derues-第24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！


〃Come；　you　have　done　well；〃　cried　Mother　Maniffret；　〃my　idea　has　brought　you　luck。〃

〃Faith！　not　before　it　was　wanted；　either！〃

〃What！　are　you　complaining　of　trade　too？〃

〃Ah！　don't　mention　it；　it　is　miserable！〃

〃There's　no　trade　at　all。　　I　scream　myself　hoarse　all　day；　and　choke　myself　for　twopence　halfpenny。　　I　don't　know　what's　to　come　of　it　all。　　But　you　seem　to　have　a　nice　little　custom。〃

〃What's　the　good　of　that；　with　a　whole　house　on　one's　hands？　　It's　just　my　luck；　the　old　tenants　go；　and　the　new　ones　don't　come。〃

〃What's　the　matter；　then？〃

〃I　think　the　devil's　in　it。　　There　was　a　nice　man　on　the　first　floor…gone；　a　decent　family　on　the　third；　all　right　except　that　the　man　beat　his　wife　every　night；　and　made　such　a　row　that　no　one　could　sleepgone　also。　　I　put　up　noticesno　one　even　looks　at　them！　　A　few　months　agoit　was　the　middle　of　December；　the　day　of　the　last　execution〃

〃The　15th；　then；〃　said　the　hawker。　　〃I　cried　it；　so　I　know；　it's　my　trade；　that。〃

〃Very　well；　then；　the　15th；〃　resumed　widow　Masson。　　〃On　that　day；　then；　I　let　the　cellar　to　a　man　who　said　he　was　a　wine　merchant；　and　who　paid　a　term　in　advance；　seeing　that　I　didn't　know　him；　and　wouldn't　have　lent　him　a　farthing　on　the　strength　of　his　good　looks。　He　was　a　little　bit　of　a　man；　no　taller　than　that；〃contemptuously　holding　out　her　hand；〃and　he　had　two　round　eyes　which　I　didn't　like　at；　all。　　He　certainly　paid；　he　did　that；　but　we　are　more　than　half　through　the　second　term　and　I　have　no　news　of　my　tenant。〃

〃And　have　you　never　seen　him　since？〃

〃Yes；　onceno；　twice。　　Let's　seethree　times；　I　am　sure。　　He　came　with　a　hand…cart　and　a　commissionaire；　and　had　a　big　chest　taken　downstairsa　case　which　he　said　contained　wine　in　bottles。。。。

No；　he　came　before　that；　with　a　workman　I　think。

Really；　I　don't　know　if　it　was　before　or　afterdoesn't　matter。　Anyhow；　it　was　bottled　wine。　　The　third　time　he　brought　a　mason；　and　I　am　sure　they　quarreled。　　I　heard　their　voices。　　He　carried　off　the　key；　and　I　have　seen　neither　him　nor　his　wine　again。　　I　have　another　key；　and　I　went　down　one　day；　perhaps　the　rats　have　drunk　the　wine　and　eaten　the　chest；　for　there　certainly　is　nothing　there　any　more　than　there　is　in　my　hand　now。　　Nevertheless；　I　saw　what　I　saw。　　A　big　chest；　very　big；　quite　new；　and　corded　all　round　with　strong　rope。〃

〃Now；　what　day　was　that？　　〃asked　the　hawker。

〃What　day？　　Well；　it　wasno；　I　can't　remember。〃

〃Nor　I　either；　I　am　getting　stupid。　　Let's　have　another　little　glass…shall　we？　just　to　clear　our　memories！〃

The　expedient　was　not　crowned　with　success；　the　memories　failed　to　recover　themselves。　　The　crowd　waited；　attentive；　as　may　be　supposed。　Suddenly　the　hawker　exclaimed：

〃What　a　fool　I　am！　　I　am　going　to　find　that；　if　only　I　have　still　got　it。〃

She　felt　eagerly　in　the　pocket　of　her　underskirt；　and　produced　several　pieces　of　dirty；　crumpled　paper。　　As　she　unfolded　one　after　another；　she　asked：

