedy。Whentheyreachedthedoor，Mignon，wearingalbandstole，cametomeetthem。Hetoldthemthatthefeelingsofthenunshadformorethantwoweeksbeenharrowedbytheapparitionofspectresandotherblood-curdlingvisions，thatthemothersuperiorandtwonunshadevidentlybeenpossessedbyevilspiritsforoveraweek；thatowingtotheeffortsofBarreandsameCarmelitefriarswhoweregoodenoughtoassisthimagainsttheircommonenemies，thedevilshadbeentemporarilydrivenout，butonthepreviousSundaynight，the10thofOctober，themothersuperior，JeannedeBelfield，whoseconventualnamewasJeannedesAnges，andalaysistercalledJeanneDumagnoux，hadagainbeenenteredintobythesamespirits。Ithad，however，beendiscoveredbymeansofexorcismsthatanewcompact，ofwhichthesymbolandtokenwasabunchofroses，hadbeenconcluded，thesymbolandtokenofthefirsthavingbeenthreeblackthorns。Headdedthatduringthetimeofthefirstpossessionthedemonshadrefusedtogivetheirnames，butbythepowerofhisexorcismsthisreluctancehadbeenovercome，thespiritwhichhadresumedpossessionofthemothersuperiorhavingatlengthrevealedthatitsnamewasAshtaroth，oneofthegreatestenemiesofGod，whilethedevilwhichhadenteredintothelaysisterwasofalowerorder，andwascalledSabulon。Unfortunately，continuedMignon，justnowthetwoafflictednunswereresting，andherequestedthebailiffandthecivillieutenanttoputofftheirinspectiontillalittlelater。Thetwomagistrateswerejustabouttogoaway，whenanunappeared，sayingthatthedevilswereagaindoingtheirworstwiththetwointowhomtheyhadentered。
　　Consequently，theyaccompaniedMignonandthepriestfromVeniertoanupperroom，inwhichweresevennarrowbeds，ofwhichtwoonlywereoccupied，onebythemothersuperiorandtheotherbythelaysister。Thesuperior，whowasthemorethoroughlypossessedofthetwo，wassurroundedbytheCarmelitemonks，thesistersbelongingtotheconvent，MathurinRousseau，priestandcanonofSainte-Croix，andMannouri，asurgeonfromthetown。
　　Nosoonerdidthetwomagistratesjointheothersthanthesuperiorwasseizedwithviolentconvulsions，writhingandutteringsquealsinexactimitationofasuckingpig。Thetwomagistrateslookedoninprofoundastonishment，whichwasgreatlyincreasedwhentheysawthepatientnowburyherselfinherbed，nowspringrightoutofit，thewholeperformancebeingaccompaniedbysuchdiabolicalgesturesandgrimacesthat，iftheywerenotquiteconvincedthatthepossessionwasgenuine，theywereatleastfilledwithadmirationofthemannerinwhichitwassimulated。Mignonnextinformedthebailiffandthecivillieutenant，thatalthoughthesuperiorhadneverlearnedLatinshewouldreplyinthatlanguagetoallthequestionsaddressedtoher，ifsuchweretheirdesire。Themagistratesansweredthatastheywerethereinordertoexaminethoroughlyintothefactsofthecase，theybeggedtheexorciststogivethemeverypossibleproofthatthepossessionwasreal。Uponthis，Mignonapproachedthemothersuperior，and，havingorderedeveryonetobesilent，placedtwoofhisfingersinhermouth，and，havinggonethroughtheformofexorcismprescribedbytheritual，heaskedthefollowingquestionswordforwordastheyaregiven，D。Whyhaveyouenteredintothebodyofthisyounggirl？
　　Asthepatientpronouncedthelastwordsherecoveredhersenses，andhavingrepeatedaprayer，attemptedtoswallowamorselofbreadwhichwasofferedher；shewas，however，obligedtospititout，sayingitwassodryshecouldnotgetitdown。
　　Somethingmoreliquidwasthenbrought，butevenofthatshecouldswallowverylittle，asshefellintoconvulsionseveryfewminutes。
　　Uponthisthetwoofficials，seeingtherewasnothingmoretobegotoutofthesuperior，withdrewtooneofthewindowrecessesandbegantoconverseinalowtone；whereuponMignon，whofearedthattheyhadnotbeensufficientlyimpressed，followedthem，anddrewtheirattentiontothefactthattherewasmuchinwhattheyhadjustseentorecallthecaseofGaufredi，whohadbeenputtodeathafewyearsbeforeinconsequenceofadecreeoftheParliamentofAix，inProvence。Thisill-judgedremarkofMignonshowedsoclearlywhathisaimwasthatthemagistratesmadenoreply。ThecivillieutenantremarkedthathehadbeensurprisedthatMignonhadnotmadeanyattempttofindoutthecauseoftheenmityofwhichthesuperiorhadspoken，andwhichitwassoimportanttofindout；butMignonexcusedhimselfbysayingthathehadnorighttoputquestionsmerelytogratifycuriosity。Thecivillieutenantwasabouttoinsistonthematterbeinginvestigated，whenthelaysisterinherturnwentintoafit，thusextricatingMignonfromhisembarrassment。Themagistratesapproachedthelaysister'sbedatonce，anddirectedMignontoputthesamequestionstoherastothesuperior:hedidso，butallinvain；allshewouldreplywas，"Totheother!Totheother!"
