derues-第14部分

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ality　and　characteristics　of　the　oldest　brands。〃

〃It　is　possible；〃　said　the　mason；　again　taking　his　spade；　〃but　all　the　same　it　seems　a　little　odd　to　me。〃

When　he　had　finished；　Derues　asked　him　to　help　to　drag　the　chest　alongside　the　trench；　so　that　it　might　be　easier　to　take　out　the　bottles　and　arrange　them：　The　mason　agreed；　but　when　he　moved　the　chest　the　foetid　odour　which　proceeded　from　it　made　him　draw　back；　declaring　that　a　smell　such　as　that　could　not　possibly　proceed　from　wine。　　Derues　tried　to　persuade　him　that　the　smell　came　from　drains　under　the　cellar；　the　pipe　of　which　could　be　seen。　　It　appeared　to　satisfy　him；　and　he　again　took　hold　of　the　chest；　but　immediately　let　it　go　again；　and　said　positively　that　he　could　not　execute　Derues'　orders；　being　convinced　that　the　chest　must　contain　a　decomposing　corpse。　　Then　Derues　threw　himself　at　the　man's　feet　and　acknowledged　that　it　was　the　dead　body　of　a　woman　who　had　unfortunately　lodged　in　his　house；　and　who　had　died　there　suddenly　from　an　unknown　malady；　and　that；　dreading　lest　he　should　be　accused　of　having　murdered　her；　he　had　decided　to　conceal　the　death　and　bury　her　here。

The　mason　listened；　alarmed　at　this　confidence；　and　not　knowing　whether　to　believe　it　or　not。　　Derues　sobbed　and　wept　at　his　feet；　beat　his　breast　and　tore　out　his　hair；　calling　on　God　and　the　saints　as　witnesses　of　his　good　faith　and　his　innocence。　　He　showed　the　book　he　was　reading　while　the　mason　excavated：　it　was　the　Seven　Penitential　Psalms。　　〃How　unfortunate　I　am！〃　he　cried。　　〃This　woman　died　in　my　house；　I　assure　youdied　suddenly；　before　I　could　call　a　doctor。　　I　was　alone；　I　might　have　been　accused；　imprisoned；　perhaps　condemned　for　a　crime　I　did　not　commit。　　Do　not　ruin　me！　　You　leave　Paris　to…night；　you　need　not　be　uneasy；　no　one　would　know　that　I　employed　you；　if　this　unhappy　affair　should　ever　be　discovered。　　I　do　not　know　your　name；　I　do　not　wish　to　know　it；　and　I　tell　you　mine；　it　is　Ducoudray。　　I　give　myself　up　to　you；　but　have　some　pity！if　not　for　me；　yet　for　my　wife　and　my　two　little　childrenfor　these　poor　creatures　whose　only　support　I　am！〃

Seeing　that　the　mason　was　touched；　Derues　opened　the　chest。

〃Look；〃　he　said；　〃examine　the　body　of　this　woman；　does　it　show　any　mark　of　violent　death？　　My　God！〃　he　continued；　joining　his　hands　and　in　tones　of　despairing　agony；〃my　God；　Thou　who　readest　all　hearts；　and　who　knowest　my　innocence；　canst　Thou　not　ordain　a　miracle　to　save　an　honest　man？　　Wilt　Thou　not　command　this　dead　body　to　bear　witness　for　me？〃

The　mason　was　stupefied　by　this　flow　of　language。　　Unable　to　restrain　his　tears；　he　promised　to　keep　silence；　persuaded　that　Derues　was　innocent；　and　that　appearances　only　were　against　him。　　The　latter；　moreover；　did　not　neglect　other　means　of　persuasion；　he　handed　the　mason　two　gold　pieces；　and　between　them　they　buried　the　body　of　Madame　de　Lamotte。

