derues-第19章

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e　at　length　owned　that　she　had　sent　these　notes　to　Monsieur　de　Lamotte's　lawyer；　and　that　her　husband　had　given　them　her　in　an　envelope　hidden　in　the　soiled　linen　for　which　she　had　brought　him　clean　in　exchange。

All　this　certainly　amounted　to　serious　presumptive　evidence　of　guilt；　and　if　Derues　had　shown　himself　to　the　multitude；　which　followed　every　phase　of　the　investigation　with　increasing　anxiety；　a　thousand　arms　would　have　willingly　usurped　the　office　of　the　executioner；　but　the　distance　thence　to　actual　proof　of　murder　was　enormous　for　the　magistracy。　　Derues　maintained　his　tranquillity；　always　asserting　that　Madame　de　Lamotte　and　her　son　were　alive；　and　would　clear　him　by　their　reappearance。　　Neither　threats　nor　stratagems　succeeded　in　making　him　contradict　himself；　and　his　assurance　shook　the　strongest　conviction。　　A　new　difficulty　was　added　to　so　much　uncertainty。

A　messenger　had　been　sent　off　secretly　with　all　haste　to　Lyons；　his　return　was　awaited　for　a　test　which　it　was　thought　would　be　decisive。

One　morning　Derues　was　fetched　from　his　prison　and　taken　to　a　lower　hall　of　the　Conciergerie。　　He　received　no　answers　to　the　questions　addressed　to　his　escort；　and　this　silence　showed　him　the　necessity　of　being　on　his　guard　and　preserving　his　imperturbable　demeanour　whatever　might　happen。　　On　arriving；　he　found　the　commissioner　of　police；　Mutel；　and　some　other　persons。　　The　hall　being　very　dark；　had　been　illuminated　with　several　torches；　and　Derues　was　so　placed　that　the　light　fell　strongly　on　his　face；　and　was　then　ordered　to　look　towards　a　particular　part　of　the　hall。　　As　he　did　so；　a　door　opened；　and　a　man　entered。　　Derues　beheld　him　with　indifference；　and　seeing　that　the　stranger　was　observing　him　attentively；　he　bowed　to　him　as　one　might　bow　to　an　unknown　person　whose　curiosity　seems　rather　unusual。

It　was　impossible　to　detect　the　slightest　trace　of　emotion；　a　hand　placed　on　his　heart　would　not　have　felt　an　increased　pulsation；　yet　this　stranger's　recognition　would　be　fatal！

Mutel　approached　the　new…comer　and　whispered

〃Do　you　recognise　him？〃

No；　I　do　not。〃

Have　the　kindness　to　leave　the　room　for　a　moment；　we　will　ask　you　to　return　immediately。〃

This　individual　was　the　lawyer　in　whose　office　at　Lyons　the　deed　had　been　drawn　up　which　Derues　had　signed；　disguised　as　a　woman；　and　under　the　name　of　Marie…Francoise　Perier；　wife　of　the　Sieur　de　Lamotte。

A　woman's　garments　were　brought　in；　and　Derues　was　ordered　to　put　them　on；　which　he　did　readily；　affecting　much　amusement。　　As　he　was　assisted　to　disguise　himself；　he　laughed；　stroked　his　chin　and　assumed　mincing　airs；　carrying　effrontery　so　far　as　to　ask　for　a　mirror。

〃I　should　like　to　see　if　it　is　becoming；〃　he　said；　〃perhaps　I　might　make　some　conquests。〃

The　lawyer　returned：　Derues　was　made　to　pass　before　him；　to　sit　at　a　table；　sign　a　paper；　in　fact　to　repeat　everything　it　was　imagined　he　might　have　aid　or　done　in　the　lawyer's　office。　　This　second　attempt　at　identification　succeeded　no　better　than　the　first。　　The　lawyer　hesitated；　then；　understanding　all　the　importance　of　his　deposition；　he　refused　to　swear　to　anything；　and　finally　declared　that　this　was　not　the　person　who　had　come　to　him　at　Lyons。

I　am　sorry；　sir；〃　said　Derues；　as　they　removed　him；　〃that　you　should　have　been　troubled　by　having　to　witness　this　absurd　comedy。　　Do　not　blame　me　for　it；　but　ask　Heaven　to　enlighten　those　who　do　not　fear　to　accuse　me。　　As　for　me；　knowing　that　my　innocence　will　shortly　be　made　clear；　I　pardon　them　henceforth。〃

Although　justice　at　this　period　was　generally　expeditious；　and　the　lives　of　accused　persons　were　by　no　means　safe…guarded　as　they　now　are；　it　was　impossible　to　condemn　Derues　in　the　absence　of　any　positive　proofs　of　guilt。　　He　knew　this；　and　waited　patiently　in　his　prison　for　the　moment　when　he　should　triumph　over　the　capital　accusation　which　weighed　against　him。　　The　storm　no　longer　thundered　over　his　head；　the　most　terrible　trials　were　passed；　the　examinations　became　less　frequent；　and　there　were　no　more　surprises　to　dread。　　The　lamentations　of　Monsieur　de　Lamotte　went　to　the　hearts　of　the　magistrates；　but　his　certainty　could　not　establish　theirs；　and　they　pitied；　but　could　not　avenge　him。　　In　certain　minds　a　sort　of　reaction　favourable　to　the　prisoner　began　to　set　in。　　Among　the　dupes　of　Derues'　seeming　piety；　many　who　at　first　held　their　peace　under　these　crushing　accusations　returned　to　their　former　opinion。　　The　bigots　and　devotees；　all　who　made　a　profession　of　kneeling　in　the　churches；　of　publicly　crossing　themselves　and　dipping　their　fingers　in　the　holy　water；　and　who　lived　on　cant　and　repetitions　of　〃Amen〃　and　〃Alleluia；〃　talked　of　persecution；　of　martyrdom；　until　Derues　nearly　became　a　saint　destined　by　the　Almighty　to　find　canonisation　in　a　dungeon。　　Hence　arose　quarrels　and　arguments；　and　this　abortive　trial；　this　unproved　accusation；　kept　the　public　imagination　in　a　constant　ferment。

