The Portland daily press., 1874-05-16
CHAPTER II.


to say at daybreak, learned that soon after
my departure Evornia, in defiance of sacred
customs, had dismissed the neighbors who
had run to her assistance. The conduct OF
the widow had even caused some scandal.
Besides, twenty times during the night, so
the watchers said, the young woman came
to the window to look at the place where her
husband had been struck. By this double in
fraction of established customs, she seemed
already to have no claim to pity.
"This woman has not the soul of Chris
tian," said my old patients, in recounting to
me these facts during my visits.
Alas! EvOrnia was young and beautiful.
1t was that, believe, which rendered these
persons of her own sex SO little indugent
toward her.
Towards eight O'Clock l was met by an
alg uazil who brought me an order signed
with the initials of the first Alcade, Presi-
dent of the city council, to proceed without
excuse, or delay of any kind, to the autopsy
of the body of Don Felipe Aceva, killed ac
cidentalIy on the night of the 21st-22d June
1S4S. When L entered the operating room,
the Two assistants were at their post, AMI |
only waited the arrival of the rejdor, whose
presence was required by law at a judicial
autopsy The poor man when he arrived,
did not seem at his ease. He watched the
body with fear, and my preparations seemed
to distress him.
The features of Felipe had suffered no
change. He seemed TO sleep. From the
process cerbat learned that they had found
him stretched upon the pavement, his face
against the stones, no tlace of struggle A
minute examination had proved that theft
was not the incentive to the murder The
victim must have advanced without suspicion
towards his murderer. The wound, about
two inches long, opened between the sixth
o. l.. t~rI.r S1. lNt4 -
1t was caused by one of those double-edged
knives. of which workmen make use in the
preparation of tobacco,-a terrible weapon,
f9r which the Mexican people show a great
liking, perhaps because it never pardons.
The probe revealed depth of four inches
The blade had penetrated obliquely upward.
The murderer in all probability was of small
er stature than his victim. One particular
struck me: the wound in all its depth. pre-
served a uniform width. The knife emrloyed
was then new, for those which the workmen
use are so often sharpened they taper off very
soon. Upon the body, which L examined
carefully, there was no confusion Or injury
The heart, that living muscle, that phenome
non, that despair OF the Psychologists, must
have been penetrated near the right auricle
just as was saving off the ribs in order
TO discover the cavity in the breast, the noise
OF heavy body striking the floor attracted
my attention. The rejdor, to whom no one
had given thought, tainted and fell from bis
chair. We carried him into the garden and
he soon came to himself.
HE cried, doctor, did he not?' inquired
the poor man, frightened
"Who?"
'He-the dead man,
could not help smiling, and reassured the
brave reJidor. who, still pale, affirmed that he
was used to such sights.
:. "Only Doctor" he added, ''this morning.
am fasting.''
AT this moment they brought us our sups
Oh chocolate, and piece of bread. The official
tried to drink his chocolate, but could not
swallow single drop. He had to struggle
against dryness of the throat to the great
amusement OF the assistants who aided me.
invited the official to rest in the vestibule,
and he accepted, assuring me again that he
was used to such scenes.
was not deceived, the heart of Felipe,
penetrated in the upper lobe, had ceased to
beat instantly.
Speaking of the circulation, this internal
gravltation the discovery of which we owe to
Harvey, have often discussed with nv
students the subject Of the power of the pull
satlons OF the heart. Upon the faith of a
German physologst one of them thought
TINS force equal to weight of ninety pounds.
he forgot that the arteries and veins are en-
doWed with muscular action, reducing the
force which it would expend nearly sixty
pounds. A calculation more correct is. thai
eacn ventIcle OF the organ so well studied by
Bouhlard in FIance, Testa in Italy, Hope in
England, Barduch in Germany, contains ore
ounce ol blood. The heart contracting four
thousand times every hour, it results that it
disturbs nearly twenty eight hundred pounds
OF blood every twenty-four hours.
had finished my observations and drawn
up my report, when the judge of instruction
entered. From information received it ap-
peared That Don Felipe when he was killed
was returning home from the house of a
young woman whom they designated in the
city by the name of La Grecque. La Gree
que, whom l counted among my patients,
was beautiful girl with morals little ques-
tlonabie, it was rumored. Her beauty and
nigh spirits drew around her a number OF
young men. They danced, they talked at
tnese reunions, they endeavored above all to
please the mistress of the house, whose moth
er er an old Wrlnkled Indian scarcely spoke
Spanish. Before his marriage Don Feline
had been in love with the beautiful foreigner.
Ihey said she came originally from Guadal-
ajara.
La Grecque-she owed her name to the
harmonious regularity of her features-had
not been able to dissimulate her vexation or
her spite at the marriage of her lover. 81
Will XIII him." she had repeated many times,
ana ior month she closed her door, frequent
&c tie Churches, renounced the feLes, horse
races, and bull hghts-False conversion. Lit
ne ny little she resumed her life Of pleasure.
1t was she whom the Judge suspected of the
murder. He had proved that during the
last nfteen days Felipe had been seen daily
at the mouse OF his former friend and that he
mad even passed at her house the hours nre.
ceeding his death. ~
BUT Valentin is the acknowledged friend
OF La Grecque," said 1 to the iudse, she
wishes 70 marry her. You can not be igno-
rant of these details ?''
..CertalIly not, but know also that Val
ehtln en- las been the rival of Don Felipe, that
.ney were enemies"
''They were on speaking terms. Valentin
has brave nature, capable of weakness. but
of mean action.''
III you have ever been in love doctor, | |
would say, think ofthe beauty, grace, and fasci-
natlon OF La Grecque as they call her, and then (
ask yourself at. what folly or what crime |
would you have recoiled, at twenty years
urged on by this Syren?''
Il have heart, and have loved, Senor," |
replied with emotion, ''but the smile OF the |
most beautiful woman in the world, had she |
me beauty OF Helen, the divine form of |
fhryne-theo charms of Cleopatra or the |
majestic figure of La Grecque, would have
been powerlesss to arm me with a poignard |
20 strike fellow creature"
You are right, DOCTOR" answered the |
udge, shaking my hand,' but this does not |
concern you. 1t is my duty,v he continued, |
10 question La Greque, Vaentln, and per-
laps Dona Eyornia herself, and count ed |
lpon you to prepare her for the cruel exam |
nation ma and possibly an encounter with the
Nv i'll YOU arrest To Creoor,o on5 uIo,
tin?' 49," "i0'4"o anu aien-
.oo,a;. IL IS done already. Now Dona Evornia
eeial'ns ) Saas IN the body of her husband. Give Or
A'i' + hoy ~ larry him so her house, doctor.'
!, ! bowed before the magistrate. a grave man
anu ,,st lncapaoie n,dn of acting n1iscreetly saw
lnus. open ~, passage through the crowd sur
'oundlns sne hospital. COMMENTING on The
nurder OF Inc previous evening.
AT the door of the victim wos o,o+t,or
,rowd. They were talking alrosI, % .no'ued as tS
'rrest OF La Greqqe and Valentin. and f. NV
,reat Indignation was the onlv ,rnr 1,erso, " y
onished at the suspicious heaped upo, pers9 ta as
nd the only one to defend them. p0' 'noin'
In the saloon of Evornia L found ,.
rother who was gaping with all his mi"hty
Waiting for the monk whom he came to as,
orr. The father soon came out from tha
hamber Of the young lady, his forehead Gov.
red with cowl, bis hands clasped, praying.
IN seeing me he made the sign of the cross