she stands accused(她是被告)-第61章
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quelques bains。 ＇signe＇
LACOSTE PHILIBERT
Je rends beaucoup de vents par en bas。 Pour la boisson； je ne bois
que de l'eau chaude et de l'eau sucree。 （Il n'y a pas eu de fievre encore。）
The Procureur du Roi maintained that this letter showed the invalid
had already been taken with vomiting before it was considered necessary
to call in a doctor。 But Mme Lacoste's advocate pointed out that the
letter was written by her； when she had overcome Lacoste's distaste for
doctors。
The President made much of the fact that Mme Lacoste had
undertaken even the lowliest of the attentions necessary in a sick…room；
when other； more mercenary； hands could have been engaged in them。
The accusation from this was that she did these things from a desire to
destroy incriminating evidences。 Mme Lacoste replied that she had done
everything out of affection for her husband。
Asked by the court why she had not thought to give Dr Boubee any
explanations of the illness； she replied that she knew her husband was
always ill； but that he hid his maladies and was ashamed of them。 He
had； it appeared； hernias； tetters； and other maladies besides。 It was easy
for her to gather as much； in spite of the mystery Lacoste made of them；
she had seen him rubbing his limbs at times with medicaments； and at
others she had seen him taking medicines internally。 He was always
vexed when she found him at it。 She did not know what doctor
prescribed the medicaments； nor the pharmacist who supplied them。 Her
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husband thought he knew more than the doctors； and usually dealt with
quacks。
Mme Lacoste was questioned regarding her husband's will； and on his
longing to have an heir of his own blood。 She knew of the will； but did
not hear any word of his desire to alter it until after his death。 With
regard to Lacoste's attempts to seduce the servants； she declared this was a
vague affair； and she had found the first girl in question a place elsewhere。
Her letter to the Procureur du Roi demanding an exhumation and
justice against her slanderers was read。 Then a second one； in which she
excused her absence； saying that she would give herself up for judgment at
the right time； and begged him to add her letter to the papers of the
process。
The President then returned to the question of her husband's attempts
to seduce the servants。 She denied that this was the cause of quarrels。
There had been no quarrels。 She did not know that her husband was
complaining outside about her。
She denied all knowledge of the arsenic found in Lacoste's body； but
suggested that it might have come from one or other of the medicines he
took。
Questioned with regard to her intimacy with Meilhan； she declared
that she knew nothing of his morals。 She had intervened in the Lescure
affair at the request of Mme Lescure； who came to deny the accusation
made by Lescure。 This woman had never acted as intermediary between
herself and Meilhan。 Meilhan had not been her confidant。 She looked
after her late husband's affairs herself。 She had handed over the Castera
note to Meilhan against his loan of 2000 francs； but she had never given
him money as a present。 Nor had she ever spoken to Meilhan of an
annuity。 But Meilhan； it was objected； had been showing a deed signed
‘‘Euphemie Lacoste。'' The accused quickly replied that she never signed
herself ‘‘Euphemie；'' but as ‘‘Veuve Lacoste。'' Upon this the President
called for several letters written by the accused。 It was found that they
were all signed ‘‘Veuve Lacoste。''
The evidence of the Fourcades regarding her conduct in their house at
Tarbes was biased； she said。 She had refused to take up some people
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recommended by her landlady。 The young man who had visited her
never remained longer than after ten o'clock or half…past； and she saw
nothing singular in that。
The examination…in…chief of Mme Lacoste ended with her firm
declaration that she knew nothing of the poisoning of her husband； and
that she had spoken the truth through all her interrogations。 Some
supplementary questions were answered by her to the effect that she knew；
during her marriage； that her husband had at one time suffered from
venereal disease； and that latterly there had been recrudescences of the
affection； together with the hernia already mentioned； for which her
husband took numerous medicaments。
Throughout this long examination Mme Lacoste showed complete
self…possession； save that at times she exhibited a Gascon impatience in
answering what she conceived to be stupid questions。
％ VI
The experts responsible for the analysis of Lacoste's remains were now
called。 All three of those gentlemen from Paris； MM。 Pelouze； Devergie；
and Flandin； agreed in their findings。 Two vessels were exhibited； on
which there glittered blobs of some metallic substance。 This substance；
the experts deposed； was arsenic obtained by the Marsh technique from
the entrails and the muscular tissue from Lacoste's body。 They could be
sure that the substances used as reagents in the experiments were pure； and
that the earth about the body was free from arsenic。
M。 Devergie said that science did not admit the presence of arsenic as
a normal thing in the human body。 What was not made clear by the
expert was whether the amount of arsenic found in the body of Lacoste
was consistent with the drug's having been taken in small doses； or
whether it had been given in one dose。 Devergie's confrere Flandin later
declared his conviction that the death of Lacoste was due to one dose of
the poison； but； from a verbatim report； it appears that he did not give any
reason for the opinion。
At this point Mme Lacoste was recalled； and repeated her statement
that she had seen her husband rubbing himself with an ointment and
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drinking some white liquid on the return of a syphilitic affection。
Dr Lasmolles testified that Lacoste； though very close…mouthed； had
told him of a skin affection that troubled him greatly。 The deceased
dosed himself； and did not obey the doctors' orders。 It was only from a
farmer that he understood Lacoste to have a hernia； and Lacoste himself
did not admit it。 The doctor did not believe the man po
