marquise de brinvilliers-第5部分

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nded　over　to　her。　　This　reply　struck　the　marquise　like　a　thunderbolt。　　There　was　no　time　to　be　lost：　hastily　she　removed　from　the　rue　Neuve…Saint…Paul；　where　her　town　house　was；　to　Picpus；　her　country　place。　　Thence　she　posted　the　same　evening　to　Liege；　arriving　the　next　morning；　and　retired　to　a　convent。

The　seals　had　been　set　on　the　31st　of　July　1672；　and　they　were　taken　off　on　the　8th　of　August　following。　　Just　as　they　set　to　work　a　lawyer　charged　with　full　powers　of　acting　for　the　marquise；　appeared　and　put　in　the　following　statement：　〃Alexandre　Delamarre；　lawyer　acting　for　the　Marquise　de　Brinvilliers；　has　come　forward；　and　declares　that　if　in　the　box　claimed　by　his　client　there　is　found　a　promise　signed　by　her　for　the　sum　of　30；000　livres；　it　is　a　paper　taken　from　her　by　fraud；　against　which；　in　case　of　her　signature　being　verified；　she　intends　to　lodge　an　appeal　for　nullification。〃　This　formality　over；　they　proceeded　to　open　Sainte…Croix's　closet：　the　key　was　handed　to　the　commissary　Picard　by　a　Carmelite　called　Friar　Victorin。　　The　commissary　opened　the　door；　and　entered　with　the　parties　interested；　the　officers；　and　the　widow；　and　they　began　by　setting　aside　the　loose　papers；　with　a　view　to　taking　them　in　order；　one　at　a　time。　　While　they　were　thus　busy；　a　small　roll　fell　down；　on　which　these　two　words　were　written：　〃　My　Confession。〃　　All　present；　having　no　reason　to　suppose　Sainte…Croix　a　bad　man；　decided　that　this　paper　ought　not　to　be　read。　　The　deputy　for　the　attorney　general　on　being　consulted　was　of　this　opinion；　and　the　confession　of　Sainte…　Croix　was　burnt。　　This　act　of　conscience　performed；　they　proceeded　to　make　an　inventory。　　One　of　the　first　objects　that　attracted　the　attention　of　the　officers　was　the　box　claimed　by　Madame　de　Brinvilliers。　　Her　insistence　had　provoked　curiosity；　so　they　began　with　it。　　Everybody　went　near　to　see　what　was　in　it；　and　it　was　opened。

We　shall　let　the　report　speak：　in　such　cases　nothing　is　so　effective　or　so　terrible　as　the　official　statement。

〃In　the　closet　of　Sainte…Croix　was　found　a　small　box　one　foot　square；　on　the　top　of　which　lay　a　half…sheet　of　paper　entitled　'My　Will；'　written　on　one　side　and　containing　these　words：　'I　humbly　entreat　any　into　whose　hands　this　chest　may　fall　to　do　me　the　kindness　of　putting　it　into　the　hands　of　Madame　the　Marquise　de　Brinvilliers；　resident　in　the　rue　Neuve…Saint…Paul；　seeing　that　all　the　contents　concern　and　belong　to　her　alone；　and　are　of　no　use　to　any　person　in　the　world　apart　from　herself：　in　case　of　her　being　already　dead　before　me；　the　box　and　all　its　contents　should　be　burnt　without　opening　or　disturbing　anything。　　And　lest　anyone　should　plead　ignorance　of　the　contents；　I　swear　by　the　God　I　worship　and　by　all　that　is　most　sacred　that　no　untruth　is　here　asserted。　　If　anyone　should　contravene　my　wishes　that　are　just　and　reasonable　in　this　matter；　I　charge　their　conscience　therewith　in　discharging　my　own　in　this　world　and　the　next；　protesting　that　such　is　my　last　wish。

〃'Given　at　Paris；　the　25th　of　May　after　noon；　1672。　　Signed　by　Sainte…Croix；'

〃And　below　were　written　these　words：　'There　is　one　packet　only　addressed　to　M。　Penautier　which　should　be　delivered。'〃


It　may　be　easily　understood　that　a　disclosure　of　this　kind　only　increased　the　interest　of　the　scene；　there　was　a　murmur　of　curiosity；　and　when　silence　again　reigned；　the　official　continued　in　these　words：

