who had been taken suddenly ill, under the name
of Beaupre. To avoid being questioned later, he informed the cooper in
a few words that he was a doctor; that he had come to Versailles in order
to place his nephew in one of the offices of the town; that in a few days
the latter's mother would arrive to join him in seeing and making
application to influential persons about the court, to whom he had
letters of introduction. As soon as he had delivered this fable with all
the appearance of truth with which he knew so well how to disguise his
falsehoods, he went back to the young de Lamotte, who was already so
exhausted that he was hardly able to drag himself as far as the cooper's
house. He fainted on arrival, and was carried into the hired room, where
Derues begged to be left alone with him, and only asked for certain
beverages which he told the people how to prepare.

Whether it was that the strength of youth fought against the poison, or
that Derues took pleasure in watching the sufferings of his victim, the
agony of the poor lad was prolonged until the fourth day. The sickness
continuing incessantly, he sent the cooper's wife for a medicine which he
prepared and administered himself. It produced terrible pain, and
Edouard's cries brought the cooper and his wife upstairs. They
represented to Derues that he ought to call in a doctor and consult with
him, but he refused decidedly, saying that a doctor hastily fetched might
prove to be an ignorant person with whom he could not agree, and that he
could not allow one so dear to him to be prescribed for and nursed by
anyone but himself.

"I know what the malady is," he continued, raising his eyes to heaven;
"it is one that has to be concealed rather than acknowledged. Poor youth!
whom I love as my own son, if God, touched by my tears and thy suffering,
permits me to save thee, thy whole life will be too short for thy
blessings and thy gratitude!" And as Madame Martin asked what this
malady might be, he answered with hypocritical blushes--

"Do not ask, madame; there are things of which you do not know even the
name."

At another time, Martin expressed his surprise that the young man's
mother had not yet appeared, who, according to Derues, was to have met
him at Versailles. He asked how she could know that they were lodging in
his house, and if he should send to meet her at any place where she was
likely to arrive.

"His mother," said Derues, looking compassionat