Causes Celcbres.

443

CAUSES CELEBRES. X. Freder1c beno1t. [1832.] f-N the 8th of November, 1829, M. among others, a bag containing six thousand Benoit, the juge de paix of Vouziers, francs in gold. The existence of this box departed from that town to visit a mill which and its use was unknown to any one outside he owned, situated at a distance of several of the family. About the middle of the night following leagues; he did not expect to return until the next day. Madame Benoit, his wife, M. Benoit's departure, M. Dossereau, a sur remained alone in the house during his geon living in the adjoining house, was absence with her youngest son, Frederic awakened by the cries of Frederic Benoit. Benoit, aged seventeen, and her niece, He arose hastily, believing that his neigh Louise Feucher, who served the family as a bor's house was on fire, and aroused his domestic. brother, Dossereau-Sorlet, with whom he Madame Benoit slept on the ground-floor dwelt. The latter hurried out first, in his in a small dark room, the door of which shirt, and found Frederic upon his doorsteps, opened upon a passage-way running from the who said to him, "Quick! quick! we have dining-room to another sleeping-chamber. been robbed! the robbers are in our house." This last chamber had two windows opening The two rushed back to the house; and as upon the Place de Vouziers, which were they entered the sleeping-chamber, Frdderic guarded by wooden shutters. In this same cried: "The robbers leaped out of that room, between one of these windows and the window; did you not see them go? One chimney, stood a wardrobe, and at the other was a woman! there she is, crossing the end of the apartment was an alcove with a place." Dossereau hastened to the door, bed in it, at the head of which was a small but the place was deserted; there was not door communicating with the room in which a living soul to be seen. He re-entered Madame Benoit slept. The passage-way of his house to dress, intending to return at which we have spoken separated the apart once. As he left the Benoits' house, his brother ment of Madame Benoit from the kitchen, the surgeon entered it. Frederic said to where Louise Feucher had her bed. Fre deric occupied a chamber on the first floor, him, "M. Dossereau, we have been robbed!" Dossereau was about to search the house directly over the kitchen. when Frederic added, " M. Dossereau, call Madame Benoit, as if impressed by a pre sentiment of danger, had locked the windows mamma." Having called repeatedly without with more care than usual. Observing that eliciting a response, the surgeon inquired the hook of one of the shutters did not fit where she slept. " In that room," replied tightly, but could be easily moved, she tied Frederic, pointing to the door of her cham it with a piece of string in such a manner ber. Dossereau opened the door, and by that it would resist any efforts which might the light of the candle which he carried in be made to unfasten it from the outside. his hand, perceived the dead body of Ma This shutter was that of the window near dame Benoit lying upon the bed, and the the wardrobe, which contained the table floor of the chamber covered with blood. linen. In the lower part of this wardrobe He drew back, crying, " Horrible! my poor was a box containing sums of money; boy, your mother has been murdered! " and