〃A　packet　has　been　found　sealed　in　eight　different　places　with　eight　different　seals。　　On　this　is　written：　'Papers　to　be　burnt　in　case　of　my　death；　of　no　consequence　to　anyone。　　I　humbly　beg　those　into　whose　hands　they　may　fall　to　burn　them。　　I　give　this　as　a　charge　upon　their　conscience；　all　without　opening　the　packet。'　In　this　packet　we　find　two　parcels　of　sublimate。

〃Item；　another　packet　sealed　with　six　different　seals；　on　which　is　a　similar　inscription；　in　which　is　found　more　sublimate；　half　a　pound　in　weight。

〃Item；　another　packet　sealed　with　six　different　seals；　on　which　is　a　similar　inscription；　in　which　are　found　three　parcels；　one　containing　half　an　ounce　of　sublimate；　the　second　2　1/4　ozs。　　of　Roman　vitriol；　and　the　third　some　calcined　prepared　vitriol。　　In　the　box　was　found　a　large　square　phial；　one　pint　in　capacity；　full　of　a　clear　liquid；　which　was　looked　at　by　M。　Moreau；　the　doctor；　he；　however；　could　not　tell　its　nature　until　it　was　tested。

〃Item；　another　phial；　with　half　a　pint　of　clear　liquid　with　a　white　sediment；　about　which　Moreau　said　the　same　thing　as　before。

〃Item；　a　small　earthenware　pot　containing　two　or　three　lumps　of　prepared　opium。

〃Item；　a　folded　paper　containing　two　drachms　of　corrosive　sublimate　powdered。

〃Next；　a　little　box　containing　a　sort　of　stone　known　as　infernal　stone。

〃Next；　a　paper　containing　one　ounce　of　opium。

〃Next；　a　piece　of　pure　antimony　weighing　three　ounces。

〃Next；　a　packet　of　powder　on　which　was　written：　'To　check　the　flow　of　blood。'　　Moreau　said　that　it　was　quince　flower　and　quince　buds　dried。

〃Item；　a　pack　sealed　with　six　seals；　on　which　was　written；　'Papers　to　be　burnt　in　case　of　death。'　　In　this　twenty…four　letters　were　found；　said　to　have　been　written　by　the　Marquise　de　Brinvilliers。

〃Item；　another　packet　sealed　with　six　seals；　on　which　a　similar　inscription　was　written。　　In　this　were　twenty…seven　pieces　of　paper　on　each　of　which　was　written：　'Sundry　curious　secrets。'

〃Item；　another　packet　with　six　more　seals；　on　which　a　similar　inscription　was　written。　　In　this　were　found　seventy…five　livres；　addressed　to　different　persons。　　Besides　all　these；　in　the　box　there　were　two　bonds；　one　from　the　marquise　for　30；000；　and　one　from　Penautier　for　10；000　francs；　their　dates　corresponding　to　the　time　of　the　deaths　of　M。　d'Aubray　and　the　Sieur　de　St。　Laurent。〃


The　difference　in　the　amount　shows　that　Sainte…Croix　had　a　tariff；　and　that　parricide　was　more　expensive　than　simple　assassination。　Thus　in　his　death　did　Sainte…Croix　bequeath　the　poisons　to　his　mistress　and　his　friend；　not　content　with　his　own　crimes　in　the　past；　he　wished　to　be　their　accomplice　in　the　future。

The　first　business　of　the　officials　was　to　submit　the　different　substances　to　analysis；　and　to　experiment　with　them　on　animals。　The　report　follows　of　Guy　Simon；　an　apothecary；　who　was　charged　to　undertake　the　analysis　and　the　experiments：

〃This　artificial　poison　reveals　its　nature　on　examination。　　It　is　so　disguised　that　one　fails　to　recognise　it；　so　subtle　that　it　deceives　the　scientific；　so　elusive　that　it　escapes　the　doctor's　eye：　experiments　seem　to　be　at　fault　with　this　poison；　rules　useless；　aphorisms　ridiculous。　　The　surest　experiments　are　made　by　the　use　of　the　elements　or　upon　animals。　　In　water；　ordinary　poison　falls　by　its　own　weight。　　The　water　is　superior；　the　poison　obeys；　falls　downwards；　and　takes　the　lower　place。

