derues-第11节

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pent　through　the　mire　of　this　quarter。　　Just　then　it　was　deserted；　owing　to　the　attraction　of　the　execution　close　by。　　The　man　who　had　just　left　the　square　proceeded　slowly；　attentively　reading　all　the　inscriptions　on　the　doors。　　He　stopped　at　Number　75；　where　on　the　threshold　of　a　shop　sat　a　stout　woman　busily　knitting；　over　whom　one　read　in　big　yellow　letters；　〃Widow　Masson。〃　He　saluted　the　woman；　and　asked

〃Is　there　not　a　cellar　to　let　in　this　house？〃

〃There　is；　master；〃　answered　the　widow。

〃Can　I　speak　to　the　owner？〃

〃And　that　is　myself；　by　your　leave。〃

〃Will　you　show　me　the　cellar？　　I　am　a　provincial　wine　merchant；　my　business　often　brings　me　to　Paris；　and　I　want　a　cellar　where　I　could　deposit　wine　which　I　sell　on　commission。〃

They　went　down　together。　　After　examining　the　place；　and　ascertaining　that　it　was　not　too　damp　for　the　expensive　wine　which　he　wished　to　leave　there；　the　man　agreed　about　the　rent；　paid　the　first　term　in　advance；　and　was　entered　on　the　widow　Masson's　books　under　the　name　of　Ducoudray。　　It　is　hardly　necessary　to　remark　that　it　should　have　been　Derues。

When　he　returned　home　in　the　evening；　his　wife　told　him　that　a　large　box　had　arrived。

〃It　is　all　right；〃　he　said；　〃the　carpenter　from　whom　I　ordered　it　is　a　man　of　his　word。〃　　Then　he　supped；　and　caressed　his　children。　　The　next　day　being　Sunday；　he　received　the　communion；　to　the　great　edification　of　the　devout　people　of　the　neighbourhood。

On　Monday　the　16th　Madame　de　Lamotte　and　Edouard；　descending　from　the　Montereau　stagecoach；　were　met　by　Derues　and　his　wife。

〃Did　my　husband　write　to　you；　Monsieur　Derues？〃　inquired　Madame　de　Lamotte。

〃Yes；　madame；　two　days　ago；　and　I　have　arranged　our　dwelling　for　your　reception。〃

〃What！　but　did　not　Monsieur　de　Lamotte　ask　you　to　engage　the　rooms　I　have　had　before　at　the　Hotel　de　France？〃

〃He　did　not　say　so；　and　if　that　was　your　idea　I　trust　you　will　change　it。　　Do　not　deprive　me　of　the　pleasure　of　offering　you　the　hospitality　which　for　so　long　I　have　accepted　from　you。　　Your　room　is　quite　ready；　also　one　for　this　dear　boy；〃　and　so　saying　he　took　Edouard's　hand；　〃and　I　am　sure　if　you　ask　his　opinion；　he　will　say　you　had　better　be　content　to　stay　with　me。〃

〃Undoubtedly；〃　said　the　boy；　〃and　I　do　not　see　why　there　need　be　any　hesitation　between　friends。〃

Whether　by　accident；　or　secret　presentiment；　or　because　she　foresaw　a　possibility　of　business　discussions　between　them；　Madame　de　Lamotte　objected　to　this　arrangement。　　Derues　having　a　business　appointment　which　he　was　bound　to　keep；　desired　his　wife　to　accompany　the　Lamottes　to　the　Hotel　de　France；　and　in　case　of　their　not　being　able　to　find　rooms　there；　mentioned　three　others　as　the　only　ones　in　the　quarter　where　they　could　be　comfortably　accommodated。　　Two　hours　later　Madame　de　Lamotte　and　her　son　returned　to　his　house　in　the　rue　Beaubourg。

