derues-第20部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


〃But　the　supposition　appears　to　contain　a　hint　injurious　to　Madame　de　Lamotte's　reputation？〃

〃No；　oh　no！〃　replied　Derues；　after　a　moment's　silence。

This　sort　of　insinuation　appeared　strange　to　the　magistrate；　who　resolved　to　try　and　force　Derues　to　abandon　these　treacherous　reticences　behind　which　he　sheltered　himself。　　Again　recommending　silence　to　Monsieur　de　Lamotte；　he　continued　to　question　Derues；　not　perceiving　that　he　was　only　following　the　lead　skilfully　given　by　the　latter；　who　drew　him　gradually　on　by　withdrawing　himself；　and　that　all　the　time　thus　gained　was　an　advantage　to　the　accused。

〃Well；〃　said　the　magistrate；　〃whatever　Madame　de　Lamotte's　motives　may　have　been；　it　ended　in　her　coming　to　stay　with　you。　　How　did　you　persuade　her　to　take　this　step？〃

〃My　wife　accompanied　her　first　to　the　Hotel　de　France；　and　then　to　other　hotels。　　I　said　no　more　than　might　be　deemed　allowable　in　a　friend；　I　could　not　presume　to　persuade　her　against　her　will。　　When　I　returned　home；　I　was　surprised　to　find　her　there　with　her　son。　　She　could　not　find　a　disengaged　room　in　any　of　the　hotels　she　tried；　and　she　then　accepted　my　offer。〃

〃What　date　was　this？〃

〃Monday；　the　16th　of　last　December。〃

〃And　when　did　she　leave　your　house？〃

〃On　the　1st　of　February。〃

〃The　porter　cannot　remember　having　seen　her　go　out　on　that　day。〃

〃That　is　possible。　　Madame　de　Lamotte　went　and　came　as　her　affairs　required。　　She　was　known；　and　no　more　attention　would　be　paid　to　her　than　to　any　other　inmate。〃

〃The　porter　also　says　that　for　several　days　before　this　date　she　was　ill；　and　obliged　to　keep　her　room？〃

〃Yes；　it　was　a　slight　indisposition；　which　had　no　results；　so　slight　that　it　seemed　unnecessary　to　call　in　a　doctor。　　Madame　de　Lamotte　appeared　preoccupied　and　anxious。　　I　think　her　mental　attitude　influenced　her　health。〃

〃Did　you　escort　her　to　Versailles？〃

〃No；　I　went　there　to　see　her　later。〃

〃What　proof　can　you　give　of　her　having　actually　stayed　there？〃

〃None　whatever；　unless　it　be　a　letter　which　I　received　from　her。〃

〃You　told　Monsieur　de；　Lamotte　that　she　was　exerting　herself　to　procure　her　son's　admission　either　as　a　king's　page　or　into　the　riding　school。　　Now；　no　one　at　Versailles　has　seen　this　lady；　or　even　heard　of　her。〃

〃I　only　repeated　what　she　told　me。〃

〃Where　was　she　staying？〃

〃I　do　not　know。〃

〃What！　　she　wrote　to　you；　you　went　to　see　her；　and　yet　you　do　not　know　where　she　was　lodging？〃

〃That　is　so。〃

〃But　it　is　impossible。〃

〃There　are　many　things　which　would　appear　impossible　if　I　were　to　relate　them；　but　which　are　true；　nevertheless。〃

〃Explain　yourself。〃

〃I　only　received　one　letter　from　Madame　de　Lamotte；　in　which　she　spoke　of　her　plans　for　Edouard；　requesting　me　to　send　her　her　son　on　a　day　she　fixed；　and　I　told　Edouard　of　her　projects。　　Not　being　able　to　go　to　the　school　to　see　him；　I　wrote；　asking　if　he　would　like　to　give　up　his　studies　and　become　a　royal　page。　　When　I　was　last　at　Buisson…Souef；　I　showed　his　answer　to　Monsieur　de　Lamotte；　it　is　here。〃

