derues-第5节

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idence　of　the　sister…in…law；　who　was　much　influenced　in　his　favour。　　Every　day　he　inquired　what　could　be　done　for　her；　every　evening　he　took　a　basket…load　of　the　goods　she　required　from　the　rue　Comtesse　d'Artois；　and　it　excited　the　pity　of　all　beholders　to　see　this　weakly　young　man；　panting　and　sweating　under　his　heavy　burden；　refusing　any　reward；　and　labouring　merely　for　the　pleasure　of　obliging；　and　from　natural　kindness　of　heart！　　The　poor　widow；　whose　spoils　he　was　already　coveting；　was　completely　duped。　　She　rejected　the　advice　of　her　brother…in…law；　and　only　listened　to　the　concert　of　praises　sung　by　neighbours　much　edified　by　Derues'　conduct；　and　touched　by　the　interest　he　appeared　to　show　her。　Often　he　found　occasion　to　speak　of　her；　always　with　the　liveliest　expressions　of　boundless　devotion。　　These　remarks　were　repeated　to　the　good　woman；　and　seemed　all　the　more　sincere　to　her　as　they　appeared　to　have　been　made　quite　casually；　and　she　never　suspected　they　were　carefully　calculated　and　thought　out　long　before。

Derues　carried　dishonesty　as　far　as　possible；　but　he　knew　how　to　stop　when　suspicion　was　likely　to　be　aroused；　and　though　always　planning　either　to　deceive　or　to　hurt；　he　was　never　taken　by　surprise。　　Like　the　spider　which　spreads　the　threads　of　her　web　all　round　her；　he　concealed　himself　in　a　net　of　falsehood　which　one　had　to　traverse　before　arriving　at　his　real　nature。　　The　evil　destiny　of　this　poor　woman；　mother　of　four　children；　caused　her　to　engage　him　as　her　shopman　in　the　year　1767；　thereby　signing　the　warrant　for　her　own　ruin。

Derues　began　life　under　his　new　mistress　with　a　master…stroke。　　His　exemplary　piety　was　the　talk　of　the　whole　quarter；　and　his　first　care　had　been　to　request　Madame　Legrand　to　recommend　him　a　confessor。　　She　sent　him　to　the　director　of　her　late　husband；　Pere　Cartault；　of　the　Carmelite　order；　who；　astonished　at　the　devotion　of　his　penitent；　never　failed；　if　he　passed　the　shop；　to　enter　and　congratulate　Madame　Legrand　on　the　excellent　acquisition　she　had　made　in　securing　this　young　man；　who　would　certainly　bring　her　a　blessing　along　with　him。　Derues　affected　the　greatest　modesty；　and　blushed　at　these　praises；　and　often；　when　he　saw　the　good　father　approaching；　appeared　not　to　see　him；　and　found　something　to　do　elsewhere；　whereby　the　field　was　left　clear　for　his　too　credulous　panegyrists。

But　Pere　Cartault　appeared　too　indulgent；　and　Derues　feared　that　his　sins　were　too　easily　pardoned；　and　he　dared　not　find　peace　in　an　absolution　which　was　never　refused。　　Therefore；　before　the　year　was　out；　he　chose　a　second　confessor；　Pere　Denys；　a　Franciscan；　consulting　both　alternately；　and　confiding　his　conscientious　scruples　to　them。　　Every　penance　appeared　too　easy；　and　he　added　to　those　enjoined　by　his　directors　continual　mortifications　of　his　own　devising；　so　that　even　Tartufe　himself　would　have　owned　his　superiority。

He　wore　about　him　two　shrouds；　to　which　were　fastened　relics　of　Madame　de　Chantal；　also　a　medal　of　St。　Francois　de　Saps；　and　occasionally　scourged　himself。　　His　mistress　related　that　he　had　begged　her　to　take　a　sitting　at　the　church　of　St。　Nicholas；　in　order　that　he　might　more　easily　attend　service　when　he　had　a　day　out；　and　had　brought　her　a　small　sum　which　he　had　saved；　to　pay　half　the　expense。

Moreover；　he　had　slept　upon　straw　during　the　whole　of　Lent；　and　took　care　that　Madame　Legrand　heard　of　this　through　the　servant；　pretending　at　first　to　hide　it　as　if　it　were　something　wrong。　　He　tried　to　prevent　the　maid　from　going　into　his　room；　and　when　she　found　out　the　straw　he　forbade　her　to　mention　itwhich　naturally　made　her　more　anxious　to　relate　her　discovery。　　Such　a　piece　of　piety；　combined　with　such　meritorious　humility；　such　dread　of　publicity；　could　only　increase　the　excellent　opinion　which　everyone　already　had　of　him。

Every　day　was　marked　by　some　fresh　hypocrisy。　　One　of　his　sisters；　a　novice　in　the　convent　of　the　Ladies　of　the　Visitation　of　the　Virgin；　was　to　take　the　veil　at　Easter。　　Derues　obtained　permission　to　be　present　at　the　ceremony；　and　was　to　start　on　foot　on　Good　Friday。　When　he　departed；　the　shop　happened　to　be　full　of　people；　and　the　gossips　of　the　neighbourhood　inquired　where　he　was　going。　　Madame　Legrand　desired　him　to　have　a　glass　of　liqueur　（wine　he　never　touched）　and　something　to　eat　before　starting。

〃Oh；　madame！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃do　you　think　I　could　eat　on　a　day　like　this；　the　day　on　which　Christ　was　crucified！　　I　will　take　a　piece　of　bread　with　me；　but　I　shall　only　eat　it　at　the　inn　where　I　intend　to　sleep：　I　mean　to　fast　the　whole　way。〃

