derues-第6章

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Shortly　after；　he　married　Marie…Louise　Nicolais；　daughter　of　a　harness…maker　at　Melun。

One's　first　impression　in　considering　this　marriage　is　one　of　profound　sorrow　and　utmost　pity　for　the　young　girl　whose　destiny　was　linked　with　that　of　this　monster。　　One　thinks　of　the　horrible　future；　of　youth　and　innocence　blighted　by　the　tainting　breath　of　the　homicide；　of　candour　united　to　hypocrisy；　of　virtue　to　wickedness；　of　legitimate　desires　linked　to　disgraceful　passions；　of　purity　mixed　with　corruption。　　The　thought　of　these　contrasts　is　revolting；　and　one　pities　such　a　dreadful　fate。　　But　we　must　not　decide　hastily。　Madame　Denies　has　not　been　convicted　of　any　active　part　in　her　husband's　later　crimes；　but　her　history；　combined　with　his；　shows　no　trace　of　suffering；　nor　of　any　revolt　against　a　terrible　complicity。　In　her　case　the　evidence　is　doubtful；　and　public　opinion　must　decide　later。

In　1773；　Derues　relinquished　retail　business；　and　left　the　Saint　Victor　neighbourhood；　having　taken　an　apartment　in　the　rue　des　Deux　Boules；　near　the　rue　Bertin…Poiree；　in　the　parish　of　St。　Germain　1'Auxerrois；　where　he　had　been　married。　　He　first　acted　on　commission　for　the　Benedictine…Camalduian　fathers　of　the　forest　of　Senart；　who　had　heard　of　him　as　a　man　wholly　given　to　piety；　then；　giving　himself　up　to　usury；　he　undertook　what　is　known　as　〃business　affairs；〃　a　profession　which；　in　such　hands；　could　not　fail　to　be　lucrative；　being　aided　by　his　exemplary　morals　and　honest　appearance。　　It　was　the　more　easy　for　him　to　impose　on　others；　as　he　could　not　be　accused　of　any　of　the　deadly　vices　which　so　often　end　in　ruingaming；　wine；　and　women。　　Until　now　he　had　displayed　only　one　passion；　that　of　avarice；　but　now　another　developed　itself；　that　of　ambition。　　He　bought　houses　and　land；　and　when　the　money　was　due；　allowed　himself　to　be　sued　for　it；　he　bought　even　lawsuits；　which　he　muddled　with　all　the　skill　of　a　rascally　attorney。　　Experienced　in　bankruptcy；　he　undertook　the　management　of　failures；　contriving　to　make　dishonesty　appear　in　the　light　of　unfortunate　virtue。　　When　this　demon　was　not　occupied　with　poison；　his　hands　were　busy　with　every　social　iniquity；　he　could　only　live　and　breathe　in　an　atmosphere　of　corruption。

His　wife；　who　had　already　presented　him　with　a　daughter；　gave　birth　to　a　son　in　February　1774。　　Derues；　in　order　to　better　support　the　airs　of　grandeur　and　the　territorial　title　which　he　had　assumed；　invited　persons　of　distinction　to　act　as　sponsors。　　The　child　was　baptized　Tuesday；　February　15th。　　We　give　the　text　of　the　baptismal　register；　as　a　curiosity：

〃Antoine…Maximilian…Joseph；　son　of　Antoine…Francois　Derues；　gentleman；　seigneur　of　Gendeville；　Herchies；　Viquemont；　and　other　places；　formerly　merchant　grocer；　and　of　Madame　Marie…Louise　Nicolais；　his　wife。　　Godfathers；　T。　H。　　and　T。　P。；　lords　of；　etc。　etc。　　Godmothers；　Madame　M。　Fr。　C。　D。　V。；　etc。　　etc。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（Signed）　　　　　　　A。　F。　DERUES；　Senior。〃


But　all　this　dignity　did　not　exclude　the　sheriff's　officers；　whom；　as　befitted　so　great　a　man；　he　treated　with　the　utmost　insolence；　overwhelming　them　with　abuse　when　they　came　to　enforce　an　execution。　Such　scandals　had　several　times　aroused　the　curiosity　of　his　neighbours；　and　did　not　redound　to　his　credit。　　His　landlord；　wearied　of　all　this　clamour；　and　most　especially　weary　of　never　getting　any　rent　without　a　fight　for　it；　gave　him　notice　to　quit。　　Derues　removed　to　the　rue　Beaubourg；　where　he　continued　to　act　as　commission　agent　under　the　name　of　Cyrano　Derues　de　Bury。

