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第47章

she stands accused(她是被告)-第47章

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out。    These were green in hue。           M。 Bidard stopped her; and locked the 

vessels up。     That same day justice was invoked。 

     M。   Bidard's   deposition   had   held   his   hearers   spellbound   for   over   an 

hour and a half。       He had believed; he added finally; that; in spite of her 

criminal   conduct;   Helene   at   least   was   a   faithful   servant。   He   had   been 

wrong。      She had put his cellar to pillage; and in her chest they had found 

many      things   belonging     to  him;    besides   a   diamond     belonging     to  his 

daughter and her wedding…ring。 

     The    President     questioned     Helene    on   the  points    of  this  important 

deposition。      Helene simply denied everything。             It had not been she who 

was jealous of Rosalie; but Rosalie who had been jealous of her。                  She had 



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given the two girls all the nursing she could; with no intention but that of 

helping   them   to   get   better。    To   the   observation   of   the   President;   once 

again; that arsenic had been administered; and to his question; what person 

other     than   she   had    a  motive     for  poisoning      the   girls;  or   had   such 

opportunity for doing so; Helene answered defiantly; ‘‘You won't redden 

my face by talking of arsenic。            I defy anybody to say they saw me give 

arsenic。'' 

     The    Procureur…General        invited    M。   Bidard    to  say   what    amount     of 

intelligence   he   had   found   in   Helene。      M。   Bidard   declared   that   he   had 

never seen in any of his servants an intelligence so acute or subtle。                     He 

held her to be a phenomenon in hypocrisy。                 He put forward a fact which 

he had neglected to mention in his deposition。               It might throw light on the 

character of the accused。          Francoise had a dress hanging up to dry in the 

mansard。       Helene   went   up   to   the   garret   above   this;   made   a   hole   in   the 

ceiling; and dropped oil of vitriol on her companion's dress to burn it。 

     Dr   Pinault    gave    an  account    of   Rosalie's   illness;   and   spoke    of  the 

suspicions he and his colleagues had had of poisoning。                    It was a crime; 

however; for which there seemed to be no motive。                     The poisoner could 

hardly  be   M。   Bidard;   and   as   far   as   suspicion   might   touch   the   cook;   she 

seemed to be lavish in her care of the patient。                It was not until the very 

last that he; with his colleagues; became convinced of poison。 

     Rosalie dead; the justiciary went to M。 Bidard's。              The cupboards were 

searched carefully。        The potion   which Rosalie   had thought to be   mixed 

with burning stuff was still there; just sampled。               It was put into a bottle 

and capped。 

     An   autopsy   could   not   now   be   avoided。      It   was   held   next   day。  M。 

Pinault   gave   an   account   of   the   results。   Most   of   the   organs   were   in   a 

normal   condition;   and   such   slight   alterations   as   could   be   seen   in   others 

would     not   account    for   death。    It  was    concluded     that  death    had   been 

occasioned   by   poison。        The   autopsy   on   the   exhumed   body   of   Perrotte 

Mace was inconclusive; owing to the condition of adipocere。 

     Dr Guyot spoke of the case of Francoise Huriaux; and was now sure 

she   had   been   given   poison   in   small   doses。      Dr   Boudin      described    the 

progress   of   Rosalie's   illness。    He   was   in   no   doubt;   like   his   colleagues; 



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that she had been poisoned。 

     The depositions of various witnesses followed。               A laundress said that 

Helene's conduct was to be explained by jealousy。                 She could not put up 

with   any  supervision;   but   wanted   full   control   ofthe  household   and   ofthe 

money。 

     Francoise   Huriaux   said   Helene   was   angry   because   M。   Bidard   would 

not    have   her   as  sole   domestic。     She     had   resented    Francoise's    being 

engaged。      The witness noticed that she became ill whenever she ate food 

prepared for her by Helene。          When she did not eat Helene was angry but 

threw out the food Francoise refused。 

     Several   witnesses   testified   to   the   conduct of   Helene towards   Rosalie 

Sarrazin during her fatal illness。         Helene was constant; self…sacrificing; in 

her attention to the invalid。        One incident; however; was described by a 

witness   which   might   indicate  that   Helene's   solicitude  was   not   altogether 

genuine。      One morning; towards the end of Rosalie's life; the patient; in 

her agony; escaped from the hold of her mother; and fell into an awkward 

position     against   the  wall。   Rosalie's     mother    asked    Helene    to  place   a 

pillow for her。      ‘‘Ma foi!'' Helene replied。         ‘‘You're beginning to weary 

me。    You're her mother!         Help her yourself!'' 

     The   testimony   of   a   neighbour;   one   Francoise   Louarne;   a   domestic 

servant; supports the idea that Helene resented the presence of Rosalie in 

the   house。    Helene   said   to   this   witness;   ‘‘M。   Bidard   has   gone   into   the 

country   with     his   housemaid。     Everything      SHE   does   is   perfect。    They 

leave me hereto work if I want to; eat my bread dry: that's my reward。 

But the housemaid will go before I do。               Although M。 Bidard has given 

me my notice; he'll have to order me out before I'll go。                 Look!'' Helene 

added。     ‘‘Here's   the   bed   of   the   ugly   housemaidin   a   room   not   too   far 

from the master's。        Methey stick me up in the mansard!''             Later; when 

Rosalie was very ill; Helene pretended to be grieved。                 ‘‘You can't be so 

very sorry;'' the witness remarked; ‘‘you've said plenty that was bad about 

the girl。'' 

     Helene vigorously denounced the testimony as all lies。                  The woman 

had never been near Bidard's house。 

     The    pharmacist     responsible     for  dispensing     the  medicines     given   to 



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                                 SHE STANDS ACCUSED 



Rosalie   was   able   to   show   that   arsenic   could   not   have   got   into   them   by 

mistake on his part。 

     At   the   hearing   of   the   trial   on   the   12th   of   December   Dr   Pinault   was 

asked to tell what happened when the emissions of Rosalie Sarrazin were 

being transferred for analysis。 

       DR PINAULT。          As we were carrying out the operation Helene came 

in; and it was plain that she was put out of countenance。 

     M。 BIDARD 'interposing'。             We were in my daughter's room; where 

nobody   ever   came。       When   Helene   came   to   the   door   I   was   surprised。 

There     was    no   explanation     for   her   appearance      except    that  she   was 

inquisitive。 

     DR     PINAULT。        She    seemed     to   be  disturbed     at  not  finding    the 

emissions by the bed of the dead girl; and it was no doubt to find them that 

she came to the room。 

     HELENE。        I   had   been   given   a   funnel   to   wash。  I   was   bringing   it 

back。 

     M。 BIDARD。          Helene; with her usual cleverness; is making the most 

of   a   fact。 She   had   already   appeared   when   she   was   given   the   funnel。 

Her presence disturbed me。           And to get rid of her I said; ‘‘Here; Helene; 

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