　　Mignonexplainedthisrefusaltoanswerbysayingthattheevilspiritwhichwasinherwasofaninferiororder，andreferredallquestionerstoAshtaroth，whowashissuperior。Asthiswastheonlyexplanation，goodorbad，offeredthembyMignon，themagistrateswentaway，anddrewupareportofalltheyhadseenandheardwithoutcomment，merelyappendingtheirsignatures。
　　Butinthetownveryfewpeopleshowedthesamediscretionandreticenceasthemagistrates。Thebigotedbelieved，thehypocritespretendedtobelieve；andtheworldly-minded，whowerenumerous，discussedthedoctrineofpossessioninallitsphases，andmadenosecretoftheirownentireincredulity。Theywondered，andnotwithoutreasonitmustbeconfessed，whathadinducedthedevilstogooutofthenuns'bodiesfortwodaysonly，andthencomebackandresumepossession，totheconfusionoftheexorcists；further，theywantedtoknowwhythemothersuperior'sdevilspokeLatin，whilethelaysister'swasignorantofthattongue；forameredifferenceofrankinthehierarchyofhelldidnotseemasufficientexplanationofsuchadifferenceineducation。
　　Mignon'srefusaltogoonwithhisinterrogationsastothecauseoftheenmitymadethem，theysaid，suspectthat，knowinghehadreachedtheendofAshtaroth'sclassicalknowledge，hefeltituselesstotrytocontinuethedialogueintheCiceronianidiom。Moreover，itwaswellknownthatonlyafewdaysbeforeallUrbain'sworstenemieshadmetinconclaveinthevillageofPuidardane；andbesides，howstupidlyMignonhadshownhishandbymentioningGaufredi，thepriestwhohadbeenexecutedatAix:lastly，whyhadnotadesireforimpartialitybeenshownbycallinginotherthanCarmelitemonkstobepresentattheexorcism，thatorderhavingaprivatequarrelwithGrandier？Itmustbeadmittedthatthiswayoflookingatthecasewasnotwantinginshrewdness。
　　Onthefollowingday，October12th，thebailiffandthecivillieutenant，havingheardthatexorcismshadbeenagaintriedwithouttheirhavingbeeninformedbeforehand，requestedacertainCanonRousseautoaccompanythem，andsetoutwithhimandtheirclerkfortheconvent。Onarriving，theyaskedforMignon，andonhisappearancetheytoldhimthatthismatterofexorcismwasofsuchimportancethatnofurtherstepsweretobetakeninitwithouttheauthoritiesbeingpresent，andthatinfuturetheyweretobegiventimelynoticeofeveryattempttogetridoftheevilspirits。TheyaddedthatthiswasallthemorenecessaryasMignon'spositionasdirectorofthesisterhoodandhiswell-knownhateforGrandierwoulddrawsuspicionsonhimunworthyofhiscloth，suspicionswhichheoughttobethefirsttowishtoseedissipated，andthatquickly；
　　andthat，therefore，theworkwhichhehadsopiouslybegunwouldbecompletedbyexorcistsappointedbythecourt。
　　Mignonrepliedthat，thoughhehadnottheslightestobjectiontothemagistratesbeingpresentatalltheexorcisms，yethecouldnotpromisethatthespiritswouldreplytoanyoneexcepthimselfandBarre。
　　JustatthatmomentBarrecameonthescene，palerandmoregloomythanever，andspeakingwiththeairofamanwhosewordnoonecouldhelpbelieving，heannouncedthatbeforetheirarrivalsomemostextraordinarythingshadtakenplace。Themagistratesaskedwhatthings，andBarrerepliedthathehadlearnedfromthemothersuperiorthatshewaspossessed，notbyone，butbysevendevils，ofwhomAshtarothwasthechief；thatGrandierhadentrustedhispactwiththedevil，underthesymbolofabunchofroses，toacertainJeanPivart，togivetoagirlwhohadintroduceditintotheconventgardenbythrowingitoverthewall；thatthistookplaceinthenightbetweenSaturdayandSunday"horasecundanocturna"twohoursaftermidnight；thatthoseweretheverywordsthesuperiorhadused，butthatwhileshereadilynamedPivart，sheabsolutelyrefusedtogivethenameofthegirl；thatonaskingwhatPivartwas；shehadreplied，"Paupermagus"apoormagician；thathethenhadpressedherastothewordmagus，andthatshehadreplied"Magicianusetcivis"magicianandcitizen；andthatjustasshesaidthosewordsthemagistrateshadarrived，andhehadaskednomorequestions。
　　Thetwoofficialslistenedtothisinformationwiththeseriousnessbefittingmenentrustedwithhighjudicialfunctions，andannouncedtothetwoprieststhattheyproposedtovisitthepossessedwomenandwitnessforthemselvesthemiraclesthatweretakingplace。Theclericsofferednoopposition，butsaidtheyfearedthatthedevilswerefatiguedandwouldrefusetoreply；and，infact，whentheofficialsreachedthesickroomthetwopatientsappearedtohaveregainedsomedegreeofcalm。Mignontookadvantageofthisquietmomenttosaymass，towhichthetwomagistrateslisteneddevoutlyandtranquilly，andwhilethesacrificewasbeingofferedthedemonsdidnotdaretomove。ItwasexpectedthattheywouldoffersomeoppositionattheelevationoftheHost，buteverythingpassedoffwithoutdisturbance，onlythelaysister'shandsandfeettwitchedagreatdeal；andthiswastheonlyfactwhichthemagistrates...剩余内容请长按扫描二维码或下载丁香书院APP继续免费看：

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