she stands accused(她是被告)-第51节
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said the accusation； she discovered that her husband wanted an heir。 She
had reason to fear that he would go about getting one by an illicit
association。
In the middle of 1842 she overheard her husband bargaining with one
of the domestics。 The girl was asking for 100 pistoles （say； L85）； while
her husband did not want to give more than 600 francs （say； L24）。
‘‘Euphemie Verges had no doubt；'' ran the accusation； ‘‘that this was the
price of an adulterous contract； and she insisted on Marie Dupuys' being
sent from the house。 This was the cause of disagreement between the
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married pair； which did not conclude with the departure of the servant。''
Later another servant； named Jacquette Larrieux； told Mme Lacoste in
confidence that the master was trying to seduce her by the offer of a
pension of 2000 francs or a lump sum of 20；000。
Euphemie Verges； said the accusation； thus thought herself exposed
daily； by the infidelity of her husband； to the loss of all her hopes。 Also；
talking to a Mme Bordes about the two servants some days after Lacoste's
death； she said； ‘‘I had a bad time with those two girls！ If my husband
had lived longer I might have had nothing； because he wanted a child that
he could leave everything to。''
The acte d'accusation enlarged on the situation； then went on to bring
in Joseph Meilhan as Euphemie's accomplice。 It made him out to be a
bad old man indeed。 He had seduced； it was said； a young girl named
Lescure； who became enceinte； afterwards dying from an abortion which
Meilhan was accused of having procured。 It might be thought that the
society of such a bad old man would have disgusted a young woman； but
Euphemie Verges admitted him to intimacy。 He was； it was said； the
confidant for her domestic troubles； and it was further rumoured that he
acted as intermediary in a secret correspondence that she kept up with a
young man of Tarbes who had been courting her before her marriage。
The counsels of such a man were not calculated to help Mme Lacoste in
her quarrels with her unfaithful and unlovable husband。
Meanwhile M。 Lacoste was letting new complaints be heard regarding
his wife。 Again Lespere was his confidant。 His wife was bad and sulky。
He was very inclined to undo what he had done for her。 This was in
March of 1843。
Towards the end of April he made a like complaint to another old
friend； one Dupouy； who accused him of neglecting old friends through
uxoriousness。 Lacoste said he found little pleasure in his young wife。
He was； on the contrary； a martyr。 He was on the point of disinheriting
her。
And so； with the usual amount of on dit and disait…on； the acte
d'accusation came to the point of Lacoste at the Riguepeu fair。 He set out
in his usual health； but； several hours later； said to one Laffon； ‘‘I have the
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shivers； cramps in the stomach。 After being made to drink by that …
Meilhan I felt ill。''
Departing from the fair alone； he met up with Jean Durieux； to whom
he said； ‘‘That …of a Meilhan asked me to have a drink； and afterwards I
had colic； and wanted to vomit。''
Arrived home； Lacoste said to Pierre Cournet that he had been seized
by a colic which made him ill all over； plaguing him； giving him a desire
to vomit which he could not satisfy。 Cournet noticed that Lacoste was as
white as a sheet。 He advised going to bed and taking hot water。
Lacoste took the advice。 During the night he was copiously sick。 The
old man was in bed in an alcove near the kitchen； but next night he was
put into a room out of the way of noise。
Euphemie looked after her husband alone； preparing his drinks and
admitting nobody to see him。 She let three days pass without calling a
doctor。 Lacoste； it was true； had said he did not want a doctor； but； said
the accusation； ‘‘there is no proof that he persisted in that wish。''
On the fourth day she sent a summary of the illness to Dr Boubee；
asking for written advice。 On the fifth day a surgeon was called； M。
Lasmolles； who was told that Lacoste had eaten a meal of onions； garlic
stems； and beans。 But the story of this meal was a lie； a premeditated lie。
On the eve of the fair Mme Lacoste was already speaking of such a meal；
saying that that sort of thing always made her husband ill。
According to the accusation； the considerable amount of poison found
in the body established that the arsenic had been administered on several
occasions； on the first by Meilhan and on the others by Mme Lacoste。
When Henri Lacoste had drawn his last breath his wife shed a few
tears。 But presently her grief gave place to other preoccupations。 She
herself looked out the sheet for wrapping the corpse； and thereafter she
began to search in the desk for the will which made her her husband's sole
heir。
Next day Meilhan； who had not once looked in on Lacoste during his
illness； hastened to visit the widow。 The widow invited him to dinner。
The day after that he dined with her again； and they were seen walking
together。 Their intimacy seemed to grow daily。 But the friendship of
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Mme Lacoste for Meilhan did not end there。 Not very many days after
the death of Lacoste Meilhan met the Mayor of Riguepeu； M。 Sabazan；
and conducted him in a mysterious manner into his schoolroom。 Telling
the Mayor that he knew him to be a man of discretion； he confided in him
that the Veuve Lacoste intended giving him （Meilhan） a bill on one
Castera。 Did the Mayor know Castera to be all right？ The Mayor
replied that a bill on Castera was as good as gold itself。 Meilhan said that
Mme Lacoste had assured him this was but the beginning of what she
meant to do for him。
Meilhan wrote to Castera； who called on him。 The schoolmaster told
Castera that in return for 2000 francs which she had borrowed from him
Mme Lacoste had given him a note for 1772 francs； which was due from
Castera to Henri Lacoste as part inheritance from a brother。 Meilhan
showed Castera the original note； which was to be renewed in Meilhan's
favour。 The accusation dwelt on the different versions regarding his
possession of the note given by Meilhan to the Mayor and to Castera。
Meilhan was demonstrably lying to conceal Mme Lacoste's liberality。
Some little time after this Meilhan invited the Mayor a second time
into the schoolroom； and told him that Mme Lacoste meant to assure him
of a life annuity of 400 francs； and had asked him to prepare the necessary
document for her to sign。 But there was another proposition。 If
Meilhan would return the note for 1772 francs owing by Castera she
would make the annuity up to 500。 What； asked Meilhan； would M。 le
Maire do in his place？ The Mayor replied that in Meilhan's place he
would keep the Castera note and be content with the 400 annuity。 Then
Meilhan asked the Mayor to draw up for him a specimen of the document
necessary for creating the annuity。 This M。 Sabazan did at once； and
gave the draft to Meilhan。
Some days later still Meilhan told M。 Sabazan that Mme Lacoste did
not wish to use the form of document suggested by the Mayor； but had
written one herself。 Meilhan showed the Mayor the widow's document；
and begged him to read it to see if it was in proper form。 Sabazan read
the document。 It created an annuity of 400 francs； payable yearly in the
