Causes Célèbres.
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used the singular expression, " On lui donne poison. At the end of a year he was re par exemple un coup de pistolet dans un leased from his confinement, and at once re bouillon." newed his relations with the Marchioness. Suspicion, once aroused, was speedily Armed with the terrible power of life and strengthened by new developments which death, he found a willing accomplice in the How soon or in what left, apparently, no doubt as to the character wretched woman. manner she consented to become his pupil and guilt of the Marchioness. Marie Marguerite d'Aubray was the in the infernal trade of murder we know not; daughter of M. d'Aubray, who held the but there is every reason to believe that she office of lieutenant'-civil in Paris. In 165 1 visited the hospitals of Paris, under the pre she married the Marquis de Brinvilliers, a tence of charity, and there tried upon the man of fortune, who was connected with I miserable inmates the effects of the poisons After experi some of the most distinguished families in Sainte-Croix had given her. menting upon strangers with more or less France. She was a woman of great per sonal beauty. Her eyes were remarkable successful results, she finally turned her at for their soft and gentle expression. She tention to her own flesh and blood. In 1666, while on a visit to her father at his countrywas also distinguished for unusual conversa tional powers, and was one of the leaders of seat in Offermont, she mixed some poison in the brilliant society of Paris in the early part his soup. The old man received the soup from his daughter's hands, ate it, and died of the reign of Louis XIV. At the end of a year after their marriage, soon after. The physicians attributed this the affection of the Marquis for his wife sudden death to natural causes. No suspi seemed to lessen, and she imagined, perhaps cions were aroused, and the inhuman woman not without reason, that she was treated with was now hardened in crime. Madame de Brinvilliers had two brothers neglect. At this time Sainte-Croix appeared and a sister. The older brother succeeded upon the scene. Under the mask of a pleas ing exterior he concealed the villany of his his father as lieutenant-civil; the younger character, and being invited by the Marquis brother was councillor of Parliament; the to his house, he soon became there a favorite sister was in a convent in Paris. In order to possess herself of the whole fortune of inmate. He watched the conduct of the wed ded pair, and soon observed the discontent her family that she might squander it on of the Marchioness. It is needless to detail Sainte-Croix, this human monster resolved to destroy them all. the arts by which he inspired her with a pas In the winter of 1670 the lieutenant-civil, sion for himself. The result was that the liaison became too manifest to escape the on returning from the Palais, asked for some thing to drink. A valet-de-chambre of his eyes of others, although her husband re mained in absolute ignorance of it. Her brother's, a certain La Chaussee, brought aged father, terrified and indignant at her him a glass of wine and water. This drink conduct, implored her to abandon a course had a singular taste; the councillor threw it which could only bring upon her shame and aside in disgust, crying, " I believe that rasinfamy. His entreaties having no effect, he! cal means to poison me! What he has given resorted to summary measures. He solicited me is hot as the devil." La Chaussee, tak and obtained a lettre de cachet, and Sainte- ing the glass, emptied its remaining contents Croix was arrested and taken to the Bastile. into the fire, excusing himself as best he could. In prison he made the acquaintance of an In the evening La Chaussee said to M. Italian named Exili, who was an expert d'Aubray : " Monsieur, I have discovered the chemist, and who instructed Sainte-Croix in cause of the singular taste of that drink. the horrible art of preparing secret and deadly j Lacroix, your valet-de-chambre, had taken