And　now　we　will　concern　ourselves　no　more　with　the　unravelling　of　this　tissue　of　imposition；　we　will　wander　no　longer　in　this　labyrinth　of　fraud；　of　low　and　vile　intrigue；　of　dark　crime　of　which　the　clue　disappears　in　the　night；　and　of　which　the　trace　is　lost　in　a　doubtful　mixture　of　blood　and　mire；　we　will　listen　no　longer　to　the　cry　of　the　widow　and　her　four　children　reduced　to　beggary；　to　the　groans　of　obscure　victims；　to　the　cries　of　terror　and　the　death…groan　which　echoed　one　night　through　the　vaults　of　a　country　house　near　Beauvais。　Behold　other　victims　whose　cries　are　yet　louder；　behold　yet　other　crimes　and　a　punishment　which　equals　them　in　terror！　　Let　these　nameless　ghosts；　these　silent　spectres；　lose　themselves　in　the　clear　daylight　which　now　appears；　and　make　room　for　other　phantoms　which　rend　their　shrouds　and　issue　from　the　tomb　demanding　vengeance。

Derues　was　now　soon　to　have　a　chance　of　obtaining　immortality。　Hitherto　his　blows　had　been　struck　by　chance；　henceforth　he　uses　all　the　resources　of　his　infernal　imagination；　he　concentrates　all　his　strength　on　one　pointconceives　and　executes　his　crowning　piece　of　wickedness。　　He　employs　for　two　years　all　his　science　as　cheat；　forger；　and　poisoner　in　extending　the　net　which　was　to　entangle　a　whole　family；　and；　taken　in　his　own　snare；　he　struggles　in　vain；　in　vain　does　he　seek　to　gnaw　through　the　meshes　which　confine　him。　　The　foot　placed　on　the　last　rung　of　this　ladder　of　crime；　stands　also　on　the　first　step　by　which　he　mounts　the　scaffold。

About　a　mile　from　Villeneuve…le…Roi…les…Sens；　there　stood　in　1775　a　handsome　house；　overlooking　the　windings　of　the　Yonne　on　one　side；　and　on　the　other　a　garden　and　park　belonging　to　the　estate　of　Buisson…Souef。　　It　was　a　large　property；　admirably　situated；　and　containing　productive　fields；　wood；　and　water；　but　not　everywhere　kept　in　good　order；　and　showing　something　of　the　embarrassed　fortune　of　its　owner。　　During　some　years　the　only　repairs　had　been　those　necessary　in　the　house　itself　and　its　immediate　vicinity。　　Here　and　there　pieces　of　dilapidated　wall　threatened　to　fall　altogether；　and　enormous　stems　of　ivy　had　invaded　and　stifled　vigorous　trees；　in　the　remoter　portions　of　the　park　briers　barred　the　road　and　made　walking　almost　impossible。　　This　disorder　was　not　destitute　of　charm；　and　at　an　epoch　when　landscape　gardening　consisted　chiefly　in　straight　alleys；　and　in　giving　to　nature　a　cold　and　monotonous　symmetry；　one's　eye　rested　with　pleasure　on　these　neglected　clumps；　on　these　waters　which　had　taken　a　different　course　to　that　which　art　had　assigned　to　them；　on　these　unexpected　and　picturesque　scenes。

A　wide　terrace；　overlooking　the　winding　river；　extended　along　the　front　of　the　house。　　Three　men　were　walking　on　it…two　priests；　and　the　owner　of　Buisson…Souef；　Monsieur　de　Saint…Faust　de　Lamotte。　　One　priest　was　the　cure　of　Villeneuve…le…Roi…lez…Sens；　the　other　was　a　Camaldulian　monk；　who　had　come　to　see　the　cure　about　a　clerical　matter；　and　who　was　spending　some　days　at　the　presbytery。　　The　conversation　did　not　appear　to　be　lively。　　Every　now　and　then　Monsieur　de　Lamotte　stood　still；　and；　shading　his　eyes　with　his　hand　from　the　brilliant　sunlight　which　flooded　the　plain；　and　was　strongly　reflected　from　the　water；　endeavoured　to　see　if　some　new　object　had　not　appeared　on　the　horizon；　then　slowly　resumed　his　walk　with　a　movement　of　uneasy　impatience。　　The　tower　clock　struck　with　a　noisy　resonance。

〃Six　o'clock　already！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃They　will　assuredly　not　arrive　to…day。〃

〃Why　despair？〃　said　the　cure。　　〃Your　servant　has　gone　to　meet　them；　we　might　see　their　boat　any　moment。〃

〃But；　my　father；〃　returned　Monsieur　de　Lamotte；　〃the　long　days　are　already　past。　　In　another　hour　the　mist　will　rise；　and　then　they　would　not　venture　on　the　river。〃

〃Well；　if　that　happens；　we　shall　have　to　be　patient；　they　will　stay　all　night　at　some　little　distance；　and　you　will　see　them　to…morrow　morning。〃

〃My　brother　is　right；〃　said　the　other　priest。　　〃Come；　monsieur；　do　not　be　anxious。〃

