she stands accused(她是被告)-第56章
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of France。 She appeared to be contented enough with it。
About two years after the marriage； on the 16th of May； 1843； to be
exact； after a trip with his wife to the fair at Riguepeu； old Lacoste was
taken suddenly ill； ultimately becoming violently sick。 Eight days later
he died。
By a will which Henri had made two months after his marriage his
wife was his sole beneficiary； and this will was no sooner proved than the
widow betook herself to Tarbes； where she speedily began to make full use
of her fortune。 Milliners and dressmakers were called into service； and
the widow blossomed forth as a lady of fashion。 She next set up her own
carriage。 If these proceedings had not been enough to excite envy among
her female neighbours the frequent visits paid to her in her genteel
apartments by a young man did the trick。 The young man came on the
scene less than two months after the death of the old man。 It was said
that his visits to the widow were prolonged until midnight。 Scandal
resulted； and out of the scandal rumour regarding the death of Henri
Lacoste。 It began to be said that the old man had died of poison。
It was in December； six months after the death of Lacoste； that the
rumours came to the ears of the magistrates。 Nor was there lack of
anonymous letters。 It was the Widow Lacoste herself； however； who
demanded an exhumation and autopsy on the body of her late husband
this as a preliminary to suing her traducers。 Note； in passing； how her
action matches that of Veuve Boursier。
On the orders of the Juge d'instruction an autopsy was begun on the
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18th of December。 The body of Lacoste was exhumed； the internal
organs were extracted； and these； with portions of the muscular tissue；
were submitted to analysis by a doctor of Auch； M。 Bouton； and two
chemists of the same city； MM。 Lidange and Pons； who at the same time
examined samples of the soil in which the body had been interred。 The
finding was that the body of Lacoste contained some arsenical preparation。
The matter now appearing to be grave； additional scientific assurance
was sought。 Three of the most distinguished chemists in Paris were
called into service for a further analysis。 They were MM。 Devergie；
Pelouze； and Flandin。 Their report ran in part：
The portion of the liver on which we have experimented proved to
contain a notable quantity of arsenic； amounting to more than five
milligrammes； the portions of the intestines and tissue examined also
contained appreciable traces which； though in smaller proportion than
contained by the liver； accord with the known features of arsenical
poisoning。 There is no appearance of the toxic element in the earth taken
from the grave or in the material of the coffin。
As soon as Mme Lacoste was apprised of the findings of the autopsy
she got into her carriage and was driven to Auch； where she visited a
friend of her late husband and of herself。 To him she announced her
intention of surrendering herself to the Procureur du Roi。 The friend
strongly advised her against doing any such thing； advice which Mme
Lacoste accepted with reluctance。
On the 5th of January a summons to appear was issued for Mme
Lacoste。 She was seen that day in Auch； walking the streets on the arm
of a friend。 She even went to the post…office； but the police agents failed
to find her。 She stopped the night in the town。 Next day she was at
Riguepeu。 She was getting out of her carriage when a servant pointed
out gendarmes coming up the hill with the Mayor。 When those officials
arrived Euphemie was well away。 Search was made through the house
and outbuildings； but without result。 ‘‘Don't bother yourself looking any
further； Monsieur le Maire；'' said one of the servants。 ‘‘The mistress isn't
far away； but she's in a place where I could hide a couple of oxen without
you finding them。
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From then on Mme Lacoste was hunted for everywhere。 The roads to
Tarbes； Toulouse； and Vic…Fezensac were patrolled by brigades of
gendarmes day and night； but there was no sign of the fugitive。 It was
rumoured that she had got away to Spain； that she was cached in a barrel
at Riguepeu； that she was in the fields disguised as a shepherd； that she
had taken the veil。
In the meantime the process against her went forward。 Evidence was
to hand which seemed to inculpate with Mme Lacoste a poor and old
schoolmaster of Riguepeu named Joseph Meilhan。 The latter； arrested；
stoutly denied not only his own part in the supposed crime； but also the
guilt of Mme Lacoste。 ‘‘Why doesn't she come forward？'' he asked。
‘‘She knows perfectly well she has nothing to fearno more than I have。''
From the ‘information' laid by the court of first instance at Auch a
warrant was issued for the appearance of Mme Lacoste and Meilhan
before the Assize of Gers。 Mme Lacoste was apparently well instructed
by her friends。 She did not come into the open until the last possible
moment。 She gave herself up at the Auch prison on the 4th of July。
Her health seemed to have suffered little from the vicissitudes of her
flight。 It was noticed that her hair was short； a fact which seemed to
point to her having disguised herself。 But； it is said； she exhibited a
serenity of mind which consorted ill with the idea of guilt。 She faced an
interrogation lasting three hours without faltering。
On the 10th of July she appeared before the Gers Assize Court； held at
Auch。 The President was M。 Donnoderie。 Counsel for the prosecution；
as it were； was the Procureur du Roi； M。 Cassagnol。 Mme Lacoste was
defended by Maitre Alem…Rousseau； leader of the bar of Auch。
The case aroused the liveliest interest； people flocking to the town
from as far away as Paris itselfso much so that at 6。30 in the morning the
one…time palace of the Archbishops of Auch； in the hall of which the court
was held； was packed。
The accused were called。 First to appear was Joseph Meilhan。 He
was a stout little old boy of sixty…six； rosy and bright…eyed； with short
white hair and heavy black eyebrows。 He was calm and smiling；
completely master of himself。
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Mme Lacoste then appeared on the arm of her advocate。 She was
dressed in full widow's weeds。 A little cr
