she stands accused(她是被告)-第52节
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the document。 It created an annuity of 400 francs； payable yearly in the
month of August。 The Mayor did not know actually if the deed was in
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the writing of Mme Lacoste。 He did not know her fist。 But he could be
certain that it was not in Meilhan's hand。
This deed was later shown by Meilhan to the cure of Riguepeu； who
saw at least that the deed was not in Meilhan's writing。 He noticed that it
showed some mistakes； and that the signature of the Widow Lacoste began
with the word ‘‘Euphemie。''
In the month of August Meilhan was met coming out of Mme
Lacoste's by the Mayor。 Jingling money in his pocket； the schoolmaster
told the Mayor he had just drawn the first payment of his annuity。 Later
Meilhan bragged to the cure of Basais that he was made for life。 He took
a handful of louis from his pocket； and told the priest that this was his
daily allowance。
‘‘Whence；'' demanded the acte d'accusation； ‘‘came all those riches； if
they were not the price of his share in the crime？''
But the good offices of Mme Lacoste towards Meilhan did not end
with the giving of money。 In the month of August Meilhan was chased
from his lodgings by his landlord； Lescure； on suspicion of having had
intimate relations with the landlord's wife。 The intervention of the Mayor
was ineffective in bringing about a reconciliation between Meilhan and
Lescure。 Meilhan begged Mme Lacoste to intercede； and where the
Mayor had failed she succeeded。
While Mme Lacoste was thus smothering Meilhan with kindnesses she
was longing herself to make the most of the fortune which had come to her。
From the first days of her widowhood she was constantly writing letters
which Mme Lescure carried for her。 Euphemie had already begun to talk
of remarriage。 Her choice was already made。 ‘‘If I marry again；'' she
said； a few days after the death of Lacoste； ‘‘I won't take anybody but M。
Henri Berens； of Tarbes。 He was my first love。''
The accusation told of Euphemie's departure for Tarbes； where almost
her first caller was this M。 Henri Berens。 The next day she gave up the
lodgings rented by her late husband； to establish herself in rich apartments
owned by one Fourcade； which she furnished sumptuously。 The
accusation dwelt on her purchase of horses and a carriage and on her
luxurious way of living。 It also brought forward some small incidents
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illustrative of her distaste for the memory of her late husband。 It dealt
with information supplied by her landlord which indicated that her
conscience was troubled。 Twice M。 Fourcade found her trembling； as
with fear。 On his asking her what was the matter she replied； ‘‘I was
thinking of my husbandif he saw me in a place furnished like this！''
（It need hardly be pointed out； considering the sour and avaricious
ways of her late husband； that Euphemie need not have been conscience…
stricken with his murder to have trembled over her lavish expenditure of
his fortune。 But the point is typical of the trivialities with which the acte
d'accusation was padded out。）
The accusation claimed that a young man had several times been seen
leaving Euphemie's apartments at midnight； and spoke of protests made by
Mme Fourcade。 Euphemie declared herself indifferent to public opinion。
Public opinion； however； beginning to rise against her； Euphemie had
need to resort to lying in order to explain her husband's death。 To some
she repeated the story of the onion…garlic…and…beans meal； adding that； in
spite of his indigestion； he had eaten gluttonously later in the day。 To
others she attributed his illness to two indigestible repasts made at the fair。
To others again she said Lacoste had died of a hernia； forced out by his
efforts to vomit。 She was even accused of saying that the doctor had
attributed the death to this cause。 This； said the indictment； was a lie。
Dr Lasmolles declared that he had questioned Lacoste about the supposed
hernia； and that the old man denied having any such thing。
What had brought about Lacoste's fatal illness was the wine Meilhan
had made him drink at Rigeupeu fair。
With the rise of suspicion against her and her accomplice； Mme
Lacoste put up a brave front。 She wrote to the Procureur du Roi；
demanding an exhumation； with the belief； no doubt； that time would have
effaced the poison。 At the same time she sent the bailiff Labadie to
Riguepeu； to find out the names of those who were traducing her； and to
say that she intended to prosecute her calumniators with the utmost rigour
of the law。 This； said the accusation； was nothing but a move to frighten
the witnesses against her into silence。 Instead of making good her threats
the Widow Lacoste disappeared。
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On the arrest of Meilhan search of his lodgings resulted in the finding
of the note on Castera for 1772 francs； and of a sum of 800 francs in gold
and silver。 But of the deed creating the annuity of 400 francs there was
no trace。
Meilhan denied everything。 In respect of the wine he was said to
have given Lacoste he said he had passed the whole of the 16th of May in
the company of a friend called Mothe； and that Mothe could therefore
prove Meilhan had never had a drink with Lacoste。 Mothe； however；
declared he had left Meilhan that day at three o'clock in the afternoon； and
it was just at this time that Meilhan had taken Lacoste into the auberge
where he lived to give him the poisoned drink。 It was between three and
four that Lacoste first showed signs of being ill。
Asked to explain the note for 1772 francs； Meilhan said that； about
two months after Lacoste's death； the widow complained of not having
any ready money。 She had the Castera note； and he offered to discount it
for her。 This was a palpable lie； said the accusation。 It was only a few
days after Lacoste's death that Meilhan spoke to the Mayor about the
Castera note。 Meilhan's statement was full of discrepancies。 He told
Castera that he held the note against 2000 francs previously lent to the
widow。 He now said that he had discounted the note on sight。 But the
fact was that since Meilhan had come to live in Riguepeu he had been
without resources。 He had stripped himself in order to establish his son
in a pharmacy at Vic…Fezensac。 His profession of schoolmaster scarcely
brought him in enough for living expenses。 How； then； could he possibly
be in a position to lend Mme Lacoste 2000 francs？ And how had he
managed to collect the 800 odd francs that were found in his lodgings？
The real explanation lay in the story he had twice given to the Mayor； M。
Sabazan： he was in possession of the Castera note through the generosity
of his accomplice。
Meilhan was in still greater difficulty to explain the document which
had settled on him an annuity of 400 francs； and which had been seen in
his hands。 Denial was useless； since he had asked the Mayor to make a
draft for him； and since he had shown that functionary the deed signed by
Mme Lacoste。 Here； word for word； is the explanation given by the
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rubicund Joseph：
‘‘My son；'' he said； ‘‘kept asking me to contribute to the upkeep of one
of his boys who is in the seminary of Vic…Fezensac。 I consistently
refused to do so； because I wanted to sa
