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place on the old man's life。
The inquiry begun in September of 1830 into the circumstances
surrounding the death of the Prince was cooked before it was dressed。
The honest man into whose hands it was placed at first； a M。 de la Hurpoie；
proved himself too zealous。 After a night visit from the Procureur he was
retired into private life。 After that the investigators were hand…picked。
They concluded the investigation the following June； with the declaration
that the Prince had committed suicide； a verdict which had its rewardin
advancement for the judges。
In the winter of 1831…32 there was begun a lawsuit in which the
Princes de Rohan brought action against Sophie and the Duc d'Aumale for
the upsetting of the will under which the latter two had inherited the
Prince de Conde's fortune。 The grounds for the action were the undue
influence exerted by Sophie。 The Princes de Rohan lost。
Thus was Sophie twice ‘legally' vindicated。 But public opinion
refused her any coat of whitewash。 Never popular in France； she became
less and less popular in the years that followed her legal triumphs。
Having used her for his own ends； Louis…Philippe gradually shut off from
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her the light of his cod…like countenance。＇29＇
＇29＇ Lacenaire； the notorious murderer…robber in a biting song；
written in prison； expressed the popular opinion regarding Louis…Philippe's
share in the Feucheres…Conde affair。 The song； called Petition d'un
voleur a un roi son voisin； has this final stanza：
‘‘Sire； oserais…je reclamer？ Mais ecoutez…moi sans colere：
Le voeu que je vais exprimer Pourrait bien； ma foi； vous deplaire。
Je suis fourbe； avare； mechant； Ladre； impitoyable； rapace； J'ai
fait se pendre mon parent： Sire； cedez…moi votre place。''
Sophie found little joy in her wide French possessions。 She found
herself without friends before whom she could play the great lady in her
castles。 She gradually got rid of her possessions； and returned to her
native land。 She bought an estate near Christchurch； in Hampshire； and
took a house in Hyde Park Square； London。 But she did not long enjoy
those English homes。 While being treated for dropsy in 1840 she died of
angina。 According to the famous surgeon who was at her bedside just
before her demise； she died ‘‘game。''
It may almost be said that she lived game。 There must have been a
fighting quality about Sophie to take her so far from such a bad start。
Violent as she was of temper； greedy； unscrupulous； she seems yet to have
had some instincts of kindness。 The stories of her good deeds are rather
swamped by those of her bad ones。 She did try to do some good with the
Prince's money round about Chantilly； took a definite and lasting interest
in the alms…houses built there by ‘‘the Great Conde；'' and a request in her
own will was to the effect that if she had ever done anything for the
Orleans gang； the Prince de Conde's wishes regarding the use of the
chateau of Ecouen as an orphanage might be fulfilled as a reward to her。
The request never was fulfilled； but it does show that Sophie had some
affinity in kindness to Nell Gwynn。
How much fartheror how much betterwould Sophie Dawes have
fared had her manners been less at the mercy of her temper？ It is
impossible to say。 That she had some quality of greatness is beyond
doubt。 The resolution of character； the will to achieve； and even the
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viraginous temper might have carried her far had she been a man some
thirty years earlier in the country of her greater activities。 Under
Napoleon； as a man； Sophie might have climbed high on the way to glory。
As a woman； with those traits； there is almost tragic inevitability in the
manner in which we find her ranged with what Dickens called ‘‘Glory's
bastard brother''Murder。
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VI： ARSENIC A LA BRETONNE
On Tuesday； the 1st of July； in the year 1851； two gentlemen； sober of
face as of raiment； presented themselves at the office of the Procureur…
General in the City of Rennes。 There was no need for them to introduce
themselves to that official。 They were well…known medical men of the
city； Drs Pinault and Boudin。 The former of the two acted as spokesman。
Dr Pinault confessed to some distress of mind。 He had been called in
by his colleague for consultation in the case of a girl； Rosalie Sarrazin；
servant to an eminent professor of law； M。 Bidard。 In spite of the
ministrations of himself and his colleague； Rosalie had died。 The
symptoms of the illness had been very much the same as in the case of a
former servant of M。 Bidard's； a girl named Rose Tessier； who had also
died。 With this in mind they had persuaded the relatives of Rosalie to
permit an autopsy。 They had to confess that they had found no trace of
poison in the body； but they were still convinced the girl had died of
poisoning。 With his colleague backing him； Dr Pinault was able to put
such facts before the Procureur…General that that official almost at once
reached for his hat to accompany the two doctors to M。 Bidard's。
The door of the Professor's house was opened to them by Helene
Jegado； another of M。 Bidard's servants。 She was a woman of forty odd；
somewhat scraggy of figure and； while not exactly ugly； not prepossessing
of countenance。 Her habit of looking anywhere but into the face of
anyone addressing her gave her rather a furtive air。
Having ushered the three gentlemen into the presence of the Professor；
the servant…woman lingered by the door。
‘‘We have come； M。 Bidard；'' said the Procureur； ‘‘on a rather painful
mission。 One of your servants died recentlyit is suspected； of
poisoning。''
‘‘I am innocent！''
The three visitors wheeled to stare； with the Professor； at the grey…
faced woman in the doorway。 It was she who had made the exclamation。
‘‘Innocent of what？'' demanded the Law officer。 ‘‘No one has
accused you of anything！''
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This incautious remark on the part of the servant； together with the
facts already put before him by the two doctors and the information he
obtained from her employer； led the Procureur…General to have her
arrested。 He