They
knew it would soon be publicly proven that two of the six men had taken
no part whatever in the conspiracy.
What was to be done?
Martial desired his father to resign his authority; but the duke had not
courage to do it.
M. de Courtornieu encouraged him. He admitted that all this was very
unfortunate, but declared, since the wine had been drawn, that it was
necessary to drink it, and that one could not draw back now without
causing a terrible scandal.
The next day the dismal rolling of drums was again heard, and the six
doomed men, two of whom were known to be innocent, were led outside
the walls of the citadel and shot, on the same spot where, only a week
before, fourteen of their comrades had fallen.
And the prime mover in the conspiracy had not yet been tried.
Confined in the cell next to that which Chanlouineau had occupied,
Lacheneur had fallen into a state of gloomy despondency, which lasted
during his whole term of imprisonment. He was terribly broken, both in
body and in mind.
Once only did the blood mount to his pallid cheek, and that was on the
morning when the Duc de Sairmeuse entered the cell to interrogate him.
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