derues-第5部分

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s　to　start　on　foot　on　Good　Friday。　When　he　departed；　the　shop　happened　to　be　full　of　people；　and　the　gossips　of　the　neighbourhood　inquired　where　he　was　going。　　Madame　Legrand　desired　him　to　have　a　glass　of　liqueur　（wine　he　never　touched）　and　something　to　eat　before　starting。

〃Oh；　madame！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃do　you　think　I　could　eat　on　a　day　like　this；　the　day　on　which　Christ　was　crucified！　　I　will　take　a　piece　of　bread　with　me；　but　I　shall　only　eat　it　at　the　inn　where　I　intend　to　sleep：　I　mean　to　fast　the　whole　way。〃

But　this　kind　of　thing　was　not　sufficient。　　He　wanted　an　opportunity　to　establish　a　reputation　for　honesty　on　a　firm　basis。　　Chance　provided　one；　and　he　seized　it　immediately；　although　at　the　expense　of　a　member　of　his　own　family。

One　of　his　brothers；　who　kept　a　public…house　at　Chartres；　came　to　see　him。　　Derues；　under　pretence　of　showing　him　the　sights　of　Paris；　which　he　did　not　know；　asked　his　mistress　to　allow　him　to　take　in　the　brother　for　a　few　days；　which　she　granted。　　The　last　evening　of　his　stay；　Derues　went　up　to　his　room；　broke　open　the　box　which　contained　his　clothes；　turned　over　everything　it　contained；　examined　the　clothes；　and　discovering　two　new　cotton　nightcaps；　raised　a　cry　which　brought　up　the　household。　　His　brother　just　then　returned；　and　Derues　called　him　an　infamous　thief；　declaring　that　he　had　stolen　the　money　for　these　new　articles　out　of　the　shop　the　evening　before。　　His　brother　defended　himself；　protesting　his　innocence；　and；　indignant　at　such　incomprehensible　treachery；　endeavoured　to　turn　the　tables　by　relating　some　of　Antoine's　early　misdeeds。　　The　latter；　however；　stopped　him；　by　declaring　on　his　honour　that　he　had　seen　his　brother　the　evening　before　go　to　the　till；　slip　his　hand　in；　and　take　out　some　money。　　The　brother　was　confounded　and　silenced　by　so　audacious　a　lie；　he　hesitated；　stammered；　and　was　turned　out　of　the　house。　Derues　worthily　crowned　this　piece　of　iniquity　by　obliging　his　mistress　to　accept　the　restitution　of　the　stolen　money。　　It　cost　him　three　livres；　twelve　sons；　but　the　interest　it　brought　him　was　the　power　of　stealing　unsuspected。　　That　evening　he　spent　in　prayer　for　the　pardon　of　his　brother's　supposed　guilt。

All　these　schemes　had　succeeded；　and　brought　him　nearer　to　the　desired　goal；　for　not　a　soul　in　the　quarter　ventured　to　doubt　the　word　of　this　saintly　individual。　　His　fawning　manners　and　insinuating　language　varied　according　to　the　people　addressed。　　He　adapted　himself　to　all；　contradicting　no　one；　and；　while　austere　himself；　he　flattered　the　tastes　of　others。　　In　the　various　houses　where　he　visited　his　conversation　was　serious；　grave；　and　sententious；　and；　as　we　have　seen；　he　could　quote　Scripture　with　the　readiness　of　a　theologian。　　In　the　shop；　when　he　had　to　deal　with　the　lower　classes；　he　showed　himself　acquainted　with　their　modes　of　expression；　and　spoke　the　Billingsgate　of　the　market…women；　which　he　had　acquired　in　the　rue　Comtesse　d'Artois；　treating　them　familiarly；　and　they　generally　addressed　him　as　〃gossip　Denies。〃　By　his　own　account　he　easily　judged　the　characters　of　the　various　people　with　whom　he　came　in　contact。

However；　Pere　Cartault's　prophecy　was　not　fulfilled：　the　blessing　of　Heaven　did　not　descend　on　the　Legrand　establishment。　　There　seemed　to　be　a　succession　of　misfortunes　which　all　Derues'　zeal　and　care　as　shopman　could　neither　prevent　nor　repair。　　He　by　no　means　contented　himself　with　parading　an　idle　and　fruitless　hypocrisy；　and　his　most　abominable　deceptions　were　not　those　displayed　in　the　light　of　day。　He　watched　by　night：　his　singular　organisation；　outside　the　ordinary　laws　of　nature；　appeared　able　to　dispense　with　sleep。　　Gliding　about　on　tiptoe；　opening　doors　noiselessly；　with　all　the　skill　of　an　accomplished　thief；　he　pillaged　shop　and　cellar；　and　sold　his　plunder　in　remote　parts　of　the　town　under　assumed　names。　　It　is　difficult　to　understand　how　his　strength　supported　the　fatigue　of　this　double　existence；　he　had　barely　arrived　at　puberty；　and　art　had　been　obliged　to　assist　the　retarded　development　of　nature。　　But　he　lived　only　for　evil；　and　the　Spirit　of　Evil　supplied　the　physical　vigour　which　was　wanting。　　An　insane　love　of　money　（the　only　passion　he　knew）　brought　him　by　degrees　back　to　his　starting…point　of　crime；　he　concealed　it　in　hiding…places　wrought　in　the　thick　walls；　in　holes　dug　out　by　his　nails。　　As　soon　as　he　got　any；　he　brought　it　exactly　as　a　wild　beast　brings　a　piece　of　bleeding　flesh　to　his　lair；　and　often；　by　the　glimmer　of　a　dark　lantern；　kneeling　in　adoration　before　this　shameful　idol；　his　eyes　sparkling　with　ferocious　joy；　with　a　smile　which　suggested　a　hyena's　delight　over　its　prey；　he　would　contemplate　his　money；　counting　and　kissing　it。

