derues-第13部分

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While　the　limbs　still　retained　a　little　warmth；　he　drew　the　feet　together；　crossed　the　hands　on　the　breast；　and　placed　the　body　in　the　chest。　　When　he　had　locked　it　up；　he　remade　the　bed；　undressed　himself；　and　slept　comfortably　in　the　other　one。

The　next　day；　February　1st；　the　day　he　had　fixed　for　the　〃going　out〃　of　Madame　de　Lamotte；　he　caused　the　chest　to　be　placed　on　a　hand…cart　and　carried　at　about　ten　o'clock　in　the　morning　to　the　workshop　of　a　carpenter　of　his　acquaintance　called　Mouchy；　who　dwelt　near　the　Louvre。　　The　two　commissionaires　employed　had　been　selected　in　distant　quarters；　and　did　not　know　each　other。　　They　were　well　paid；　and　each　presented　with　a　bottle　of　wine。　　These　men　could　never　be　traced。　　Derues　requested　the　carpenter's　wife　to　allow　the　chest　to　remain　in　the　large　workshop；　saying　he　had　forgotten　something　at　his　own　house；　and　would　return　to　fetch　it　in　three　hours。　　But；　instead　of　a　few　hours；　he　left　it　for　two　whole　dayswhy；　one　does　not　know；　but　it　may　be　supposed　that　he　wanted　the　time　to　dig　a　trench　in　a　sort　of　vault　under　the　staircase　leading　to　the　cellar　in　the　rue　de　la　Mortellerie。　　Whatever　the　cause；　the　delay　might　have　been　fatal；　and　did　occasion　an　unforeseen　encounter　which　nearly　betrayed　him。　　But　of　all　the　actors　in　this　scene　he　alone　knew　the　real　danger　he　incurred；　and　his　coolness　never　deserted　him　for　a　moment。

The　third　day；　as　he　walked　alongside　the　handcart　on　which　the　chest　was　being　conveyed；　he　was　accosted　at　Saint　Germain　1'Auxerrois　by　a　creditor　who　had　obtained　a　writ　of　execution　against　him；　and　at　the　imperative　sign　made　by　this　man　the　porter　stopped。　　The　creditor　attacked　Derues　violently；　reproaching　him　for　his　bad　faith　in　language　which　was　both　energetic　and　uncomplimentary；　to　which　the　latter　replied　in　as　conciliatory　a　manner　as　he　could　assume。　　But　it　was　impossible　to　silence　the　enemy；　and　an　increasing　crowd　of　idlers　began　to　assemble　round　them。

〃When　will　you　pay　me？〃　demanded　the　creditor。　　〃I　have　an　execution　against　you。　　What　is　there　in　that　box？　　Valuables　which　you　cart　away　secretly；　in　order　to　laugh　at　my　just　claims；　as　you　did　two　years　ago？〃

Derues　shuddered　all　over；　he　exhausted　himself　in　protestations；　but　the　other；　almost　beside　himself；　continued　to　shout。

〃Oh！〃　he　said；　turning　to　the　crowd；　〃all　these　tricks　and　grimaces　and　signs　of　the　cross　are　no　good。　　I　must　have　my　money；　and　as　I　know　what　his　promises　are　worth；　I　will　pay　myself！　　Come；　you　knave；　make　haste。　　Tell　me　what　there　is　in　that　box；　open　it；　or　I　will　fetch　the　police。〃

The　crowd　was　divided　between　the　creditor　and　debtor；　and　possibly　a　free　fight　would　have　begun；　but　the　general　attention　was　distracted　by　the　arrival　of　another　spectator。　　A　voice　heard　above　all　the　tumult　caused　a　score　of　heads　to　turn；　it　was　the　voice　of　a　woman　crying：

〃The　abominable　history　of　Leroi　de　Valine；　condemned　to　death　at　the　age　of　sixteen　for　having　poisoned　his　entire　family！〃

Continually　crying　her　wares；　the　drunken；　staggering　woman　approached　the　crowd；　and　striking　out　right　and　left　with　fists　and　elbows；　forced　her　way　to　Derues。