The　house　which　Derues　occupied　stood　opposite　the　rue　des　Menoriers；　and　was　pulled　down　quite　lately　to　make　way　for　the　rue　Rambuteau。　In　1776　it　was　one　of　the　finest　houses　of　the　rue　Beaubourg；　and　it　required　a　certain　income　to　be　able　to　live　there；　the　rents　being　tolerably　high。　　A　large　arched　doorway　gave　admittance　to　a　passage；　lighted　at　the　other　end　by　a　small　court；　on　the　far　side　of　which　was　the　shop　into　which　Madame　de　Lamotte　had　been　taken　on　the　occasion　of　the　accident。　　The　house　staircase　was　to　the　right　of　the　passage；　and　the　Derues'　dwelling　on　the　entresol。　　The　first　room；　lighted　by　a　window　looking　into　the　court；　was　used　as　a　dining　room；　and　led　into　a　simply　furnished　sitting…room；　such　as　was　generally　found　among　the　bourgeois　and　tradespeople　of　this　period。　　To　the　right　of　the　sitting…room　was　a　large　closet；　which　could　serve　as　a　small　study　or　could　hold　a　bed；　to　the　left　was　a　door　opening　into　the　Derues'　bedroom；　which　had　been　prepared　for　Madame　de　Lamotte。　　Madame　Derues　would　occupy　one　of　the　two　beds　which　stood　in　the　alcove。　　Derues　had　a　bed　made　up　in　the　sitting…room；　and　Edouard　was　accommodated　in　the　little　study。

Nothing　particular　happened　during　the　first　few　days　which　followed　the　Lamottes'　arrival。　　They　had　not　come　to　Paris　only　on　account　of　the　Buisson…Souef　affairs。　　Edouard　was　nearly　sixteen；　and　after　much　hesitation　his　parents　had　decided　on　placing　him　in　some　school　where　his　hitherto　neglected　education　might　receive　more　attention。　Derues　undertook　to　find　a　capable　tutor；　in　whose　house　the　boy　would　be　brought　up　in　the　religious　feeling　which　the　cure　of　Buisson　and　his　own　exhortations　had　already　tended　to　develop。　These　proceedings；　added　to　Madame　de　Lamotte's　endeavours　to　collect　various　sums　due　to　her　husband；　took　some　time。　　Perhaps；　when　on　the　point　of　executing　a　terrible　crime；　Derues　tried　to　postpone　the　fatal　moment；　although；　considering　his　character；　this　seems　unlikely；　for　one　cannot　do　him　the　honour　of　crediting　him　with　a　single　moment　of　remorse；　doubt；　or　pity。　　Far　from　it；　it　appears　from　all　the　information　which　can　be　gathered；　that　Derues；　faithful　to　his　own　traditions；　was　simply　experimenting　on　his　unfortunate　guests；　for　no　sooner　were　they　in　his　house　than　both　began　to　complain　of　constant　nausea；　which　they　had　never　suffered　from　before。　　While　he　thus　ascertained　the　strength　of　their　constitution；　he　was　able；　knowing　the　cause　of　the　malady；　to　give　them　relief；　so　that　Madame　de　Lamotte；　although　she　grew　daily　weaker；　had　so　much　confidence　in　him　as　to　think　it　unnecessary　to　call　in　a　doctor。　　Fearing　to　alarm　her　husband；　she　never　mentioned　her　sufferings；　and　her　letters　only　spoke　of　the　care　and　kind　attention　which　she　received。

