derues-第9节

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　also　he　had　to　consider　the　two　priests；　who　were　both　observing　him　attentively。　　Fearing　a　false　step；　he　assumed　the　most　simple　and　insignificant　deportment　he　could；　knowing　that　sooner　or　later　a　third　person　would　rehabilitate　him　in　the　opinion　of　those　present。　　Nor　did　he　wait　long。

Arrived　at　the　drawing…room；　Monsieur　de　Lamotte　requested　the　company　to　be　seated。　　Derues　acknowledged　the　courtesy　by　a　bow；　and　there　was　a　moment　of　silence；　while　Edouard　and　his　mother　looked　at　each　other　and　smiled。　　The　silence　was　broken　by　Madame　de　Lamotte。

〃Dear　Pierre；〃　she　said；　〃　you　are　surprised　to　see　us　accompanied　by　a　stranger；　but　when　you　hear　what　he　has　done　for　us　you　will　thank　me　for　having　induced　him　to　return　here　with　us。〃

〃Allow　me；〃　interrupted　Derues；　〃allow　me　to　tell　you　what　happened。　The　gratitude　which　madame　imagines　she　owes　me　causes　her　to　exaggerate　a　small　service　which　anybody　would　have　been　delighted　to　render。〃

〃No；　monsieur；　let　me　tell　it。〃

〃Let　mamma　tell　the　story；〃　said　Edouard。

〃What　is　it；　then？　　What　happened？〃　said　Monsieur　de　Lamotte。

〃I　am　quite　ashamed；〃　answered　Derues　；　〃　but　I　obey　your　wishes；　madame。〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　Madame　de　Lamotte；　〃keep　your　seat；　I　wish　it。　Imagine；　Pierre；　just　six　days　ago；　an　accident　happened　to　Edouard　and　me　which　might　have　had　serious　consequences。〃

〃And　you　never　wrote　to　me；　Marie？〃

〃I　should　only　have　made　you　anxious；　and　to　no　purpose。　　I　had　some　business　in　one　of　the　most　crowded　parts　of　Paris；　I　took　a　chair；　and　Edouard　walked　beside　me。　　In　the　rue　Beaubourg　we　were　suddenly　surrounded　by　a　mob　of　low　people；　who　were　quarrelling。　　Carriages　stopped　the　way；　and　the　horses　of　one　of　these　took　fright　in　the　confusion　and　uproar；　and　bolted；　in　spite　of　the　coachman's　endeavours　to　keep　them　in　hand。　　It　was　a　horrible　tumult；　and　I　tried　to　get　out　of　the　chair；　but　at　that　moment　the　chairmen　were　both　knocked　down；　and　I　fell。　　It　is　a　miracle　I　was　not　crushed。　　I　was　dragged　insensible　from　under　the　horses'　feet　and　carried　into　the　house　before　which　all　this　took　place。　　There；　sheltered　in　a　shop　and　safe　from　the　crowd　which　encumbered　the　doorway；　I　recovered　my　senses；　thanks　to　the　assistance　of　Monsieur　Derues；　who　lives　there。　　But　that　is　not　all：　when　I　recovered　I　could　not　walk；　I　had　been　so　shaken　by　the　fright；　the　fall；　and　the　danger　I　had　incurred；　and　I　had　to　accept　his　offer　of　finding　me　another　chair　when　the　crowd　should　disperse；　and　meanwhile　to　take　shelter　in　his　rooms　with　his　wife；　who　showed　me　the　kindest　attention。〃

〃Monsieur〃　said　Monsieur　de　Lamotte；　rising。　　But　his　wife　stopped　him。

〃Wait　a　moment；　I　have　not　finished　yet。　　Monsieur　Derues　came　back　in　an　hour；　and　I　was　then　feeling　better；　but　before；　I　left　I　was　stupid　enough　to　say　that　I　had　been　robbed　in　the　confusion；　my　diamond　earrings；　which　had　belonged　to　my　mother；　were　gone。　　You　cannot　imagine　the　trouble　Monsieur　Derues　took　to　discover　the　thief；　and　all　the　appeals　he　made　to　the　policeI　was　really　ashamed！〃

