o desire to marry one, and was not at all anxious for the death of
the marquis. He seemed, however, to enter into the plot, and supplied her
with poison for her husband; but he took care to provide a remedy. La
Brinvilliers poisoned him one day, and Sainte Croix gave him an antidote
the next. In this manner he was buffeted about between them for some time,
and finally escaped, with a ruined constitution and a broken heart.

But the day of retribution was at hand, and a terrible mischance brought
the murders to light. The nature of the poisons compounded by Sainte Croix
was so deadly, that, when working in his laboratory, he was obliged to
wear a mask, to preserve himself from suffocation. One day, the mask
slipped off, and the miserable wretch perished in his crimes. His corpse
was found, on the following morning, in the obscure lodging where he had
fitted up his laboratory. As he appeared to be without friends or
relatives, the police took possession of his effects. Among other things,
was found a small box, to which was affixed the following singular
document:

"I humbly beg, that those into whose hands this box may fall, will do me
the favour to deliver it into the hands only of the Marchioness de
Brinvilliers, who resides in the Rue Neuve St. Paul, as every thing it
contains concerns her, and belongs to her alone; and as, besides, there is
nothing in it that can be of use to any person but her. In case she shall
be dead before me, it is my wish that it be burned, with every thing it
contains, without opening or altering any thing. In order that no one may
plead ignorance, I swear by the God that I adore, and by all that is held
most sacred, that I assert nothing but the truth: and if my intentions,
just and reasonable as they are, be thwarted in this point by any persons,
I charge their consciences with it, both in this world and that which is
to come, in order that I may unload mine. I protest that this is my last
will. Done at Paris, May 25, 1672. (Signed) SAINTE CROIX."

This earnest solicitation, instead of insuring respect, as was intended,
excited curiosity. The box was opened, and found to contain some papers,
and several vials and powders. The latter were handed to a chemist for
analysis, and the documents were retained by the police, and opened. Among
them was found a promissory note of the Marchioness de Brinvilliers, for
thirty thousand francs, to the order of Sainte Croix. The other papers
were of