〃The　trial　by　fire　is　no　less　certain：　the　fire　evaporates　and　disperses　all　that　is　innocent　and　pure；　leaving　only　acrid　and　sour　matter　which　resists　its　influence。　　The　effect　produced　by　poisons　on　animals　is　still　more　plain　to　see：　its　malignity　extends　to　every　part　that　it　reaches；　and　all　that　it　touches　is　vitiated；　it　burns　and　scorches　all　the　inner　parts　with　a　strange；　irresistible　fire。

〃The　poison　employed　by　Sainte…Croix　has　been　tried　in　all　the　ways；　and　can　defy　every　experiment。　　This　poison　floats　in　water；　it　is　the　superior；　and　the　water　obeys　it；　it　escapes　in　the　trial　by　fire；　leaving　behind　only　innocent　deposits；　in　animals　it　is　so　skilfully　concealed　that　no　one　could　detect　it；　all　parts　of　the　animal　remain　healthy　and　active；　even　while　it　is　spreading　the　cause　of　death；　this　artificial　poison　leaves　behind　the　marks　and　appearance　of　life。　　Every　sort　of　experiment　has　been　tried。　　The　first　was　to　pour　out　several　drops　of　the　liquid　found　into　oil　of　tartar　and　sea　water；　and　nothing　was　precipitated　into　the　vessels　used；　the　second　was　to　pour　the　same　liquid　into　a　sanded　vessel；　and　at　the　bottom　there　was　found　nothing　acrid　or　acid　to　the　tongue；　scarcely　any　stains；　the　third　experiment　was　tried　upon　an　Indian　fowl；　a　pigeon；　a　dog；　and　some　other　animals；　which　died　soon　after。　　When　they　were　opened；　however；　nothing　was　found　but　a　little　coagulated　blood　in　the　ventricle　of　the　heart。　　Another　experiment　was　giving　a　white　powder　to　a　cat；　in　a　morsel　of　mutton。　The　cat　vomited　for　half　an　hour；　and　was　found　dead　the　next　day；　but　when　opened　no　part　of　it　was　found　to　be　affected　by　the　poison。　A　second　trial　of　the　same　poison　was　made　upon　a　pigeon；　which　soon　died。　　When　opened；　nothing　peculiar　was　found　except　a　little　reddish　water　in　the　stomach。〃

These　experiments　proved　that　Sainte…Croix　was　a　learned　chemist；　and　suggested　the　idea　that　he　did　not　employ　his　art　for　nothing；　everybody　recalled　the　sudden；　unexpected　deaths　that　had　occurred；　and　the　bonds　from　the　marquise　and　from　Penautier　looked　like　blood…　money。　　As　one　of　these　two　was　absent；　and　the　other　so　powerful　and　rich　that　they　dared　not　arrest　him　without　proofs；　attention　was　now　paid　to　the　objection　put　in　by　Lachaussee。

It　was　said　in　the　objection　that　Lachaussee　had　spent　seven　years　in　the　service　of　Sainte…Croix；　so　he　could　not　have　considered　the　time　he　had　passed　with　the　d'Aubrays　as　an　interruption　to　this　service。　The　bag　containing　the　thousand　pistoles　and　the　three　bonds　for　a　hundred　livres　had　been　found　in　the　place　indicated；　thus　Lachaussee　had　a　thorough　knowledge　of　this　closet：　if　he　knew　the　closet；　he　would　know　about　the　box；　if　he　knew　about　the　box；　he　could　not　be　an　innocent　man。　　This　was　enough　to　induce　Madame　Mangot　de　Villarceaux；　the　lieutenant's　widow；　to　lodge　an　accusation　against　him；　and　in　consequence　a　writ　was　issued　against　Lachaussee；　and　he　was　arrested。

When　this　happened；　poison　was　found　upon　him。　　The　trial　came　on　before　the　Chatelet。　　Lachaussee　denied　his　guilt　obstinately。　　The　judges　thinking　they　had　no　sufficient　proof；　ordered　the　preparatory　question　to　be　applied。　　Mme。　Mangot　appealed　from　a　judgment　which　would　probably　save　the　culprit　if　he　had　the　strength　to　resist　the　torture　and　own　to　nothing；

＇Note：　There　were　two　kinds　of　question；　one　before　and　one　after　the　sentence　was　p