derues-第6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！


en；　or　damaged；　which　accidents　he　attributed　to　the　enormous　quantity　of　rats　which　infested　the　cellar　and　the　house。　At　length；　unable　to　meet　her　engagements；　Madame　Legrand　made　the　business　over　to　him　in　February；　1770。　　He　was　then　twenty…five　years　and　six　months　old；　and　was　accepted　as　a　merchant　grocer　in　August　the　same　year。　　By　an　agreement　drawn　up　between　them；　Derues　undertook　to　pay　twelve　hundred　livres　for　the　goodwill；　and　to　lodge　her　rent　free　during　the　remainder　of　her　lease；　which　had　still　nine　years　to　run。　　Being　thus　obliged　to　give　up　business　to　escape　bankruptcy；　Madame　Legrand　surrendered　to　her　creditors　any　goods　remaining　in　her　warehouse；　and　Derues　easily　made　arrangements　to　take　them　over　very　cheaply。　　The　first　step　thus　made；　he　was　now　able　to　enrich　himself　safely　and　to　defraud　with　impunity　under　the　cover　of　his　stolen　reputation。

One　of　his　uncles；　a　flour　merchant　at　Chartres；　came　habitually　twice　a　year　to　Paris　to　settle　accounts　with　his　correspondents。　　A　sum　of　twelve　hundred　francs；　locked　up　in　a　drawer；　was　stolen　from　him；　and；　accompanied　by　his　nephew；　he　went　to　inform　the　police。　On　investigation　being　made；　it　was　found　that　the　chest　of　drawers　had　been　broken　at　the　top。　　As　at　the　time　of　the　theft　of　the　seventy…nine　Louis　from　the　abbe；　Derues　was　the　only　person　known　to　have　entered　his　uncle's　room。　　The　innkeeper　swore　to　this；　but　the　uncle　took　pains　to　justify　his　nephew；　and　showed　his　confidence　shortly　after　by　becoming　surety　for　him　to　the　extent　of　five　thousand　livres。　　Derues　failed　to　pay　when　the　time　expired；　and　the　holder　of　the　note　was　obliged　to　sue　the　surety　for　it。

He　made　use　of　any　means；　even　the　most　impudent；　which　enabled　him　to　appropriate　other　people's　property。　　A　provincial　grocer　on　one　occasion　sent　him　a　thousand…weight　of　honey　in　barrels　to　be　sold　on　commission。　　Two　or　three　months　passed；　and　he　asked　for　an　account　of　the　sale。　　Derues　replied　that　he　had　not　yet　been　able　to　dispose　of　it　advantageously；　and　there　ensued　a　fresh　delay；　followed　by　the　same　question　and　the　same　reply。　　At　length；　when　more　than　a　year　had　passed；　the　grocer　came　to　Paris；　examined　his　barrels；　and　found　that　five　hundred　pounds　were　missing。　　He　claimed　damages　from　Derues；　who　declared　he　had　never　received　any　more；　and　as　the　honey　had　been　sent　in　confidence；　and　there　was　no　contract　and　no　receipt　to　show；　the　provincial　tradesman　could　not　obtain　compensation。

As　though　having　risen　by　the　ruin　of　Madame　Legrand　and　her　four　children　was　not　enough；　Derues　grudged　even　the　morsel　of　bread　he　had　been　obliged　to　leave　her。　　A　few　days　after　the　fire　in　the　cellar；　which　enabled　him　to　go　through　a　second　bankruptcy；　Madame　Legrand；　now　undeceived　and　not　believing　his　lamentations；　demanded　the　money　due　to　her；　according　to　their　agreement。　　Derues　pretended　to　look　for　his　copy　of　the　contract；　and　could　not　find　it。　　〃Give　me　yours；　madame；〃　said　he；　〃we　will　write　the　receipt　upon　it。　　Here　is　the　money。〃

The　widow　opened　her　purse　and　took　out　her　copy；　Derues　snatched　it；　and　tore　it　up。　　〃Now；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃you　are　paid；　I　owe　you　nothing　now。　　If　you　like；　I　will　declare　it　on　oath　in　court；　and　no　one　will　disbelieve　my　word。〃

〃Wretched　man；〃　said　the　unfortunate　widow；　〃may　God　forgive　your　soul；　but　your　body　will　assuredly　end　on　the　gallows！〃

It　was　in　vain　that　she　complained；　and　told　of　this　abominable　swindle；　Derues　had　been　beforehand　with　her；　and　the　slander　he　had　disseminated　bore　its　fruits。　　It　was　said　that　his　old　mistress　was　endeavouring　by　an　odious　falsehood　to　destroy　the　reputation　of　a　man　who　had　refused　to　be　her　lover。　　Although　reduced　to　poverty；　she　left　the　house　where　she　had　a　right　to　remain　rent　free；　preferring　the　hardest　and　dreariest　life　to　the　torture　of　remaining　under　the　same　roof　with　the　man　who　had　caused　her　ruin。

We　might　relate　a　hundred　other　pieces　of　knavery；　but　it　must　not　be　supposed　that　having　begun　by　murder；　Derues　would　draw　back　and　remain　contented　with　theft。　　Two　fraudulent　bankruptcies　would　have　sufficed　for　most　people；　for　him　they　were　merely　a　harmless　pastime。　　Here　we　must　place　two　dark　and　obscure　stories；　two　crimes　of　which　he　is　accused；　two　victims　whose　death　groans　no　one　heard。

