derues-第7章

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money。〃

The　widow　opened　her　purse　and　took　out　her　copy；　Derues　snatched　it；　and　tore　it　up。　　〃Now；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃you　are　paid；　I　owe　you　nothing　now。　　If　you　like；　I　will　declare　it　on　oath　in　court；　and　no　one　will　disbelieve　my　word。〃

〃Wretched　man；〃　said　the　unfortunate　widow；　〃may　God　forgive　your　soul；　but　your　body　will　assuredly　end　on　the　gallows！〃

It　was　in　vain　that　she　complained；　and　told　of　this　abominable　swindle；　Derues　had　been　beforehand　with　her；　and　the　slander　he　had　disseminated　bore　its　fruits。　　It　was　said　that　his　old　mistress　was　endeavouring　by　an　odious　falsehood　to　destroy　the　reputation　of　a　man　who　had　refused　to　be　her　lover。　　Although　reduced　to　poverty；　she　left　the　house　where　she　had　a　right　to　remain　rent　free；　preferring　the　hardest　and　dreariest　life　to　the　torture　of　remaining　under　the　same　roof　with　the　man　who　had　caused　her　ruin。

We　might　relate　a　hundred　other　pieces　of　knavery；　but　it　must　not　be　supposed　that　having　begun　by　murder；　Derues　would　draw　back　and　remain　contented　with　theft。　　Two　fraudulent　bankruptcies　would　have　sufficed　for　most　people；　for　him　they　were　merely　a　harmless　pastime。　　Here　we　must　place　two　dark　and　obscure　stories；　two　crimes　of　which　he　is　accused；　two　victims　whose　death　groans　no　one　heard。

The　hypocrite's　excellent　reputation　had　crossed　the　Parisian　bounds。　A　young　man　from　the　country；　intending　to　start　as　a　grocer　in　the　capital；　applied　to　Derues　for　the　necessary　information　and　begged　for　advice。　　He　arrived　at　the　latter's　house　with　a　sum　of　eight　thousand　livres；　which　he　placed　in　Derues'　hands；　asking　him　for　assistance　in　finding　a　business。　　The　sight　of　gold　was　enough　to　rouse　the　instinct　of　crime　in　Derues；　and　the　witches　who　hailed　Macbeth　with　the　promise　of　royalty　did　not　rouse　the　latter's　ambitious　desires　to　a　greater　height　than　the　chance　of　wealth　did　the　greed　of　the　assassin；　whose　hands；　once　closed　over　the　eight　thousand　livres；　were　never　again　relaxed。　　He　received　them　as　a　deposit；　and　hid　them　along　with　his　previous　plunder；　vowing　never　to　return　them。　　Several　days　had　elapsed；　when　one　afternoon　Derues　returned　home　with　an　air　of　such　unusual　cheerfulness　that　the　young　man　questioned　him。　　〃Have　you　heard　some　good　news　for　me？〃　he　asked；　〃or　have　you　had　some　luck　yourself？〃

〃My　young　friend；〃　answered　Derues；　〃as　for　me；　success　depends　on　my　own　efforts；　and　fortune　smiles　on　me。　　But　I　have　promised　to　be　useful　to　you；　your　parents　have　trusted　me；　and　I　must　prove　that　their　confidence　is　well　founded。　　I　have　heard　to…day　of　a　business　for　disposal　in　one　of　the　best　parts　of　Paris。　　You　can　have　it　for　twelve　thousand　livres；　and　I　wish　I　could　lend　you　the　amount　you　want。　　But　you　must　write　to　your　father；　persuade　him；　reason　with　him；　do　not　lose　so　good　a　chance。　　He　must　make　a　little　sacrifice；　and　he　will　be　grateful　to　me　later。〃

In　accordance　with　their　son's　request；　the　young　man's　parents　despatched　a　sum　of　four　thousand　livres；　requesting　Derues　to　lose　no　time　in　concluding　the　purchase。

Three　weeks　later；　the　father；　very　uneasy；　arrived　in　Paris。　　He　came　to　inquire　about　his　son；　having　heard　nothing　from　him。　　Derues　received　him　with　the　utmost　astonishment；　appearing　convinced　that　the　young　man　had　returned　home。　　One　day；　he　said；　the　youth　informed　him　that　he　had　heard　from　his　father；　who　had　given　up　all　idea　of　establishing　him　in　Paris；　having　arranged　an　advantageous　marriage　for　him　near　home；　and　he　had　taken　his　twelve　thousand　livres；　for　which　Derues　produced　a　receipt；　and　started　on　his　return　journey。

