Duc André was
the head of the Duchy of Rousseau in 1789 France. Robespierre and his men had
defeated King Louis XVI in battle, and had His Majesty on the run. Duc André
led a desperate attack against Robespierre’s troops, but were soundly defeated,
with the Duc losing his life, and the Royal Family taken captive and returned
to Paris to await their fates. The Duc’s three sons were fighting with their
father, but in another section of the field of battle. 21-year-old Louis had
black hair and eyes, stood 5’6” and weighed 150 lbs. 19-year-old Jacques, known to his friends as Jay, had brown hair
and eyes, stood 5’10” and weighed 189 lbs. 18-year-old Pierre had light brown
hair and blue eyes, stood 6’ tall and weighed 190 lbs. When they heard that their father had fallen
in battle, they fell back to regroup and decide what to do.
With his father’s
death, Louis was now the Duc, so he spoke first. “Listen, my brothers. I told
our father that this battle was doomed from the start. The peasants will win!
There is no future for our family in France, we must flee to England!”
Jay spoke up
immediately. “Duc Louis, I realize that you are the head of the family, but our
father is dead! We must fight on to defend his honor and the honor of the
Rousseau family! Besides, how can you give up? You were named after His
Majesty, in fact His Majesty is your Godfather!”
Pierre then
spoke up. “Yes, Duc Louis! Our brother Jay is right! We must fight on and
defend our lands and heritage! Forgive me for saying this, but only a coward
would flee to England!”
Louis then
replied to his brothers. “So, you think we must stay and fight! Well, if you
wish to do so, I won’t stop you. I for one, however, have no desire to lose my
head to an angry mob. I hereby abdicate my ducal title to Jay! Adieu, my
brothers. There is talk that there is a boat at the harbor in Brittany by the
English Channel waiting to take French noblemen to safety in London. I shall be
on it!” And with those parting words to Jay and Pierre, Louis mounted his white
Arabian horse, and fled to the coast!
With their
brother on the run, Duc Jay took charge. “Pierre, first of all, thank God that
our father and mother never heard their son confess to cowardice. It is a
blessing that they are both dead. Now, we need to return to our lands and
defend Castle Rousseau. I can’t believe that God would side with these peasants
over us who have their best interests at heart. We need to stay strong, and we
will defeat them and restore the monarchy. Now, go and bring General d’Aubry to
me. He was my father’s most trusted aide. We need his wisdom to help us safely
back to Castle Rousseau.”
“I will go at
once, Duc Jay!” Pierre then mounted his white Arabian, and rode to the far end
of the camp, where he found the tent of General d’Aubry.
“General
d’Aubry, come with me! My lord, the Duc, wishes to hear your counsel.”
“At once! Men,
wait here, I must go with the Duc’s brother.” And without another word, he
mounted his black stallion, and they headed to Duc Jay’s tent.
They pulled up
and went inside. The general was surprised to see Jay and not Louis. “Jay,
where is the Duc? Your brother, Pierre, came to my tent and said he wanted to
see me.”
“You are
correct, mon general! However, I am the duc, not my brother Louis!”
“I am afraid I
still do not understand, Duc Jay!”
“It is simple.
When we got word that my father had died in battle, my brothers and I held a
council to decide what steps to take. At that council, my brother Louis turned
coward, abdicated the dukedom to me and is now on his way to a boat in Brittany
to bring him and other cowardly nobles to England. My brother, Pierre, and I
decided to stay and fight for my dukedom. Will you swear allegiance to me as
your duc, and lead us safely back to Castle Rousseau, so that we may defend our
land and title?”
“Of course, Duc
Jay! The d’Aubry family has served the ducs d’Rousseau for hundreds of years.
But we must leave tonight, under cover of darkness. It is a long ride through
hostile lands. If we leave as the sun sets, we should arrive at Castle Rousseau
before the dawn.”
That night,
General d’Aubry, Duc Jay and the duc’s brother, Pierre left alone for the ride
to Castle Rousseau. As they rode, Duc Jay asked about the General’s troops
still in camp. “Mon General, what of your troops? Why do they not ride with
us?”
“Duc Jay, a
large force would have attracted unwanted attention. We are three men out for a
moonlight ride. No one will challenge us.”
“A wise
decision. What provisions have you made for their safety?”
