derues-第18章

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d；　telling　him　to　fill　up　the　certificate　in　the　name　of　Beaupre；　born　at　Commercy；　in　Lorraine。　　He　declined　himself　either　to　go　to　the　church　or　to　appear　at　the　funeral；　saying　that　his　grief　was　too　great。　　Martin；　returning　from　the　funeral；　found　him　engaged　in　prayer。　　Derues　gave　him　the　dead　youth's　clothes　and　departed；　leaving　some　money　to　be　given　to　the　poor　of　the　parish；　and　for　masses　to　be　said　for　the　repose　of　the　soul　of　the　dead。

He　arrived　at　home　in　the　evening；　found　his　wife　entertaining　some　friends；　and　told　them　he　had　just　come　from　Chartres；　where　he　had　been　summoned　on　business。　　Everyone　noticed　his　unusual　air　of　satisfaction；　and　he　sang　several　songs　during　supper。

Having　accomplished　these　two　crimes；　Derues　did　not　remain　idle。　When　the　murderer's　part　of　his　nature　was　at　rest；　the　thief　reappeared。　　His　extreme　avarice　now　made　him　regret　the　expense'　caused　by　the　deaths　of　Madame　de　Lamotte　and　her　son；　and　he　wished　to　recoup　himself。　　Two　days　after　his　return　from　Versailles；　he　ventured　to　present　himself　at　Edouard's　school。　　He　told　the　master　that　he　had　received　a　letter　from　Madame　de　Lamotte；　saying　that　she　wished　to　keep　her　son；　and　asking　him　to　obtain　Edouard's　belongings。　　The　schoolmaster's　wife；　who　was　present；　replied　that　that　could　not　be；　that　Monsieur　de　Lamotte　would　have　known　of　his　wife's　intention；　that　she　would　not　have　taken　such　a　step　without　consulting　him；　and　that　only　the　evening　before；　they　had　received　a　present　of　game　from　Buisson…Souef；　with　a　letter　in　which　Monsieur　de　Lamotte　entreated　them　to　take　great；　care　of　his　son。

〃If　what　you　say　is　true；〃　she　continued；　〃Madame　de　Lamotte　is　no　doubt　acting　on　your　advice　in　taking　away　her　son。　　But　I　will　write　to　Buisson。〃

〃You　had　better　not　do　anything　in　the　matter；〃　said　Derues；　turning　to　the　schoolmaster。　　〃　It　is　quite　possible　that　Monsieur　de　Lamotte　does　not　know。　　I　am　aware　that　his　wife　does　not　always　consult　him。　She　is　at　Versailles；　where　I　took　Edouard　to　her；　and　I　will　inform　her　of　your　objection。〃

To　insure　impunity　for　these　murders；　Derues　had　resolved　on　the　death　of　Monsieur　de　Lamotte；　but　before　executing　this　last　crime；　he　wished　for　some　proof　of　the　recent　pretended　agreements　between　himself　and　Madame　de　Lamotte。　　He　would　not　wait　for　the　disappearance　of　the　whole　family　before　presenting　himself　as　the　lawful　proprietor；　of　Buisson…Souef。　　Prudence　required　him　to　shelter　himself　behind　a　deed　which　should　have　been　executed　by　that　lady。　　On　February　27th　he　appeared　at　the　office　of　Madame　de　Lamotte's　lawyer　in　the　rue　du　Paon；　and；　with　all　the　persuasion　of　an　artful　tongue；　demanded　the　power　of　attorney　on　that　lady's　behalf；　saying　that　he　had；　by　private　contract；　just　paid　a　hundred　thousand　livres　on　the　total　amount　of　purchase；　which　money　was　now　deposited　with　a　notary。　The　lawyer；　much　astonished　that　an　affair　of　such　importance　should　have　been　arranged　without　any　reference　to　himself；　refused　to　give　up　the　deed　to　anyone　but　Monsieur　or　Madame　de　Lamotte；　and　inquired　why　the　latter　did　not　appear　herself。　Derues　replied　that　she　was　at　Versailles；　and　that　he　was　to　send　the　deed　to　her　there。　　He　repeated　his　request　and　the　lawyer　his　refusal；　until　Derues　retired；　saying　he　would　find　means　to　compel　him　to　give　up　the　deed。　　He　actually　did；　the　same　day；　present　a　petition　to　the　civil　authority；　in　which　Cyrano　Derues　de　Bury　sets　forth　arrangements；　made　with　Madame　de　Lamotte；　founded　on　the　deed　given　by　her　husband；　and　requires　permission　to　seize　and　withdraw　said　deed　from　the　custody　in　which　it　remains　at　present。　　The　petition　is　granted。　　The　lawyer　objects　that　he　can　only　give　up　the　deed　to　either　Monsieur　or　Madame　de　Lamotte；　unless　he　be　otherwise　ordered。　　Derues　has　the　effrontery　to　again　appeal　to　the　civil　authority；　but；　for　the　reasons　given　by　that　public　officer；　the　affair　is　adjourned。

These　two　futile　efforts　might　have　compromised　Derues　had　they　been　heard　of　at　Buisson…Souef；　but　everything　seemed　to　conspire　in　the　criminal's　favour：　neither　the　schoolmaster's　wife　nor　the　lawyer　thought　of　writing　to　Monsieur　de　Lamotte。　　The　latter；　as　yet　unsuspecting；　was　tormented　by　other　anxieties；　and　kept　at　home　by　illness。

