she stands accused(她是被告)-第36节
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indication of the shiftiness in answer of the accused。 It was a long
interrogation； but Helene faced it with notable self…possession。 On
occasion she answered with vigour； but in general sombrely and with
lowered eyes。 At times she broke into volubility。 This did not serve to
remove the impression of shiftiness； for her answers were seldom to the
point。
Wasn't it true； she was asked； that in Locmine she had been followed
and insulted with cries： ‘‘C'est la femme au foie blanc； elle porte la
mort avec elle！''？ Nobody had ever said anything of the sort to her； was
her sullen answer。 A useless denial。 There were plenty of witnesses to
express their belief in her ‘‘white liver'' and to tell of her reputation of
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carrying death。
Asked why she had been dismissed from the convent at Auray； she
answered that she did not know。 The Mother Superior had told her to go。
She had been too old to learn reading and writing。 Pressed on the point
of the slashed garments of the pupils and the linen in the convent
cupboards； Helene retorted that somebody had cut her petticoats as well；
and that； anyhow； the sisters had never accused her of working the
mischief。
This last answer was true in part。 The evidence on which Helene had
been dismissed the convent was circumstantial。 A sister from the
community described Helene's behaviour otherwise as edifying indeed。
After the merciless fashion of French judges； the President came back
time and again to attack Helene on the question of poison。 If Perrotte
Mace did not get the poison from herfrom whom； then？
‘‘I don't know anything of poison；'' was the reply； with the pious
addendum； ‘‘and； God willing； I never will！''
This； with variations； was her constant answer。
‘‘Qu'est…ce que c'est l'arsenic？ Je n'en ai jamais vu d'arsenic； moi！''
The President had occasion later to take her up on these denials。 The
curate of Seglien came to give evidence。 He had been curate during the
time of M。 Conan； in whose service Helene had been at that time。 He
could swear that M。 Conan had repeatedly told his servants to watch that
the domestic animals did not get at the poisoned bait prepared for the rats。
M。 Conan's servants had complete access to the arsenic used。
Helene interposed at this point。 ‘‘I know；'' she said； ‘‘that M。 Conan
had asked for arsenic； but I wasn't there at the time。 My aunt told me
about it。''
The President reminded her that in her interrogaion she had declared
she knew nothing of arsenic； nor had heard anyone speak of it。 Helene
sullenly persisted in her first declaration； but modified it with the
admission that her aunt had told her the stuff was dangerous； and not to be
used save with the strictest precautions。
This evidence of the arsenic at Seglien was brought forward on the
second day of the trial； when witnesses began to be heard。 Before
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pursuing the point of where the accused might have obtained the poison I
should like to quote； as typical of the hypocritical piety exhibited by
Helene； one of her answers on the first day。
After reminding her that Rose Tessier's sickness had increased after
taking a tisane that Helene had prepared the President asked if it was not
the fact that she alone had looked after Rose。
‘‘No；'' Helen replied。 ‘‘Everybody was meddling。 All I did was put
the tisane on to boil。 I have suffered a great deal；'' she added gratuitously。
‘‘The good God will give me grace to bear up to the end。 If I have not
died of my sufferings in prison it is because God's hand has guided and
sustained me。''
With that in parenthesis； let us return to the evidence of the witnesses
on the second day of the trial。 A great deal of it had to do with deaths on
which； under the prescription； no charge could be made against Helene；
and with thefts that equally could not be the subject of accusation。
Dr Galzain； of Ponivy； who； eighteen years before； had performed the
autopsy on Le Drogo； cure of Guern； testified that though he had then
been puzzled by the pathological conditions； he was now prepared to say
they were consistent with arsenical poisoning。
Martel； a pharmacist； brother of the doctor who had attended Le Drogo；
spoke of his brother's suspicions； suspicions which had recurred on
meeting with the cases at Bubry。 They had been diverted by the lavishly
affectionate attendance Helene had given to the sufferers。
Relatives of the victims of Locmine told of Helene's predictions of
death； and of her plaints that death followed her everywhere。 They also
remarked on the very kind ministrations of Helene。
Dr Toussaint； doctor at Locmine； and son to the house in which Helene
had for a time been servant； told of his perplexity over the symptoms in
the cases of the Widow Lorey and the youth Leboucher。 In 1835 he had
been called in to see Helene herself； who was suffering from an
intermittent fever。 Next day the fever had disappeared。 He was told
that she had been dosing herself； and he was shown a packet which had
been in her possession。 It contained substances that looked like kermes…
mineral；＇30＇ some saffron； and a white powder that amounted to perhaps
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ten grammes。 He had disliked Helene at first sight。 She had not been
long in his mother's service when his mother's maid…companion （Anne
Eveno）； who also had no liking for Helene； fell ill and died。 His father
fell violently ill in turn； seemed to get better； and looked like recovering。
But inexplicable complications supervened； and his father died suddenly
of a haemorrhage of the intestinal canal。 His sister Julie； who had been
the first to fall sick； also seemed to recover； but after the death of the
father had a relapse。 In his idea Helene； having cured herself； was able to
drug the invalids in her care。 The witness ordered her to be kept
completely away from the sufferers； but one night she contrived to get the
nurses out of the way。 A confrere he called in ordered bouillon to be
given。 Helene had charge of the kitchen； and it was she who prepared the
bouillon。 It was she who administered it。 Three hours later his sister
died in agony。
＇30＇ Or； simply； kermesa pharmaceutical composition； containing
antimony and sodium sulphates and oxide of antimonyformerly used as
an expectorant。
The witness suggested an autopsy。 His family would not agree。 The
pious behaviour of Helene put her beyond suspicion； but he took it on
himself to dismiss her。 During the illness of his father； when Helene
herself was ill； he went reluctantly to see her； being told that she was
dying。 Instead of finding her in bed he came upon her making some sort
of white sauce。 As soon as he appeared she threw herself into bed and
pretended to be suffering intense pain。 A little later he asked to see the
sauce。 It had disappeared。
He had advised his niece to reserve his sister's evacuations。 His niece
replied that Helene was so scrupulously tidy that such vessels were never
left about； but were taken away at once to be emptied and cleaned。 ‘‘I
revised my opinion of the woman after she had gone；'' added the witness。
‘‘I thought her very well behaved。''
HELENE。 I never had any drugs in my possessionnever。 When I
had fever I took the powders given me by the doctor； but I did not know