“They will be
dead by morning. That is why I insisted we leave tonight. My spies told me that
after the battle yesterday, that Robespierre’s men planned a midnight attack on
our campsite, aided by the full moon. I have told no one, not even my
aide-de-camp. There is not even a guard posted. Our men will probably be
slaughtered in their sleep, at least the lucky ones will be. The others will
soon feel the kiss of Madame Guillotine!”
“Great work, mon
general! First, had we brought them safely to Castle Rousseau, we would have
had to feed them all, which could be a daunting task were the castle be put
under siege. And the slaughter of those troops will keep Robespierre’s men
busy, so that they will not follow us. What are the lives of a few hundred men
compared to the life of their duc?”
“Yes, or that of
His brother!” replied Pierre.
The three men
continued their journey to Castle Rousseau. Duc Jay’s only regret was that he
had to leave his father’s body on the field of battle. It would have made the
men too noticeable if they had a dead body with them. He resolved that as soon
as matters settled down that he would seek out his father’s body and bury it
with their ancestors at Castle Rousseau, or failing that, he would build a
massive memorial to his father using the peasants living on his lands to pay
for and perform the labor necessary to accomplish this feat. Just as dawn broke
over the horizon, the men arrived at Castle Rousseau. They were welcomed by
their loyal servants, who saw that they had a good meal, followed by a
luxurious bath. They then retired to their bedchambers for a well-deserved
sleep.
Meanwhile, as
General d’Aubry had told Duc Jay, Robespierre’s troops attacked the duc’s
forces as they slept. A couple hundred of the duc’s forces were slain in their
tents as they slept. The rest, about 100 young men, awoke and saw that there
was no hope of escape. They surrendered, hopeful of mercy from their captors.
Such was not to be their fate, however. They were bound, placed in cages, and
transported back to Paris for show trials that would be followed by dates with
Madame Guillotine. Along the way, the peasant populace pelted their cages with
rotten fruits and vegetables, and rained curses down upon their heads. Before
they began their journey to their doom, several senior officers were asked
about the whereabouts of the late duc’s three sons and General d’Aubry. None
knew where the men were. Upon thoroughly searching the camp, Robespierre’s men
realized that the main prizes had escaped, and most likely were headed for
Castle Rousseau. Immediately, a large force set out in pursuit, intent on
bringing the four men to justice!
The duc, Pierre
and the general had been asleep only a few hours when frightened servants
awakened them. While they slept, Robespierre’s men as well as peasants from the
duc’s lands had totally surrounded Castle Rousseau.
Robespierre’s
forces sent in a letter to the duc demanding the surrender of the castle and
all of its occupants. It offered freedom, liberty and lands to the servants,
but for the duc, his brothers and General d’Aubry the letter demanded their
immediate and unconditional surrender and that they pay for their crimes
against their fellow Frenchmen.
Duc Jay read the
letter with disgust and anger! He couldn’t believe that someone would DEMAND
that he surrender and pay for his crimes! “CRIMES, WHAT CRIMES! My family and I
have been benevolent masters to the peasants for generations. They would have
nothing without our family’s benevolence! We shall stand against this criminal
Robespierre and his minions! We know what is best for the peasants far more
than Mssr. Robespierre! We shall NOT surrender!”
The reply was
sent out to Robespierre’s men, who increased their stranglehold on the castle,
putting it under siege, and not allowing bread or water to come in to the
castle, nor any men to come out, except under flag of surrender. The siege went
on for a month, during which several servants snuck out at night and
surrendered to Robespierre’s troops. True to their word, the troops allowed the
servants to leave without harm, and they even gave them some lands confiscated
from nearby duchies. And despite his best efforts, Duc Jay was unable to get
food or supplies into Castle Rousseau. Conditions in the castle were rapidly
deteriorating, and should the defections to the other side continue, it was
almost a certainty that the castle would be attacked and very likely fall to
Robespierre’s men. Duc Jay therefore called a war council meeting between
himself, his brother Pierre and General d’Aubry.
“General
d’Aubry, how much longer can we hold out against these accursed rebels?”
“Duc Jay, if
things do not change, the castle will be out of food and water within a week,
and shortly thereafter the rebels will attack us, and I see no prospects for us
to repel successfully such an attack!”
Pierre spoke up.
“Is there nothing we can do? Our family has ruled from Castle Rousseau for
centuries!”
