derues-第13章

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ndow　which　overlooked　the　deserted　rue　des　Menetriers；　where　clouds　of　snow　were　drifting　before　the　wind。　　Who　can　guess　the　sad　thoughts　which　may　have　possessed　her？all　around　dark；　cold；　and　silent；　tending　to　produce　painful　depression　and　involuntary　dread。　To　escape　the　gloomy　ideas　which　besieged　her；　her　mind　went　back　to　the　smiling　times　of　her　youth　and　marriage。　　She　recalled　the　time　when；　alone　at　Buisson　during　her　husband's　enforced　absences；　she　wandered　with　her　child　in　the　cool　and　shaded　walks　of　the　park；　and　sat　out　in　the　evening；　inhaling　the　scent　of　the　flowers；　and　listening　to　the　murmur　of　the　water；　or　the　sound　of　the　whispering　breeze　in　the　leaves。　　Then；　coming　back　from　these　sweet　recollections　to　reality；　she　shed　tears；　and　called　on　her　husband　and　son。　　So　deep　was　her　reverie　that　she　did　not　hear　the　room　door　open；　did　not　perceive　that　darkness　had　come　on。　　The　light　of　a　candle；　dispersing　the　shadows；　made　her　start；　she　turned　her　head；　and　saw　Derues　coming　towards　her。　　He　smiled；　and　she　made　an　effort　to　keep　back　the　tears　which　were　shining　in　her　eyes；　and　to　appear　calm。

〃I　am　afraid　I　disturb　you；〃　he　said。　　〃I　came　to　ask　a　favour；　madame。〃

〃What　is　it；　Monsieur　Derues？〃　she　inquired。

〃Will　you　allow　me　to　have　a　large　chest　brought　into　this　room？　　I　ought　to　pack　some　valuable　things　in　it　which　are　in　my　charge；　and　are　now　in　this　cupboard。　　I　am　afraid　it　will　be　in　your　way。〃

〃Is　it　not　your　own　house；　and　is　it　not　rather　I　who　am　in　the　way　and　a　cause　of　trouble？　　Pray　have　it　brought　in；　and　try　to　forget　that　I　am　here。　　You　are　most　kind　to　me；　but　I　wish　I　could　spare　you　all　this　trouble　and　that　I　were　fit　to　go　back　to　Buisson。　　I　had　a　letter　from　my　husband　yesterday〃

〃We　will　talk　about　that　presently；　if　you　wish　it；〃　said　Derues。　〃I　will　go　and　fetch　the　servant　to　help　me　to　carry　in　this　chest。　I　have　put　it　off　hitherto；　but　it　really　must　be　sent　in　three　days。〃

He　went　away；　and　returned　in　a　few　minutes。　　The　chest　was　carried　in；　and　placed　before　the　cupboard　at　the　foot　of　the　bed。　　Alas！　the　poor　lady　little　thought　it　was　her　own　coffin　which　stood　before　her！

The　maid　withdrew；　and　Derues　assisted　Madame　de　Lamotte　to　a　seat　near　the　fire；　which　he　revived　with　more　fuel。　　He　sat　down　opposite　to　her；　and　by　the　feeble　light　of　the　candle　placed　on　a　small　table　between　them　could　contemplate　at　leisure　the　ravages　wrought　by　poison　on　her　wasted　features。

〃I　saw　your　son　to…day；〃　he　said：　〃　he　complains　that　you　neglect　him；　and　have　not　seen　him　for　twelve　days。　　He　does　not　know　you　have　been　ill；　nor　did　I　tell　him。　　The　dear　boy！　he　loves　you　so　tenderly。〃

〃And　I　also　long　to　see　him。　　My　friend；　I　cannot　tell　you　what　terrible　presentiments　beset　me；　it　seems　as　if　I　were　threatened　with　some　great　misfortune；　and　just　now；　when　you　came　in；　I　could　think　only　of　death。　　What　is　the　cause　of　this　languor　and　weakness？　It　is　surely　no　temporary　ailment。　　Tell　me　the　truth：　am　I　not　dreadfully　altered？　and　do　you　not　think　my　husband　will　be　shocked　when　he　sees　me　like　this？〃

〃You　are　unnecessarily　anxious；〃　replied　Derues；　〃it　is　rather　a　failing　of　yours。　　Did　I　not　see　you　last　year　tormenting　yourself　about　Edouard's　health；　when　he　was　not　even　thinking　of　being　ill？　I　am　not　so　soon　alarmed。　　My　own　old　profession；　and　that　of　chemistry；　which　I　studied　in　my　youth；　have　given　me　some　acquaintance　with　medicine。　　I　have　frequently　been　consulted；　and　have　prescribed　for　patients　whose　condition　was　supposed　to　be　desperate；　and　I　can　assure　you　I　have　never　seen　a　better　and　stronger　constitution　than　yours。　　Try　to　calm　yourself；　and　do　not　call　up　chimeras；　because　a　mind　at　ease　is　the　greatest　enemy　of　illness。　　This　depression　will　pass；　and　then　you　will　regain　your　strength。〃

