that in 1771
he had been publicly accused of incendiarism. He reported on these
various circumstances, and then went himself to Derues' abode, where
he obtained no results. Madame Derues declared that she knew nothing
whatever, and the police, having vainly searched the whole house, had
to retire. Derues himself was absent; when he returned he found another
order to appear before the magistrate.

His first success had encouraged him. He appeared before the magistrate
accompanied by a lawyer and full of confidence, complaining loudly that
the police, in searching during his absence, had offended against the
rights of a domiciled burgess, and ought to have awaited his return.
Affecting a just indignation at Monsieur de Lamotte's conduct towards
him, he presented a demand that the latter should be declared a
calumniator, and should pay damages for the injury caused to his
reputation. But this time his effrontery and audacity were of little
avail, the magistrate easily detected him in flagrant lies. He declared
at first that he had paid the hundred thousand livres with his own
money but when reminded of his various bankruptcies, the claims of
his creditors, and the judgments obtained against him as an insolvent
debtor, he made a complete volte-face, and declared he had borrowed
the money from an advocate named Duclos, to whom he had given a bond in
presence of a notary. In spite of all his protestations, the magistrate
committed him to solitary confinement at Fort l'Eveque.

As yet, nothing was publicly known; but vague reports and gossip,
carried from shop to shop, circulated among the people, and began to
reach the higher classes of society. The infallible instinct which
is aroused among the masses is truly marvellous; a great crime is
committed, which seems at first likely to defeat justice, and the public
conscience is aroused. Long before the tortuous folds which envelop the
mystery can be penetrated, while it is still sunk in profound obscurity,
the voice of the nation, like an excited hive, buzzes around the secret;
though the magistrates doubt, the public curiosity fixes itself, and
never leaves go; if the criminal's hiding-place is changed, it follows
the track, points it out, descries it in the gloom. This is what
happened on the news of Derues' arrest. The affair was everywhere
discussed, although the information was incomplete, reports inexact, and
no real publicity to be obtained. The romance which Derues had