As the morning wore on at the Red Hat Inn, the arrival of Doctor Roux added a new dimension to the proceedings. André Chazalettes, Françoise's father, had sent for the physician in a desperate attempt to cure his daughter and their young servant, Françoise Pagèze. The two girls had been vomiting and writhing in pain since the previous night, their conditions worsening by the hour. When Roux entered the room, it was immediately clear that time was running out.
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Ellye Roux, a doctor of medicine, wasted no time in assessing the situation. The girls, only thirteen and fifteen years old, were pale and weak, their bodies marked by the violent effects of whatever poison they had ingested. As he worked, Roux shared his diagnosis with Debrun, the town's magistrate who had been recording the testimonies since dawn: "These girls are in great mortal danger," Roux confirmed, his tone grave. The magistrate, seeing that Roux’s medical expertise could play a crucial role not only in saving lives but also in confirming the suicide by poisoning story, asked him to produce a written medical report for the investigation.
While Roux began preparing his written observations, Debrun shifted his attention to the next phase of the inquiry: gathering witness testimony from the neighbors. These testimonies painted a picture of a community already abuzz with rumors and speculation about the poisoning at the Red Hat. Though the events had only occurred hours before, it seemed everyone in Saint-Ambroix had already heard—and had their own theory—about the incident.
The first witness was Estienne Rouvière, a hatmaker who rented a room at the inn. He had been startled awake during the night by the sounds of violent retching coming from below, around two hours after midnight. Disturbed, he got up and, along with his wife, went downstairs to investigate. There, they found the two girls lying in bed, clearly unwell, while André frantically questioned them about what had happened. According to Rouvière’s testimony, it was Françoise Chazalettes herself who confessed, saying they had poisoned themselves with a substance obtained from the local apothecary, Jean Plantier.
The main room of the Red Hat inn was turning into an improvised courtroom: following Rouvière, his wife, Marthe Platonne, took the stand in front of Lebrun. Her account mirrored that of her husband. She also confirmed that when André Chazalette asked what was wrong, his daughter replied that they had poisoned themselves with poison from Mr. Plantier, the apothecary. Like her husband, Marthe was clear in her testimony: the girls had admitted to taking poison, and Plantier had been named as the source.
More witnesses followed, each adding little to what seemed to be the narrative takining hold in Saint-Ambroix. Pierre Alegre, another innkeeper, testified that he had "heard several people say this morning that Françoise Chazalette and Françoise Pagèze had poisoned themselves." Like Roure, he had no firsthand involvement in the incident but was quick to note the speed with which the news of the poisoning had traveled. Gabrielle Cartiere, Alegre's sister-in-law, added that she, too, had heard the same rumors: "I heard several people say that last night, Françoise Chazalette and Françoise Pagèze poisoned themselves." Her testimony was brief but reflected how quickly the town had been consumed by the story. More witness came forward to confirm the circulating rumor: Magdelaine Roure, the 17-year-old daughter of a another, deceased innkeeper, Moïse Jaussaud and his wife, Jeanne Guiraude, Pierre Sorbière, a 20-year-old resident, François Vau, a 60-year-old Protestant elder, his daughter Françoise , aged 28, gave similar testimonies. None of them had been at the inn when the events unfolded, all of them arrived in the morning, as the girls still lay in bed, surrounded by chatter about the poisoning. Mostly, their testimonies confirmed that the news had spread quickly through the town. The clerk Pagès dutifully recorded the morning's events, his quill scratching against the paper as he documented each word.
As these testimonies unfolded, Roux finished his medical report and handed it to Debrun. He summarized it for the magistrate: the two girls were in grave condition. Though Roux held out hope that they might survive, he warned that the poison had done significant damage. His report, combined with the testimonies, pointed to a dire situation for the young girls—and a damning accusation against the apothecary Jean Plantier. But to Debrun, it also appeared that the father, André Chazalettes had a share of responsibility, and thus he issued an arrest warrant for both men. At the same time, he felt that he needed to know more about what had happened at the Red Hat the day before, and so, he summoned André's wife, Louise Servière, and their servant Jean Bastide for further inquiries.
Outside the walls of the Red Hat, the town too continued to speculate, its residents piecing together what had happened from fragments of overheard conversation and hastily passed rumors. For now, the focus remained on the two poisoned girls, their future uncertain, and the shadow of the investigation looming over the town.
As he got home, Pagès sat down to copy the medical report of Doctor Roux:
I, Helye Roux, doctor of medicine in Saint-Ambroix, appointed by the ordinary officers of this town, was called upon to examine Françoise Chazalletes, daughter of Master André Chazalettes, innkeeper at the Red Hat sign in this town, and Françoise Pagèze, her servant, daughter of the late Jean Pagès, quicklime maker, suspected of being poisoned.
I certify and report to all it may concern that today, dated below, at the request of the said Chazalettes, I went to his residence to treat according to my medical expertise the aforementioned Chazalettes and Pagèze. I found them both lying in bed, pained by frequent and continuous nausea and vomiting, suffering from a great alteration, stomach erosions, headaches, intestinal irritation, and convulsions. Notably, the said Pagèze had a red, inflamed, and retracted tongue. Both exhibited acute and continuous fever, and the pulse of the said Chazalettes was very weak, extremely slow, and languid. She experienced hiccups that I diagnosed as resulting from irritation. To remedy this, I have prescribed and continue today to administer the treatments that I deem necessary.
After swearing an oath, as required in such cases, following the rituals of my alleged reformed religion which I profess before the said officers, I performed a thorough examination of the body parts of the aforementioned individuals. Observing the signs, diagnostics, pathognomonic features and symptoms, and having noted no reports of other prior illnesses, I declare and affirm that the said Chazalettes and Pagèze have been poisoned by a caustic poison, such as sublimated arsenic and other similar substances, which have corroded the stomach and inflamed and putrefied the internal organs of their body. Consequently, I consider them to be in great mortal danger. This is my report which I confirm before God and in conscience, in witness whereof I have signed.
Roux, physician, this 25th of November 1684