〃May　God　grant　it！　for　I　feel　weaker　every　day。〃

〃We　have　still　some　business　to　transact　together。　　The　notary　at　Beauvais　writes　that　the　difficulties　which　prevented　his　paying　over　the　inheritance　of　my　wife's　relation；　Monsieur　Duplessis；　have　mostly　disappeared。　　I　have　a　hundred　thousand　livres　at　my　disposal；that　is　to　say；　at　yours；and　in　a　month　at　latest　I　shall　be　able　to　pay　off　my　debt。　　You　ask　me　to　be　sincere；〃　he　continued；　with　a　tinge　of　reproachful　irony；　〃be　sincere　in　your　turn；　madame；　and　acknowledge　that　you　and　your　husband　have　both　felt　uneasy；　and　that　the　delays　I　have　been　obliged　to　ask　for　have　not　seemed　very　encouraging　to　you？〃

〃It　is　true；〃　she　replied；　〃　but　we　never　questioned　your　good　faith。〃

〃And　you　were　right。　　One　is　not　always　able　to　carry　out　one's　intentions；　events　can　always　upset　our　calculations；　but　what　really　is　in　our　power　is　the　desire　to　do　rightto　be　honest；　and　I　can　say　that　I　never　intentionally　wronged　anyone。　　And　now。　　I　am　happy　in　being　able　to　fulfil　my　promises　to　you。　　I　trust　when　I　am　the　owner　of　Buisson…Souef　you　will　not　feel　obliged　to　leave　it。〃

〃Thank　you；　I　should　like　to　come　occasionally；　for　all　my　happy　recollections　are　connected　with　it。　　Is　it　necessary　for　me　to　accompany　you　to　Beauvais？〃

〃Why　should　you　not？　　The　change　would　do　you　good。〃

She　looked　up　at　him　and　smiled　sadly。　　〃I　am　not　in　a　fit　state　to　undertake　it。〃

〃Not　if　you　imagine　that　you　are　unable；　certainly。　　Come；　have　you　any　confidence　in　me？〃

〃The　most　complete　confidence；　as　you　know。〃

〃Very　well；　then：　trust　to　my　care。　　This　very　evening　I　will　prepare　a　draught　for　you　to　take　to…morrow　morning；　and　I　will　even　now　fix　the　duration　of　this　terrible　malady　which　frightens　you　so　much。　　In　two　days　I　shall　fetch　Edouard　from　his　school　to　celebrate　the　beginning　of　your　convalescence；　and　we　will　start；　at　latest；　on　February　1st。　　You　are　astonished　at　what　I　say；　but　you　shall　see　if　I　am　not　a　good　doctor；　and　much　cleverer　than　many　who　pass　for　such　merely　because　the　have　obtained　a　diploma。〃

〃Then；　doctor；　I　will　place　myself　in　your　hands。〃

〃Remember　what　I　say。　　You　will　leave　this　on　February　1st。〃

〃To　begin　this　cure；　can　you　ensure　my　sleeping　to…night？〃

〃Certainly。　　I　will　go　now；　and　send　my　wife　to　you。　　She　will　bring　a　draught；　which　you　must　promise　to　take。〃

〃I　will　exactly　follow　your　prescriptions。　　Goodnight；　my　friend。〃

〃Good…night；　madame；　and　take　courage〃；　and　bowing　low；　he　left　the　room。

The　rest　of　the　evening　was　spent　in　preparing　the　fatal　medicine。　The　next　morning；　an　hour　or　two　after　Madame　de　Lamotte　had　swallowed　it；　the　maid　who　had　given　it　to　her　came　and　told　Derues　the　invalid　was　sleeping　very　heavily　and　snoring；　and　asked　if　she　ought　to　be　awoke。　　He　went　into　the　room；　and；　opening　the　curtains；　approached　the　bed。　　He　listened　for　some　time；　and　recognised　that　the　supposed　snoring　was　really　he　death…rattle。　　He　sent　the　servant　off　into　the　country　with　a　letter　to　one　of　his　friends；　telling　her　not　to　return　until　the　Monday　following；　February　3rd。　　He　also　sent　away　his　wife；　on　some　unknown　pretext；　and　remained　alone　with　his　victim。

So　terrible　a　situation　ought　to　have　troubled　the　mind　of　the　most　hardened　criminal。　　A　man　familiar　with　murder　and　accustomed　to　shed　blood　might　have　felt　his　heart　sink；　and；　in　the　absence　of　pity；　might　have　experienced　disgust　at　the　sight　of　this　prolonged　and　useless　torture；　but　Derues；　calm　and　easy；　as　if　unconscious　of　evil；　sat　coolly　beside　the　bed；　as　any　doctor　might　have　done。　　From　time　to　time　he　felt　the　slackening　pulse；　and　looked　at　the　glassy　and　sightless　eyes　which　turned　in　their　orbits；　and　he　saw　without　terror　the　approach　of　night；　which　rendered　this　awful　'tete…a…tete'　even　more　horrible。　　The　most　profound　silence　reigned　in　the　house；　the　street　was　deserted；　and　the　only　sound　heard　was　caused　by　an　icy　rain　mixed　with　snow　driven　against　the　glass；　and　occasionally　the　howl　of　the　wind；　which　penetrated　the　chimney　and　scattered　the　ashes。　　A　single　candle　placed　behind　the　curtains　lighted　this　dismal　scene；　and　the　irregular　flicker　of　its　flame　cast　weird　reflections　and　dancing　shadows　an　the　walls　of　the　alcove。　　There　came　a　lull　in　the　wind；　the　rain　ceased；　and　during　this　instan