derues-第6部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


sit；　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　commission　for　the　Benedictine…Camalduian　fathers　of　the　forest　of　Senart；　who　had　heard　of　him　as　a　man　wholly　given　to　piety；　then；　giving　himself　up　to　usury；　he　undertook　what　is　known　as　〃business　affairs；〃　a　profession　which；　in　such　hands；　could　not　fail　to　be　lucrative；　being　aided　by　his　exemplary　morals　and　honest　appearance。　　It　was　the　more　easy　for　him　to　impose　on　others；　as　he　could　not　be　accused　of　any　of　the　deadly　vices　which　so　often　end　in　ruingaming；　wine；　and　women。　　Until　now　he　had　displayed　only　one　passion；　that　of　avarice；　but　now　another　developed　itself；　that　of　ambition。　　He　bought　houses　and　land；　and　when　the　money　was　due；　allowed　himself　to　be　sued　for　it；　he　bought　even　lawsuits；　which　he　muddled　with　all　the　skill　of　a　rascally　attorney。　　Experienced　in　bankruptcy；　he　undertook　the　management　of　failures；　contriving　to　make　dishonesty　appear　in　the　light　of　unfortunate　virtue。　　When　this　demon　was　not　occupied　with　poison；　his　hands　were　busy　with　every　social　iniquity；　he　could　only　live　and　breathe　in　an　atmosphere　of　corruption。

His　wife；　who　had　already　presented　him　with　a　daughter；　gave　birth　to　a　son　in　February　1774。　　Derues；　in　order　to　better　support　the　airs　of　grandeur　and　the　territorial　title　which　he　had　assumed；　invited　persons　of　distinction　to　act　as　sponsors。　　The　child　was　baptized　Tuesday；　February　15th。　　We　give　the　text　of　the　baptismal　register；　as　a　curiosity：

〃Antoine…Maximilian…Joseph；　son　of　Antoine…Francois　Derues；　gentleman；　seigneur　of　Gendeville；　Herchies；　Viquemont；　and　other　places；　formerly　merchant　grocer；　and　of　Madame　Marie…Louise　Nicolais；　his　wife。　　Godfathers；　T。　H。　　and　T。　P。；　lords　of；　etc。　etc。　　Godmothers；　Madame　M。　Fr。　C。　D。　V。；　etc。　　etc。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（Signed）　　　　　　　A。　F。　DERUES；　Senior。〃


But　all　this　dignity　did　not　exclude　the　sheriff's　officers；　whom；　as　befitted　so　great　a　man；　he　treated　with　the　utmost　insolence；　overwhelming　them　with　abuse　when　they　came　to　enforce　an　execution。　Such　scandals　had　several　times　aroused　the　curiosity　of　his　neighbours；　and　did　not　redound　to　his　credit。　　His　landlord；　wearied　of　all　this　clamour；　and　most　especially　weary　of　never　getting　any　rent　without　a　fight　for　it；　gave　him　notice　to　quit。　　Derues　removed　to　the　rue　Beaubourg；　where　he　continued　to　act　as　commission　agent　under　the　name　of　Cyrano　Derues　de　Bury。

And　now　we　will　concern　ourselves　no　more　with　the　unravelling　of　this　tissue　of　imposition；　we　will　wander　no　longer　in　this　labyrinth　of　fraud；　of　low　and　vile　intrigue；　of　dark　crime　of　which　the　clue　disappears　in　the　night；　and　of　which　the　trace　is　lost　in　a　doubtful　mixture　of　blood　and　mire；　we　will　listen　no　longer　to　the　cry　of　the　widow　and　her　four　children　reduced　to　beggary；　to　the　groans　of　obscure　victims；　to　the　cries　of　terror　and　the　death…groan　which　echoed　one　night　through　the　vaults　of　a　country　house　near　Beauvais。　Behold　other　victims　whose　cries　are　yet　louder；　behold　yet　other　crimes　and　a　punishment　which　equals　them　in　terror！　　Let　these　nameless　ghosts；　these　silent　spectres；　lose　themselves　in　the　clear　daylight　which　now　appears；　and　make　room　for　other　phantoms　which　rend　their　shrouds　and　issue　from　the　tomb　demanding　vengeance。

Derues　was　now　soon　to　have　a　chance　of　obtaining　immortality。　Hitherto　his　blows　had　been　struck　by　chance；　henceforth　he　uses　all　the　resources　of　his　infernal　imagination；　he　concentrates　all　his　strength　on　one　pointconceives　and　executes　his　crowning　piece　of　wickedness。　　He　employs　for　two　years　all　his　science　as　cheat；　forger；　and　poisoner　in　extending　the　net　which　was　to　entangle　a　whole　family；　and；　taken　in　his　own　snare；　he　struggles　in　vain；　in　vain　does　he　seek　to　gnaw　through　the　meshes　which　confine　him。　　The　foot　placed　on　the　last　rung　of　this　ladder　of　crime；　stands　also　on　the　first　step　by　which　he　mounts　the　scaffold。

About　a　mile　from　Villeneuve…le…Roi…les…Sens；　there　stood　in　1775　a　handsome　house；　overlooking　the　windings　of　the　Yonne　on　one　side；　and　on　the　other　a　garden　and