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！
consideration in the district。 The pair had been married for thirteen years；
and their union had been blessed by five children。
Boursier； a middle…aged man of average height； but very stout of build
and asthmatically short of neck； was recognized as a keen trader。 He did
most of his trading away from the house in the Rue de la Paix； and paid
frequent visits； sometimes entire months in duration； to Le Havre and
Bordeaux。 It is nowhere suggested that those visits were made on any
occasion other than that of business。 M。 Boursier spent his days away
from the house； and his evenings with friends。
It does not anywhere appear that Mme Boursier objected to her
husband's absenteeism。 She was a capable woman； rather younger than
her husband； and of somewhat better birth and education。 She seems to
have been content with； if she did not exclusively enjoy； having full charge
146
… Page 147…
SHE STANDS ACCUSED
of the business in the shop。 Dark； white of tooth； not particularly pretty；
this woman of thirty…six was； for her size； almost as stout as her husband。
It is said that her manner was a trifle imperious； but that no doubt resulted
from knowledge of her own capability； proved by the successful way in
which she handled her business and family responsibilities。
The household； apart from Mme and M。 Boursier； and counting those
employed in the epicerie； consisted of the five children； Mme Boursier's
aunt （the Veuve Flamand）； two porters （Delonges and Beranger）； Mlle
Reine （the clerk）； Halbout （the book…keeper）； and the cook （Josephine
Blin）。
On the morning of the 28th of June； which would be a Sunday；
Boursier was called by the cook to take his usual dejeuner； consisting of
chicken broth with rice。 He did not like the taste of it； but ate it。 Within
a little time he was violently sick； and became so ill that he had to go to
bed。 The doctor； who was called almost immediately； saw no cause for
alarm； but prescribed mild remedies。 As the day went on； however； the
sickness increased in violence。 Dr Bordot became anxious when he saw
the patient again in the evening。 He applied leeches and mustard
poultices。 Those ministrations failing to alleviate the sufferings ofthe
invalid； Dr Bordot brought a colleague into consultation； but neither the
new…comer； Dr Partra； nor himself could be positive in diagnosis。
Something gastric； it was evident。 They did what they could； though
working； as it were； in the dark。
The patient was no better next day。 As night came on he was worse
than ever。 A medical student named Toupie was enlisted as nurse and
watcher； and sat with the sufferer through the nightbut to no purpose。
At four o'clock in the morning of the Tuesday； the 30th； there came a crisis
in the illness of Boursier； and he died。
The grief exhibited by Mme Boursier； so suddenly widowed； was just
what might have been expected in the circumstances from a woman of her
station。 She had lost a good…humoured companion； the father of her five
children； and the man whose genius in trading had done so much to
support her own activities for their mutual profit。 The Veuve Boursier
grieved in adequate fashion for the loss of her husband； but； being a
147
… Page 148…
SHE STANDS ACCUSED
capable woman and responsible for the direction of affairs； did not allow
her grief to overwhelm her。 The dead epicier was buried without much
delaythe weather was hot； and he had been of gross habitand the
business at the corner of Rue de la Paix went on as near to usual as the
loss of the ‘outside' partner would allow。
Rumour； meantime； had got to work。 There were circumstances
about the sudden death of Boursier which the busybodies of the environs
felt they might regard as suspicious。 For some time before the death of
the epicier there had been hanging about the establishment a Greek called
Kostolo。 He was a manservant out of employ； and not； even on the
surface； quite the sort of fellow that a respectable couple like the Boursiers
might be expected to accept as a family friend。 But such； no less； had
been the Greek's position with the household。 So much so that； although
Kostolo had no money and apparently no prospects； Boursier himself had
asked him to be godfather to a niece。 The epicier found the Greek
amusing； and； on falling so suddenly ill； made no objection when Kostolo
took it on himself to act as nurse； and to help in the preparing of drinks
and medicines that were prescribed。
It is perhaps to the rather loud…mouthed habits of this Kostolo that the
birth of suspicion among the neighbours may be attributed。 On the death
of Boursier he had remarked that the nails of the corpse were blue a colour；
he said； which was almost a certain indication of poisoning。 Now； the
two doctors who had attended Boursier； having failed to account for his
illness； were inclined to suspect poisoning as the cause of his death。 For
this reason they had suggested an autopsy； a suggestion rejected by the
widow。 Her rejection of the idea aroused no immediate suspicion of her
in the minds of the doctors。
Kostolo； in addition to repeating outside the house his opinion
regarding the blueness of the dead Boursier's nails； began； several days
after the funeral； to brag to neighbours and friends of the warm
relationship existing between himself and the widow。 He dropped hints
of a projected marriage。 Upon this the neighbours took to remembering
how quickly Kostolo's friendship with the Boursier family had sprung up；
and how frequently he had visited the establishment。 His nursing
148
… Page 149…
SHE STANDS ACCUSED
activities were remembered also。 And it was noticed that his visits to the
Boursier house still went on； it was whispered that he visited the Veuve
Boursier in her bedroom。
The circumstances in which Boursier had fallen ill were well known。
Nobody； least of all Mme Boursier or Kostolo； had taken any trouble to
conceal them。 Anybody who liked to ask either Mme Boursier or the
Greek about the soup could have a detailed story at once。 All the
neighbourhood knew it。 And since the Veuve Boursier's story is
substantially the same as other versions it may as well be dealt with here
and now。
M。 Boursier； said his widow； tasted his soup that Sunday morning。
‘‘What a taste！'' he said to the cook； Josephine。 ‘‘This rice is poisoned。''
‘‘But； monsieur；'' Josephine protested； ‘‘that's amazing！ The potage
ought to be better than usual this morning； because I made a liaison for it
with three egg…yolks！''
M。 Boursier called his wife； and told her he couldn't eat his potage au
riz。 It was poisoned。 Mme Boursier took a spoonful of it herself； she
said； and saw nothing the matter with it。 Whereupon her husband； saying
that if it was all right he ought to eat it； took several spoonfuls more。
‘‘The poor man；'' said his widow； ‘‘always had a bad taste in his mouth；
and he could not face his soup。'' Then； she explained； he became very
sick； and brought up what little of the soup he had taken； together with
flots de bile。
All this chatter of poison； particularly by Kostolo and the widow；
together with the persistent rumours of an adulterous association between
the pair； gave colour to suspicions of a criminal complicity； and these in
process of time came to the ears of the officers of justice。 The two
doctors were summoned by the Procureur…General； who questioned them
closely regarding Boursier's illness