General d’Aubry
replied, “There is one chance, a small one, but a chance. I will sneak out
under cover of darkness. It should be possible for one man to sneak past their
forces. Should I succeed, I will try to reach Castle Montpelier. The ruler
there was your father’s closest ally. I will bring his troops back, and
hopefully break the siege. Should I fail, of course, then all is lost!”
“I do not know,
Duc Jay! Can we trust the general? What if he defects to save his own neck? I
think it is too risky!”
“Pierre, I am
surprised at you! I and my family have served your family faithfully for
generations!”
“The general is
right, Pierre. Their family has been our faithful servants for over a hundred
years. Besides, what choice do we have? We will be captured for sure if we do
not attempt this!”
“You are right
of course, Duc Jay! We have no choice!”
It was agreed
that General d’Aubry would sneak out of the castle shortly before midnight and
head for Castle Montpelier. If his mission were successful, he would return
with a large enough force of men to break the siege. Once the siege was broken,
he and the men would report to Duc Jay in the castle with arms, food and water.
The general left
that evening, as agreed. For the next three days, there was no news, and Duc
Jay and his brother Pierre were wondering whether the mission would succeed or
fail. On the fourth day after the general’s departure, Duc Jay was looking out
of the windows of the castle, and saw a force clad in the colors of the
monarchist forces battling Robespierre’s men. The battle raged for several
hours, but suddenly the royalists broke through the line, and entered the
castle. Robespierre’s men fled in disarray, ending the siege of the castle.
Seeing this, Duc Jay immediately went to his audience chamber with his brother
to await the arrival of General d’Aubry and the royalists. Both Duc Jay and
Pierre were seated on their thrones, when General d’Aubry and his troops entered
the audience chamber.
“General
d’Aubry, on behalf of my brother Pierre and the entire house of Rousseau,
congratulations on a totally successful mission. Now we can drive the hated
Robespierre and his men even further back, and restore the Bourbon dynasty to
its rightful place on the throne!”
“Men, in the
name of citizen Robespierre, I command you to immediately take into custody
Jay, the former duc d’Rousseau and his brother and former heir, Pierre!”
“WHAT! Is this a
joke??? You would dare betray your duc after all that he and his family have
done for you?”
“I hate to say
it, duc Jay, but I told you not to trust General d’Aubry! If this is not a
joke, we are both doomed!”
Ignoring their
protests, General d’Aubry and his men surrounded both Jay and Pierre and
securely bound them both.
“Jay Rousseau,
had you not been so arrogant and cocksure of yourself, you and those like you
would probably be living in your castles to a ripe old age. But you, like so
many others in your station of life, took for granted that you could use and
abuse your fellow citizens without penalty. I knew that my family and I would
never be free of your yoke. In fact, by remaining loyal to you, I was
condemning my family and I to sharing your fate. That is why I went, not to
Castle Montpelier, but to Robespierre’s general leading the siege instead. It
was simplicity itself to dress some of his men as royalists and stage a fake
battle for your benefit. Once you saw the “royalists” win the battle, I knew
you would open the gates of the castle.”
“YOU TRAITOR!
MAY YOU AND YOUR FAMILY BURN IN HELL!!! AND I COMMAND YOU TO RELEASE MY BROTHER
AND ME! HOW DARE YOU TOUCH OUR NOBLE PERSONAGES!”
“Men, listen to
the arrogance of the aristocracy! This is what we are fighting against! Now,
take them to the dungeons! We must interrogate them while we await our other
guest!”
“What other
guest? I demand that you answer me, d’Aubry!”
“You demand! How
rich is that! It is I who is in charge here; your rule is over, Rousseau! But I
will answer your question. Even as we speak, Citizen Robespierre’s troops
approach Brittany and the aristocracy planning to flee to England. The other
aristocrats will be sent to Paris to await their fates, but your cravenly
brother, Louis, is to be brought back here to suffer with his brothers.”
With that, the
two brothers were dragged cursing and struggling through the castle to the
dungeons below. The same dungeons where the brothers had helped their father
and his torturers torture their unfortunate prisoners, whose only crime was
that of taking game necessary to feed their families. It wasn’t the peasants’
fault that the game had run onto the private lands of the Rousseaus. As they
entered the dungeon, they were greeted by the sounds of ungodly screaming. The
brothers looked around, and saw there on the rack the naked body of their older
brother, Louis. Apparently, Robespierre’s men had already returned him to the
castle. He was being interrogated by Marcel, one of their father’s best
torturers.
