The six sisters of the valleys : an historical romance - University Library

128 THE SIX SISTEES OP THE VALLEYS.
unbound the mangled and powerless body.
Laying her down on the floor, they washed
the implements of torture, and threw the
remnants of the blood-stained water into
her face.
" If thou hast not been baptized/
chanted De la Mena, "we baptize thee in
the name of the Holy Church."
"Amen!" replied those at the upper
end of the first room.
Having searched among their instru-
ments, they found a pair of pliers, and
stretching out Marguerite's right hand,
grasped hold of the nail of the forefinger.
A wrench—a shriek from the half- dead
form—and then the bloody nail is cast on
the cold pavement, and trampled upon by
these ordained priests. The same act is
repeated, until at last each finger of that
hand is without a nail. A motion is
visible, as if she would join her left hand
to it for her last prayer.
"My Saviour, my Saviour, I come;
'