Maitre Aubin, my counsel, came to me on two or three occasions in a state of great consternation. His first sentence was: "What have you done?" and his last sentence, after he had explained to me the new incident, was "All that is printed in the _Matin_." So, that newspaper, thinking that it had not made me suffer enough yet, continued its virulent attacks while I was in prison!
What did those articles in the _Matin_ say? Merely trifles of this kind: According to one of my fellow prisoners, I had spoken of suicide, had accused Alexandre Wolff again, declared that before placing the pearl in Couillard"s pocket-book, I had first placed it in that of my "cousin" M.
Chabrier (whom I called cousin though he was no relation of mine, but a cousin of my husband). I had entrusted a secret mission to the care of Ghirelli and last but not least I had confessed to having committed the murder!
These various "statements," only dramatised and adorned by the _Matin_ for the sole purpose of several columns of the most sensational copy, were published at intervals during January 1909.
I will now quote part of the most damaging and most fantastic "story"
published by _Le Matin_, in its issue of Sunday, January 17th, 1909 (I was in prison at the time and undergoing my _Instruction i.e._ the preliminary examination by a magistrate):
THE STEINHEIL AFFAIR
EVERYTHING
EXCEPT THE NAME OF THE ACCOMPLICE.
MADAME STEINHEIL DENOUNCES HERSELF.
"MY MOTHER ... SHE WAS THE ALIBI."
"... We were able to see yesterday a person who has received fresh confessions from Mme. Steinheil. At a time when, having been already in prison a few days, entangled in the meshes of proofs which the examining magistrate was weaving around her slowly but surely, the painter"s widow felt irremediably lost.
"In the course of an evening when despair came upon her, and with tears and sobs and resentment, and whilst calling upon death with all her heart, Mme. Steinheil told a new version of the crime, more tragic still, SINCE THIS TIME, SHE ACCUSED HERSELF NOT ONLY AS AN ACCOMPLICE BUT AS THE GUILTY PERSON, TOGETHER WITH ANOTHER.
"SHE NAMED HER ACCOMPLICE....
"He is neither Remy Couillard, nor Alexandre Wolff, nor any one whose name has so far been mentioned. This accomplice, who is one of her friends (_familiers_) our interlocutor would not a.s.sume the responsibility of giving his name to public opinion.
"If Mme. Steinheil has once more lied, it is not right that an innocent person should share with her the heavy burden of that double murder. If Mme. Steinheil has spoken the truth, _he will recognise himself_.
"All we can do to-day is to tell how, according to the painter"s widow"s latest disclosures, the crime was committed.
"In tragic horror, it outdoes everything that one might, so far, have conceived.
"The double murder was decided upon, planned and premeditated.
"For the past two years, it haunted Mme. Steinheil"s mind. For two years, she had, on various occasions, postponed its carrying out.
""I WANTED TO BE FREE," she said.
"When, unable to restrain herself any longer, when resolved to do anything to get rid of her husband and to marry the rich man she coveted, she made her final preparations, she thought that, alone, she would not be able to carry out such a dreadful deed successfully, and confided her plans to one of her friends (_familiers_).
""I WANTED AN a.s.sISTANT, I FOUND HIM!"
"The latter accepted without too many objections. Had she not promised him a golden future?
"Then, plans were laid.
"To kill only the husband was to give herself away immediately, for everybody knew how the wife hated her husband. And the public rumour, implacable and revengeful, would at once have named the guilty person.
"An alibi was necessary.
"And coldly, resolutely, Mme. Steinheil wired to her mother, inviting her to the Impa.s.se Ronsin.
""MY MOTHER, SHE WAS THE ALIBI."
"No one would dare accuse a daughter of having killed her mother, or of having had her killed.
"Her daughter is sent to Bellevue, Mariette Wolff is sent away, Remy Couillard had gone up to his room. Mme. Steinheil, during the evening of May 30th, remains alone with the two intended victims. She is gay; she speaks with unusual tenderness to her husband; she is very attentive to her mother.
""Would you like a grog, maman?" she asks Mme. j.a.py. Then caressingly turning to her husband: "You will have some too, won"t you? It will do you good."
"The grog is prepared, Mme. Steinheil adds a narcotic to it.
"With her own hand she gives the grogs.
"Mme. j.a.py and Mme. Steinheil (_M._ Steinheil is evidently meant, but the author of this monstrous story had evidently lost all self-control, and was unable to read it over carefully when he had written it) half an hour later went to their room (_rooms_ is evidently meant) and soon an unconquerable drowsiness, a death-like sleep (_sommeil de plomb_), glued them to their bed.
"Listening keenly, Mme. Steinheil hears the gate swing softly on its hinges. It is half-past twelve; she goes down quickly, takes the key of the pantry where Couillard had placed it and half-opens the door.
"A moment later, the accomplice is in the house.
"Stealthily, Mme. Steinheil and her accomplice, who has taken off his boots, go up to the first-floor, and there in Marthe"s room, they deliberate for two long hours. What was this deliberation? Mme.
Steinheil, overwhelmed with shame and grief, has not yet said....
"At 3 A.M. their resolution was taken. M. Steinheil and Mme. j.a.py were going to die.
""I MYSELF SLIPPED THE CORD AROUND MY HUSBAND"S NECK AND TUGGED," said Mme. Steinheil in a hoa.r.s.e voice.
""THEN CAME MY MOTHER"S TURN.
""FOR IT IS I WHO DID EVERYTHING, WHO HAD DETERMINED ON EVERYTHING. MY ACCOMPLICE MERELY a.s.sISTED ME IN ORGANISING THE SHAM BURGLARY WHICH FOLLOWED.
""IT WAS I WHO STOPPED THE CLOCK AT THE MOMENT WHEN HE CAME IN, IT WAS I WHO UPSET THE INKSTAND.
""THIS WHOLE TRAGEDY TOOK PLACE WITHOUT A CRY, WITHOUT A HITCH. LESS THAN TEN MINUTES SUFFICED TO CARRY OUT THE GHASTLY TASK.
""Then, after I had gone back to bed, my accomplice bound me.
""The day was breaking. He left."
"After finishing the terrifying narrative the painter"s widow appeared relieved of a great burden.
"For a few minutes she seemed deep in thought, and suddenly she realised what a frightful secret she had just disclosed in a moment of despair and abandonment.