On　the　15th　of　January；　1777；　Edouard　was　placed　in　a　school　in　the　rue　de　1'Homme　Arme。　　His　mother　never　saw　him　again。　　She　went　out　once　more　to　place　her　husband's　power　of　attorney　with　a　lawyer　in　the　rue　de　Paon。　　On　her　return　she　felt　so　weak　and　broken…down　that　she　was　obliged　to　go　to　bed　and　remain　there　for　several　days。　　On　January　29th　the　unfortunate　lady　had　risen；　and　was　sitting　near　the　window　which　overlooked　the　deserted　rue　des　Menetriers；　where　clouds　of　snow　were　drifting　before　the　wind。　　Who　can　guess　the　sad　thoughts　which　may　have　possessed　her？all　around　dark；　cold；　and　silent；　tending　to　produce　painful　depression　and　involuntary　dread。　To　escape　the　gloomy　ideas　which　besieged　her；　her　mind　went　back　to　the　smiling　times　of　her　youth　and　marriage。　　She　recalled　the　time　when；　alone　at　Buisson　during　her　husband's　enforced　absences；　she　wandered　with　her　child　in　the　cool　and　shaded　walks　of　the　park；　and　sat　out　in　the　evening；　inhaling　the　scent　of　the　flowers；　and　listening　to　the　murmur　of　the　water；　or　the　sound　of　the　whispering　breeze　in　the　leaves。　　Then；　coming　back　from　these　sweet　recollections　to　reality；　she　shed　tears；　and　called　on　her　husband　and　son。　　So　deep　was　her　reverie　that　she　did　not　hear　the　room　door　open；　did　not　perceive　that　darkness　had　come　on。　　The　light　of　a　candle；　dispersing　the　shadows；　made　her　start；　she　turned　her　head；　and　saw　Derues　coming　towards　her。　　He　smiled；　and　she　made　an　effort　to　keep　back　the　tears　which　were　shining　in　her　eyes；　and　to　appear　calm。

〃I　am　afraid　I　disturb　you；〃　he　said。　　〃I　came　to　ask　a　favour；　madame。〃

〃What　is　it；　Monsieur　Derues？〃　she　inquired。

〃Will　you　allow　me　to　have　a　large　chest　brought　into　this　room？　　I　ought　to　pack　some　valuable　things　in　it　which　are　in　my　charge；　and　are　now　in　this　cupboard。　　I　am　afraid　it　will　be　in　your　way。〃

〃Is　it　not　your　own　house；　and　is　it　not　rather　I　who　am　in　the　way　and　a　cause　of　trouble？　　Pray　have　it　brought　in；　and　try　to　forget　that　I　am　here。　　You　are　most　kind　to　me；　but　I　wish　I　could　spare　you　all　this　trouble　and　that　I　were　fit　to　go　back　to　Buisson。　　I　had　a　letter　from　my　husband　yesterday〃

〃We　will　talk　about　that　presently；　if　you　wish　it；〃　said　Derues。　〃I　will　go　and　fetch　the　servant　to　help　me　to　carry　in　this　chest。　I　have　put　it　off　hitherto；　but　it　really　must　be　sent　in　three　days。〃

He　went　away；　and　returned　in　a　few　minutes。　　The　chest　was　carried　in；　and　placed　before　the　cupboard　at　the　foot　of　the　bed。　　Alas！　the　poor　lady　little　thought　it　was　her　own　coffin　which　stood　before　her！

The　maid　withdrew；　and　Derues　assisted　Madame　de　Lamotte　to　a　seat　near　the　fire；　which　he　revived　with　more　fuel。　　He　sat　down　opposite　to　her；　and　by　the　feeble　light　of　the　candle　placed　on　a　small　table　between　them　could　contemplate　at　leisure　the　ravages　wrought　by　poison　on　her　wasted　features。

〃I　saw　your　son　to…day；〃　he　said：　〃　he　complains　that　you　neglect　him；　and　have　not　seen　him　for　twelve　days。　　He　does　not　know　you　have　been　ill；　nor　did　I　tell　him。　　The　dear　boy！　he　loves　you　so　tenderly。〃

〃And　I　also　long　to　see　him。　　My　friend；　I　cannot　tell　you　what　terrible　presentiments　beset　me；　it　seems　as　if　I　were　threatened　with　some　great　misfortune；　and　just　now；　when　you　came　in；　I　could　think　only　of　death。　　What　is　the　cause　of　this　languor　and　weakness？　It　is　surely　no　temporary　ailment。　　Tell　me　the　truth：　am　I　not　dreadfully　altered？　and　do　you　not　think　my　husband　will　be　shocked　when　he　sees　me　like　this？〃

〃You　are　unne