And　he　handed　over　a　letter　to　the　magistrate；　who　read　it；　and　passing　it　on　to　Monsieur　de　Lamotte；　inquired

〃Did　you　then；　and　do　you　now；　recognise　your　son's　handwriting？〃

〃Perfectly；　monsieur。〃

〃You　took　Edouard　to　Versailles？〃

〃I　did。〃

〃On　what　day？〃

〃February　11th；　Shrove　Tuesday。　　It　is　the　only　time　I　have　been　to　Versailles。　　The　contrary　might　be　supposed；　for　I　have　allowed　it　to　be　understood　that　I　have　often　seen　Madame　de　Lamotte　since　she　left　my　house；　and　was　acquainted　with　all　her　actions；　and　that　the　former　confidence　and　friendship　still　existed　between　us。　　In　allowing　this；　I　have　acted　a　lie；　and　transgressed　the　habitual　sincerity　of　my　whole　life。〃

This　assertion　produced　a　bad　impression　on　the　magistrate。　　Derues　perceived　it；　and　to　avert　evil　consequences；　hastened　to　add

〃My　conduct　can　only　be　appreciated　when　it　is　known　in　entirety。　　I　misunderstood　the　meaning　of　Madame　de　Lamotte's　letter。　　She　asked　me　to　send　her　her　son；　I　thought　to　oblige　her　by　accompanying　him；　and　not　leaving　him　to　go　alone。　　So　we　travelled　together；　and　arrived　at　Versailles　about　midday。　　As　I　got　down　from　the　coach　I　saw　Madame　de　Lamotte　at　the　palace　gate；　and　observed；　to　my　astonishment；　that　my　presence　displeased　her。　　She　was　not　alone。〃

He　stopped；　although　he　had　evidently　reached　the　most　interesting　point　of　his　story。

〃Go　on；〃　said　the　magistrate；　〃why　do　you　stop　now？〃

〃Because　what　I　have　to　say　is　so　painfulnot　to　me；　who　have　to　justify　myself；　but　for　others；　that　I　hesitate。〃

〃Go　on。〃

〃Will　you　then　interrogate　me；　please？〃

〃Well；　what　happened　in　this　interview？〃

Derues　appeared　to　collect　himself　for　a　moment；　and　then　said　with　the　air　of　a　man　who　has　decide　on　speaking　out　at　last

〃Madame　de　Lamotte　was　not　alone；　she　was　attended　by　a　gentleman　whom　I　did　not　know；　whom　I　never　saw　either　at　Buisson…Souef　or　in　Paris；　and　whom　I　have　never　seen　again　since。　　I　will　ask　you　to　allow　me　to　recount　everything；　even　to　the　smallest　details。　　This　man's　face　struck　me　at　once；　on　account　of　a　singular　resemblance；　he　paid　no　attention　to　me　at　first；　and　I　was　able　to　examine　him　at　leisure。　　His　manners　were　those　of　a　man　belonging　to　the　highest　classes　of　society；　and　his　dress　indicated　wealth。　　On　seeing　Edouard；　he　said　to　Madame　de　Lamotte

〃'So　this　is　he？'　and　he　then　kissed　him　tenderly。　　This　and　the　marks　of　undisguised　pleasure　which　he　evinced　surprised　me；　and　I　looked　at　Madame　de　Lamotte；　who　then　remarked　with　some　asperity

〃'I　did　not　expect　to　see　you；　Monsieur　Derues。　　I　had　not　asked　you　to　accompany　my　son。'

〃Edouard　seemed　quite　as　much　surprised　as　I　was。　　The　stranger　gave　me　a　look　of　haughty　annoyance；　but　seeing　I　did　not　avoid　his　glance　his　countenance　assumed　a　more　gentle　expression；　and　Madame　de　Lamotte　introduced　him　as　a　person　who　took　great　interest　in　Edouard。〃