However　extraordinary　this　fact；　which　might　easily　be　supposed　imaginary；　may　appear；　it　certainly　happened。　　In　the　examination　at　his　trial。　　Derues　himself　revealed　it；　repeating　the　story　which　had　satisfied　the　mason。　　He　believed　that　this　man　had　denounced　him：　he　was　mistaken；　for　this　confidant　of　his　crime；　who　might　have　been　the　first　to　put　justice　on　his　track；　never　reappeared；　and　but　for　Derues'　acknowledgment　his　existence　would　have　remained　unknown。

This　first　deed　accomplished；　another　victim　was　already　appointed。　Trembling　at　first　as　to　the　consequences　of　his　forced　confession；　Derues　waited　some　days；　paying；　however；　his　creditor　as　promised。　He　redoubles　his　demonstrations　of　piety；　he　casts　a　furtive　glance　on　everyone　he　meets；　seeking　for　some　expression　of　distrust。　　But　no　one　avoids　him；　or　points　him　out　with　a　raised　finger；　or　whispers　on　seeing　him；　everywhere　he　encounters　the　customary　expression　of　goodwill。　　Nothing　has　changed；　suspicion　passes　over　his　head　without　alighting　there。　　He　is　reassured；　and　resumes　his　work。　　Moreover；　had　he　wished　to　remain　passive；　he　could　not　have　done　so；　he　was　now　compelled　to　follow　that　fatal　law　of　crime　which　demands　that　blood　must　be　effaced　with　blood；　and　which　is　compelled　to　appeal　again　to　death　in　order　to　stifle　the　accusing　voice　already　issuing　from　the　tomb。

Edouard　de　Lamotte；　loving　his　mother　as　much　as　she　loved　him；　became　uneasy　at　receiving　no　visits；　and　was　astonished　at　this　sudden　indifference。　　Derues　wrote　to　him　as　follows：

〃I　have　at　length　some　good　news　for　you；　my　dear　boy；　but　you　must　not　tell　your　mother　I　have　betrayed　her　secret；　she　would　scold　me；　because　she　is　planning　a　surprise　for　you；　and　the　various　steps　and　care　necessary　in　arranging　this　important　matter　have　caused　her　absence。　　You　were　to　know　nothing　until　the　11th　or　12th　of　this　month；　but　now　that　all　is　settled；　I　should　blame　myself　if　I　prolonged　the　uncertainty　in　which　you　have　been　left；　only　you　must　promise　me　to　look　as　much　astonished　as　possible。　　Your　mother；　who　only　lives　for　you；　is　going　to　present　you　with　the　greatest　gift　a　youth　of　your　age　can　receivethat　of　liberty。　　Yes；　dear　boy；　we　thought　we　had　discovered　that　you　have　no　very　keen　taste　for　study；　and　that　a　secluded　life　will　suit　neither　your　character　nor　your　health。　　In　saying　this　I　utter　no　reproach；　for　every　man　is　born　with　his　own　decided　tastes；　and　the　way　to　success　and　happiness　is…often…to　allow　him　to　follow　these　instincts。　　We　have　had　long　discussions　on　this　subjectyour　mother　and　Iand　we　have　thought　much　about　your　future；　she　has　at　last　come　to　a　decision；　and　for　the　last　ten　days　has　been　at　Versailles；　endeavouring　to　obtain　your　admission　as　a　royal　page。　　Here　is　the　mystery；　this　is　the　reason　which　has　kept　her　from　you；　and　as　she　knew　you　would　hear　it　with　delight；　she　wished　to　have　the　pleasure　of　telling　you　herself。　Therefore；　once　again；　when　you　see　her；　which　will　be　very　soon；　do　not　let　her　see　I　have　told　you；　appear　to　be　greatly　surprised。　　It　is　true　that　I　am　asking　you　to　tell　a　lie；　but　it　is　a　very　innocent　one；　and　its　good　intention　will　counteract　its　sinfulnessmay　God　grant　we　never　have　worse　upon　our　consciences！　　Thus；　instead　of　lessons　and　the　solemn　precepts　of　your　tutors；　instead　of　a　monotonous　school…life；　you　are　going　to　enjoy　your　liberty；　also　the　pleasures　of　the　court　and　the　world。　　All　that　rather　alarms　me；　and　I　ought　to　confess　that　I　at　first　opposed　this　plan。　　I　begged　your　mother　　to　reflect；　to　consider　that　in　this　new　existence　you　would　run　great　risk　of　losing　the　religious　feeling　which　inspires　you；　and　which　I　have　had　the　happiness；　during　my　sojourn　at　Buisson…　Souef；　of　　further　developing　in　your　mind。　　I　still　recall　with　emotion　your　fervid　and　sincere　aspirations　towards　the　Creator　when　you　approached　the　Sacred　Table　for　the　first　time；　and　when；　kneeling　beside　you；　and　envying　the　purity　of　heart　and　innocence　of　soul　which　appeared　to　animate　your　countenance　as　with　a　divine　radiance；　I　besought　God　that；　in　default　of　my　own　virtue；　the　love　for　heavenly　Truth　with　which　I　have　inspired　you　might　be　reckoned　to　my　account。　　Your　piety　is　my　work；　　Edouard；　and　I　defended　it　against　your　mother's　plans；　but　she　replied　that　in　every　career　a　man　is　master　of　his　own　good　or　evil　actions；　and　as　I　have　no　authority　over　you；　and　friendship　only　gives　me　the　right　to　advise；　I　must　give　way。　　If　this　be　your　vocation；　then　follow　it。