But　this　kind　of　thing　was　not　sufficient。　　He　wanted　an　opportunity　to　establish　a　reputation　for　honesty　on　a　firm　basis。　　Chance　provided　one；　and　he　seized　it　immediately；　although　at　the　expense　of　a　member　of　his　own　family。

One　of　his　brothers；　who　kept　a　public…house　at　Chartres；　came　to　see　him。　　Derues；　under　pretence　of　showing　him　the　sights　of　Paris；　which　he　did　not　know；　asked　his　mistress　to　allow　him　to　take　in　the　brother　for　a　few　days；　which　she　granted。　　The　last　evening　of　his　stay；　Derues　went　up　to　his　room；　broke　open　the　box　which　contained　his　clothes；　turned　over　everything　it　contained；　examined　the　clothes；　and　discovering　two　new　cotton　nightcaps；　raised　a　cry　which　brought　up　the　household。　　His　brother　just　then　returned；　and　Derues　called　him　an　infamous　thief；　declaring　that　he　had　stolen　the　money　for　these　new　articles　out　of　the　shop　the　evening　before。　　His　brother　defended　himself；　protesting　his　innocence；　and；　indignant　at　such　incomprehensible　treachery；　endeavoured　to　turn　the　tables　by　relating　some　of　Antoine's　early　misdeeds。　　The　latter；　however；　stopped　him；　by　declaring　on　his　honour　that　he　had　seen　his　brother　the　evening　before　go　to　the　till；　slip　his　hand　in；　and　take　out　some　money。　　The　brother　was　confounded　and　silenced　by　so　audacious　a　lie；　he　hesitated；　stammered；　and　was　turned　out　of　the　house。　Derues　worthily　crowned　this　piece　of　iniquity　by　obliging　his　mistress　to　accept　the　restitution　of　the　stolen　money。　　It　cost　him　three　livres；　twelve　sons；　but　the　interest　it　brought　him　was　the　power　of　stealing　unsuspected。　　That　evening　he　spent　in　prayer　for　the　pardon　of　his　brother's　supposed　guilt。

All　these　schemes　had　succeeded；　and　brought　him　nearer　to　the　desired　goal；　for　not　a　soul　in　the　quarter　ventured　to　doubt　the　word　of　this　saintly　individual。　　His　fawning　manners　and　insinuating　language　varied　according　to　the　people　addressed。　　He　adapted　himself　to　all；　contradicting　no　one；　and；　while　austere　himself；　he　flattered　the　tastes　of　others。　　In　the　various　houses　where　he　visited　his　conversation　was　serious；　grave；　and　sententious；　and；　as　we　have　seen；　he　could　quote　Scripture　with　the　readiness　of　a　theologian。　　In　the　shop；　when　he　had　to　deal　with　the　lower　classes；　he　showed　himself　acquainted　with　their　modes　of　expression；　and　spoke　the　Billingsgate　of　the　market…women；　which　he　had　acquired　in　the　rue　Comtesse　d'Artois；　treating　them　familiarly；　and　they　generally　addressed　him　as　〃gossip　Denies。〃　By　his　own　account　he　easily　judged　the　characters　of　the　various　people　with　whom　he　came　in　contact。

However；　Pere　Cartault's　prophecy　was　not　fulfilled：　the　blessing　of　Heaven　did　not　descend　on　the　Legrand　establishment。　　There　seemed　to　be　a　succession　of　misfortunes　which　all　Derues'　zeal　and　care　as　shopman　could　neither　prevent　nor　repair。　　He　by　no　means　contented　himself　with　parading　an　idle　and　fruitless　hypocrisy；　and　his　most　abominable　deceptions　were　not　those　displayed　in　the　light　of　day。　He　watched　by　night：　his　singular　organisation；　outside　the　ordinary　laws　of　nature；　appeared　able　to　dispense　with　sleep。　　Gliding　about　on　tiptoe；　opening　doors　noiselessly；　with　all　the　skill　of　an　accomplished　thief；　he　pillaged　shop　and　cellar；　and　sold　his　plunder　in　remote　parts　of　the　town　under　assumed　names。　　It　is　difficult　to　understand　how　his　strength　supported　the　fatigue　of　this　double　existence；　he　had　barely　arrived　at　puberty；　and　art　had　been　obliged　to　assist　the　retarded　development　of　nature。　　But　he　lived　only　for　evil；　and　the　Spirit　of　Evil　supplied　the　physical　vigour　which　was　wanting。　　An　insane　love　of　money　（the　only　passion　he　knew）　brought　him　by　degrees　back　to　his　starting…point　of　crime；　he　concealed　it　in　hiding…places　wrought　in　the　thick　walls；　in　holes　dug　out　by　his　nails。　　As　soon　as　he　got　any；　he　brought　it　exactly　as　a　wild　beast　brings　a　piece　of　bleeding　flesh　to　his　lair；　and　often；　by　the　glimmer　of　a　dark　lantern；　kneeling　in　adoration　before　this　shameful　idol；　his　eyes　sparkling　with　ferocious　joy；　with　a　smile　which　suggested　a　hyena's　delight　over　its　prey；　he　would　contemplate　his　money；　counting　and　kissing　it。

These　continual　thefts　brought　trouble　into　the　Legrand　affairs；　cancelled　all　profits；　and　slowly　brought　on　ruin。　　The　widow　had　no　suspicion　of　Derues'　disgraceful　dealings；　and　he　carefully　referred　the　damage　to　other　causes；　quite　worthy　of　himself。　　Sometimes　it　was　a　bottle　of　oil；　or　of　brandy；　or　some　other　commodity；　which　was　found　spilt；　broken；　or　damaged；　which　accidents　he　attributed　to　the　enormous　quantity　of　rats　which　infested　the　ce