Marcel turned
the wheel, stretching Louis’ limbs out much further than they were designed to
be. “Louis Rousseau, do you confess to murdering and maiming your subjects?”
“AAAAAA! YES, I
CONFESS!! PLEASE STOP THE PAIN!! MY JOINTS ARE ABOUT TO POP OUT OF THEIR
SOCKETS!”
“Louis Rousseau,
do you confess to stealing the wives and daughters of your subjects for your
own enjoyment?” As he asked this, he turned the wheel again. There was a
popping sound followed by a scream from Louis, who fainted. Marcel waited for
Louis to regain consciousness, and then he asked the question again.
“Yes, yes, a
thousand times yes. I will confess to anything. But please, no more pain!”
General d’Aubry
heard this, and told Marcel to stop. “Release Louis Rousseau from the rack and
return him to his cell. His own words have condemned him! He shall feel the
kiss of Madame Guillotine as soon as she arrives!”
“No! Not that!
Not the guillotine! I’m only 21! I’m too young to die! Help me, somebody,
anybody, please!”
Then in
desperation, Louis looked around the room, and saw his brothers Jay and Pierre.
Duc Jay, I am your loyal subject! Save me, I beg of you!”
The general
spoke again! Jay and Pierre are my prisoners as well. They have no power to
save you. Now to your cell with you, and I suggest you pray for forgiveness for
the crimes you have admitted here. Guards, take him away, NOW!”
Before Louis
could reply, two burly guards dragged him from the room. Jay and Pierre heard
their older brother pleading and crying until finally the cries were too far
away for them to hear.
“Guards, take
Jay and Pierre, and bind their wrists with the manacles which hang from the
dungeon ceiling. Make sure they are bound facing each other. Once they are
bound, cut off their shirts.”
Both Jay and
Pierre protested as one. “Unhand us! How dare you peasants dare touch our
aristocratic persons! Untie us now!”
The guards mocked
the two young men. “Forgive us, your graces! You are quite right. We shouldn’t
even breathe the same air as you, masters. And soon enough we won’t! Just as
soon as we remove those pompous heads from your bodies!”
Within minutes,
despite their protests, Jay and Pierre found themselves bound, shirtless and
facing each other.
One of the
guards asked Marcel a question. “Marcel, I know that aristocrats are supposed
to have blue blood, not red. But I was wondering about their seed. My papa once
told me that their seed is blue too!”
“Well, there is
just one way to find out. I will jack off Jay Rousseau while you jack off his
brother, Pierre! When they cum, you will have your answer.”
Jay and Pierre
immediately began struggling against their bonds. Jay said, “How dare you! I
forbid you to touch my aristocratic person, swine!”
Marcel laughed
and said, “Oh, you forbid it, do you! Well, in case you haven’t figured it out
yet, you’re no longer in charge!” With that, he undid Jay’s pants, while the
guard undid Pierre’s.
The guard began
jacking off Pierre, remarking to Marcel, “WOW! This aristo has 9” cock with two
hen sized balls! Very impressive for an aristo!”
Marcel replied,
“That’s nothing! The former duc over here has a full 12’ cock and two ostrich
sized eggs! What a pity he’s an aristo! All that equipment, wasted!”
Both Jay and
Pierre continued to object as Marcel and the guard continued jacking them off.
However, their dicks began to harden and soon much to their embarrassment, they
both began to moan with intense pleasure. This went on for several more
minutes, with the guards and others laughing at the two aristos, who were both
protesting their treatment, while at the same time their bodies were betraying
intense gratification at the attention they were getting. Then, almost at the
same time, they both shot ropes of hot, steamy cum, as they hung their heads in
shame.
“Well, guard,
there’s your answer. I don’t know how blue their blood is, but their cum is as
white as yours or mine!”
“Yes, I see
that! I was so sure that papa was correct!”
“Well, guards,
now that that’s settled, we need to get these two to confess their crimes.
Bring me my cat o’nine-tails!”
“Here you are,
Marcel. Which one will get to feel the cat’s whiskers first?”
“Marcel, why are
you doing this to us? We have taken care of your family for years!”
“Jay Rousseau,
it is true that you have taken care of my family for years. Do you remember my
son Francois?”
“Yes, he and I
are the same age. We grew up as best friends in the castle. Why do you ask?”
“When was the
last time you saw Francois?”