〃It　is　a　whole　tissue　of　imposture！〃　exclaimed　Monsieur　de　Lamotte。

〃Allow　me　to　finish；〃　answered　Derues。　　〃I　understand　your　doubts；　and　that　you　are　not　anxious　to　believe　what　I　say；　but　I　have　been　brought　here　by　legal　summons　to　tell　the　truth；　and　I　am　going　to　tell　it。　　You　can　then　weigh　the　two　accusations　in　the　balance；　and　choose　between　them。　　The　reputation　of　an　honourable　man　is　as　sacred；　as　important；　as　worthy　of　credit　as　the　reputation　of　a　woman；　and　I　never　heard　that　the　virtue　of　the　one　was　more　fragile　than　that　of　the　other。〃

Monsieur　de　Lamotte；　thunderstruck　by　such　a　revelation；　could　not　contain　his　impatience　and　indignation。

〃This；　then；〃　he　said；　〃is　the　explanation　of　an　anonymous　letter　which　I　received；　and　of　the　injurious　suggestions'　concerning　my　wife's　honour　which　it　contained；　it　was　written　to　give　an　appearance　of　probability　to　this　infamous　legend。　　The　whole　thing　is　a　disgraceful　plot；　and　no　doubt　Monsieur　Derues　wrote　the　letter　himself。〃

〃I　know　nothing　about　it；〃　said　Derues　unconcernedly；　〃and　the　explanation　which　you　profess　to　find　in　it　I　should　rather　refer　to　something　else　I　am　going　to　mention。　　I　did　not　know　a　secret　warning　had　been　sent　to　you：　I　now　learn　it　from　you；　and　I　understand　perfectly　that　such　a　letter；　may　have　been　written。　　But　that　you　have　received　such　a　warning　ought　surely　to　be　a　reason　for　listening　patiently　and　not　denouncing　all　I　say　as　imposture。〃

While　saying　this　Derues　mentally　constructed　the　fresh　falsehood　necessitated　by　the　interruption；　but　no　variation　of　countenance　betrayed　his　thought。　　He　had　an　air　of　dignity　natural　to　his　position。　　He　saw　that；　in　spite　of　clear…headedness　and　long　practice　in　studying　the　most　deceptive　countenances；　the　magistrate　so　far　had　not　scented　any　of　his　falsehoods；　and　was　getting　bewildered　in　the　windings　of　this　long　narrative；　through　which　Derues　led　him　as　he　chose；　and　he　resumed　with　confidence

〃You　know　that　I　made　Monsieur　de　Lamotte's　acquaintance　more　than　a　year　ago；　and　I　had　reason　to　believe　his　friendship　as　sincere　as　my　own。　　As　a　friend；　I　could　not　calmly　accept　the　suspicion　which　then　entered　my　mind；　nor　could　I　conceal　my　surprise。　　Madame　de　Lamotte　saw　this；　and　understood　from　my　looks　that　I　was　not　satisfied　with　the　explanation　she　wished　me　to　accept。　　A　glance　of　intelligence　passed　between　her　and　her　friend；　who　was　still　holding　Edouard's　hand。　　The　day；　though　cold；　was　fine；　and　she　proposed　a　walk　in　the　park。　　I　offered　her　my　arm；　and　the　stranger　walked　in　front　with　Edouard。　　We　had　a　short　conversation；　which　has　remained　indelibly　fixed　in　my　memory。

〃'Why　did　you　come？'　she　inquired。

〃I　did　not　answer；　but　looked　sternly　at　her；　in　order　to　discompose　her。　　At　length　I　said

〃'You　should　have　written；　madame；　and　warned　me　that　my　coming　would　be　indiscreet。'

〃She　seemed　much　disconcerted；　and　exclaimed

〃'I　am　lost！　　I　see　you　guess　everything；　and　will　tell　my　husband。　I　am　an　unhappy　woman；　and　a　sin　once　committed　can　never　be　erased　from　the　pages　of　a　woman's　life！　　Listen；　Monsieur　Derues；　listen；　I　implore　you！　　You　see　this　man；　I　shall　not　tell　you　who　he　is；　I　shall　not　give　his　name　。　　。　　。　　but　I　loved