〃A　big　chest；　wasn't　it？〃

〃Yes；　very　big。〃

〃And　quite　new？〃

〃Quite　new。〃

〃And　corded？〃

〃Yes；　I　can　see　it　now。〃

〃So　can　I；　good　gracious！　　It　was　the　day　when　I　sold　the　history　of　Leroi　de　Valines；　the　1st　of　February。〃

〃Yes；　it　was　a　Saturday；　the　next　day　was　Sunday。〃

〃That's　it；　that's　it！Saturday；　February　1st。　　Well；　I　know　that　chest　too！　　I　met　your　wine　merchant　on　the　Place　du　Louvre；　and　he　wasn't　precisely　enjoying　himself：　one　of　his　creditors　wanted　to　seize　the　chest；　the　wine；　the　whole　kettle　of　fish！　　A　little　man；　isn't　he？a　scarecrow？〃

〃Just　SO。〃

〃And　has　red　hair？〃

〃That's　the　man。〃

〃And　looks　a　hypocrite？〃

〃You've　hit　it　exactly。〃

〃And　he　is　a　hypocrite！　　enough　to　make　one　shudder！　　No　doubt　he　can't　pay　his　rent！　　A　thief；　my　dears；　a　beggarly　thief；　who　set　fire　to　his　own　cellar；　and　who　accused　me　of　trying　to　steal　from　him；　while　it　was　he　who　cheated　me；　the　villain；　out　of　a　piece　of　twenty…four　sous。　　It's　lucky　I　turned　up　here！　　Well；　well；　we　shall　have　some　fun！　　Here's　another　little　business　on　your　hands；　and　you　will　have　to　say　where　that　wine　has　got　to；　my　dear　gossip　Derues。〃

〃Derues！〃　cried　twenty　voices　all　at　once。

〃What！　　Derues　who　is　in　Prison？〃

〃Why；　that's　Monsieur　de　Lamotte's　man。〃

〃The　man　who　killed　Madame　de　Lamotte？〃

〃The　man　who　made　away　with　her　son？〃

〃A　scoundrel；　my　dears；　who　accused　me　of　stealing；　an　absolute　monster！〃

〃It　is　just　a　little　unfortunate；〃　said　widow　Masson；　〃that　it　isn't　the　man。　　My　tenant　calls　himself　Ducoudray。　　There's　his　name　on　the　register。〃

〃Confound　it；　that　doesn't　look　like　it　at　all；〃　said　the　hawker：　〃　now　that's　a　bore！　　Oh　yes；　I　have　a　grudge　against　that　thief；　who　accused　me　of　stealing。　　I　told　him　I　should　sell　his　history　some　day。　　When　that　happens；　I'll　treat　you　all　round。〃

As　a　foretaste　of　the　fulfilment　of　this　promise；　the　company　disposed　of　a　second　bottle　of　liqueur；　and；　becoming　excited；　they　chattered　at　random　for　some　time；　but　at　length　slowly　dispersed；　and　the　street　relapsed　into　the　silence　of　night。　　But；　a　few　hours　later；　the　inhabitants　were　surprised　to　see　the　two　ends　occupied　by　unknown　people；　while　other　sinister…looking　persons　patrolled　it　all　night；　as　if　keeping　guard。　　The　next　morning　a　carriage　escorted　by　police　stopped　at　the　widow　Masson's　door。　　An　officer　of　police　got　out　and　entered　a　neighbouring　house；　whence　he　emerged　a　quarter　of　an　hour　later　with　Monsieur　de　Lamotte　leaning　on　his　arm。　　The　officer　demanded　the　key　of　the　cellar　which　last　December　had　been　hired　from　the　widow　Masson　by　a　person　named　Ducoudray；　and　went　down　to　it　with　Monsieur　de　Lamotte　and　one　of　his　subordinates。