“It was about a
year ago, I was best man at his wedding to the girl from the village,
Josephine.”
“He and
Josephine had a son, Philippe. Times were hard for a newly married couple with
a baby to feed. Francois took his gun and went out to hunt. He saw a prized
buck in the woods. He shot it, and his aim was perfect. Unfortunately, the buck
did not drop immediately, but ran further into the woods before he collapsed.
Francois went to collect his buck, but as he was in the process of butchering
it, your father’s men surrounded him! He didn’t realize it, but the buck had
crossed the invisible line between the public woods and your father’s private
woods.”
“Surely he could
have explained!”
“He tried, and
so did I. But the great Duc André would hear none of it. He ordered Francois to
undergo torture in the dungeon to force him to confess his crime. And as
punishment for my defending my only son, he ordered me to be his torturer!”
“If my father
did not believe him, then Francois must have truly been guilty. He must have
shot the buck on my father’s lands. And as to you being forced to torture him,
surely you could have refused.”
“You damn
Rousseaus! Always believing that you are right, and those less fortunate are
wrong! And as to me refusing, I would have then been tortured alongside my son,
charged with treason. Oh, the things I had to do to that poor boy! First, he
was stripped and given 50 lashes with this very cat-o-nine-tails. Then his
scarred and bleeding body was strapped down to that rack, the one your brother
just rode. I started with milder tortures. I drove white-hot splinters under
his fingernails and toenails, all the time begging him to confess. He refused,
insisting he had done nothing wrong, that the buck had been shot in the public
forest. So I had to continue to torture my son, marring that handsome physique.
I brought out thumb and finger screws, and broke every one of his fingers and
thumbs. When that didn’t work, I put his feet into a wooden vise, and broke
both his feet. He still refused to confess, and called the duc many vile names
for not believing him. Finally, I was ordered to ensure a confession, as the
duc’s patience was wearing thin. I was ordered to use the terrible force of the
rack. I began to turn the wheels, very slowly, and stopping after every three
turns. My poor son begged and cried for mercy, for the pain to stop. But when I
asked him to confess, he refused, saying, ‘Father, I am guiltless of any crime!
I have done nothing wrong!’”
“Finally, I
heard a sound which will haunt me to the end of my days! I heard a massive
cracking sound, followed by my son’s low moaning. His shoulders, elbows,
wrists, hips, knees and ankles had all dislocated at once! The low moan was the
only sound my son could make. Then he fainted from the pain and shock. Because
of the arrogance of your father, I had turned my son into a cripple! And do you
know what your dear father said to me?”
“He probably said
that if Francois had admitted his guilt, that none of this would have been
necessary!”
Marcel was livid
and slapped Jay across his face! “No, Jay! Your father told me to revive my son
and force him to confess, and if he did not confess, I was to use the rack as
an execution device, and tear my sons body into pieces with it! I awoke
Francois, who was still weak from the pain and shock. I told him that all the
pain would end if only he would say the words ‘I confess’. I begged him to say
the words; I told him they were only words, nothing more. Finally, from a
mixture of his pain and my tears, he did say those dreadful words! He said
them, and then the duc ordered me to release him. I was grateful, thinking that
finally Francois’ punishment was at an end. But I was so wrong! Your father
ordered the confiscation of Francois’ house and lands, and ordered Francois to
take his wife and infant son, and to leave France forever. I told your father
that Francois could never make such a journey with his broken body, and that
his wife and infant son could not survive without a man to provide for them. He
said that Francois should have thought of all that when he poached the stag on
the duc’s lands! Francois and I were taken back to Francois’ house, where a
cart and horse were readied. Francois and his infant son were laid on the cart,
with his wife on the horse. Then the house was burned to the ground with all
their possessions in it, and the lands were plowed under. The livestock were
spared, but taken back to this castle, property of the duc. Then Josephine was
ordered to lead the cart to the east and the Germanic lands. She was followed
to the border, and was told that if any of the three of them ever re-entered
France, their lives would be forfeit!”
“What happened
to the poacher and his family?”
Marcel struck
Jay again. “You and my son played together as children, you were best man at
his wedding, and you DARE call him a poacher, and not even use his name! My
poor son died from massive internal injuries shortly after crossing the French
border. His wife and son were left to starve, and in an act of desperation,
Josephine defied your father’s orders and re-entered France. She returned to
her parents’ house, but the duc found out. He sent two of his most brutal
guards. They found the unfortunate mother and child playing in a garden by a
stream. They took Josephine and bound her. Then they made her watch while they
took the little child by the ankles and dashed his brains out on the rocks!