〃You　both　speak　with　the　indifference　of　persons　to　whom　family　troubles　are　unknown。〃

〃What！〃　said　the　cure；　〃do　you　really　think　that　because　our　sacred　profession　condemns　us　both　to　celibacy；　we　are　therefore　unable　to　comprehend　an　affection　such　as　yours；　on　which　I　myself　pronounced　the　hallowing　benediction　of　the　Churchif　you　remembernearly　fifteen　years　ago？〃

〃Is　it　perhaps　intentionally；　my　father；　that　you　recall　the　date　of　my　marriage？　　I　readily　admit　that　the　love　of　one's　neighbour　may　enlighten　you　as　to　another　love　to　which　you　have　yourself　been　a　stranger。　　I　daresay　it　seems　odd　to　you　that　a　man　of　my　age　should　be　anxious　about　so　little；　as　though　he　were　a　love…sick　youth；　but　for　some　time　past　I　have　had　presentiments　of　evil；　and　I　am　really　becoming　superstitious！〃

He　again　stood　still；　gazing　up　the　river；　and；　seeing　nothing；　resumed　his　place　between　the　two　priests；　who　had　continued　their　walk。

〃Yes；〃　he　continued；　〃I　have　presentiments　which　refuse　to　be　shaken　off。　　I　am　not　so　old　that　age　can　have　weakened　my　powers　and　reduced　me　to　childishness；　I　cannot　even　say　what　I　am　afraid　of；　but　separation　is　painful　and　causes　an　involuntary　terror。　　Strange；　is　it　not？　　Formerly；　I　used　to　leave　my　wife　for　months　together；　when　she　was　young　and　my　son　only；　an　infant；　I　loved　her　passionately；　yet　I　could　go　with　pleasure。　　Why；　I　wonder；　is　it　so　different　now？　　Why　should　a　journey　to　Paris　on　business；　and　a　few　hours'　delay；　make；　me　so　terribly　uneasy？　　Do　you　remember；　my　father；〃　he　resumed；　after　a　pause；　turning　to　the　cure；〃　do　you　remember　how　lovely　Marie　looked　on　our　wedding…day？　　Do　you　remember　her　dazzling　complexion　and　the　innocent　candour　of　her　expression？…　…the　sure　token　of　the　most　truthful　and　purest　of　minds！　　That　is　why　I　love　her　so　much　now；　we　do　not　now　sigh　for　one　another；　but　the　second　love　is　stronger　than　the　first；　for　it　is　founded　on　recollection；　and　is　tranquil　and　confident　in　friendship　。　　。　　。　　。　It　is　strange　that　they　have　not　returned；　something　must　have　happened！　　If　they　do　not　return　this　evening；　and　I　do　not　now　think　it　possible；　I　shall　go　to　Paris　myself　to…morrow。〃

〃I　think；〃　said　the　other　priest；　〃that　at　twenty　you　must　indeed　have　been　excitable；　a　veritable　tinder…box；　to　have　retained　so　much　energy！　　Come；　monsieur；　try　to　calm　yourself　and　have　patience：　you　yourself　admit　it　can　only　be　a　few　hours'　delay。〃

〃But　my　son　accompanied　his　mother；　and　he　is　our　only　one；　and　so　delicate！　　He　alone　remains　of　our　three　children；　and　you　do　not　realise　how　the　affection　of　parents　who　feel　age　approaching　is　concentrated　on　an　only　child！　　If　I　lost　Edouard　I　should　die！〃

〃I　suppose；　then；　as　you　let　him　go；　his　presence　at　Paris　was　necessary？〃

〃No；　his　mother　went　to　obtain　a　loan　which　is　needed　for　the　improvements　required　on　the　estate。〃

〃Why；　then；　did　you　let　him　go？〃

〃I　would　willingly　have　kept　him　here；　but　his　mother　wished　to　take　him。　　A　separation　is　as　trying　to　her　as　to　me；　and　we　all　but　quarrelled　over　it。　　I　gave　way。〃

〃There　was　one　way　of　satisfying　all　threeyou　might　have　gone　also。〃

〃Yes；　but　Monsieur　le　cure　will　tell　you　that　a　fortnight　ago　I　was　chained　to　my　arm…chair；　swearing　under　my　breath　like　a　pagan；　and　cursing　the　follies　of　my　youth！Forgive　me；　my　father；　I　mean　that　I　had　the　gout；　and　I　forgot　that　I　am　not　the　only　sufferer；　and　that　it　racks　the　old　age　of　the　philosopher　quite　as　much　as　that　of　the　courtier。〃

The　fresh　wind　which　often　rises　just　at　sunset　was　already　rustling　in　the　leaves；　long　shadows　darkened　the　course　of　the　Yonne　and　stretched　across　the　plain；　the　water；