Although　Monsieur　de　Lamotte　did　not　yet　understand　what　motive；　other　than　gratitude；　had　induced　his　wife　to　bring　this　stranger　home　with　her；　he　again　rose　from　his　seat；　and　going　to　Derues；　held　out　his　hand。

〃I　understand　now　the　attachment　my　son　shows　for　you。　　You　are　wrong　in　trying　to　lessen　your　good　deed　in　order　to　escape　from　our　gratitude；　Monsieur　Derues。〃

〃Monsieur　Derues？〃　inquired　the　monk。

〃Do　you　know　the　name；　my　father？〃　asked　Madame　de　Lamotte　eagerly。

〃Edouard　had　already　told　me；〃　said　the　monk；　approaching　Derues。

〃You　live　in　the；　rue　Beaubourg；　and　you　are　Monsieur　Derues；　formerly　a　retail　grocer？〃

〃The　same；　my　brother。〃

〃Should　you　require　a　reference；　I　can　give　it。　　Chance；　madame；　has　made　you　acquainted　with　a　man　whose；　reputation　for　piety　and　honour　is　well　established；　he　will　permit　me　to　add　my　praises　to　yours。〃

〃Indeed；　I　do　not　know　how　I　deserve　so　much　honour。〃

〃I　am；　Brother　Marchois；　of　the　Camaldulian　order。　　You　see　that　I　know　you　well。〃

The　monk　then　proceeded　to　explain　that　his　community　had　confided　their　affairs　to　Derues'　honesty；　he　undertaking　to　dispose　of　the　articles　manufactured　by　the　monks　in　their　retreat。　　He　then　recounted　a　number　of　good　actions　and　of　marks　of　piety；　which　were　heard　with　pleasure　and　admiration　by　those　present。　　Derues　received　this　cloud　of　incense　with　an　appearance　of　sincere　modesty　and　humility；　which　would　have　deceived　the　most　skilful　physiognomist。

When　the　eulogistic　warmth　of　the　good　brother　began　to　slacken　it　was　already　nearly　dark；　and　the　two　priests　had　barely　time　to　regain　the　presbytery　without　incurring　the　risk　of　breaking　their　necks　in　the　rough　road　which　led　to　it。　　They　departed　at　once；　and　a　room　was　got　ready　for　Derues。

〃To…morrow；〃　said　Madame　de　Lamotte　as　they　separated；　〃　you　can　discuss　with　my　husband　the　business　on　which　you　came：　to…morrow；　or　another　day；　for　I　beg　that　you　will　make　yourself　at　home　here；　and　the　longer　you　will　stay　the　better　it　will　please　us。〃

The　night　was　a　sleepless　one　for　Derues；　whose　brain　was　occupied　by　a　confusion　of　criminal　plans。　　The　chance　which　had　caused　his　acquaintance　with　Madame　de　Lamotte；　and　even　more　the　accident　of　Brother　Marchois　appearing　in　the　nick　of　time；　to　enlarge　upon　the　praises　which　gave　him　so　excellent　a　character；　seemed　like　favourable　omens　not　to　be　neglected。　　He　began　to　imagine　fresh　villanies；　to　outline　an　unheard…of　crime；　which　as　yet　he　could　not　definitely　trace　out；　but　anyhow　there　would　be　plunder　to　seize　and　blood　to　spill；　and　the　spirit　of　murder　excited　and　kept　him　awake；　just　as　remorse　might　have　troubled　the　repose　of　another。

Meanwhile　Madame　de　Lamotte；　having　retired　with　her　husband；　was　saying　to　the　latter

〃Well；　now！　　what　do　you　think　of　my　protege；　or　rather；　of　the　protector　which　Heaven　sent　me？〃

〃I　think　that　physiognomy　is　often　very　deceptive；　for　I　should　have　been　quite　willing　to　hang　him　on　the　strength　of　his。〃