One　evening；　when　nearly　dark；　Derues　had　gone　out　with　his　guest；　who　complained　of　headache　and　internal　pains。　　Where　did　they　go？　No　one　knew；　but　Denies　only　returned　at　daybreak；　alone；　weary　and　exhausted；　and　the　young　man　was　never　again　heard　of。

One　of　his　apprentices　was　the　constant　object　of　reproof。　　The　boy　was　accused　of　negligence；　wasting　his　time；　of　spending　three　hours　over　a　task　which　might　have　been　done　in　less　than　one。　　When　Derues　had　convinced　the　father；　a　Parisian　bourgeois；　that　his　son　was　a　bad　boy　and　a　good…for…nothing；　he　came　to　this　man　one　day　in　a　state　of　wild　excitement。

〃Your　son；〃　he　said；　〃ran　away　yesterday　with　six　hundred　livres；　with　which　I　had　to　meet　a　bill　to…day。　　He　knew　where　I　kept　this　money；　and　has　taken　it。〃

He　threatened　to　go　before　a　magistrate　and　denounce　the　thief；　and　was　only　appeased　by　being　paid　the　sum　he　claimed　to　have　lost。　　But　he　had　gone　out　with　the　lad　the　evening　before；　and　returned　alone　in　the　early　hours　of　the　morning。

However；　the　veil　which　concealed　the　truth　was　becoming　more　and　more　transparent　every　day。　　Three　bankruptcies　had　diminished　the　consideration　he　enjoyed；　and　people　began　to　listen　to　complaints　and　accusations　which　till　now　had　been　considered　mere　inventions　designed　to　injure　him。　　Another　attempt　at　trickery　made　him　feel　it　desirable　to　leave　the　neighbourhood。

He　had　rented　a　house　close　to　his　own；　the　shop　of　which　had　been　tenanted　for　seven　or　eight　years　by　a　wine　merchant。　　He　required　from　this　man；　if　he　wished　to　remain　where　he　was；　a　sum　of　six　hundred　livres　as　a　payment　for　goodwill。　　Although　the　wine　merchant　considered　it　an　exorbitant　charge；　yet　on　reflection　he　decided　to　pay　it　rather　than　go；　having　established　a　good　business　on　these　premises；　as　was　well　known。　　Before　long　a　still　mare　arrant　piece　of　dishonesty　gave　him　an　opportunity　for　revenge。　　A　young　man　of　good　family；　who　was　boarding　with　him　in　order　to　gain　some　business　experience；　having　gone　into　Derues'　shop　to　make　some　purchases；　amused　himself　while　waiting　by　idly　writing　his　name　on　a　piece　of　blank　paper　lying　on　the　counter；　which　he　left　there　without　thinking　more　about　it。　　Derues；　knowing　the　young　man　had　means；　as　soon　as　he　had　gone；　converted　the　signed　paper　into　a　promissory　note　for　two　thousand　livres；　to　his　order；　payable　at　the　majority　of　the　signer。　　The　bill；　negotiated　in　trade；　arrived　when　due　at　the　wine　merchant's；　who；　much　surprised；　called　his　young　boarder　and　showed　him　the　paper　adorned　with　his　signature。　　The　youth　was　utterly　confounded；　having　no　knowledge　of　the　bill　whatever；　but　nevertheless　could　not　deny　his　signature。　　On　examining　the　paper　carefully；　the　handwriting　was　recognised　as　Derues'。　　The　wine　merchant　sent　for　him；　and　when　he　arrived；　made　him　enter　a　room；　and　having　locked　the　door；　produced　the　promissory　note。　　Derues　acknowledged　having　written　it；　and　tried　various　falsehoods　to　excuse　himself。　　No　one　listened　to　him；　and　the　merchant　threatened　to　place　the　matter　in　the　hands　of　the　police。　　Then　Derues　wept；　implored；　fell　on　his　knees；　acknowledged　his　guilt；　and　begged　for　mercy。　　He　agreed　to　restore　the　six　hundred　livres　exacted　from　the　wine　merchant；　on　condition　that　he　should　see　the　note　destroyed　and　that　the　matter　should　end　there。　　He　was　then　about　to　be　married；　and　dreaded　a　scandal。

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　commissio