"No. Ronan, the accursed bandit, on the contrary, boasted that he was a Vagre."
"That is just what the son of the King said. He thought that the torture had no purpose with Ronan. He opposed it strongly."
"But our holy bishop," explained the other slave, "declared that a truth extracted by torture was doubly certain, it being in the nature of a judgment of God. Thereupon no one raised any further objection, and matters took their course."
"At the bishop's orders," resumed the first slave, "the feet of the Vagre and of the hermit-laborer were dipped into boiling oil--they confessed a second time."
"And thereupon they were both carried back to the _ergastula_, because they could not walk."
"And to-morrow they will be taken out for execution. It is said that the manner of their death will be frightful--but it never could be frightful enough to atone for the crimes that Ronan the Vagre--"
"And what crimes did he commit, my friends?"
"Did not the sacrilegious wretch, at the head of his band, pillage and burn down the episcopal villa of our holy bishop?"
"How, my friends, do you mean to say that Ronan the Vagre, the impious wretch, dared to commit such a crime? And what about the women, were they also put to the torture?"
"The little slave is still near death's door of a wound that she inflicted upon herself in an attempt to commit suicide. She made the attempt in a fit of despair when she saw that the Vagres were cut to pieces."
"As to the witch of a bishopess, they were preparing to apply the torture to her, when our holy bishop interposed, saying: 'We must be careful not to weaken the witch; she may succumb to the pain; it is better that she remain as strong as possible, in order that she escape not one of the torments of to-morrow's execution.'"
"Your bishop is wise, my friends. And where do the bandits await death?"
"I hope that there is no chance of the accursed people escaping!"
"As to Ronan the Vagre and the hermit-laborer, even if they were free, they could not walk a step, their feet are all blistered."
"Besides, the _ergastula_ is made of bricks and Roman cement. The walls are as hard as rocks. Then, the cave is closed with a row of iron bars, each as thick as my arm, and it is always guarded by armed sentries."