While she was still screaming, they took her down to the stream and drowned
her. Finally, they built a large bonfire, and threw both of the bodies into it.
All was burned, there was nothing left of either Josephine or little Philippe!”
Pierre then said,
“Well, she got what she deserved! She and the child would still be alive if she
had obeyed my father’s command!”
“Enough, you sons
of a rabid dog! It is time for my cat to taste your tender aristocratic flesh!”
And with that, Marcel began striking both young men, first one and then the
other, all the while screaming, “Confess your guilt!”
But these young
men were so cock-sure of themselves that they would not admit to any crimes,
although they did cry out over and over again at the intense pain. When Marcel
saw that they would not confess, he ordered Pierre taken down and placed on the
rack. He left Jay still bound to watch his younger brother’s suffering.
“Jay, we have
done nothing wrong. These peasants would have nothing without the aid of our
family. Stay strong, my brother! Even if I cry out from this unjust torture, do
not confess. God is on our side!”
“I will
definitely stay strong, dear brother. And you as well, steel yourself. Do not
confess to anything, even to end the pain.”
“You evil swine!
Do you know that the entire time my son was on this rack, he was praying to God
to release him! Now we will see if God hears Pierre’s prayers for mercy!”
With that,
Marcel gave the wheel 10 rapid turns! Pierre screamed, begged and prayed to God
to end his suffering, but neither he nor Jay confessed. Marcel then decided to
turn the wheel 10 more turns, but on the seventh turn, he heard the same sounds
from Pierre and Pierre’s body that he had heard from his son when he was forced
to torture him. But even the sight of Pierre’s once handsome body, indeed the
handsomest of the three brothers, now broken and crippled did not move Jay’s
cold heart to confess his crimes.
General d’Aubry
then said, “Enough! It is obvious that neither man will confess unless we kill
them, and we intend to give that honor to Madame Guillotine. Marcel’s testimony
and their replies concerning Marcel’s family are enough to condemn them to the
deepest depths of Hell! Take them to the cells. Place them in separate cells so
that they may not converse with one another! It is so ordered on behalf of
Citizen Robespierre!”
The men were
taken to the cells, and left in isolation. For a week, they were fed only dry
bread and tepid water. They were not allowed to change their clothing or even
bathe or shave, and were forced to urinate and defecate in a small hole in a
corner of their cell, the same treatment that they used to impose on their
prisoners. A week went by, and they were forcibly taken from their cells and
had their hands bound behind their backs, and their ankles likewise bound. They
were then dragged up out of the dungeon to a waiting dung cart, used to collect
the livestock dung for use as fertilizer. They were placed standing in this
cart with their feet in the dung piles, and their arms tied to rungs on the
side of the cart. This was very painful, especially for Pierre, who had been
crippled on the rack. The cart then made its way through the castle gates to a
greensward about a mile away. The path was lined with peasants who formerly had
lived under their unjust rule. The peasants began pelting the men with rotten
fruits, vegetables, and even dung balls, as well as insults!
“Oh, Marc! What
is that smell? Oh, it’s just the Rousseau brothers! HAHAHA!”
“Here you go,
aristocrats! Here’s some nice warm crap, like you fed us for years!”
Jay shouted back,
“How dare you repay my family’s benevolence this way! I command you to stop!”
“Did you hear
that, Henri? His lordship commands us to stop! Well, listen here, you brash
young pup! I command you to lose your head! Care to guess which one of us will
succeed?”
And so it
continued until the cart stopped, and the men saw the portable guillotine that
had been brought to their castle to end their lives.
General d’Aubry
addressed the crowd. “Fellow citizens, today we take one more step in removing
the yoke that the royalists and aristocrats have had around our neck for
centuries! Today, we shall decapitate four members of the former duchy of
Rousseau, who have evilly tortured and murdered our parents, husbands, wives
and children!”
The brothers
were confused. There were only three of them, yet General d’Aubry had clearly
said that FOUR members of the family would lose their heads today. Who was the
fourth member?
Their confusion
did not last long. General d’Aubry read the first order of execution for André,
the former duc of Rousseau.
Jay thought,
“André, but that is father, and he died on the battlefield. What is going on
here?”
