derues-第13部分

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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　but　Derues；　but　his　audacity；　activity；　and　resource　seemed　to　increase　with　each　fresh　obstacle。　　Leaving　Edouard　in　a　room　on　the　ground　floor　which　had　no　communication　with　the　rest　of　the　inn；　he　went　at　once　to　look　for　lodgings；　and　hastily　explored　the　town。　After　a　fruitless　search；　he　found　at　last；　at　the　junction　of　the　rue　Saint…Honore　with　that　of　the　Orangerie；　a　cooper　named　Martin；　who　had　a　furnished　room　to　spare。　　This　he　hired　at　thirty　sous　per　day　for　himself　and　his　nephew；　who　had　been　taken　suddenly　ill；　under　the　　name　of　Beaupre。　　To　avoid　being　questioned　later；　　he　informed　the　cooper　in　a　few　words　that　he　was　a　doctor；　that　he　had　come　to　Versailles　in　order　to　place　his　nephew　in　one　of　the　offices　of　the　town；　that　in　a　few　days　the　latter's　mother　would　arrive　to　join　him　in　seeing　and　making　application　to　influential　persons　about　the　court；　to　whom　he　had　letters　of　introduction。　　As　soon　as　he　had　delivered　this　fable　with　all　the　appearance　of　truth　with　which　he　knew　so　well　how　to　disguise　his　falsehoods；　he　went　back　to　the　young　de　Lamotte；　who　was　already　so　exhausted　that　he　was　hardly　able　to　drag　himself　as　far　as　the　cooper's　house。　　He　fainted　on　arrival；　and　was　carried　into　the　hired　room；　where　Derues　begged　to　be　left　alone　with　him；　and　only　asked　for　certain　beverages　which　he　told　the　people　how　to　prepare。

Whether　it　was　that　the　strength　of　youth　fought　against　the　poison；　or　that　Derues　took　pleasure　in　watching　the　sufferings　of　his　victim；　the　agony　of　the　poor　lad　was　prolonged　until　the　fourth　day。　The　sickness　continuing　incessantly；　he　sent　the　cooper's　wife　for　a　medicine　which　he　prepared　and　administered　himself。　　It　produced　terrible　pain；　and　Edouard's　cries　brought　the　cooper　and　his　wife　upstairs。　　They　represented　to　Derues　that　he　ought　to　call　in　a　doctor　and　consult　with　him；　but　he　refused　decidedly；　saying　that　a　doctor　hastily　fetched　might　prove　to　be　an　ignorant　person　with　whom　he　could　not　agree；　and　that　he　could　not　allow　one　so　dear　to　him　to　be　prescribed　for　and　nursed　by　anyone　but　himself。

〃I　know　what　the　malady　is；〃　he　continued；　raising　his　eyes　to　heaven；　〃it　is　one　that　has　to　be　concealed　rather　than　acknowledged。　Poor　youth！　whom　I　love　as　my　own　son；　if　God；　touched　by　my　tears　and　thy　suffering；　permits　me　to　save　thee；　thy　whole　life　will　be　too　short　for　thy　blessings　and　thy　gratitude！〃　　And　as　Madame　Martin　asked　what　this　malady　might　be；　he　answered　with　hypocritical　blushes

〃Do　not　ask；　madame；　there　are　things　of　which　you　do　not　know　even　the　name。〃

At　another　time；　Martin　expressed　his　surprise　that　the　young　man's　mother　had　not　yet　appeared；　who；　according　to　Derues；　was　to　have　met　him　at　Versailles。　　He　asked　how　she　could　know　that　they　were　lodging　in　his　house；　and　if　he　should　send　to　meet　her　at　any　place　where　she　was　likely　to　arrive。

〃His　mother；〃　said　Derues；　looking　compassionately　at　Edouard；　who　lay　pale；　motionless；　and　as　if　insensible；〃his　mother！　　He　calls　for　her　incessantly。　　Ah！　monsieur；　some　families　are　greatly　to　be　pitied！　　My　entreaties　prevailed　on　her　to　decide　on　coming　hither；　but　will　she　keep　her　promise？　　Do　not　ask　me　to　tell　you　more；　it　is　too　painful　to　have　to　accuse　a　mother　of　having　forgotten　her　duties　in　the　presence　of　her　son　。　　。　　。　　there　are　secrets　which　ought　not　to　be　toldunhappy　woman！〃

Edouard　moved；　extended　his　arms；　and　repeated；　〃Mother！　　。　　。　　。　mother！〃

Derues　hastened　to　his　side　and　took　his　hands　in　his；　as　if　to　warm　them。

〃My　mother！〃　the　youth　repeated。　　〃Why　have　I　not　seen　her？　　She　was　to　have　met　me。〃

You　shall　soon　see　her；　dear　boy；　only　keep　quiet。〃

〃But　just　now　I　thought　she　was　dead。〃

〃Dead！〃　cried　Derues。　　〃Drive　away　these　sad　thoughts。　　They　are　caused　by　the　fever　only。〃

〃No！　　oh　no！　。　　。　　。　　I　heard　a　secret　voice　which　said；　'Thy　mother　is　dead！'　。　　。　　。　　And　then　I　beheld　a　livid　corpse　before　me　。　　。　　。　It　was　she！　。　　。　　。　　I　knew　her　well！　and　she　seemed　to　have　suffered　so　much〃

〃Dear　boy；