resentment towards him from their last meeting.
Bourdeau was waiting for him, looking busy and enigmatic. A report from the men of the watch had intrigued him. A certain Ãmilie, a soup seller, had been arrested on Saturday 3 February at about six oâclock in the morning by the toll-gate guards on their night rounds. When she was questioned at the police station of Le Temple, the details she had given were so extraordinary that they were taken to be fictitious and had been noted down only as a formality. The old woman had been released. Bourdeau had carried out his own investigation. She was known to the police for petty offences and as a former woman of easy virtue, who as she got older had descended into debauchery, then poverty. Bourdeau had jumped into a carriage, found old Ãmilie and had just questioned her at the Châtelet, where she was being held. He handed his report to Nicolas.
Tuesday 6 February 1761
Before us, Pierre Bourdeau, Inspector of Police at the Châtelet appeared one Jeanne Huppin, otherwise known as âold Ãmilieâ, soup seller and garment mender, dwelling in lodgings in Rue du Faubourg-du-Temple, near La Courtille.
On being questioned she said in these very words âAlas, my God, to think I am come to this. My sins are the cause of it all.â
Asked as to whether she did go to the place known as âLa Villetteâ, at the knackerâs yard in Montfaucon on the night of Friday 2 February, there to purloin the rotten meat found upon her, the which being illegal and contrary to regulations.
Replied that in truth she had gone to Montfaucon, there to seek sustenance.
Questioned as to whether this meat was intended for her purveyal of soup.
Replied that she had intended to use it for herself and that need and poverty had brought her to this pass.
Said that she would reveal matters providing she be promised it be taken into account, not for the excusing of her conduct but for acting as the good Christian that she was and for the cleansing of her conscience of a dread secret.
Said that being occupied in cutting with a great trencher a morsel of dead beast, she had heard a horse neighing and two men approaching. That she concealed herself from fright and fear of being surprised by what she took for a night round of the watch that surveys sometimes this place. Saw the aforesaid men empty by lantern light two casks of a matter that seemed to her bloody, all the which accompanied by garments. Added that she had heard a crack and seen something burn.
Questioned as to whether she could tell that which had burnt.
Replied that she was too afraid and that fright had taken away her senses. The cold having revived her, she had fled without seeking to examine anything whatsoever for fear of attracting towards her a pack of stray dogs that had gathered. She was crossing through the toll-gate of the city when the guards stopped and questioned her.
Bourdeau suggested going to Montfaucon straight away, in order to see what the situation was. Old Ãmilie needed to go with them to verify at the scene the accuracy and consistency of what she had said. If her claims were true, this would at least prove that a bloody incident had taken place during the night that Lardin had disappeared. Nicolas objected that at night therewere plenty of sinister goings-on in the capital, and that there was nothing to suggest a link between this case and their investigation. However, he agreed to accompany Bourdeau.
Though generous by nature Nicolas was nonetheless thrifty with the funds entrusted to him, and he was reluctant to make a dent in Monsieur de Sartineâs finances by hiring a cab. Old Ãmilie was removed from her cell at the Châtelet but was not told the purpose of the journey. Nicolas was hoping that the agony of her uncertainty would make the destitute creature panic, and so undermine her defences. She was now sitting next to Bourdeau. Nicolas, seated opposite her, could observe
Bourdeau was waiting for him, looking busy and enigmatic. A report from the men of the watch had intrigued him. A certain Ãmilie, a soup seller, had been arrested on Saturday 3 February at about six oâclock in the morning by the toll-gate guards on their night rounds. When she was questioned at the police station of Le Temple, the details she had given were so extraordinary that they were taken to be fictitious and had been noted down only as a formality. The old woman had been released. Bourdeau had carried out his own investigation. She was known to the police for petty offences and as a former woman of easy virtue, who as she got older had descended into debauchery, then poverty. Bourdeau had jumped into a carriage, found old Ãmilie and had just questioned her at the Châtelet, where she was being held. He handed his report to Nicolas.
Tuesday 6 February 1761
Before us, Pierre Bourdeau, Inspector of Police at the Châtelet appeared one Jeanne Huppin, otherwise known as âold Ãmilieâ, soup seller and garment mender, dwelling in lodgings in Rue du Faubourg-du-Temple, near La Courtille.
On being questioned she said in these very words âAlas, my God, to think I am come to this. My sins are the cause of it all.â
Asked as to whether she did go to the place known as âLa Villetteâ, at the knackerâs yard in Montfaucon on the night of Friday 2 February, there to purloin the rotten meat found upon her, the which being illegal and contrary to regulations.
Replied that in truth she had gone to Montfaucon, there to seek sustenance.
Questioned as to whether this meat was intended for her purveyal of soup.
Replied that she had intended to use it for herself and that need and poverty had brought her to this pass.
Said that she would reveal matters providing she be promised it be taken into account, not for the excusing of her conduct but for acting as the good Christian that she was and for the cleansing of her conscience of a dread secret.
Said that being occupied in cutting with a great trencher a morsel of dead beast, she had heard a horse neighing and two men approaching. That she concealed herself from fright and fear of being surprised by what she took for a night round of the watch that surveys sometimes this place. Saw the aforesaid men empty by lantern light two casks of a matter that seemed to her bloody, all the which accompanied by garments. Added that she had heard a crack and seen something burn.
Questioned as to whether she could tell that which had burnt.
Replied that she was too afraid and that fright had taken away her senses. The cold having revived her, she had fled without seeking to examine anything whatsoever for fear of attracting towards her a pack of stray dogs that had gathered. She was crossing through the toll-gate of the city when the guards stopped and questioned her.
Bourdeau suggested going to Montfaucon straight away, in order to see what the situation was. Old Ãmilie needed to go with them to verify at the scene the accuracy and consistency of what she had said. If her claims were true, this would at least prove that a bloody incident had taken place during the night that Lardin had disappeared. Nicolas objected that at night therewere plenty of sinister goings-on in the capital, and that there was nothing to suggest a link between this case and their investigation. However, he agreed to accompany Bourdeau.
Though generous by nature Nicolas was nonetheless thrifty with the funds entrusted to him, and he was reluctant to make a dent in Monsieur de Sartineâs finances by hiring a cab. Old Ãmilie was removed from her cell at the Châtelet but was not told the purpose of the journey. Nicolas was hoping that the agony of her uncertainty would make the destitute creature panic, and so undermine her defences. She was now sitting next to Bourdeau. Nicolas, seated opposite her, could observe
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