she stands accused(她是被告)-第35章
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The Prince's apartments were on the first floor of the chateau。 His
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bedroom was approached through the dressing…room from the main
corridor。 Beyond the dressing…room was a passage； turning left from
which was the bedroom； and to the right in which was an entrance to an
anteroom。 Facing the dressing…room door in this same passage was the
entrance to the secret staircase already mentioned。 The staircase gave
access to the Baronne de Feucheres' apartments on the entrance floor。
These； however； were not immediately under the Prince's rooms。 An
entresol intervened； and here the rooms were occupied by the Abbe Briant；
a creature of Sophie's and her secretary； the Widow Lachassine； Sophie's
lady's…maid； and a couple named Dupre。 These last； also spies of
Sophie's； had their room direcdy below the Prince's bedroom； and it is
recorded that the floor was so thin that they could hear not only the old
man's every movement； but anything he said。
Adjacent to the Prince's room； and on the same floor； were the rooms
occupied by Lambot； the Prince's aide； and the valet Lecomte。 Lambot
was a lover of Sophie's； and had been the great go…between in her intrigues
with the Orleans family over the will。 Lecomte was in Sophie's pay。
Close to Sophie's apartments on the entrance floor were the rooms
occupied by her nephew and his wife； the de Flassans。 It will be seen；
therefore； that the wing containing the Prince's rooms was otherwise
occupied almost completely by Sophie's creatures。
You have； then； the stage set for the tragedy which was about to ensue：
midnight； the last of the Condes peaceably in his bedroom for the night；
and locked in it （according to Lecomte）。 About him； on all sides； are the
creatures of his not too scrupulous mistress。 All these people； with the
exception of the Baronne de Flassans； who sat up writing letters until two；
retire about the same time。
And at eight o'clock next morning； there being no answer to Lecomte's
knocking to arouse the Prince； the door is broken open at the orders of the
Baronne de Feucheres。 The Prince is discovered dead in his bedroom；
suspended by the neck； by means of two of his own handkerchiefs knotted
together； from the fastening of one of the French windows。
The fastening was only about two and a half feet off the floor。 The
handkerchief about the dead man's neck was loose enough to have
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permitted insertion of all the fingers of a hand between it and the neck。
The second handkerchief was tied to the first； and its other end was
knotted to the window…fastening； and the dead man's right cheek was
pressed against the closed shutter。 The knees were bent a little； the feet
were on the floor。 None of the usual indications of death by strangulation
were present。 The eyes were half closed。 The face was pale but not
livid。 The mouth was almost closed。 There was no protrusion of the
tongue。
On the arrival of the civil functionaries； the Mayor of Saint…Leu and a
Justice of the Peace from Enghien； the body was taken down and put on
the bed。 It was then found that the dead man's ankles were greatly
bruised and his legs scratched。 On the left side of the throat； at a point
too low for it to have been done by the handkerchief； there was some
stripping of the skin。 A large red bruise was found between the Prince's
shoulders。
The King； Louis…Philippe； heard about the death of the Prince de
Conde at half…past eleven that same day。 He immediately sent his High
Chancellor； M。 Pasquier； and his own aide…de…camp； M。 de Rumigny； to
inquire into the matter。 It is not stretching things too far to say that the
King's instructions to these gentlemen are revealed in phrases occurring in
the letters they sent his Majesty that same evening。 Both recommend
that Drs Marc and Marjolin should be sent to investigate the Prince's tragic
death。 But M。 Pasquier mentions that ‘‘not a single document has been
found； so a search has already been made。'' And M。 de Rumigny thinks
‘‘it is important that nobody should be accused who is likely to benefit by
the will。'' What document was expected to be discovered in the search？
Why； a second will that would invalidate the first。 Who was to benefit by
the first will？ Why； the little Duc d'Aumale and Dame Sophie Dawes；
Baronne de Feucheres！
The post…mortem examination was made by the King's own physicians。
During the examination the Prince's doctors； MM。 Dubois and Gendrin；
his personal secretary； and the faithful one among his body…servants；
Manoury； were sent out of the room。 The verdict was suicide。 The
Prince's own doctors maintained that suicide by the handkerchiefs from
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the window…fastening was impossible。 Dr Dubois wrote his idea of how
the death had occurred：
The Prince very likely was asleep in his bed。 The murderers must
have been given entrance to his bedroomI have no wish to ask how or by
whom。 They then threw themselves on the Prince； gripped him firmly；
and could easily pin him down on his bed； then the most desperate and
dexterous of the murderers suffocated him as he was thus held firmly
down； finally； in order to make it appear that he had committed suicide
and to hinder any judicial investigations which might have discovered the
identity of the assassins； they fastened a handkerchief about their victim's
neck； and hung him up by the espagnolette of the window。
And that； at all hazards； is about the truth of the death of the Duc de
Bourbon and Prince de Conde。 There was some official display of rigour
in investigation by the Procureur； there was much play with some
mysterious papers found a good time after the first discovery half…burned
in the fireplace of the Prince's bedroom； there was a lot put forward to
support the idea of suicide； but the blunt truth of the affair is that the
Prince de Conde was murdered； and that the murder was hushed up as
much as possible。 Not； however； with complete success。 There were
few in France who gave any countenance to the theory of suicide。
The Prince； it will be remembered； had a practically disabled left arm。
It is said that he could not even remove his hat with his left hand。 The
knots in the handkerchiefs used to tie him to the espagnolette were both
complicated and tightly made。 Impossible for a one…handed man。 His
bed； which at the time of his retiring to it stood close to the alcove wall；
was a good foot and a