〃It　is　true　that　his　appearance　is　not　attractive；　and　it　led　me　into　a　foolish　mistake　which　I　quickly　regretted。　　When　I　recovered　consciousness；　and　saw　him　attending　on　me；　much　worse　and　more　carelessly　dressed　than　he　is　to…day　〃

〃You　were　frightened？〃

〃No；　not　exactly；　but　I　thought　I　must　be　indebted　to　a　man　of　the　lowest　class；　to　some　poor　fellow　who　was　really　starving；　and　my　first　effort　at　gratitude　was　to　offer　him　a　piece　of　gold。〃

〃Did　he　refuse　it？〃

〃No；　he　accepted　it　for　the　poor　of　the　parish。　　Then　he　told　me　his　name；　Cyrano　Derues　de　Bury；　and　told　me　that　the　shop　and　the　goods　it　contained　were　his　own　property；　and　that　he　occupied　an　apartment　in　the　house。　　I　floundered　in　excuses；　but　he　replied　that　he　blessed　the　mistake；　inasmuch　as　it　would　enable　him　to　relieve　some　unfortunate　people。　　I　was　so　touched　with　his　goodness　that　I　offered　him　a　second　piece　of　gold。〃

〃You　were　quite　right；　my　dear；　but　what　induced　you　to　bring　him　to　Buisson　？　　I　should　have　gone　to　see　and　thank　him　the　first　time　I　went　to　Paris；　and　meanwhile　a　letter　would　have　been　sufficient。　Did　he　carry　his　complaisance　and　interest　so　far　as　to　offer　you　his　escort？〃

〃Ah！　I　see　you　cannot　get　over　your　first　impressionhonestly；　is　it　not　so？〃

〃Indeed；〃　exclaimed　Monsieur　de　Lamotte；　laughing　heartily；　〃it　is　truly　unlucky　for　a　decent　man　to　have　such　a　face　as　that！　　He　ought　to　give　Providence　no　rest　until　he　obtains　the　gift　of　another　countenance。〃

〃Always　these　prejudices！　　It　is　not　the　poor　man's　fault　that　he　was　born　like　that。〃

〃Well；　you　said　something　about　business　we　were　to　discuss　together　what　is　it？〃

〃I　believe　he　can　help　us　to　obtain　the　money　we　are　in　want　of。〃

〃And　who　told　him　that　we　wanted　any？〃

〃I　did。〃

〃You！　　Come；　it　certainly　seems　that　this　gentleman　is　to　be　a　family　friend。　　And　pray　what　induced　you　to　confide　in　him　to　this　extent？〃

〃You　would　have　known　by　now；　if　you　did　not　interrupt。　　Let　me　tell　you　all　in　order。　　The　day　after　my　accident　I　went　out　with　Edouard　about　midday；　and　I　went　to　again　express　my　gratitude　for　his　kindness。　　I　was　received　by　Madame　Derues；　who　told　me　her　husband　was　out；　and　that　he　had　gone　to　my　hotel　to　inquire　after　me　and　my　son；　and　also　to　see　if　anything　had　been　heard　of　my　stolen　earrings。　　She　appeared　a　simple　and　very　ordinary　sort　of　person；　and　she　begged　me　to　sit　down　and　wait　for　her　husband。　　I　thought　it　would　be　uncivil　not　to　do　so；　and　Monsieur　Derues　appeared　in　about　two　hours。　　The　first　thing　he　did；　after　having　saluted　me　and　inquired　most　particularly　after　my　health；　was　to　ask　for　his　children；　two　charming　little　things；　fresh　and　rosy；　whom　he　covered　with　kisses。　　We　talked　about　indifferent　matters；　then　he　offered　me　his　services；　placed　himself　at　my　disposal；　and　begged　me　to　spare　neither　his　time　nor　his　trouble。　　I　then　told　him　what　had　brought　me　to　Paris；　and　also　the　disappointments　I　had　encountered；　for　of　all　the　people　I　had　seen　not　one　had　given　me　a　favourable　answer。　He　said　that　he　might　possibly　be　of　some　use　to　me；