derues- 第15部分

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　worries　you；　and　makes　you　seem　so　anxious？〃

〃This　and　other　things。〃

〃What；　then？〃

〃I　am　really　ashamed　to　own　it；　but　I　am　a　credulous　and　timid　as　any　old　woman。　　Now　do　not　laugh　at　me　too　much。　　Do　you　believe　in　dreams？〃

〃Monsieur；〃　said　the　cure；　smiling；　〃you　should　never　ask　a　coward　whether　he　is　afraid；　you　only　risk　his　telling　a　lie。　　He　will　say　'No；'　but　he　means　'Yes。'〃

〃And　are　you　a　coward；　my　father？〃

〃A　little。　　I　don't　precisely　believe　all　the　nursery；　tales；　or　in　the　favourable　or　unfavourable　meaning　of　some　object　seen　during　our　sleep；　but〃

A　sound　of　steps　interrupted　them；　a　servant　entered；　announcing　Monsieur　Derues。

On　hearing　the　name；　Monsieur　de　Lamotte　felt　troubled　in　spite　of　himself；　but；　overcoming　the　impression；　he　rose　to　meet　the　visitor。

〃You　had　better　stay；〃　he　said　to　the　cure；　who　was　also　rising　to　take　leave。　　〃Stay；　we　have　probably　nothing　to　say　which　cannot　be　said　before　you。〃

Derues　entered　the　room；　and；　after　the　usual　compliments；　sat　down　by　the　fire；　opposite　Monsieur　de　Lamotte。


〃You　did　not　expect　me；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　ought　to　apologise　for　surprising　you　thus。〃

Give　me　some　news　of　my　wife；〃　asked　Monsieur　de　Lamotte　anxiously。

〃She　has　never　been　better。　　Your　son　is　also　to　perfect　health。〃

〃But　why　are　you　alone？　　Why　does　not　Marie　accompany　you？　　It　is　ten　weeks　since　she　went　to　Paris。〃

〃She　has　not　yet　quite　finished　the　business　with　which　you　entrusted　her。　　Perhaps　I　am　partly　the　cause　of　this　long　absence；　but　one　cannot　transact　business　as　quickly　as　one　would　wish。　　But；　you　have　no　doubt　heard　from　her；　that　all　is　finished；　or　nearly　so；　between　us。　　We　have　drawn　up　a　second　private　contract；　which　annuls　the　former　agreement；　and　I　have　paid　over　a　sum　of　one　hundred　thousand　livres。〃

〃I　do　not　comprehend；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Lamotte。　　〃What　can　induce　my　wife　not　to　inform　me　of　this？〃

〃You　did　not　know？〃

〃I　know　nothing。　　I　was　wondering　just　now　with　Monsieur　le　cure　why　I　did　not　hear　from　her。〃

〃Madame　de　Lamotte　was　going　to　write　to　you；　and　I　do　not　know　what　can　have　hindered　her。〃

〃When　did　you　leave　her？〃

〃Several　days　ago。　　I　have　not　been　at　Paris；　I　am　returning　from　Chartres。　　I　believed　you　were　informed　of　everything。〃

Monsieur　de　Lamotte　remained　silent　for　some　moments。　　Then；　fixing　his　eyes　upon　Derues'　immovable　countenance；　he　said；　with　some　emotion

〃You　are　a　husband　and　father；　sir；　in　the　name　of　this　double　and　sacred　affection　which　is；　not　unknown　to　you；　do　not　hide　anything　from　me：　I　fear　some　misfortune　has　happened　to　my　wife　which　you　are　concealing。〃

