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made a success of his defence of a Mme Lavaillaut； accused of poisoning；
and was much in demand in cases where women sought judicial separation
from their husbands。 People were calling him ‘‘Providence for women。''
He did not want to be nicknamed ‘‘Providence for poisoners。'' But Mme
Boursier's case being more clearly presented to him he took up the brief。
The accused were brought into court。
Kostolo was about thirty years of age。 He was tall； distinctly good…
looking in an exotic sort of way； with his dark hair； complexion； and
flashing eyes。 He carried himself grandly； and was elegandy clad in a
frac noir。 Not quite； as Army men were supposed once to say； ‘‘the clean
potato； it was easy enough to see that women of a kind would be his ready
victims。 It was plain； in the court； that Master Nicolas thought himself
the hero of the occasion。
There was none of this flamboyance about the Widow Boursier。 She
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was dressed in complete mourning； and covered her face with a
handkerchief。 It was manifest that； in the phrase of the crime reporters；
‘‘she felt her position keenly。'' The usual questions as to her name and
condition she answered almost inaudibly； her voice choked with sobs。
Kostolo； on the contrary； replied in organ tones。 He said that he was
born in Constantinople； and that he had no estate。
The acte d'accusation was read。 It set forth the facts of the adulterous
association of the two accused； of the money lent by Mme Boursier to
Kostolo； of their meetings； and all the suspicious circumstances previous
to the death of the epicier。
The cook…girl； Josephine Blin； had prepared the potage au riz in the
kitchen； using the small iron pan that it was her wont to employ。 Having
made the soup； she conveyed it in its terrine to a small secretaire in the
dining…room。 This secretaire stood within the stretch of an arm from the
door of the comptoir in which Mme Boursier usually worked。 According
to custom； Josephine had divided the potage in two portionsone for
Boursier and the other for the youngest child。 The youngster and she had
eaten the second portion between them； and neither had experienced any
ill…effects。
Josephine told her master that the soup was ready。 He came at her
call； but did not eat the soup at once； being otherwise occupied。 The
soup stood on the secretaire for about fifteen minutes before Boursier
started to eat it。
According to the accused； the accusation went on； after Boursier's
death the two doctors asked that they might be allowed to perform an
autopsy； since they were at a loss to explain the sudden illness。 This
Mme Boursier refused； in spite of the insistence of the doctors。 She
refused； she said； in the interest of her children。 She insisted； indeed； on
a quick burial； maintaining that； as her husband had been tres replet； the
body would rapidly putrefy； owing to the prevailing heat； and that thus
harm would be done to the delicate contents of the epicerie。
Led by rumours of the bluish stainsalmost certain indications of a
violent deaththe authorities； said the accusation； ordered an exhumation
and autopsy。 Arsenic was found in the body。 It was clear that Boursier；
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ignorant； as he was； of his wife's bad conduct； had not killed himself。
This was a point that the widow had vainly attempted； during the process
of instruction； to maintain。 She declared that one Clap； a friend of her
late husband； had come to her one day to say that a certain Charles； a
manservant； had remarked to him； ‘‘Boursier poisoned himself because he
was tired of living。'' Called before the Juge d'instruction； Henri Clap and
Charles had concurred in denying this。
The accusation maintained that the whole attitude of Mme Boursier
proved her a poisoner。 As soon as her husband became sick she had
taken the dish containing the remains of the rice soup； emptied it into a
dirty vessel； and passed water through the dish。 Then she had ordered
Blin to clean it； which the latter did； scrubbing it out with sand and ashes。
Questioned about arsenic in the house； Mme Boursier said； to begin
with； that Boursier had never spoken to her about arsenic； but later
admitted that her husband had mentioned both arsenic and mort aux rats to
her。
Asked regarding the people who frequented the house she had
mentioned all the friends of Boursier； but neglected to speak of Kostolo。
Later she had said she never had been intimate with the Greek。 But
Kostolo； ‘‘ barefaced enough for anything；'' had openly declared the nature
of his relations with her。 Then Mme Boursier； after maintaining that she
had been no more than interested in Kostolo； finding pleasure in his
company； had been constrained to confess that she had misconducted
herself with the Greek in the dead man's room。 She had given Kostolo
the run of her purse； the accusation declared； though she denied the fact；
insisting that what she had given him had been against his note。 There
was only one conclusion； however。 Mme Boursier； knowing the poverty
of her paramour； had paid him as her cicisbeo； squandering upon him her
children's patrimony。
The accusation then dealt with the supposed project of marriage； and
declared that in it there was sufficient motive for the crime。 Kostolo was
Mme Boursier's accomplice beyond any doubt。 He had acted as nurse to
the invalid； administering drinks and medicines to him。 He had had full
opportunity for poisoning the grocer。 Penniless； out of work； it would be
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a good thing for him if Boursier was eliminated。 He had been blatant in