derues-第3节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃You　are　right；〃　said　the　abbe；　with　a　severe　and　inquisitorial　look；　under　which　Derues　remained　quite　untroubled；　〃it　is　an　attribute　of　God　to　reward　and　to　punish；　and　the　Almighty　is　not　deceived　by　him　who　deceives　men。　　The　Psalmist　has　said；　'Righteous　art　Thou；　O　Lord；　and　upright　are　Thy　judgments。'〃

〃He　has　said　also；　'The　judgments　of　the　Lord　are　true　and　；　righteous　altogether；'〃　　Derues　promptly　replied。　　This　exchange　of　quotations　from　Scripture　might　have　lasted　for　hours　without　his　being　at　a　loss；　had　the　abbe　thought　fit　to　continue　in　this　strain；　but　such　a　style　of　conversation；　garnished　with　grave　and　solemn　words；　seemed　almost　sacrilegious　in　the　mouth　of　a　man　of　such　ridiculous　appearancea　profanation　at　once　sad　and　grotesque。　Derues　seemed　to　comprehend　the　impression　it　produced；　and　tuning　again　to　Madame　Legrand；　he　said

〃We　have　got　a　long　way　from　what　I　came　to　ask　you；　my　kind　friend。　I　was　so　ill　that　I　went　early　to　bed；　but　I　cannot　sleep；　and　I　have　no　fire。　　Would　you　have　the　kindness　to　have　this　egg　mulled　for　me？〃

〃Cannot　your　servant　do　that　for　you？〃　asked　Madame　Legrand。

〃I　gave　her　leave　to　go　out　this　evening；　and　though　it　is　late　she　has　not　yet　returned。　　If　I　had　a　fire；　I　would　not　give　you　so　much　trouble；　but　I　do　not　care　to　light　one　at　this　hour。　　You　know　I　am　always　afraid　of　accidents；　and　they　so　easily　happen！〃

〃Very　well；　then；〃　replied　Madame　Legrand；　〃go　back　to　your　room；　and　my　servant　will　bring　it　to　you。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Derues；　bowing；〃many　thanks。〃

As　he　turned　to　depart；　Madame　Legrand　spoke　again。

〃This　day　week；　Derues；　you　have　to　pay　me　half　the　twelve　hundred　livres　due　for　the　purchase　of　my　business。〃

〃So　soon　as　that？〃

〃Certainly；　and　I　want　the　money。　　Have　you　forgotten　the　date；　then？〃

〃Oh　dear；　I　have　never　looked　at　the　agreement　since　it　was　drawn　up。　I　did　not　think　the　time　was　so　near；　it　is　the　fault　of　my　bad　memory；　but　I　will　contrive　to　pay　you；　although　trade　is　very　bad；　and　in　three　days　I　shall　have　to　pay　more　than　fifteen　thousand　livres　to　different　people。〃

He　bowed　again　and　departed；　apparently　exhausted　by　the　effort　of　sustaining　so　long　a　conversation。

As　soon　as　they　were　alone；　the　abbe　exclaimed

〃That　man　is　assuredly　an　utter　rascal！　　May　God　forgive　him　his　hypocrisy！　　How　is　it　possible　we　could　allow　him　to　deceive　us　for　so　long？〃

〃But；　my　father；〃　interposed　one　of　the　visitors；　〃are　you　really　sure　of　what　you　have　just　said？〃

