The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 195: what you’re looking at

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frantic Wis «+ { 188 | THE MYSTERIES plexy, of which there was every symptom in the appearance of the corpse; and the proper notifi- cation in cases of sudden death was sent to the police, there being no coroner’s inquest in France. This notice was forwarded at about nine o’clock in the morning ; and on being communicated at the head-quarters of the Prefecture, it immediately struck one of the functionaries there, who was personally acquainted with the Baroness, that she corresponded in stature and in the hue of her hair with the description given by the chemist’s son of the female who had purchased the poison six weeks back. The medical man above-mentioned, was instantaneously communicated with; and on hear- ing what was explained to him, he said that a person being poisoned by prussic acid, would pre- scnt such an appearance as the corpse of the Baron de Charlemont. It was then ascertained who the undertaker was, to whom instructions were given for the funeral,—these instructions having been already issued, inasmuch as interments are en- Joined by the French laws to take place with the least possible delay after death. The undertaker being found, it was arranged that on some pretence he should call at the mansion, as if for farther in- structions; and that he should be accompanied by the chemist’s son, whom he might introduce as one of his gwn men. The proceeding was con- ducted with all this delicacy, so that the feelings of the widowed Baroness might not be wounded in case it should transpire that she was not the pur- chaser of the poison, and that suspicion was erro- These matters were all arranged with the cha- racteristic celerity of the French police; and at about noon on the day following the night of the death, the undertaker, accompanied by the chemist’s son, was introduced to the presence of the Baroness. She was seated alone in a drawing-room where she had just been giving orders to a milliner for her mourning; and she appeared to be much affiicted. When the undertaker and his com- panion made their appearance, the latter could not gepress an ejaculation as the conviction smote him that this was the lady who had purchased the poison: but the Baroness herself seemed not to recognise him—neither djd it appear that she heard the ejaculation which had fallen from his lips, or that she was in the slightest degree troubled at his presence. The undertaker put some ques- tions—received the answer—and withdrew, followed by his companion. In the immediate neighbourhood of the Rue de pio fh 4 magistrate was waiting with some the “information brought by the chemists son, these officials at once repaired to the mansion. On being introduced to the room where they found the Baroness, she appeared more amazed and indignant than troubled at their presence . and when the magistrate announced to her that he had come to arrest her on the charge of poison- ing her husband, she buret into tears, but repelled traged | alleged tragedy iteelf, the public functionary made | innocence. The news spread like wildfire through the accusation with every appearance of ou the spacious mansion : the aunt came rushing half- room ; and embracing her niece vehemence, proclaimed her con- s Whe charge was as false as it was aroness besought her relative to ver OF THE COURT. compose her feelings, with the assurance that her guiltlessness would soon become apparent. She was not immediately removed to prison— but merely placed under the strictest surveillance, while a surgical examination of the body took | place. This was at once procecded with: it oc- | © cupied several hours—and the three medical men who performed it, could not agree in their opinion. Two expressed their conviction that the deceased had come by his death by prussic acid; and of these, one was the medical attendant who in the first instance had declared it was apoplexy from natural causes. The third surgeon dissented frem the idea of poison, and held that the opinion ori- ginally delivered by the attendant of the family, was the correct one. However, the result was that in the evening the Baroness de Charlemont was committed to prison: and the affair excited an immense sensation in the fashionable world of Paris. Six weeks elapsed before the trial wok place; and during this interval the accused Baroness maintained the utmost fortitude, mingled with a grief which appeared perfectly natural, for the loses of her husband and the dreadful crime with which she was charged. Her aunt visited her daily, although she had received such a shock that her health was rapidly giving way. Inthe meantime the papers of the deceased Baron had been exa- mined; and it was found that he had very recently been speculating largely in mines, which had turned out a complete failure, and in which the bulk of his fortune was swallowed up. From cer- tain entries in a memorandum-book which he kept, it appeared that his wife was cognizant of these speculations and losses; and this circum- stance was considered as telling imher favour,— inasmuch as it could not be to possess herself of the sole and absolute control over a large fortune that she had put ber husband to death; for the bulk thereof was gone, and the widow's pension to which she would be entitled, was infinitely inferior to his pay as a General inthe Army. Therefore, in @ pecuniary sense, she was cutting her own throat by making away with her husband. The day of the trial arrived; and the Court was crowded to excess. The Baroness, apparelled in her widow’s weeds, was conducted into the dock by two gendarmes ; but she was allowed to remain seated during the proceedings. She was exceed- ingly pale—and therefore all the more interest- ingly beautiful. For some time after she entered the hall of justice, she remained with her eyes bent downward,—not once throwing a single glance in the direction of the seats filled with so many of her fashionable acquaintances. Her aunt was not present: the excitement and suspense she had hitherto endured, had at length completely pros- trated her on a bed of sickness. The King’s Pro- curator opened the proceedings, detailing the facts already known to the reader, and which had tended to accumulate the burden of suspicion upon the head of the prisoner. In speaking of the use of the following observations :— “Supposing the charges set out in the indict- ment to be correct, it is for the imagination to pe- netrate into that death-chamber, at that deep mida- night hour when the decd was accomplished, and to mark step by step the proceedings of the ac- a EORAIClIOO© CS (COL