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Locmine。 Four more people died。 They were the Dame's confidential
maid； Anne Eveno； M。 Toussaint pere； a daughter of the house； Julie； and；
later； Mme Toussaint herself。 They had eaten vegetable soup prepared by
Helene Jegado。 Something tardily the son of the house； liking neither
Helene's face nor the deathly rumours that were rife about her； dismissed
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her。
To one as burdened with sorrow as Helene Jegado appeared to be the
life conventual was bound to hold appeal。 She betook herself to the
pleasant little town of Auray； which sits on a sea arm behind the nose of
Quiberon； and sought shelter in the convent of the Eternal Father there。
She was admitted as a pensionnaire。 Her sojourn in the convent did not
last long； for queer disorders marked her stay。 Linen in the convent
cupboards and the garments of the pupils were maliciously slashed。
Helene was suspect and was packed off。
Once again Helene became apprentice to a sempstress； this time an old
maid called Anne Lecouvrec； proprietress of the Bonnes…oeuvres in Auray。
The ancient lady； seventy…seven years of age； tried Helene's soup。 She
died two days later。 To a niece of the deceased Helene made moan：
‘‘Ah！ I carry sorrow。 My masters die wherever I go！''
The realization； however； did not prevent Helene from seeking further
employment。 She next got a job with a lady named Lefur in Ploermel；
and stayed for a month。 During that time Helene's longing for the life
religious found frequent expression； and she ultimately departed to pay a
visit； so she said； to the good sisters of the Auray community。 Some time
before her departure； however； she persuaded Anne Lefur to accept a drink
of her preparing； and Anne； hitherto a healthy woman； became very ill
indeed。 In this case Helene did not show her usual solicitude。 She
rather heartlessly abandoned the invalidwhich would appear to have
been a good thing for the invalid； for； lacking Helene's ministrations； she
got better。
Helene meantime had found a place in Auray with a lady named Hetel。
The job lasted only a few days。 Mme Hetel's son…in…law； M。 Le Dore；
having heard why Helene was at need to leave the convent of the Eternal
Father； showed her the door of the house。 That was hasty； but not hasty
enough。 His mother…in…law； having already eaten meats cooked by
Helene； was in the throes of the usual violent sickness； and died the day
after Helene's departure。
Failing to secure another place in Auray； Helene went to Pontivy； and
got a position as cook in the household of the Sieur Jouanno。 She had
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been there some few months when the son of the house； a boy of fourteen；
died after a sickness of five days that was marked by vomiting and
convulsions。 In this case an autopsy was immediately held。 It revealed
an inflamed condition of the stomach and some corrosion of the intestines。
But the boy had been known to be a vinegar…drinker； and the pathological
conditions discovered by the doctor were attributed by him to the habit。
Helene's next place was with a M。 Kerallic in Hennebont。 M。
Kerallic was recovering from a fever。 After drinking a tisane prepared by
Helene he had a relapse； followed by repeated and fierce vomiting that
destroyed him in five days。 This was in 1836。 After that the trail of
death which had followed Helene's itineracy about the lower section of the
Brittany peninsula was broken for three years。
In 1839 we hear of her again； in the house of the Dame Veron； where
another death occurred； again with violent sickness。
Two years elapse。 In 1841 Helene was in Lorient； domestic servant
to a middle…aged couple named Dupuyde…Lome； with whom lived their
daughter and her husband； a M。 Breger。 First the little daughter of the
young couple died； then all the members of the family were seized by
illness； its onset being on the day following the death of the child。 No
more of the family died； but M。 Dupuy and his daughter suffered from
bodily numbness for years afterwards； with partial paralysis and recurrent
pains in the extremities。
Helene seems to have made Lorient too hot for herself； and had to go
elsewhere。 Port Louis is her next scene of action。 A kinswoman of her
master in this town； one Duperron； happened to miss a sheet from the
household stock。 Mlle Leblanc charged Helene with the theft； and
demanded the return of the stolen article。 It is recorded that Helene
refused to give it up； and her answer is curious。
‘‘I am going into retreat；'' she declared。 ‘‘God has forgiven me my
sins！''
There was perhaps something prophetic in the declaration。 By the
time Helene was brought to trial； in 1854； her sins up to this point of
record were covered by the prescription legale； a sort of statute of
limitations in French law covering crime。 Between 1833 and 1841 the
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wanderings of Helene Jegado through those quiet Brittany towns had been
marked by twenty…three deaths； six illnesses； and numerous thefts。
There is surcease to Helene's death…dealing between the years of 1841
and 1849； but on the inquiries made after her arrest a myriad of accusers
sprang up to tell of thefts during that time。 They were petty thefts； but
towards the end of the period they begin to indicate a change in Helene's
habits。 She seems to have taken to drink； for her thefts are mostly of
wine and eau de vie。
In March 1848 Helene was in Rennes。 On the 6th of November of
the following year； having been dismissed from several houses for theft；
she became sole domestic servant to a married couple called Rabot。
Thei