“The criminal,
André, former duc of Rousseau, died treasonously while fighting against Citizen
Robespierre’s troops, but his crime was deemed so foul that his body was
brought here and kept on ice in one of his freezers.”
With that, the
body of André was bound to the bascule, and lowered. Then the lunette was
closed around his head, and the drumroll began. Thirty seconds later, the
drumroll ended and the blade dropped, and with it, André’s head dropped into
the waiting basket.
General d’Aubry
picked up the head from the basket and said, “Thus die all traitors to the
French people!” The crowd cheered wildly, while Jay and Pierre stood stoically
as their father’s head was displayed. The general then dropped the head back in
the bucket. The sight of it was too much for Louis, however. He began to cry
and moan and beg for mercy.
“Please! I am
only 21! I will go into exile! Please let me live.”
While he was
still pleading, two strong men entered the cart and undid his bonds tying his
arms to the cart. “Thank you, kind sirs! You are releasing me! I promise you’ll
never see me again!”
“You’re right
about us not seeing you again! You’re next!”
And before Louis
could even cry out in protest, General d’Aubry read out the order of execution
for Louis, former duc of Rousseau.
Hearing the grim
order, Louis became a wild man, pulling and tugging at his bonds to get free.
But he was no match for his captors, who dragged him crying and screaming up
the steps of the guillotine and then strapped him into the bascule. He was
lowered into position, still screaming and crying, and the lunette was closed
around his neck. Jay and Pierre turned away, disgusted at how cowardly their
brother was behaving. After the drumroll ended, the blade dropped, and only
then did the cries and screams of Louis stop. In fact, when General d’Aubry
held up the head, it looked to the citizens as if Louis was still screaming in
death.
Jay stood tall
and straight in the cart as the guards returned. “I am ready to go with you,
although I forbid you to touch my person!”
One of the
guards replied, “You’re not going anywhere! We’re here for your brother! Let’s
go, you young pup! Damn, this one’s crippled. We’ll have to carry him!”
General d’Aubry
read the order of execution for Pierre, former heir to the former duc of
Rousseau.
So they grabbed
Pierre, one by the hands and one by the feet, and carried him to the
guillotine. Pierre tried to remain stoic, but couldn’t help cry out at the pain
from his body’s injuries. They finally laid him on the bascule and fastened him
to it. Then they lowered him, and closed the lunette, bloody with the blood of
his brother, Louis. Pierre was horrified to feel the blood of that coward, and
closed his eyes at the thought that someone as great as he would die by the
same instrument as that excuse for a man! This time, Jay watched intently! “Die
well, my brother, I will join you and papa soon.”
The drumroll
started up, it seemed to last forever. Finally, it stopped and the guillotine
claimed another Rousseau head. Once again, the general held up the head before
re-depositing it in the basket.
The general read
the final order. “The execution is hereby ordered for Jay, former duc of
Rousseau! Guards, bring the prisoner!”
The guards
entered the cart one final time to take Jay to the guillotine. He again
commanded them not to touch his body. “Very well, we won’t!”
With that, one of
the guards produced a rope with a noose at one end. The noose was thrown over
Jay’s head and pulled snug. They then led Jay to the guillotine, as if he were
livestock. They lowered Jay onto the bascule, removed the noose and secured
him. As they were lowering him so that the lunette could encircle his head, his
bare chest came in contact with the blood of his younger brother, Pierre. Then,
as his head was confined, he looked down at the basket, and saw the heads of
his father, André and brother Pierre looking back at him as if waiting for him
to join them. He could only see the back of Louis’ head, as his head had landed
facedown when the general dropped it back in. When the drumroll started, the
emotions overtook him, and he came right on the bascule! Then the blade
dropped, and Jay’s head joined the others. General d’Aubry picked up the head,
and said for the final time, “Thus die all traitors to the French people”,
before dropping it back in the basket.
As the crowd
dispersed, Marcel turned to the general and said, “Did you see the look on
Jay’s face, even in death?”
“Yes, it was a
look of almost righteous indignation! The fool was arrogant to the end!”
“By the way,
General, what shall we do with the bodies?”
“Did not the
family have a garbage heap on the property to dispose of waste?”
“Yes, General.
Why do you ask?”
“Dump their
remains on the garbage heap. Good riddance to bad rubbish!”
“Gladly,
General! It will be done at once!”