The　carriage　standing　at　the　door；　the　presence　of　the　commissioner　Mutel；　the　chatter　of　the　previous　evening；　had　naturally　roused　everybody's　imagination。　　But　this　excitement　had　to　be　kept　for　home　use：　the　whole　street　was　under　arrest；　and　its　inhabitants　were　forbidden　to　leave　their　houses。　　The　windows；　crammed　with　anxious　faces；　questioning　each　other；　in　the　expectation　of　something　wonderful；　were　a　curious　sight；　and　the　ignorance　in　which　they　remained；　these　mysterious　preparations；　these　orders　silently　executed；　doubled　the　curiosity；　and　added　a　sort　of　terror：　no　one　could　see　the　persons　who　had　accompanied　the　police　officer；　three　men　remained　in　the　carriage；　one　guarded　by　the　two　others。　　When　the　heavy　coach　turned　into　the　rue　de　la　Mortellerie；　this　man　had　bent　towards　the　closed　window　and　asked

〃Where　are　we？〃

And　when　they　answered　him；　he　said

〃I　do　not　know　this　street；　I　was　never　in　it。〃

After　saying　this　quite　quietly；　he　asked

〃Why　am　I　brought　here？〃

As　no　one　replied；　he　resumed　his　look　of　indifference；　and　betrayed　no　emotion；　neither　when　the　carriage　stopped　nor　when　he　saw　Monsieur　de　Lamotte　enter　the　widow　Masson's　house。

The　officer　reappeared　on　the　threshold；　and　ordered　Derues　to　be　brought　in。

The　previous　evening；　detectives；　mingling　with　the　crowd；　had　listened　to　the　hawker's　story　of　having　met　Derues　near　the　Louvre　escorting　a　large　chest。　　The　police　magistrate　was　informed　in　the　course　of　the　evening。　　It　was　an　indication；　a　ray　of　light；　perhaps　the　actual　truth；　detached　from　obscurity　by　chance　gossip；　and　measures　were　instantly　taken　to　prevent　anyone　either　entering　or　leaving　the　street　without　being　followed　and　examined。　　Mutel　thought　he　was　on　the　track；　but　the　criminal　might　have　accomplices　also　on　the　watch；　who；　warned　in　time；　might　be　able　to　remove　the　proofs　of　the　crime；　if　any　existed。

Derues　was　placed　between　two　men　who　each　held　an　arm。　　A　third　went　before；　holding　a　torch。　The　commissioner；　followed　by　men　also　carrying　torches；　and　provided　with　spades　and　pickaxes；　came　behind；　and　in　this　order　they　descended　to　the　vault。　　It　was　a　dismal　and　terrifying　procession；　anyone　beholding　these　dark　and　sad　countenances；　this　pale　and　resigned　man；　passing　thus　into　these　damp　vaults　illuminated　by　the　flickering　glare　of　torches；　might　well　have　thought　himself　the　victim　of　illusion　and　watching　some　gloomy　execution　in　a　dream。　　But　all　was　real　and　when　light　penetrated　this　dismal　charnel…house　it　seemed　at　once　to　illuminate　its　secret　depths；　so　that　the　light　of　truth　might　at　length　penetrate　these　dark　shadows；　and　that　the　voice　of　the　dead　would　speak　from　the　earth　and　the　walls。

〃Wretch！〃　exclaimed　Monsieur　de　Lamotte；　when　he　saw　Derues　appear；　〃is　it　here　that　you　murdered　my　wife　and　my　son？〃

Derues　looked　calmly　at　him；　and　replied

〃I　beg　you；　sir；　not　to　add　insult　to　the　misfortunes　you　have　already　caused。　　If　you　stood　in　my　place　and　I　were　in　yours；　I　should　feel　some　pity　and　respect　for　so　terrible　a　position。　　What　do　you　want　me？　and　why　am　I　brought　here？〃

He　did　not　know　the　events　of　last　evening；　and　could　only　mentally　accuse　the　mason　who　had　helped　to　bury　the　chest。　　He　felt　that　he　was　lost；　but　his　audacity　never　forsook　him。

〃You　are　here；　in　the　first　place；　to　be　confronted　with　this　woman；〃　said　the　officer；　causing　the　widow　Masson　to　stand　opposite　to　him。

〃I　do　not　know　her。〃

〃But　I　know　you；　and　know　you　well。　　It　was　you　who　hired　this