〃I　am　not　now　speaking　of　the　seventy…nine　Louis　d'or　which　have　been　stolen　from　me；　although　I　never　mentioned　to　anyone　but　you；　and　he　was　then　present；　that　I　possessed　such　a　sum；　and　although　that　very　day　he　made　a　false　excuse　for　coming　to　my　rooms　when　I　was　out。　Theft　is　indeed　infamous；　but　slander　is　not　less　so；　and　he　has　slandered　you　disgracefully。　　Yes；　he　has　spread　a　report　that　you；　Madame　Legrand；　you；　his　former　mistress　and　benefactress；　have　put　temptation　in　his　way；　and　desired　to　commit　carnal　sin　with　him。　This　is　now　whispered　the　neighbourhood　all　round　us；　it　will　soon　be　said　aloud；　and　we　have　been　so　completely　his　dupes；　we　have　helped　him　so　much　to　acquire　a　reputation　for　uprightness；　that　it　would　now　be　impossible　to　destroy　our　own　work；　if　I　were　to　accuse　him　of　theft；　and　you　charged　him　with　lying；　probably　neither　of　us　would　be　believed。　　Beware；　these　odious　tales　have　not　been　spread　without　a　reason。　　Now　that　your　eyes　are　open；　beware　of　him。〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　Madame　Legrand；　〃my　brother…in…law　warned　me　three　years　ago。　　One　day　Derues　said　to　my　sister…in…law；I　remember　the　words。　　perfectly；'I　should　like　to　be　a　druggist；　because　one　would　always　be　able　to　punish　an　enemy；　and　if　one　has　a　quarrel　with　anyone　it　would　be　easy　to　get　rid　of　him　by　means　of　a　poisoned　draught。'　　I　neglected　these　warnings。　　I　surmounted　the　feeling　of　repugnance　I　first　felt　at　the　sight　of　him；　I　have　responded　to　his　advances；　and　I　greatly　fear　I　may　have　cause　to　repent　it。　　But　you　know　him　as　well　as　I　do；　who　would　not　have　thought　his　piety　sincere？who　would　not　still　think　so？　　And　notwithstanding　all　you　have　said；　I　still　hesitate　to　feel　serious　alarm；　I　am　unwilling　to　believe　in　such　utter　depravity。〃

The　conversation　continued　in　this　strain　for　some　time；　and　then；　as　it　was　getting　late；　the　party　separated。

Next　morning　early；　a　large　and　noisy　crowd　was　assembled　in　the　rue　Saint…Victor　before　Derues'　shop　of　drugs　and　groceries。　　There　was　a　confusion　of　cross　questions；　of　inquiries　which　obtained　no　answer；　of　answers　not　addressed　to　the　inquiry；　a　medley　of　sound；　a　pell…mell　of　unconnected　words；　of　affirmations；　contradictions；　and　interrupted　narrations。　　Here；　a　group　listened　to　an　orator　who　held　forth　in　his　shirt　sleeves；　a　little　farther　there　were　disputes；　quarrels；　exclamations　of　〃Poor　man！〃　　〃Such　a　good　fellow！〃　　〃My　poor　gossip　Derues！〃　　〃Good　heavens！　what　will　he　do　now？〃　　〃Alas！　he　is　quite　done　for；　it　is　to　be　hoped　his　creditors　will　give　him　time！　　〃Above　all　this　uproar　was　heard　a　voice；　sharp　and　piercing　like　a　cat's；　lamenting；　and　relating　with　sobs　the　terrible　misfortune　of　last　night。　　At　about　three　in　the　morning　the　inhabitants　of　the　rue　St。　Victor　had　been　startled　out　of　their　sleep　by　the　cry　of　〃Fire；　fire！〃　　A　conflagration　had　burst　forth　in　Derues'　cellar；　and　though　its　progress　had　been　arrested　and　the　house　saved　from　destruction；　all　the　goods　stored　therein　had　perished。　　It　apparently　meant　a　considerable　loss　in　barrels　of　oil；　casks　of　brandy；　boxes　of　soap；　etc。；　which　Derues　estimated　at　not　less　than　nine　thousand　livres。

By　what　unlucky　chance　the　fire　had　been　caused　he　had　no　idea。　　He　recounted　his　visit　to　Madame　Legrand；　and　pale；　trembling；　hardly　able　to　sustain　himself；　he　cried

〃I　shall　die　of　grief！　　A　poor　man　as　ill　as　I　am！　　I　am　lost！　　I　am　ruined！〃

A　harsh　voice　interrupted　his　lamentations；　and　drew　the　attention　of　the　crowd　to　a　woman　carrying　printed　broadsides；　and　who　forced　a　passage　through　the　crowd　up　to　the　shop　door。　　She　unfolded　one　of　her　sheets；　and　cried　as　loudly　and　distinctly　as　her　husky　voice　permitted

