"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, Rémy 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. Japy. 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. Japy 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....