From Bubry Helene went to Locmine. Her family connexion as servants with
the clergy found her room for three days in the rectory, after which
she became apprentice to a needlewoman of the town, one Marie-Jeanne
Leboucher, with whom she lived. The Widow Leboucher was stricken ill, as
also was one of her daughters. Both died. The son of the house, Pierre,
also fell ill. But, not liking Helene, he refused her ministrations, and
recovered. By this time Helene had become somewhat sensitive.
"I'm afraid," she said to a male relative of the deceased sempstress,
"that people will accuse me of all those deaths. Death follows me
wherever I go." She quitted the Leboucher establishment in distress.
A widow of the same town offered her house room. The widow died, having
eaten soup of Helene's preparing. On the day following the Widow Lorey's
death her niece, Veuve Cadic, arrived. The grief-stricken Helene threw
herself into the niece's arms.
"My poor girl!" exclaimed the Veuve Cadic.
"Ai--but I'm so unhappy!" Helene grieved. "Where-ever I go--Seglien,
Guern, Bubry, Veuve Laboucher's--people die!"
She had cause for grief, sure enough. In less than eighteen months
thirteen persons with whom she had been closely associated had died of
violent sickness. But more were to follow.
In May of 1835 Helene was in service with the Dame Toussaint, of
Locmine. Four more people died. They were the Dame's confidential maid,
Anne Eveno, M. Toussaint pere, a daughter of the house, Julie, and,
later, Mme Toussaint herself. They had eaten vegetable soup prepared by
Helene Jegado. Something tardily the son of the house, liking neither
Helene's face nor the deathly rumours that were rife about her,
dismissed her.
To one as burdened with sorrow as Helene Jegado appeared to be the life
conventual was bound to hold appeal. She betook herself to the pleasant
little town of Auray, which sits on a sea arm behind the nose of
Quiberon, and sought shelter in the convent of the Eternal Father there.
She was admitted as a pensionnaire. Her sojourn in the convent did not
last long, for queer disorders marked her stay. Linen in the convent
cupboards and the garments of the pupils were maliciously slashed.
Helene was suspect and was packed off.
Once again Helene became apprentice to a sempstress, this time an old
maid called Anne Lecouvrec, proprietress of the Bonnes-oeuvres in Auray.
The ancient lady, seventy-seven years of age, tried Helene's soup. She
died two days later. To a niece of the deceased Helene made moan: "Ah! I
carry sorrow. My masters die wherever I go!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account