she stands accused(她是被告)-第40节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
before her companion； Rose Tessier； began to suffer in plenty from the real
character of Helene Jegado。
Rose had had a fall； an accident which had left her with pains in her
back。 There were no very grave symptoms but Helene prognosticated
dire results。 One night； when the witness was absent in the country；
Helene rose from her bed； and； approaching her fellow…servant's room；
129
… Page 130…
SHE STANDS ACCUSED
called several times in a sepulchral voice； ‘‘Rose； Rose！'' That poor girl
took fright； and hid under the bedclothes； trembling。
Next day Rose complained to witness； who took his domestics to task。
Helene pretended it was the farm…boy who had perpetrated the bad joke。
She then declared that she herself had heard some one give a loud knock。
‘‘I thought；'' she said； ‘‘that I was hearing the call for poor Rose。''
On Sunday； the 3rd of November； 1850； M。 Bidard； who had been in
the country； returned to Rennes。 After dinner that day； a meal which she
had taken in common with Helene； Rose was seized with violent sickness。
Helene lavished on her the most motherly attention。 She made tea； and
sat up the night with the invalid。 In the morning； though she still felt ill；
Rose got up。 Helene made tea for her again。 Rose once more was sick；
violently； and her sickness endured until the witness himself had
administered copious draughts of tea prepared by himself。 Rose passed a
fairly good night； and Dr Pinault； who was called in； saw nothing more in
the sickness than some nervous affection。 But on the day of the 5th the
vomitings returned。 Helene exclaimed； ‘‘The doctors do not understand
the disease。 Rose is going to die！'' The prediction seemed foolish as far
as immediate appearances were concemed； for Rose had an excellent pulse
and no trace of fever。
In the night between Tuesday and Wednesday the patient was calm；
but on the morning of Wednesday she had vomitings with intense stomach
pains。 From this time on； said the witness； the life of Rose； which was to
last only thirty…six hours； was nothing but a long…drawn and heart…rending
cry of agony。 She drew her last breath on the Thursday evening at half…
past five。 During her whole illness； added M。 Bidard； Rose was attended
by none save Helene and himself。
Rose's mother came。 In Rose the poor woman had lost a beloved
child and her sole support。 She was prostrated。 Helene's grief seemed
to equal the mother's。 Tears were ever in her eyes； and her voice
trembled。 Her expressions of regret almost seemed to be exaggerated。
There was a moment when the witness had his doubts。 It was on the
way back from the cemetery。 For a fleeting instant he thought that the
shaking of Helene's body was more from glee than sorrow； and he
130
… Page 131…
SHE STANDS ACCUSED
momentarily accused her in his mind of hypocrisy。 But in the following
days Helene did nothing but talk of ‘‘that poor Rose；'' and M。 Bidard；
before her persistence； could only believe he had been mistaken。 ‘‘Ah！''
Helene said。 ‘‘I loved her as I did that poor girl who died in the Bout…du…
Monde。''
The witness wanted to find some one to take Rose's place。 Helene
tried to dissuade him。 ‘‘Never mind another femme de chambre；'' she
said。 ‘‘I will do everything。'' M。 Bidard contented himself with
engaging another girl； Francoise Huriaux； strong neither in intelligence
nor will； but nevertheless a sweet little creature。 Not many days passed
before Helene began to make the girl unhappy。 ‘‘It's a lazy…bones；''
Helene told the witness。 ‘‘She does not earn her keep。'' （‘‘Le pain
qu'elle mange； elle le vole。''） M。 Bidard shut her up。 That was his affair；
he said。
Francoise meantime conceived a fear of Helene。 She was so scared
of the older woman that she obeyed all her orders without resistance。
The witness； going into the kitchen one day； found Helene eating her soup
at one end of the table； while Francoise dealt with hers at the other
extreme。 He told Helene that in future she was to serve the repast in
common； on a tablecloth； and that it was to include dessert from his table。
This order seemed to vex Helene extremely。 ‘‘That girl seems to live
without eating；'' she said； ‘‘and she never seems to sleep。''
One day the witness noticed that the hands and face of Francoise were
puffy。 He spoke to Helene about it； who became angry。 She accused
her companion of getting up in the night to make tea； so wasting the sugar；
and she swore she would lock the sugar up。 M。 Bidard told her to do
nothing of the sort。 He said if Francoise had need of sugar she was to
have it。 ‘‘All rightI see；'' Helene replied sullenly； obviously put out。
The swelling M。 Bidard had seen in the face and hands of Francoise
attacked her legs； and all service became impossible for the girl。 The
witness was obliged to entrust Helene with the job of finding another
chambermaid。 It was then that she brought Rosalie Sarrazin to him。
‘‘A very good girl；'' she said。 ‘‘ If her dress is poor it is because she
gives everything to her mother。''
131
… Page 132…
SHE STANDS ACCUSED
The words； M。 Bidard commented； were said by Helene with
remarkable sincerity。 It was said that Helene had no moral sense。 It
seemed to him； from her expressions regarding that poor girl； who； like
herself； devoted herself to her mother； that Helene was far from lacking in
that quality。
Engaging Rosalie； the witness said to his new domestic； ‘‘You will
find yourself dealing with a difficult companion。 Do not let her be
insolent to you。 You must assert yourself from the start。 I do not want
Helene to rule you as she ruled Francoise。'' At the same time he repeated
his order regarding the service of the kitchen meals。 Helene manifested a
sullen opposition。 ‘‘Who ever heard of tablecloths for the servants？'' she
said。 ‘‘It is ridiculous！''
In the first days the tenderness between Helene and the new girl was
quite touching。 But circumstance arose to end the harmony。 Rosalie
could write。 On the 23rd of May the witness told Helene that he would
like her to give him an account of expenses。 The request made Helene
angry； and increased her spite against the more educated Rosalie。 Helene
attempting to order Rosalie about； the latter laughingly told her； ‘‘M。
Bidard pays me to obey him。 If I have to obey you also you'll have to
pay me too。'' From that time Helene conceived an aversion from the girl。
About the time when Helene began to be sour to Rosalie she herself
was seized by vomitings。 She complained to Mlle Bidard； a cousin of the
witness； that Rosalie neglected her。 But when the latter went up to her
room Helene yelled at her； ‘‘ Get out； you ugly brute！ In you I've
brought into the house a stick for my own back！''
This sort of quarrelling went on without ceasing。 At the beginning of
June the witness said to Helene； ‘‘If this continues you'll have to look for
another place。'' ‘‘That's it！'' Helene yelled； in reply。 ‘‘Because of that
girl I'll have to go！''
On the 10th of June M。 Bidard gave Helene definite notice。 It was to
take effect on St John's Day。 At his evening meal he was served with a
roast and some green peas。 These last he did not touch。 In spite of his
prohibition against her serving at table； it was Helene who brought the
