she stands accused(她是被告)-第39节
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this in the illness of her mother。 The explanation of everything was in
repeated dosing of an arsenical substance。
The witness had also attended Mme Roussell； of the Bout…du…Monde
hotel。 It was remarkable that the violent sickness to which this lady was
subject for twenty days did not answer to treatment； but stopped only
when she gave up taking food prepared for her by Helene Jegado。
He had also looked after Perrotte Mace。 Here also he had had doubts
of the nature of the malady； at one time he had suspected pregnancy； a
suspicion for which there were good grounds。 But the symptoms that
later developed were not consistent with the first diagnosis。 When
Perrotte died he and M。 Revault； his confrere； thought the cause of death
would be seen as poison in an autopsy。 But the post…mortem was rejected
by the parents。 His feeling to…day was that Mme Roussell's paralysis was
due to arsenical dosage； and that Perrotte had died of poisoning。 Helene；
speaking to him of Perrotte； had said； ‘‘She's a chest subject。 She'll never
get better！'' And she had used the same phrase； ‘‘never get better；'' with
regard to little Rabot。 M。 Morio； the pharmacist of Rennes from whom
the violet syrup was bought； said that Helene had often complained to him
about Mme Roussell。 During the illness of the Rabot boy she had said
that the child was worse than anyone imagined； and that he would never
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recover。 In the matter of the violet syrup he agreed it had come back to
him looking red。 The bottle had been put to one side； but its contents had
been thrown away； and he had therefore been unable to experiment with it。
He had found since； however； that arsenic in powder form did not turn
violet syrup red； though possibly arsenic in solution with boiling water
might produce the effect。 The change seen in the syrup brought back
from M。 Rabot's was not to be accounted for by such fermentation as the
mere warmth of the hand could bring about。
Several witnesses； interrupted by denials and explanations from the
accused； testified to having heard Helene say that neither the Rabot boy
nor his mother would recover。
The evidence of M。 Roussell； of the Bout…du…Monde hotel； touched on
the illnesses of his mother and Perrotte。 He knew nothing of the food
prepared by Helene； nor had the idea of poison occurred to him until her
arrest。 Helene's detestable character； her quarrels with other servants；
and； above all； the thefts of wine he had found her out in were the sole
causes of her dismissal。 He had noticed that Helene never ate with the
other domestics。 She always found an excuse for not doing so。 She
said she had stomach trouble and could not hold down her food。
The Veuve Roussell had to be helped into court by her son。 She dealt
with her own illness and with the death of Perrotte。 Her illness did not
come on until she had scolded Helene for her bad ways。
Dr Revault； confrere of Guyot； regretted the failure to perform a post…
mortem on the body of Perrotte。 He had said to Roussell that if Perrotte's
illness was analogous to cholera it was； nevertheless； not that disease。
He believed it was due to a poison。
The President： ‘‘Chemical analysis has proved the presence of
arsenic in the viscera of Perrotte。 Who administered that arsenic； the
existence of which was so shrewdly foreseen by the witness？ Who gave
her the arsenic？ ＇To Helene＇ Do you know？ Was it not you that gave
it her； Helene？''
At this Helene murmured something unintelligible； but； gathering her
voice； she protested； ‘‘I have never had arsenic in my hands； Monsieur le
Presidentnever！''
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Something of light relief was provided by Jean Andre； the cabinet…
making ostler of Saint…Gilles； he for whose attention Helene had been a
rival with Perrotte Mace。
‘‘The service Helene gave was excellent。 So was mine。 She nursed
Perrotte perfectly； but said it was in vain； because the doctors were
mishandling the disease。 She told me one day that she was tired of
service； and that her one wish was to retire。''
‘‘Did you attach a certain idea to the confidence about retiring？''
‘‘No！'' Andre replied energetically。
‘‘You were in hospital。 When you came back； did Helene take good
care of you？''
‘‘She gave me bouillon every morning to build me up。''
‘‘The bouillon she gave you did you no harm？''
‘‘On the contrary； it did me a lot of good。''
‘‘Wasn't the accused jealous of Perrottethat good…looking girl who
gave you so much of her favour？''
‘‘In her life Perrotte was a good girl。 She never was out of sorts for a
momentnever rubbed one the wrong way。''
‘‘Didn't Helene say to you that Perrotte would never recover？''
‘‘Yes； she said that。 ‘She's a lost woman；' she said； ‘the doctors are
going the wrong way with the disease。'
‘‘All the same；'' Andre went on； ‘‘Helene never ate with us。 She
worked night and day； but ate in secret； I believe。 Anyhow； a friend of
mine told me he'd once seen her eating a crust of bread； and chewing some
other sort of food at the same time。 As for meI don't know； but I don't
think you can live without eating。''
‘‘I couldn't keep down what I ate；'' Helene interposed。 ‘‘I took some
bouillon here and there； sometimes a mouthful of breadnothing in secret。
I never thought of Andre in marriagenot him more than another。 That
was all a joke。''
A number of witnesses； friends of Perrotte； who had seen her during
her illness； spoke of the extreme dislike the girl had shown for Helene and
for the liquids the latter prepared for her。 Perrotte would say to Helene；
‘‘But you're dirty； you ugly Bretonne！'' Perrotte had a horror of bouillon：
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‘‘Ahthese vegetable soups！ I've had enough of them！ It was what
Helene gave me that night that made me ill！'' The witnesses did not
understand all this； because the accused seemed to be very good to her
fellow…servant。 At the bedside Helene cried； ‘‘Ah！ What can I do that
will save you； my poor Perrotte？'' When Perrotte was dying she wanted
to ask Helene's pardon。 Embracing the dying girl； the accused replied；
‘‘Ah！ There's no need for that； my poor Perrotte。 I know you didn't mean
anything。''
A witness telling of soup Helene had made for Perrotte； which the girl
declared to have been poisoned； it was asked what happened to the
remainder of it。 The President passed the question to Helene； who said
she had thrown it into the hearth。
％ IV
The most complete and important testimony in the trial was given by
M。 Theophile Bidard； professor to the law faculty of Rennes。
The facts he had to bring forward； he said； had taken no significance in
his mind until the last of them transpired。 He would have to go back into
the past to trace them in their proper order。
He recalled the admission of Helene to his domestic staff and the good
recommendations on which he had engaged her。 From the first Helene
proved herself to have plenty of intelligence； and he had believed that her
intelligence was combined with goodness of heart。 This was because he
had heard that by her work she was supporting two small children； as well
as her poor old mother； who had no other means of sustenance。
（The reader will recollect that Helene was orphaned at the age of
seven。）
Nevertheless； said M。 Bidard； Helene was not long in his household
before her companion； Rose Tessier； began to suffer in plenty from the real
character of He
