derues-第7章

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　the　Yonne　and　stretched　across　the　plain；　the　water；　slightly　troubled；　reflected　a　confused　outline　of　its　banks　and　the　clouded　blue　of　the　sky。　　The　three　gentlemen　stopped　at　the　end　of　the　terrace　and　gazed　into　the　already　fading　distance。　　A　black　spot；　which　they　had　just　observed　in　the　middle　of　the　river；　caught　a　gleam　of　light　in　passing　a　low　meadow　between　two　hills；　and　for　a　moment　took　shape　as　a　barge；　then　was　lost　again；　and　could　not　be　distinguished　from　the　water。　Another　moment；　and　it　reappeared　more　distinctly；　it　was　indeed　a　barge；　and　now　the　horse　could　be　seen　towing　it　against　the　current。　Again　it　was　lost　at　a　bend　of　the　river　shaded　by　willows；　and　they　had　to　resign　themselves　to　incertitude　for　several　minutes。　　Then　a　white　handkerchief　was　waved　on　the　prow　of　the　boat；　and　Monsieur　de　Lamotte　uttered　a　joyful　exclamation。

〃It　is　indeed　they！〃　he　cried。　　〃Do　you　see　them；　Monsieur　le　cure？　I　see　my　boy；　he　is　waving　the　handkerchief；　and　his　mother　is　with　him。　　But　I　think　there　is　a　third　personyes；　there　is　a　man；　is　there　not？　　Look　well。〃

〃Indeed；〃　said　the　cure；　〃if　my　bad　sight　does　not　deceive　me；　I　should　say　there　was　someone　seated　near　the　rudder；　but　it　looks　like　a　child。〃

〃Probably　someone　from　the　neighbourhood；　who　has　profited　by　the　chance　of　a　lift　home。〃

The　boat　was　advancing　rapidly；　they　could　now　hear　the　cracking　of　the　whip　with　which　the　servant　urged　on　the　tow…horse。　　And　now　it　stopped；　at　an　easy　landing…place；　barely　fifty　paces　from　the　terrace。　　Madame　de　Lamotte　landed　with　her　son　and　the　stranger；　and　her　husband　descended　from　the　terrace　to　meet　her。　　Long　before　he　arrived　at　the　garden　gate；　his　son's　arms　were　around　his　neck。

〃Are　you　quite　well；　Edouard　？〃

〃Oh　yes；　perfectly。〃

〃And　your　mother？〃

〃Quite　well　too。　　She　is　behind；　in　as　great　a　hurry　to　meet　you　as　I　am。　　But　she　can't　run　as　I　do；　and　you　must　go　half…way。〃

〃Whom　have　you　brought　with　you？〃

〃A　gentleman　from　Paris。〃

〃From　Paris？〃

〃Yes；　a　Monsieur　Derues。　　But　mamma　will　tell　you　all　about　that。　Here　she　is。〃

The　cure　and　the　monk　arrived　just　as　Monsieur　de　Lamotte　folded　his　wife　in　his　arms。　　Although　she　had　passed　her　fortieth　year；　she　was　still　beautiful　enough　to　justify　her　husband's　eulogism。　　A　moderate　plumpness　had　preserved　the　freshness　and　softness　of　her　skin；　her　smile　was　charming；　and　her　large　blue　eyes　expressed　both　gentleness　and　goodness。　　Seen　beside　this　smiling　and　serene　countenance；　the　appearance　of　the　stranger　was　downright　repulsive；　and　Monsieur　de　Lamotte　could　hardly　repress　a　start　of　disagreeable　surprise　at　the　pitiful　and　sordid　aspect　of　this　diminutive　person；　who　stood　apart；　looking　overwhelmed　by　conscious　inferiority。　　He　was　still　more　astonished　when　he　saw　his　son　take　him　by　the　hand　with　friendly　kindness；　and　heard　him　say

〃Will　you　come　with　me；　my　friend？　　We　will　follow　my　father　and　mother。〃

Madame　de　Lamotte；　having　greeted　the　cure；　looked　at　the　monk；　who　was　a　stranger　to　her。　　A　word　or　two　explained　matters；　and　she　took　her　husband's　arm；　declining　to　answer　any　questions　until　she　reached　the　louse；　and　laughing　at　his　curiosity。