In　these　days；　distance　is　shortened；　and　one　can　travel　from　Villeneuve…le…Roi…les…Sens　to　Paris　in　a　few　hours。　　This　was　not　the　case　in　1777；　when　private　industry　and　activity；　stifled　by　routine　and　privilege；　had　not　yet　experienced　the　need　of　providing　the　means　for　rapid　communication。　　Half　a　day　was　required　to　go　from　the　capital　to　Versailles；　a　journey　of　twenty　leagues　required　at　least　two　days　and　a　night；　and　bristled　with　obstacles　ind　delays　of　all　kinds。　　These　difficulties　of　transport；　still　greater　during　bad　weather；　and　a　long　and　serious　attack　of　gout；　explain　why　Monsieur　ale　Lamotte；　who　was　so　ready　to　take　alarm；　had　remained　separated　from　his　wife　from　the　middle　of　December　to　the　end　of　February。　　He　had　received　reassuring　letters　from　her；　written　at　first　with　freedom　and　simplicity；　but　he　thought　he　noticed　a　gradual　change　in　the　later　ones；　which　appeared　to　proceed　more　from　the　mind　than　the　heart。　　A　style　which　aimed　at　being　natural　was　interspersed　with　unnecessary　expressions　of　affection；　unusual　between　married　people　well　assured　of　their　mutual　love。　　Monsieur　de　Lamotte　observed　and　exaggerated　these　peculiarities；　and　though　endeavouring　to　persuade　himself　that　he　was　mistaken；　he　could　not　forget　them；　or　regain　his　usual　tranquility。　　Being　somewhat　ashamed　of　his　anxiety；　he　kept　his　fears　to　himself。

One　morning；　as　he　was　sunk　in　a　large　armchair　by　the　fire；　his　sitting…room　door　opened；　and　the　cure　entered；　who　was　surprised　by　his　despondent；　sad；　and　pale　appearance。　　〃What　is　the　matter？〃　he　inquired　〃　Have　you　had　an　extra　bad　night？〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　Monsieur　de　Lamotte。

〃Well；　have　you　any　news　from　Paris？〃

〃Nothing　for　a　whole　week：　it　is　odd；　is　it　not？〃

〃I　am　always　hoping　that　this　sale　may　fall　through；　it　drags　on　for　so　very　long；　and　I　believe　that　Monsieur　Derues；　in　spite　of　what　your　wife　wrote　a　month　ago；　has　not　as　much　money　as　he　pretends　to　have。　　Do　you　know　that　it　is　said　that　Monsieur　Despeignes…　Duplessis；　Madame　Derues'　relative；　whose　money　they　inherited；　was　assassinated？〃

〃Where　did　you　hear　that？〃

〃It　is　a　common　report　in　the　country；　and　was　brought　here　by　a　man　who　came　recently　from　Beauvais。〃

〃Have　the　murderers　been　discovered？〃

〃Apparently　not；　justice　seems　unable　to　discover　anything　at　all。〃

Monsieur　de　Lamotte　hung　his　head；　and　his　countenance　assumed　an　expression　of　painful　thought；　as　though　this　news　affected　him　personally。

〃Frankly；〃　resumed　the　cure；　〃I　believe　you　will　remain　Seigneur　du　Buisson…Souef；　and　that　I　shall　be　spared　the　pain　of　writing　another　name　over　your　seat　in　the　church　of　Villeneuve。〃

〃The　affair　must　be　settled　in　a　few　days；　for　I　can　wait　no　longer；　if　the　purchaser　be　not　Monsieur　Derues；　it　will　have　to　be　someone　else。　　〃What　makes　you　think　he　is　short　of　money？〃

〃Oh！　　oh！〃　said　the　cure；　〃a　man　who　has　money　either　pays　his　debts；　or　is　a　cheat。　　Now　Heaven　preserve　me　from　suspecting　Monsieur　Derues'　honesty！〃

〃What　do　you　know　about　him？〃

〃Do　you　remember　Brother　Marchois　of　the　Camaldulians；　who　came　to　see　me　last　spring；　and　who　was　here　the　day　Monsieur　Derues　arrived；　with　your　wife　and　Edouard？〃

〃Perfectly。　　Well？〃

〃Well；　I　happened　to　tell　him　in　one　of　my　letters　that　Monsieur　Derues　had　become　the　purchaser　of　Buisson…Souef；　and　that　I　believed　the　arrangements　were　concluded。　　Thereupon　Brother　Marchois　wrote　asking　me　to　remind　him　that　he　owes　them　a　sum　of　eight　hundred　livres；　and　that；　so　far；　they　have　not　seen　a　penny　of　it。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Monsieur　de　Lamotte；　〃perhaps　I　should　have　done　better　not　to　let　myself　be　deluded　by　his　fine　promises。　　He　certainly　has　money　on　his　tongue；　and　when　once　one　begins　to　listen　to　him；　one　can't　help　doing　what　he　wants。　　All　the　same；　I　had　rather　have　had　to　deal　with　someone　else。〃

〃And　is　it　this　which　worrie