The　hypocrite's　excellent　reputation　had　crossed　the　Parisian　bounds。　A　young　man　from　the　country；　intending　to　start　as　a　grocer　in　the　capital；　applied　to　Derues　for　the　necessary　information　and　begged　for　advice。　　He　arrived　at　the　latter's　house　with　a　sum　of　eight　thousand　livres；　which　he　placed　in　Derues'　hands；　asking　him　for　assistance　in　finding　a　business。　　The　sight　of　gold　was　enough　to　rouse　the　instinct　of　crime　in　Derues；　and　the　witches　who　hailed　Macbeth　with　the　promise　of　royalty　did　not　rouse　the　latter's　ambitious　desires　to　a　greater　height　than　the　chance　of　wealth　did　the　greed　of　the　assassin；　whose　hands；　once　closed　over　the　eight　thousand　livres；　were　never　again　relaxed。　　He　received　them　as　a　deposit；　and　hid　them　along　with　his　previous　plunder；　vowing　never　to　return　them。　　Several　days　had　elapsed；　when　one　afternoon　Derues　returned　home　with　an　air　of　such　unusual　cheerfulness　that　the　young　man　questioned　him。　　〃Have　you　heard　some　good　news　for　me？〃　he　asked；　〃or　have　you　had　some　luck　yourself？〃

〃My　young　friend；〃　answered　Derues；　〃as　for　me；　success　depends　on　my　own　efforts；　and　fortune　smiles　on　me。　　But　I　have　promised　to　be　useful　to　you；　your　parents　have　trusted　me；　and　I　must　prove　that　their　confidence　is　well　founded。　　I　have　heard　to…day　of　a　business　for　disposal　in　one　of　the　best　parts　of　Paris。　　You　can　have　it　for　twelve　thousand　livres；　and　I　wish　I　could　lend　you　the　amount　you　want。　　But　you　must　write　to　your　father；　persuade　him；　reason　with　him；　do　not　lose　so　good　a　chance。　　He　must　make　a　little　sacrifice；　and　he　will　be　grateful　to　me　later。〃

In　accordance　with　their　son's　request；　the　young　man's　parents　despatched　a　sum　of　four　thousand　livres；　requesting　Derues　to　lose　no　time　in　concluding　the　purchase。

Three　weeks　later；　the　father；　very　uneasy；　arrived　in　Paris。　　He　came　to　inquire　about　his　son；　having　heard　nothing　from　him。　　Derues　received　him　with　the　utmost　astonishment；　appearing　convinced　that　the　young　man　had　returned　home。　　One　day；　he　said；　the　youth　informed　him　that　he　had　heard　from　his　father；　who　had　given　up　all　idea　of　establishing　him　in　Paris；　having　arranged　an　advantageous　marriage　for　him　near　home；　and　he　had　taken　his　twelve　thousand　livres；　for　which　Derues　produced　a　receipt；　and　started　on　his　return　journey。

One　evening；　when　nearly　dark；　Derues　had　gone　out　with　his　guest；　who　complained　of　headache　and　internal　pains。　　Where　did　they　go？　No　one　knew；　but　Denies　only　returned　at　daybreak；　alone；　weary　and　exhausted；　and　the　young　man　was　never　again　heard　of。

One　of　his　apprentices　was　the　constant　object　of　reproof。　　The　boy　was　accused　of　negligence；　wasting　his　time；　of　spending　three　hours　over　a　task　which　might　have　been　done　in　less　than　one。　　When　Derues　had　convinced　the　father；　a　Parisian　bourgeois；　that　his　son　was　a　bad　boy　and　a　good…for…nothing；　he　came　to　this　man　one　day　in　a　state　of　wild　excitement。

〃Your　son；〃　he　said；　〃ran　away　yesterday　with　six　hundred　livres；　with　which　I　had　to　meet　a　bill　to…day。　　He　knew　where　I　kept　this　money；　and　has　taken　it。〃

He　threatened　to　go　before　a　magistrate　and　denounce　the　thief；　and　was　only　appeased　by　being　paid　the　sum　he　claimed　to　have　lost。　　But　he　had　gone　out　with　the　lad　the　evening　before；　and　returned　alone　in　the　early　hours　of　the　morning。

However；　the　veil　which　concealed　the　truth　was　becoming　more　and　more　transparent　every　day。　　Three　bankruptcies　had　diminished　the　consideration　he　enjoyed；　and　people　began　to　listen　to　complaints　and　accusations　which　till　now　had　been　considered　mere　inventions　designed　to　injure　him。　　Another　attempt　at　trickery　made　him　feel　it　desirable　to　leave　the　neighbourhood。

He　had　rented　a　house　close　to　his　own；　the　shop　of　which　had　been　tenanted　for　seven　or　eight　years　by　a　wine　merchant。　　He　required　from　this　man；　if　he　wished　to　remain　where　he　was；　a　sum　of　six　hundred　livres　as　a　payment　for　goodwill。　　Although　the　wine　merchant　considered　it　an　exorbitant　charge；　yet　on　reflection　he　decided　to　pay　it　rather　than　go；　having　established　a　good　business　on　these　premises；　as　was　well　known。　　Before　long　a　still　mare　arrant　piece　of　dishonesty　gave　him　an　opportunity　for　revenge。　　A　young　man　of　good　family；　who　was　boarding　with　him　in　order　to　gain　some　business　experience；　having　gone　into　Derues'　shop　to　make　some　purchases；　amused　himself　while　waiting　by　idly　writing　his　name　on　a　piece　of　blank　paper　lying　on　the　counter；　which　he　left　there　without　thinking　more　about　it。　　Derues；　knowing　the　young　man　had　means；　as　soon　as　he　had　gone；　converted　the　signed　paper　into　a　promissory　note　for　two　thousand　livres；　to　his　order；　payable　at　the　majority　of　the　signer。　　The　bill；　negotiated　in　trade；　arrived　when　due　at　the　wine　merchant's；　who；　much　surprised；　called　his　young　boarder　and　showed　him　the　p