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bay。 Take the evidence of M。 Le Dore； son…in…law of that Mme Hetel
who died in Auray； His mother…in…law became ill just after Helene's
reputation was brought to his notice。 The old lady died next day。
‘‘The day following the revelation；'' said M。 Le Dore； ‘‘I put Helene
out。 She threw herself on the ground uttering fearsome yells。 The day's
meal had been prepared。 I had it thrown out； and put Helene herself to
the door with her luggage； INTO WHICH SHE HASTILY STOWED A
PACKET。 Mme Hetel died next day in fearful agony。''
I am responsible for the italicizing。 It is hard to understand why M。
Le Dore did no more than put Helene to the door。 He was suspicious
enough to throw out the meal prepared by Helene； and he saw her hastily
stow a packet in her luggage。 But； though he was Mayor of Auray； he did
nothing more about his mother…in…law's death。 It is to be remarked；
however； that the Hetels themselves were against the brusque dismissal of
Helene。 She had ‘‘smothered the mother with care and attentions。''
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But one gets perhaps the real clue to Helene's long immunity from the
remark made in court by M。 Breger； son…in…law of that Lorient couple； M。
and Mme Dupuyde…Lome。 He had thought for a moment of suspecting
Helene of causing the child's death and the illness of the rest of the family；
but ‘‘there seemed small grounds。 What interest had the girl in cutting
off their lives？''
It is a commonplace that murder without motive is the hardest to
detect。 The deaths that Helene Jegado contrived between 1833 and 1841；
twenty…three in number； and the six attempts at murder which she made in
that length of time； are； without exception； crimes quite lacking in
discoverable motive。 It is not at all on record that she had reason for
wishing to eliminate any one of those twenty…three persons。 She seems
to have poisoned for the mere sake of poisoning。 Save to the ignorant
and superstitious； such as followed her in the streets to accuse her of
having a ‘‘white liver'' and a breath that meant death； she was an
unfortunate creature with an odd knack of finding herself in houses where
‘accidents' happened。 Time and again you find her being taken in by
kindly people after such ‘accidents；' and made an object of sympathy for
the dreadful coincidences that were making her so unhappy。 It was out of
sympathy that the Widow Lorey； of Locmine； took Helene into her house。
On the widow's death the niece arrived。 In court the niece described the
scene on her arrival。 ‘‘Helene embraced me；'' she said。 ‘‘'Unhappy
me！' she wept。 ‘Wherever I go everybody dies！' I pitied and consoled
her。'' She pitied and consoled Helene； though they were saying in the
town that the girl had a white liver and that her breath brought death！
Where Helene had neglected to combine her poisoning with detected
pilfering the people about her victims could see nothing wrong in her
conduct。 Witness after witness father； sister； husband； niece； son…in…law；
or relation in some sort to this or that victim of Helene'srepeated in court；
‘‘The girl went away with nothing against her。'' And even those who
afterwards found articles missing from their household goods： ‘‘At the
same time I did not suspect her probity。 She went to Mass every morning
and to the evening services。 I was very surprised to find some of my
napkins among the stuff Helene was accused of stealing。'' ‘‘I did not
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know of Helene's thefts until I was shown the objects stolen；'' said a lady
of Vannes。 ‘‘Without that proof I would never have suspected the girl。
Helene claimed affiliation with a religious sisterhood； served very well；
and was a worker。''
It is perhaps of interest to note how Helene answered the testimony
regarding her thieving proclivities。 Mme Lejoubioux； of Vannes； said her
furnishing bills went up considerably during the time Helene was in her
service。 Helene had purloined two cloths。
Helene： ‘‘That was for vengeance。 I was furious at being sent
away。
Sieur Cesar le Clerc and Mme Gauthier swore to thefts from them by
Helene。
Helene： ‘‘I stole nothing from Mme Gauthier except one bottle of
wine。 If I commit a larceny it is from choler。 WHEN I'M FURIOUS I
STEAL！''
It was when Helene began to poison for vengeance that retribution fell
upon her。 Her fondness for the bottle started to get her into trouble。 It
made her touchy。 Up to 1841 she had poisoned for the pleasure of it；
masking her secret turpitude with an outward show of piety； of being
helpful in time of trouble。 By the time she arrived in Rennes； in 1848；
after seven years during which her murderous proclivities seem to have
slept； her character as a worker； if not as a Christian； had deteriorated。
Her piety； in the face of her fondness for alcohol and her slovenly habits；
and against her now frequently exhibited bursts of temper and ill…will；
appeared the hypocrisy it actually was。 Her essays in poisoning now had
purpose and motive behind them。 Nemesis； so long at her heels；
overtook her。
％ III
It is not clear in the accounts available to me just what particular
murders by poison； what attempts at poisoning； and what thefts Helene
was charged with in the indictment at Rennes。 Twenty…three poisonings；
six attempts； and a number of thefts had been washed out； it may be as
well to repeat； by the prescription legale。 But from her arrival in Rennes；
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leaving the thefts out of account； her activities had accounted for the
following： In the Rabot household one death （Albert； the son） and three
illnesses （Rabot； Mme Rabot； the mother…in…law）； in the Ozanne
establishment one death （that of the little son）； in the hotel of the Roussells
one death （that of Perrotte Mace） and one illness （that of the Veuve
Roussell）； at the Bidards two deaths （Rose Tessier and Rosalie Sarrazin）。
In this last establishment there was also one attempt at poisoning which I
have not yet mentioned； that of a young servant； named Francoise Huriaux；
who for a short time had taken the place of Rose Tessier。 We thus have
five deaths and five attempts in Rennes； all of which could be indictable。
But； as already stated； the indictment covered three deaths and three
attempts。
It is hard to say； from verbatim reports of the trial； where the matter of
the indictment begins to be handled