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Dark souls 21
Eclampsia is a pretty monstrous thing in pregnant women. According to medical research of our time, it occurs more often in women who are pregnant for the first time, due to “stools” or fetal secretions. With which the mother’s body, weakened by pregnancy, simply cannot cope. It usually happens in the first half of pregnancy. In those days when women gave birth almost every year, when royal wives, burdened by the bad heredity of closely related marriages, and even more so, royal mistresses, who were less susceptible to this, it was very strange that not for the first time a pregnant woman in the middle of her pregnancy was subjected to such a monstrous phenomenon. The very timely death of a woman who, contrary to all reason, clung to the crown, and even managed to snatch the promise of the future throne for the king's bastard, a woman, which tied to itself the most windy lover on the throne of that time, in a word, all these coincidences and absurdities left the topic for a co
Dark souls 22
The man in the feathered hat jumped up.Your Eminence!Sit down, Franz. - The interlocutor waved his hand imperiously, pointing to a chair. Franz obeyed in shock, pulling off his hat. - And in the royal family, if you dig, you can find a rotten branch. Or do you think I'm holier than the Pope? - An ironic smile sanctified the fox's face, small sharp teeth, sunken cheeks, black small shiny eyes and a thin hooked nose, rounded down, from which the face acquired an ominous expression.No, but... Rumors about Bishop Orly...The dog barks, the wind wears, - his interlocutor interrupted rudely. Do you know my real last name?Isn't Guillaume Bezet your real name?Not really. Meringue is a small estate in three or four wooden houses and a piece of land where you can plant potatoes. Yes, this is my estate. But I am also the son of Catherine le Mouy, and I am your Marquis's second cousin.Why are you telling me this? Franz asked in surprise.For you to help me. You and I are doing the
Dark souls 23
The secret was revealed when Bertrand took off his shoes from the bishop: on both feet he had only two large and thick toes without nails.And I was right, - Bertrand grinned. - The devil in the cassock. He tossed the robe over the bishop's unconscious body and settled into the chair, cross-legged. After sitting for a while, he got up and walked around the room, looking at her simple decoration. Looking out into the dark corridor, he looked around and entered the unsanctified room. Like the bishop, he did not take a candle with him. After walking from corner to corner for some time, he, having nothing to do, began to tap on the wall. In one place, the wall echoed with a dull sound. This intrigued Bertrand. He began to rummage along the wall and stomp on the floor next to him. Finally, he felt for the spring - the upholstery was slightly worn in this place from frequent use. The wall parted, forming a black opening. At this time, in the next room, Bishop Guillaume, who came
Dark souls 24
How can I serve His Eminence? - The proud landing of the head of the newly-minted general was slightly spoiled by the rustic expression of his face. However, Bertrand de Gault was not deceived by this external simplicity, which misled people who did not know the leader of the English revolution well.What are you, - smiled Bertrand de Go, bowing. - It is his Eminence who is interested in how he can be useful to you. Oliver Cromwell got up from behind a wide dark wood table where he was sorting through papers.Sir, - he said, approaching Bertrand. - Why evasions? He smiled and began filling a long, thin pipe with tobacco. - The cardinal wants to know if General Oliver will go to war for Brittany and La Rochelle? Does it interest him? He blew out a puff of blue smoke.You are perceptive, General, - Bertrand de Go bowed again. - The fact is that now the minister's chair under the cardinal is slightly shaky - the Fronde* demands his resignation. Imagine what could happen in Franc
Dark souls 25
You're playing with fire, Katherine. Are not you afraid?What, Bertrand? I don't do anything reprehensible. I don't cross the road for anyone. I live quietly, I don't disturb anyone.Come on, Katherine. Sorcerers have not been burned in our country for a long time, but they continue to hang poisoners to this day. And as for the fact that you live quietly, then, I heard, the Duke of Orleans ...Poisoners?Didn't Madame de Montespan* come to you for love potions? What more does this lady want? She is the favorite mistress of the most powerful king in Europe.Ah, Bertrand. Madame Montespan does not come to me, but to La Voisin. This fool uses my drugs and ideas and even dares to teach me sometimes. I am her modest student, Jeanne Fouchet, the servant of the Marquis de Fauconnier, who, fearing everything in the world, always comes in the dark and in a mask to learn from the great sorceress the ability to rule over herbs in order to have extra earnings in old age. And as for Madame Montesp
Dark souls 26
When Katerina opened the door, on the threshold she saw a thin girl in a simple maid dress, who was shaking off raindrops.Who are you? Katerina asked, raising the candle to get a better look at the stranger.You may not know me, madam. But once you helped my mother get rid of the father who did not give us life. Now her mother owns a grocery store, her life is prosperous, and she is about to get married. And I serve with Madame Beaupertuis.It's great that you're doing well. But you uttered the name La Voisin and came to me. I don't understand…Madam, this is a very serious matter. You can't talk about him in five minutes at the door. And yes, it's raining outside.Fine. Come in. She let the girl inside, looked around the dark street and closed the door. Then, going forward, she shone the light on the girl who was rising behind her.Cloak you can throw here - She pointed to a simple stool at the door. - And sit down by the fire. I want to hear why you came, not how you sne
Dark souls 27
A knock on the door woke her up. Deciding that it was Bertrand, Katerina jumped off the chair, and in what she was, she ran to the door. However, something made her stop and look out from behind the drawn curtains into the street. At her door, she saw a middle-aged man in the clothes of a city dweller, holding some piece of paper in his hands. Grabbing the first cloak she came across, she slowly descended and opened the door.Are you Madame La Filastra? he asked, respectfully pulling off his hat.Who is asking her? Katerina lowered the hood of her cloak.I was asked to give it to her, - the citizen hesitantly turned the paper over in his hands.I'll pass it on, thank you, - Katerina quickly snatched the sheet and slammed the door. The townsman scratched the back of his head and pulled on his hat. Katerina went upstairs and flung some crowns out of the window. Hearing the ringing, the townsman raised his head, but saw only the swaying curtains. Struck by his generosity, he
Dark souls 28
The days left until the full moon, Katerina devoted to unraveling the messages of witchcraft, messages that she could not read. Cards, chickens, goats, magic potions - nothing told her what exactly awaited her. As if teasingly, any of her witchcraft only counted the days. At night, she quietly tried to observe the planets. But as soon as she tried to set up her device, which the sailors called a spyglass, clouds ran over her star or planet, behind which she wanted to look. She had not thought of buying a telescope before, because she did not think that her witchcraft talents might need such help. And now it was risky: latent mass hysteria and suspicion secretly took possession of the minds of people as in the recent gloomy Middle Ages. Only then no one hid their fears. Now, thanks to the gradual development of science, the open manifestation of witch-hunting was considered ignorance, which, however, did not mean that superstition in people had died. Ordinary people confused the conc