she stands accused(她是被告)-第37节
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had fever I took the powders given me by the doctor； but I did not know
what they were！
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SHE STANDS ACCUSED
THE PRESIDENT。 Why did you say yesterday that nothing was ever
found in your luggage？
HELENE。 I didn't remember。
THE PRESIDENT。 What were you doing with the saffron？ Wasn't
it in your possession during the time you were in Seglien？
HELENE。 I was taking it for my blood。
THE PRESIDENT。 And the white powderdid it also come from
Seglien？
HELENE ＇energetically＇。 Never have I had white powder in my
luggage！ Never have I seen arsenic！ Never has anyone spoken to me of
arsenic！
Upon this the President rightly reminded her that she had said only
that morning that her aunt had talked to her of arsenic at Seglien； and had
warned her of its lethal qualities。 ‘‘You deny the existence of that white
powder；'' said the President； ‘‘because you know it was poison。 You put
it away from you with horror！''
The accused several times tried to answer this charge； but failed。 Her
face was beaded with moisture。
THE PRESIDENT。 Had you or had you not any white powder at
Losmine？
HELENE。 I can't say if I still had fever there。
THE PRESIDENT。 What was that powder？ When did you first
have it？
HELENE。 I had taken it at Locmine。 Somebody gave it to me for
two sous。
THE PRESIDENT。 Why didn t you say so at the beginning； instead
of waiting until you are confounded by the witness？ ＇To Dr Toussaint＇
What would the powder be； monsieur？ What powder would one
prescribe for fever？
DR TOUSSAINT。 Sulphate of quinine； but that's not what it was。
Questioned by the advocate for the defence； the witness said he
would not affirm that the powder he saw was arsenic。 His present
opinion； however； was that his father and sister had died from injections of
arsenic in small doses。
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SHE STANDS ACCUSED
A witness from Locmine spoke of her sister's two children becoming
ill after taking chocolate prepared by the accused。 The latter told her that
a mob had followed her in the street； accusing her of the deaths of those
she had been servant to。
Then came one of those curious samples of ‘what the soldier said' that
are so often admitted in French criminal trials as evidence。 Louise
Clocher said she had seen Helene on the road between Auray and Lorient
in the company of a soldier。 When she told some one of it people said；
‘‘That wasn't a soldier！ It was the devil you saw following her！''
One rather sympathizes with Helene in her protest against this
testimony。
From Ploermel； Auray； Lorient； and other places doctors and relatives
of the dead came to bear witness to Helene's cooking and nursing
activities； and to speak of the thefts she had been found committing。
Where any suspicion had touched Helene her piety and her tender care of
the sufferers had disarmed it。 The astonishing thing is that； with all those
rumours of ‘white livers' and so on； the woman could proceed from place
to place within a few miles of each other； and even from house to house in
the same towns； leaving death in her tracks； without once being brought to
bay。 Take the evidence of M。 Le Dore； son…in…law of that Mme Hetel
who died in Auray； His mother…in…law became ill just after Helene's
reputation was brought to his notice。 The old lady died next day。
‘‘The day following the revelation；'' said M。 Le Dore； ‘‘I put Helene
out。 She threw herself on the ground uttering fearsome yells。 The day's
meal had been prepared。 I had it thrown out； and put Helene herself to
the door with her luggage； INTO WHICH SHE HASTILY STOWED A
PACKET。 Mme Hetel died next day in fearful agony。''
I am responsible for the italicizing。 It is hard to understand why M。
Le Dore did no more than put Helene to the door。 He was suspicious
enough to throw out the meal prepared by Helene； and he saw her hastily
stow a packet in her luggage。 But； though he was Mayor of Auray； he did
nothing more about his mother…in…law's death。 It is to be remarked；
however； that the Hetels themselves were against the brusque dismissal of
Helene。 She had ‘‘smothered the mother with care and attentions。''
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SHE STANDS ACCUSED
But one gets perhaps the real clue to Helene's long immunity from the
remark made in court by M。 Breger； son…in…law of that Lorient couple； M。
and Mme Dupuyde…Lome。 He had thought for a moment of suspecting
Helene of causing the child's death and the illness of the rest of the family；
but ‘‘there seemed small grounds。 What interest had the girl in cutting
off their lives？''
It is a commonplace that murder without motive is the hardest to
detect。 The deaths that Helene Jegado contrived between 1833 and 1841；
twenty…three in number； and the six attempts at murder which she made in
that length of time； are； without exception； crimes quite lacking in
discoverable motive。 It is not at all on record that she had reason for
wishing to eliminate any one of those twenty…three persons。 She seems
to have poisoned for the mere sake of poisoning。 Save to the ignorant
and superstitious； such as followed her in the streets to accuse her of
having a ‘‘white liver'' and a breath that meant death； she was an
unfortunate creature with an odd knack of finding herself in houses where
‘accidents' happened。 Time and again you find her being taken in by
kindly people after such ‘accidents；' and made an object of sympathy for
the dreadful coincidences that were making her so unhappy。 It was out of
sympathy that the Widow Lorey； of Locmine； took Helene into her house。
On the widow's death the niece arrived。 In court the niece described the
scene on her arrival。 ‘‘Helene embraced me；'' she said。 ‘‘'Unhappy
me！' she wept。 ‘Wherever I go everybody dies！' I pitied and consoled
her。'' She pitied and consoled Helene； though they were saying in the
town that the girl had a white liver and that her breath brought death！
Where Helene had neglected to combine her poisoning with detected
pilfering the people about her victims could see nothing wrong in her
conduct。 Witness after witness father； sister； husband； niece； son…in…law；
or relation in some sort to this or that victim of Helene'srepeated in court；
‘‘The girl went away with nothing against her。'' And even those who
afterwards found articles missing from their household goods： ‘‘At the
same time I did not suspect her probity。 She went to Mass every morning
and to the evening services。 I was very surprised to find some of my
napkins among the stuff Helene was accused of stealing。'' ‘‘I did not
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SHE STANDS ACCUSED
know of Helene's thefts until I was shown the objects stolen；'' said a lady
of Vannes。 ‘‘Without that proof I would never have suspected the girl。
Helene claimed affiliation with a religious sisterhood； served very well；
and was a worker。''
It is perhaps of interest to note how Helene answered the testimony
regarding her thieving proclivities。 Mme Lejoubioux； of Vannes； said her
furnishing bills went up considerably during the time Helene was in her
service。 Helene had purloined two cloths。
Helene： ‘‘That was for vengeance。 I was furious at being sent
away。
Sieur Cesar le Clerc and Mme Gauthi