These　continual　thefts　brought　trouble　into　the　Legrand　affairs；　cancelled　all　profits；　and　slowly　brought　on　ruin。　　The　widow　had　no　suspicion　of　Derues'　disgraceful　dealings；　and　he　carefully　referred　the　damage　to　other　causes；　quite　worthy　of　himself。　　Sometimes　it　was　a　bottle　of　oil；　or　of　brandy；　or　some　other　commodity；　which　was　found　spilt；　broken；　or　damaged；　which　accidents　he　attributed　to　the　enormous　quantity　of　rats　which　infested　the　cellar　and　the　house。　At　length；　unable　to　meet　her　engagements；　Madame　Legrand　made　the　business　over　to　him　in　February；　1770。　　He　was　then　twenty…five　years　and　six　months　old；　and　was　accepted　as　a　merchant　grocer　in　August　the　same　year。　　By　an　agreement　drawn　up　between　them；　Derues　undertook　to　pay　twelve　hundred　livres　for　the　goodwill；　and　to　lodge　her　rent　free　during　the　remainder　of　her　lease；　which　had　still　nine　years　to　run。　　Being　thus　obliged　to　give　up　business　to　escape　bankruptcy；　Madame　Legrand　surrendered　to　her　creditors　any　goods　remaining　in　her　warehouse；　and　Derues　easily　made　arrangements　to　take　them　over　very　cheaply。　　The　first　step　thus　made；　he　was　now　able　to　enrich　himself　safely　and　to　defraud　with　impunity　under　the　cover　of　his　stolen　reputation。

One　of　his　uncles；　a　flour　merchant　at　Chartres；　came　habitually　twice　a　year　to　Paris　to　settle　accounts　with　his　correspondents。　　A　sum　of　twelve　hundred　francs；　locked　up　in　a　drawer；　was　stolen　from　him；　and；　accompanied　by　his　nephew；　he　went　to　inform　the　police。　On　investigation　being　made；　it　was　found　that　the　chest　of　drawers　had　been　broken　at　the　top。　　As　at　the　time　of　the　theft　of　the　seventy…nine　Louis　from　the　abbe；　Derues　was　the　only　person　known　to　have　entered　his　uncle's　room。　　The　innkeeper　swore　to　this；　but　the　uncle　took　pains　to　justify　his　nephew；　and　showed　his　confidence　shortly　after　by　becoming　surety　for　him　to　the　extent　of　five　thousand　livres。　　Derues　failed　to　pay　when　the　time　expired；　and　the　holder　of　the　note　was　obliged　to　sue　the　surety　for　it。

He　made　use　of　any　means；　even　the　most　impudent；　which　enabled　him　to　appropriate　other　people's　property。　　A　provincial　grocer　on　one　occasion　sent　him　a　thousand…weight　of　honey　in　barrels　to　be　sold　on　commission。　　Two　or　three　months　passed；　and　he　asked　for　an　account　of　the　sale。　　Derues　replied　that　he　had　not　yet　been　able　to　dispose　of　it　advantageously；　and　there　ensued　a　fresh　delay；　followed　by　the　same　question　and　the　same　reply。　　At　length；　when　more　than　a　year　had　passed；　the　grocer　came　to　Paris；　examined　his　barrels；　and　found　that　five　hundred　pounds　were　missing。　　He　claimed　damages　from　Derues；　who　declared　he　had　never　received　any　more；　and　as　the　honey　had　been　sent　in　confidence；　and　there　was　no　contract　and　no　receipt　to　show；　the　provincial　tradesman　could　not　obtain　compensation。

As　though　having　risen　by　the　ruin　of　Madame　Legrand　and　her　four　children　was　not　enough；　Derues　grudged　even　the　morsel　of　bread　he　had　been　obliged　to　leave　her。　　A　few　days　after　the　fire　in　the　cellar；　which　enabled　him　to　go　through　a　second　bankruptcy；　Madame　Legrand；　now　undeceived　and　not　believing　his　lamentations；　demanded　the　money　due　to　her；　according　to　their　agreement。　　Derues　pretended　to　look　for　his　copy　of　the　contract；　and　could　not　find　it。　　〃Give　me　yours；　madame；〃　said　he；　〃we　will　write　the　receipt　upon　it。　　Here　is　the　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　el