〃Ah！　ah！〃　said　she；　after　looking　him　well　over；　〃is　it　you；　my　gossip　Derues！　　Have　you　again　a　little　affair　on　hand　like　the　one　when　you　set　fire　to　your　shop　in　the　rue　Saint…Victor？〃

Derues　recognised　the　hawker　who　had　abused　him　on　the　threshold　of　his　shop　some　years　previously；　and　whom　he　had　never　seen　since。　〃Yes；　yes；〃　she　continued；　〃you　had　better　look　at　me　with　your　little　round　cat's　eyes。　　Are　you　going　to　say　you　don't　know　me？〃

Derues　appealed　to　his　creditor。　　〃You　see；〃　he　said；　〃to　what　insults　you　are　exposing　me。　　I　do　not　know　this　woman　who　abuses　me。〃

〃What！you　don't　know　me！　　You　who　accused　me　of　being　a　thief！　　But　luckily　the　Maniffets　have　been　known　in　Paris　as　honest　people　for　generations；　while　as　for　you〃

〃Sir；〃　said　Derues；　〃this　case　contains　valuable　wine　which　I　am　commissioned　to　sell。　　To…morrow　I　shall　receive　the　money　for　it；　to…morrow；　in　the　course　of　the　day；　I　will　pay　what　I　owe　you。　　But　I　am　waited　for　now；　do　not　in　Heaven's　name　detain　me　longer；　and　thus　deprive　me　of　the　means　of　paying　at　all。〃

〃Don't　believe　him；　my　good　man；〃　said　the　hawker；　〃lying　comes　natural　to　him　always。〃

〃Sir；　I　promise　on　my　oath　you　shall　be　paid　tomorrow；　you　had　better　trust　the　word　of　an　honest　man　rather　than　the　ravings　of　a　drunken　woman。〃

The　creditor　still　hesitated；　but；　another　person　now　spoke　in　Derues'　favour；　it　was　the　carpenter　Mouchy；　who　had　inquired　the　cause　of　the　quarrel。

〃For　God's　sake；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃let　the　gentleman　go　on。　　That　chest　came　from　my　workshop；　and　I　know　there　is　wine　inside　it；　he　told　my　wife　so　two　days　ago。〃

〃Will　you　be　surety　for　me；　my　friend？〃　asked　Derues。

〃Certainly　I　will；　I　have　not　known　you　for　ten　years　in　order　to　leave　you　in　trouble　and　refuse　to　answer　for　you。　　What　the　devil　are　respectable　people　to　be　stopped　like　this　in　a　public　place？　Come；　sir；　believe　his　word；　as　I　do。〃

After　some　more　discussion；　the　porter　was　at　last　allowed　to　proceed　with　his　hand…cart。　　The　hawker　wanted　to　interfere；　but　Mouchy　warned　her　off　and　ordered　her　to　be　silent。　　〃Ah！　ah！〃　she　cried；　〃what　does　it　matter　to　me？　　Let　him　sell　his　wine　if　he　can；　I　shall　not　drink　any　on　his　premises。　　This　is　the　second　time　he　has　found　a　surety　to　my　knowledge；　the　beggar　must　have　some　special　secret　for　encouraging　the　growth　of　fools。　　Good…bye；　gossip　Derues；　you　know　I　shall　be　selling　your　history　some　day。　　Meanwhile

〃The　abominable　history　of　Leroi　de　Valine；　condemned　to　death　at　the　age　of　sixteen　for　having　poisoned　his　entire　family！〃

Whilst　she　amused　the　people　by　her　grimaces　and　grotesque　gestures；　and　while　Mouchy　held　forth　to　some　of　them；　Derues　made　his　escape。　Several　times　between　Saint…Germain　1'Auxerrois　and　the　rue　de　la　Mortellerie　he　nearly　fainted；　and　was　obliged　to　stop。　　While　the　danger　lasted；　he　had　had　sufficient　self…control　to　confront　it　coolly；　but　now　that　he　calculated　the　depth　of　the　abyss　which　for　a　moment　had　opened　beneath　his　feet；　dizziness　laid　hold　on　him。