〃My　occupations　are　so　numerous　（I　have　to　collect　from　different　sources　this　hundred　thousand　livres　intended　to　defray　the　greater　part　of　the　Buisson　purchase）　that　I　have　not　a　moment　in　which　to　come　and　see　you　this　week。　　Spend　the　time　in　reflection；　and　write　to　me　fully　what　you　think　about　this　plan。　　If；　like　me；　you　feel　any　scruples；　you　must　tell　them　to　your　mother；　who　decidedly　wants　only　to　make　you　happy。　　Speak　to　me　freely；　openly。　　It　is　arranged　that　I　am　to　fetch　you　on　the　11th　of　this　month；　and　escort　you　to　Versailles；　where　Madame　de　Lamotte　will　be　waiting　to　receive　you　with　the　utmost　tenderness。　　Adieu；　dear　boy；　write　to　me。　　Your　father　knows　nothing　as　yet；　his　consent　will　be　asked　after　your　decision。〃

The　answer　to　this　letter　did　not　have　to　be　waited　for：　it　was　such　as　Derues　expected；　the　lad　accepted　joyfully。　　The　answer　was；　for　the　murderer；　an　arranged　plea　of　defence；　a　proof　which；　in　a　given　case；　might　link　the　present　with　the　past。

On　the　morning　of　February　11th；　Shrove　Tuesday；　he　went　to　fetch　the　young　de　Lamotte　from　his　school；　telling　the　master　that　he　was　desired　by　the　youth's　mother　to　conduct　him　to　Versailles。　　But；　instead；　he　took　him　to　his　own　house；　saying　that　he　had　a　letter　from　Madame　de　Lamotte　asking　them　not　to　come　　till　the　next　day；　so　they　started　on　Ash　Wednesday；　Edouard　having　breakfasted　on　chocolate。　　Arrived　at　Versailles；　they　stopped　at　the　Fleur…de…lys　inn；　but　there　the　sickness　which　the　boy　had　complained　of　during　the　journey　became　very　　serious；　and　the　innkeeper；　having　young　children；　　and　believing　that　he　recognised　symptoms　of　smallpox；　which　just　then　was　ravaging　Versailles；　refused　to　receive　them；　saying　he　had　no　vacant　room。　　This　might　have　disconcerted　anyone　b