Pierre…Etienne　de　Saint…Faust　de　Lamotte；　one　of　the　king's　equerries；　seigneur　of　Grange…Flandre；　Valperfond；　etc。；　had　married　Marie…Francoise　Perier　in　1760。　　Their　fortune　resembled　many　others　of　that　period：　it　was　more　nominal　than　actual；　more　showy　than　solid。　　Not　that　the　husband　and　wife　had　any　cause　for　self…reproach；　or　that　their　estates　had　suffered　from　dissipation；　unstained　by　the　corrupt　manners　of　the　period；　their　union　had　been　a　model　of　sincere　affection；　of　domestic　virtue　and　mutual　confidence。　　Marie…Francoise　was　quite　beautiful　enough　to　have　made　a　sensation　in　society；　but　she　renounced　it　of　her　own　accord；　in　order　to　devote　herself　to　the　duties　of　a　wife　and　mother。　　The　only　serious　grief　she　and　her　husband　had　experienced　was　the　loss　of　two　young　children。　　Edouard；　though　delicate　from　his　birth；　had　nevertheless　passed　the　trying　years　of　infancy　and　early　adolescence；　he　was　them　nearly　fourteen。　　With　a　sweet　and　rather　effeminate　expression；　blue　eyes　and　a　pleasant　smile；　he　was　a　striking　likeness　of　his　mother。　　His　father's　affection　exaggerated　the　dangers　which　threatened　the　boy；　and　in　his　eyes　the　slightest　indisposition　became　a　serious　malady；　his　mother　shared　these　fears；　and　in　consequence　of　this　anxiety　Edouard's　education　had　been　much　neglected。　　He　had　been　brought　up　at　Buisson…Souef；　and　allowed　to　run　wild　from　morning　till　night；　like　a　young　fawn；　exercising　the　vigour　and　activity　of　its　limbs。　　He　had　still　the　simplicity　and　general　ignorance　of　a　child　of　nine　or　ten。

The　necessity　of　appearing　at　court　and　suitably　defraying　the　expenses　of　his　office　had　made　great　inroads　on　Monsieur　de　Lamotte's　fortune。　　He　had　of　late　lived　at　Buisson…Souef　in　the　most　complete　retirement；　but　notwithstanding　this　too　long　deferred　attention　to　his　affairs；　his　property　was　ruining　him；　for　the　place　required　a　large　expenditure；　and　absorbed　a　large　amount　of　his　income　without　making　any　tangible　return。　　He　had　always　hesitated　to　dispose　of　the　estate　on　account　of　its　associations；　it　was　there　he　had　met；　courted；　and　married　his　beloved　wife；　there　that　the　happy　days　of　their　youth　had　been　spent；　there　that　they　both　wished　to　grow　old　together。

Such　was　the　family　to　which　accident　had　now　introduced　Derues。　　The　unfavourable　impression　made　on　Monsieur　de　Lamotte　had　not　passed　unperceived　by　him；　but；　being　quite　accustomed　to　the　instinctive　repugnance　which　his　first　appearance　generally　inspired；　Derues　had　made　a　successful　study　of　how　to　combat　and　efface　this　antagonistic　feeling；　and　replace　it　by　confidence；　using　different　means　according　to　the　persons　he　had　to　deal　with。　　He　understood　at　once　that　vulgar　methods　would　be　useless　with　Monsieur　de　Lamotte；　whose　appearance　and　manners　indicated　both　the　man　of　the　world　and　the　man　of　intelligence；　and　also　he　had　to　consider　the　two　priests；　who　were　both　observing　him　attentively。　　Fearing　a　false　step；　he　assumed　the　most　simple　and　insignificant　deportment　he　could；　knowing　that　sooner　or　later　a　third　person　would　rehabilitate　him　in　the　opinion　of　those　present。　　Nor　did　he　wait　long。

Arrived　at　the　drawing…room；　Monsieur　de　Lamotte　requested　the　company　to　be　seated。　　Derues　acknowledged　the　courtesy　by　a　bow；　and　there　was　a　moment　of　silence；　while　Edouard　and　his　mother　looked　at　each　other　and　smiled。　　The　silence　was　broken　by　Madame　de　Lamotte。

〃Dear　Pierre；〃　she　said；　〃　you　are　surprised　to　see　us　accompanied　by　a　stranger；　but　when　you　hear　what　he　has　done　for　us　you　will　thank　me　for　having　induced　him　to　return　here　with　us。〃

〃Allow　me；〃　interrupted　Derues；　〃allow　me　to　tell　you　what　happened。　The　gratitude　which　madame　imagines　she　owes　me　causes　her　to　exaggerate　a　small　service　which　anybody　would　have　been　delighted　to　render。〃

〃No；　monsieur；　let　me　tell　it。〃

〃Let　mamma　tell　the　story；〃　said　Edouard。

〃What　is　it；　then？　　What　happened？〃　said　Monsieur　de　Lamotte。

〃I　am　quite　ashamed；〃　answered　Derues　；　〃　but　I　obey　your　wishes；　madame。〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　Madame　de　Lamotte；　〃keep　your　seat；　I　wish　it。　Imagine；　Pierre；　just　six　days　ago；　an　accident　happened　to　Edouard　and　me　which　might　have　had　serious　consequences。〃

