按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
sought by a husband； and her care of him had been spontaneous。 It was
174
… Page 175…
SHE STANDS ACCUSED
true he was jealous； but he had not formally forbidden her pleasures。 She
had renounced them； knowing he was easily upset。 It was true that she
had seldom gone out； but she had never wanted to。 Lacoste was no more
avaricious than most； and it was untrue that he had denied her any
necessaries。
Taken to the events of the fair day； Tuesday； the 16th of May； Mme
Lacoste maintained that her husband； on his return； complained only of a
headache。 He had gone to bed early； but he usually did。 That night he
slept in the same alcove as herself； but next night they separated。 In spite
of the contrary evidence of witnesses； of which the President reminded her；
Mme Lacoste firmly maintained that it was not until the Wednesday…
Thursday night that Lacoste started to vomit。 It was not until that night
that she began to attend to him。 She had given him lemonade； washed
him； and so on。
The President was saying that nobody had been allowed near him； and
that a doctor was not called； when the accused broke in with a lively
denial。 Anybody who wanted to could see him； and a doctor was called。
This was towards the last； the President pointed out。 Mme Lacoste's
advocate intervened here； saying that it was the husband who did not wish
a doctor called； for reasons of his own。 The President begged to be
allowed to hear the accused's own answers。 He pointed out that the
ministrations of the accused had effected no betterment； but that the illness
had rapidly got worse。 The delay in calling a doctor seemed to lend a
strange significance to the events。
Mme Lacoste answered in lively fashion； accenting her phrases with
the use of her hands： ‘‘But； monsieur； you do not take into account that it
was not until the night of Wednesday and the Thursday that my husband
began to vomit； and that it was two days after that hehe succumbed。''
The President said a way remained of fixing the dates and clearing up
the point。 He had a letter written by M。 Lacoste to the doctor in which he
himself explained the state of his illness。 It was pointed out to him that
the letter had been written by Mme Lacoste at her husband's dictation。
The letter was dated the 19th （Friday）。 It was directed to M。 Boubee；
doctor of medicine； in Vic…Fezensac。 Perhaps it would be better to give it
175
… Page 176…
SHE STANDS ACCUSED
in the original language。 It is something frank in detail：
Depuis quelque temps j'avais perdu l'appetit et m'endormais de suite
quand j'etais assis。 Mercredi il me vint un secours de nature par un
vomissement extraordinaire。 Ces vomissements m'ont dure pendant un
jour et une nuit； je ne rendais que de la bile。 La nuit passee； je n'en ai pas
rendu； dans ce moment； j'en rends encore。 Vous sentez combien ces
efforts reiteres m'ont fatigue； ces grands efforts m'ont fait partir de la bile
par en bas； je vous demanderai； monsieur； si vous ne trouveriez pas a
propos que je prisse une medecine d'huile de ricin ou autre； celle que vous
jugerez a propos。 Je vous demanderai aussi si je pourrais prendre
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
176
… Page 177…
SHE STANDS ACCUSED
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 wa