〃Sentence　pronounced　by　the　Parliament　of　Paris　against　John　Robert　Cassel；　accused　and　convicted　of　Fraudulent　Bankruptcy！〃

Derues　looked　up　and　saw　a　street…hawker　who　used　to　come　to　his　shop　for　a　drink；　and　with　whom　he　had　had　a　violent　quarrel　about　a　month　previously；　she　having　detected　him　in　a　piece　of　knavery；　and　abused　him　roundly　in　her　own　style；　which　was　not　lacking　in　energy。　　He　had　not　seen　her　since。　　The　crowd　generally；　and　all　the　gossips　of　the　quarter；　who　held　Derues　in　great　veneration；　thought　that　the　woman's　cry　was　intended　as　an　indirect　insult；　and　threatened　to　punish　her　for　this　irreverence。　　But；　placing　one　hand　on　her　hip；　and　with　the　other　warning　off　the　most　pressing　by　a　significant　gesture

〃Are　you　still　befooled　by　his　tricks；　fools　that　you　are？　　Yes；　no　doubt　there　was　a　fire　in　the　cellar　last　night；　no　doubt　his　creditors　will　be　geese　enough　to　let　him　off　paying　his　debts！　　But　what　you　don't　know　is；　that　he　didn't　really　lose　by　it　at　all！〃

〃He　lost　all　his　goods！〃　the　crowd　cried　on　all　sides。　　〃More　than　nine　thousand　livres！　　Oil　and　brandy；　do　you　think　those　won't　burn？　The　old　witch；　she　drinks　enough　to　know！　　If　one　put　a　candle　near　her　she　would　take　fire；　fast　enough！〃

〃Perhaps；〃　replied　the　woman；　with　renewed　gesticulations；　〃perhaps；　but　I　don't　advise　any　of　you　to　try。　　Anyhow；　this　fellow　here　is　a　rogue；　he　has　been　emptying　his　cellar　for　the　last　three　nights；　there　were　only　old　empty　casks　in　it　and　empty　packing…cases！　　Oh　yes！　　I　have　swallowed　his　daily　lies　like　everybody　else；　but　I　know　the　truth　by　now。　　He　got　his　liquor　taken　away　by　Michael　Lambourne's　son；　the　cobbler　in　the　rue　de　la　Parcheminerie。　　How　do　I　know？　　Why；　because　the　young　man　came　and　told　me！〃

〃I　turned　that　woman　out　of　my　shop　a　month　ago；　for　stealing；〃　said　Derues。

Notwithstanding　this　retaliatory　accusation；　the　woman's　bold　assertion　might　have　changed　the　attitude　of　the　crowd　and　chilled　the　enthusiasm；　but　at　that　moment　a　stout　man　pressed　forward；　and　seizing　the　hawker　by　the　arm；　said

〃Go；　and　hold　your　tongue；　backbiting　woman！〃

To　this　man；　the　honour　of　Derues　was　an　article　of　faith；　he　had　not　yet　ceased　to　wonder　at　the　probity　of　this　sainted　person；　and　to　doubt　it　in　the　least　was　as　good　as　suspecting　his　own。

〃My　dear　friend；〃　he　said；　〃we　all　know　what　to　think　of　you。　　I　know　you　well。　　Send　to　me　tomorrow；　and　you　shall　have　what　goods　you　want；　on　credit；　for　as　long　as　is　necessary。　　Now；　evil　tongue；　what　do　you　say　to　that？〃

〃I　say　that　you　are　as　great　a　fool　as　the　rest。　　Adieu；　friend　Derues；　go　on　as　you　have　begun；　and　I　shall　be　selling　your　'sentence'　some　day〃；　and　dispersing　the　crowd　with　a　few　twirls　of　her　right　arm；　she　passed　on；　crying

〃Sentence　pronounced　by　the　Parliament　of　Paris　against　John　Robert　Cassel；　accused　and　convicted　of　Fraudulent　Bankruptcy！〃

This　accusation　emanated　from　too　insignificant　a　quarter　to　have　any　effect　on