〃And　you　never　wrote　to　me；　Marie？〃

〃I　should　only　have　made　you　anxious；　and　to　no　purpose。　　I　had　some　business　in　one　of　the　most　crowded　parts　of　Paris；　I　took　a　chair；　and　Edouard　walked　beside　me。　　In　the　rue　Beaubourg　we　were　suddenly　surrounded　by　a　mob　of　low　people；　who　were　quarrelling。　　Carriages　stopped　the　way；　and　the　horses　of　one　of　these　took　fright　in　the　confusion　and　uproar；　and　bolted；　in　spite　of　the　coachman's　endeavours　to　keep　them　in　hand。　　It　was　a　horrible　tumult；　and　I　tried　to　get　out　of　the　chair；　but　at　that　moment　the　chairmen　were　both　knocked　down；　and　I　fell。　　It　is　a　miracle　I　was　not　crushed。　　I　was　dragged　insensible　from　under　the　horses'　feet　and　carried　into　the　house　before　which　all　this　took　place。　　There；　sheltered　in　a　shop　and　safe　from　the　crowd　which　encumbered　the　doorway；　I　recovered　my　senses；　thanks　to　the　assistance　of　Monsieur　Derues；　who　lives　there。　　But　that　is　not　all：　when　I　recovered　I　could　not　walk；　I　had　been　so　shaken　by　the　fright；　the　fall；　and　the　danger　I　had　incurred；　and　I　had　to　accept　his　offer　of　finding　me　another　chair　when　the　crowd　should　disperse；　and　meanwhile　to　take　shelter　in　his　rooms　with　his　wife；　who　showed　me　the　kindest　attention。〃

〃Monsieur〃　said　Monsieur　de　Lamotte；　rising。　　But　his　wife　stopped　him。

〃Wait　a　moment；　I　have　not　finished　yet。　　Monsieur　Derues　came　back　in　an　hour；　and　I　was　then　feeling　better；　but　before；　I　left　I　was　stupid　enough　to　say　that　I　had　been　robbed　in　the　confusion；　my　diamond　earrings；　which　had　belonged　to　my　mother；　were　gone。　　You　cannot　imagine　the　trouble　Monsieur　Derues　took　to　discover　the　thief；　and　all　the　appeals　he　made　to　the　policeI　was　really　ashamed！〃

Although　Monsieur　de　Lamotte　did　not　yet　understand　what　motive；　other　than　gratitude；　had　induced　his　wife　to　bring　this　stranger　home　with　her；　he　again　rose　from　his　seat；　and　going　to　Derues；　held　out　his　hand。

〃I　understand　now　the　attachment　my　son　shows　for　you。　　You　are　wrong　in　trying　to　lessen　your　good　deed　in　order　to　escape　from　our　gratitude；　Monsieur　Derues。〃

〃Monsieur　Derues？〃　inquired　the　monk。

〃Do　you　know　the　name；　my　father？〃　asked　Madame　de　Lamotte　eagerly。

〃Edouard　had　already　told　me；〃　said　the　monk；　approaching　Derues。

〃You　live　in　the；　rue　Beaubourg；　and　you　are　Monsieur　Derues；　formerly　a　retail　grocer？〃

〃The　same；　my　brother。〃

〃Should　you　require　a　reference；　I　can　give　it。　　Chance；　madame；　has　made　you　acquainted　with　a　man　whose；　reputation　for　piety　and　honour　is　well　established；　he　will　permit　me　to　add　my　praises　to　yours。〃

〃Indeed；　I　do　not　know　how　I　deserve　so　much　honour。〃

〃I　am；　Brother　Marchois；　of　the　Camaldulian　order。　　You　see　that　I　know　you　well。〃

The　monk　then　proceeded　to　explain　that　his　community　had　confided　their　affairs　to　Derues'　honesty；　he　undertaking　to　dispose　of　the　articles　manufactured　by　the　monks　in　their　retreat。　　He　then　recounted　a　number　of　good　actions　and　of　marks　of　piety；　which　were　heard　with　pleasure　and　admiration　by　those　present。　　Derues　received　this　cloud　of　incense　with　an　appearance　of　sincere　modesty　and　humility；　which　would　have　deceived　the　most　skilful　physiognomist。

When　the　eulogistic　warmth　of　the　good　brother　began　to　slacken　it　was　already　nearly　dark；　and　the　two　priests　had　barely　time　to　regain　the　presbytery　without　incurring　the　risk　of　breaking　their　necks　in　the　rough　road　which　led　to　it。　　They　departed　at　once；　and　a　room　was　got　ready　for　Derues。

〃To…morrow；〃　said　Madame　de　Lamotte　as　they　separated；　〃　you　can　discuss　with　my　husband　the　business　on　which　you　came：　to…morrow；　or　another　day；　for　I　beg　that　you　will　make　yourself　at　home　here；　and　the　longer　you　will　stay　the　better　it　will　please　us。〃

The　night　was　a　sleepless　one　for