Derues'　physiognomy　expressed　nothing　but　a　perfectly　natural　astonishment。

〃What　can　have　suggested　such　ideas　to　you；　dear　sir？〃　　In　saying　this　he　glanced　at　the　cure；　wishing　to　ascertain　if　this　distrust　was　Monsieur　de　Lamotte's　own　idea；　or　had　been　suggested　to　him。　The　movement　was　so　rapid　that　neither　of　the　others　observed　it。　Like　all　knaves；　obliged　by　their　actions　to　be　continually　on　the　watch；　Derues　possessed　to　a　remarkable　extent　the　art　of　seeing　all　round　him　without　appearing　to　observe　anything　in　particular。　　He　decided　that　as　yet　he　had　only　to　combat　a　suspicion　unfounded　on　proof；　and　he　waited　till　he　should　be　attacked　more　seriously。

〃I　do　not　know；〃　he　said；　〃what　may　have　happened　during　my　absence；　pray　explain　yourself；　for　you　are　making　me　share　your　disquietude。〃

〃Yes；　I　am　exceedingly　anxious；　I　entreat　you；　tell　me　the　whole　truth。　　Explain　this　silence；　and　this　absence　prolonged　beyond　all　expectation。　　You　finished　your　business　with　Madame　de　Lamotte　several　days　ago：　once　again；　why　did　she　not　write？　　There　is　no　letter；　either　from　her　or　my　son！　　To…morrow　I　shall　send　someone　to　Paris。〃

〃Good　heavens！〃　answered　Derues；　〃is　there　nothing　but　an　accident　which　could　cause　this　delay？　　。　　。　　。　　Well；　then；〃　he　continued；　with　the　embarrassed　look　of　a　man　compelled　to　betray　a　confidence；…　…〃well；　then；　I　see　that　in　order　to　reassure　you；　I　shall　have　to　give　up　a　secret　entrusted　to　me。〃

He　then　told　Monsieur　de　Lamotte　that　his　wife　was　no　longer　at　Paris；　but　at　Versailles；　where　she　was　endeavouring　to　obtain　an　important　and　lucrative　appointment；　and　that；　if　she　had　left　him　in　ignorance　of　her　efforts　in　this　direction；　it　was　only　to　give　him　an　agreeable　surprise。　　He　added　that　she　had　removed　her　son　from　the　school；　and　hoped　to　place　him　either　in　the　riding　school　or　amongst　the　royal　pages。　　To　prove　his　words；　he　opened　his　paper…case；　and　produced　the　letter　written　by　Edouard　in　answer　to　the　one　quoted　above。

All　this　was　related　so　simply；　and　with　such　an　appearance　of　good　faith；　that　the　cure　was　quite　convinced。　　And　to　Monsieur　de　Lamotte　the　plans　attributed　to　his　wife　were　not　entirely　improbably。　Derues　had　learnt　indirectly　that　such　a　career　for　Edouard　had　been　actually　under　consideration。　　However；　though　Monsieur　de　Lamotte's　entire　ignorance　prevented　him　from　making　any　serious　objection；　his　fears　were　not　entirely　at　rest；　but　for　the　present　he　appeared　satisfied　with　the　explanation。

The　cure　resumed　the　conversation。　　〃What　you　tell　us　ought　to　drive　away　gloomy　ideas。　　Just　now；　when　you　were　announced；　Monsieur　de　Lamotte　was　confiding　his　troubles　to　me。　　I　was　as　concerned　as　he　was；　and　I　could　say　nothing　to　help　him；　never　did　visitor　arrive　more　apropos。　　Well；　my　friend；　what　now　remains　of　your　vain　terrors？　　What　was　it　you　were　saying　just　as　Monsieur　Derues　arrived？　　。　　。　　。　　Ah！　we　were　discussing　dreams；　you　asked　if　I　believed　in　them。〃

Monsieur；　de　Lamotte；　who　had　sunk　back　in　his　easy…chair　and　seemed　lost　in　his　reflections；　started　on　hearing　these　words。　　He　raised　his　head　and　looked　again　at　Derues。　　But　the　latter　had　had　time　to　note　the　impression　produced　by　the　cure's　remark；　and　this　renewed　examination　did　not　disturb　him。

〃Yes；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Lamotte；　〃I　h