The Sainte Croix-De Brinvilliers Case. lieving that, in four instances at least, he availed himself of his friend's scientific ac quirements. The Sieur de Saint Laurent, in cumbent of an office which Penautier greatly desired and afterwards obtained, died sud denly under circumstances so peculiar as to warrant the holding of an autopsy. The
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mons from earth, the climax would scarcely have been more dramatic. It was in the room in the Rue des Bernardins, rented upon leaving the Bastille, that the end came. While engaged in preparing a poison of a high de gree of virulence, the glass mask which he wore slipped from his face, and was smashed
THE PALACE OF PARIS AS IT WAS IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY. THE CONCIERGERIE THE PRISON OF THE PALACE WAS SITUATED UNDER THE THREE ROUND TOWERS AT THE RIGHT.
same conditions were found to exist as in the cases of the brothers d'Aubray. It is worthy of remark that the deceased had in his service one Georges, a dismissed valet of Sainte Croix. But the career of the Chevalier had now reached its close. Had Sainte Croix, Faust like, actually disposed of his immortal soul, as was popularly believed at that time, and at the appointed hour had received his sum-
to atoms. The Chevalier inhaled the noxious fumes, and fell to the floor a corpse.1 1 This is but one of the versions of the death of Sainte Croix. It is taken from the briefs for the prosecution in the trial of the Marquise, and the defendant appears to have conceded its truth, though the language is by no means clear. Messrs. Garanger and Vauthier, prose cuting attorney and counsel respectively, in their brief against Penautier on the trial of the latter, assert that Sainte Croix died after a malady of five months caused by the same means. It is scarcely probable, however, that this is true. With five months at his disposal is it likely that the Chevalier would have allowed the com promising documents to remain in existence?