To　the　greater　part　of　those　who　talk　of　the　〃Supreme　Being；〃　and　who　expect　His　intervention　in　human　affairs；　〃Providence〃　is　only　a　word；　solemn　and　sonorous；　a　sort　of　theatrical　machine　which　sets　all　right　in　the　end；　and　which　they　glorify　with　a　few　banalities　proceeding　from　the　lips；　but　not　from　the　heart。　　It　is　true　that　this　unknown　and　mysterious　Cause　which　we　call　〃God〃　or　〃Chance〃　often　appears　so　exceedingly　blind　and　deaf　that　one　may　be　permitted　to　wonder　whether　certain　crimes　are　really　set　apart　for　punishment；　when　so　many　others　apparently　go　scot…free。　　How　many　murders　remain　buried　in　the　night　of　the　tomb！　how　many　outrageous　and　avowed　crimes　have　slept　peacefully　in　an　insolent　and　audacious　prosperity！　We　know　the　names　of　many　criminals；　but　who　can　tell　the　number　of　unknown　and　forgotten　victims？　　The　history　of　humanity　is　twofold；　and　like　that　of　the　invisible　world；　which　contains　marvels　unexplored　by　the　science　of　the　visible　one；　the　history　recounted　in　books　is　by　no　means　the　most　curious　and　strange。　　But　without　delaying　over　questions　such　as　these；　without　protesting　here　against　sophistries　which　cloud　the　conscience　and　hide　the　presence　of　an　avenging　Deity；　we　leave　the　facts　to　the　general　judgment；　and　have　now　to　relate　the　last　episode　in　this　long　and　terrible　drama。

Of　all　the　populous　quarters　of　Paris　which　commented　on　the　〃affaire　Derues；〃　none　showed　more　excitement　than　that　of　the　Greve；　and　amongst　all　the　surrounding　streets　none　could　boast　more　numerous　crowds　than　the　rue　de　la　Mortellerie。　　Not　that　a　secret　instinct　magnetised　the　crowd　in　the　very　place　where　the　proof　lay　buried；　but　that　each　day　its　attention　was　aroused　by　a　painful　spectacle。　A　pale　and　grief…stricken　man；　whose　eyes　seemed　quenched　in　tears；　passed　often　down　the　street；　hardly　able　to　drag　himself　along；　it　was　Monsieur　de　Lamotte；　who　lodged；　as　we　have　said；　in　the　rue　de　la　Mortellerie；　and　who　seemed　like　a　spectre　wandering　round　a　tomb。　The　crowd　made　way　and　uncovered　before　him；　everybody　respected　such　terrible　misfortune；　and　when　he　had　passed；　the　groups　formed　up　again；　and　continued　discussing　the　mystery　until　nightfall。

On　April　17th；　about　four　in　the　afternoon；　a　score　of　workmen　and　gossiping　women　had　collected　in　front　of　a　shop。　　A　stout　woman；　standing　on　the　lowest　step；　like　an　orator　in　the　tribune；　held　forth　and　related　for　the　twentieth　time　what　she　knew；　or　rather；　did　not　know。　　There　were　listening　ears　and　gaping　mouths；　even　a　slight　shudder　ran　through　the　group；　for　the　widow　Masson；　discovering　a　gift　of　eloquence　at　the　age　of　sixty；　contrived　to　mingle　great　warmth　and　much　indignation　in　her　recital。　　All　at　once　silence　fell　on　the　crowd；　and　a　passage　was　made　for　Monsieur　de　Lamotte。　　One　man　ventured　to　ask

〃Is　there　anything　fresh　to…day？〃

A　sad　shake　of　the　head　was　the　only　answer；　and　the　unhappy　man　continued　his　way。

〃Is　that　Monsieur　de　Lamotte？〃　inquired　a　particularly　dirty　woman；　whose　cap；　stuck　on　the　side　of　her；　head；　allowed　locks　of　grey　hair　to　straggle　from　under　it。　　〃Ah！　　is　that　Monsieur　de　Lamotte？〃

〃Dear　me！〃　said　a　neighbour；　〃don't　you　know　him　by　this　time？　　He　passes　every　day。〃

〃Excuse　me！　　I　don't　belong　to　this　quarter；　andno　offencebut　it　is　not　so　beautiful　as　to　bring　one　out　of　curiosity！　　Nothing　personalbut　it　is　rather　dirty。〃

Madame　is　probably　accustomed　to　use　a　carriage。〃

〃That　would　suit　you　better　than　me；　my　dear；　and　would　save　your　having　to　buy　shoes　to　keep　your　feet　off　the　ground！〃

The　crowd　seemed　inclined　to　hustle　the　speaker；

〃Wait　a　moment！〃　she　continued；　〃I　didn't　mean　to　offend　anyone。　　I　am　a　poor　woman；　but　there's　no　disgrace　in　that；　and　I　can　afford　a　glass　of　liqueur。　　Eh；　good　gossip；　you　understand；　don't　you？　　A　drop　of　the　best　for　Mother　Maniffret；　and　if　my　fine　friend　there　will　drink　with　me　to　settle　our　difference；　I　will　stand　her　a　glass。〃

The　example　set　by　the　old　hawker　was　contagious；　and　instead　of　filling　two　little　glasses　only；　widow　Masson　dispensed　a　bottleful。

〃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　th