Other　precautions　now　became　necessary。　　His　real　name　had　been　mentioned　before　the　commissionaire；　and　the　widow　Masson；　who　owned　the　cellar；　only　knew　him　as　Ducoudray。　　He　went　on　in　front；　asked　for　the　keys；　which　till　then　had　been　left　with　her；　and　the　chest　was　got　downstairs　without　any　awkward　questions。　　Only　the　porter　seemed　astonished　that　this　supposed　wine；　which　was　to　be　sold　immediately；　should　be　put　in　such　a　place；　and　asked　if　he　might　come　the　next　day　and　move　it　again。　　Derues　replied　that　someone　was　coming　for　it　that　very　day。　　This　question；　and　the　disgraceful　scene　which　the　man　had　witnessed；　made　it　necessary　to　get　rid　of　him　without　letting　him　see　the　pit　dug　under　the　staircase。　　Derues　tried　to　drag　the　chest　towards　the　hole；　but　all　his　strength　was　insufficient　to　move　it。　　He　uttered　terrible　imprecations　when　he　recognised　his　own　weakness；　and　saw　that　he　would　be　obliged　to　bring　another　stranger；　an　informer　perhaps；　into　this　charnel…house；　where；　as　yet；　nothing　betrayed　his　crimes。　　No　sooner　escaped　from　one　peril　than　he　encountered　another；　and　already　he　had　to　struggle　against　his　own　deeds。　　He　measured　the　length　of　the　trench；　it　was　too　short。　　Derues　went　out　and　repaired　to　the　place　where　he　had　hired　the　labourer　who　had　dug　it　out；　but　he　could　not　find　the　man；　whom　he　had　only　seen　once；　and　whose　name　he　did　not　know。　　Two　whole　days　were　spent　in　this　fruitless　search；　but　on　the　third；　as　he　was　wandering　on　one　of　the　quays　at　the　time　labourers　were　to　be　found　there；　a　mason；　thinking　he　was　looking　for　someone；　inquired　what　he　wanted。　　Derues　looked　well　at　the　man；　and　concluding　from　his　appearance　that　he　was　probably　rather　simpleminded；　asked

〃Would　you　like　to　earn　a　crown　of　three　livres　by　an　easy　job？〃

〃What　a　question；　master！〃　answered　the　mason。　　〃Work　is　so　scarce　that　I　am　going　back　into　the　country　this　very　evening。〃

〃Very　well！　　Bring　your　tools；　spade；　and　pickaxe；　and　follow　me。〃

They　both　went　down　to　the　cellar；　and　the　mason　was　ordered　to　dig　out　the　pit　till　it　was　five　and　a　half　feet　deep。　　While　the　man　worked；　Derues　sat　beside　the　chest　and　read。　　When　it　was　half　done；　the　mason　stopped　for　breath；　and　leaning　on　his　spade；　inquired　why　he　wanted　a　trench　of　such　a　depth。　　Derues；　who　had　probably　foreseen　the　question；　answered　at　once；　without　being　disconcerted

〃I　want　to　bury　some　bottled　wine　which　is　contained　in　this　case。〃

〃Wine！〃　said　the　other。　　〃Ah！　　you　are　laughing　at　me；　because　you　think　I　look　a　fool！　　I　never　yet　heard　of　such　a　recipe　for　improving　wine。〃

〃Where　do　you　come　from？〃

〃D'Alencon。〃

〃Cider　drinker！　　You　were　brought　up　in　Normandy；　that　is　clear。　Well；　you　can　learn　from　me；　Jean…Baptiste　Ducoudray；　a　wine　grower　of　Tours；　and　a　wine　merchant　for　the　last　ten　years；　that　new　wine　thus　buried　for　a　year　acquires　the　quality　and　characteristics　of　the　oldest　brands。〃

〃It　is　possible；〃　said　the　mason；　ag