ursula-第15部分

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she　has　looked　in　the　almanac　for　his　fete…day　and　marked　a　red　dot

against　it；child's　play；　that。　Ah！　she　will　love　well；　with　as　much

strength　as　purity；　she　is　not　a　girl　to　love　twice；　love　will　so　dye

her　soul　and　fill　it　that　she　will　reject　all　other　sentiments。〃



〃Where　do　you　see　that？〃



〃In　her。　She　will　know　how　to　suffer；　she　inherits　that；　her　father

and　her　mother　suffered　much。〃



The　last　words　overcame　the　doctor；　who　felt　less　shaken　than

surprised。　It　is　proper　to　state　that　between　her　sentences　the　woman

paused　for　several　minutes；　during　which　time　her　attention　became

more　and　more　concentrated。　She　was　seen　to　see；　her　forehead　had　a

singular　aspect；　an　inward　effort　appeared　there；　it　seemed　to　clear

or　cloud　by　some　mysterious　power；　the　effects　of　which　Minoret　had

seen　in　dying　persons　at　moments　when　they　appeared　to　have　the　gift

of　prophecy。　Several　times　she　made　gestures　which　resembled　those　of

Ursula。



〃Question　her；〃　said　the　mysterious　stranger；　to　Minoret；　〃she　will

tell　you　secrets　you　alone　can　know。〃



〃Does　Ursula　love　me？〃　asked　Minoret。



〃Almost　as　much　as　she　loves　God；〃　was　the　answer。　〃But　she　is　very

unhappy　at　your　unbelief。　You　do　not　believe　in　God；　as　if　you　could

prevent　his　existence！　His　word　fills　the　universe。　You　are　the　cause

of　her　only　sorrow。Hear！　she　is　playing　scales；　she　longs　to　be　a

better　musician　than　she　is；　she　is　provoked　with　herself。　She　is

thinking；　'If　I　could　sing；　if　my　voice　were　fine；　it　would　reach　his

ear　when　he　is　with　his　mother。'〃



Doctor　Minoret　took　out　his　pocket…book　and　noted　the　hour。



〃Tell　me　what　seeds　she　planted？〃



〃Mignonette；　sweet…peas；　balsams〃



〃And　what　else？〃



〃Larkspur。〃



〃Where　is　my　money？〃



〃With　your　notary；　but　you　invest　it　so　as　not　to　lose　the　interest　of

a　single　day。〃



〃Yes；　but　where　is　the　money　that　I　keep　for　my　monthly　expenses？〃



〃You　put　it　in　a　large　book　bound　in　red；　entitled　'Pandects　of

Justinian；　Vol。　II。'　between　the　last　two　leaves；　the　book　is　on　the

shelf　of　folios　above　the　glass　buffet。　You　have　a　whole　row　of　them。

Your　money　is　in　the　last　volume　next　to　the　salon　See！　Vol。　III。　is

before　Vol。　II。but　you　have　no　money；　it　is　all　in〃



〃thousand…franc　notes；〃　said　the　doctor。



〃I　cannot　see；　they　are　folded。　No；　there　are　two　notes　of　five

hundred　francs。〃



〃You　see　them？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃How　do　they　look？〃



〃One　is　old　and　yellow；　the　other　white　and　new。〃



This　last　phase　of　the　inquiry　petrified　the　doctor。　He　looked　at

Bouvard　with　a　bewildered　air；　but　Bouvard　and　the　Swedenborgian；　who

were　accustomed　to　the　amazement　of　sceptics；　were　speaking　together

in　a　low　voice　and　appeared　not　to　notice　him。　Minoret　begged　them　to

allow　him　to　return　after　dinner。　The　old　philosopher　wished　to

compose　his　mind　and　shake　off　this　terror；　so　as　to　put　this　vast

power　to　some　new　test；　to　subject　it　to　more　decisive　experiments　and

obtain　answers　to　certain　questions；　the　truth　of　which　should　do　away

with　every　sort　of　doubt。



〃Be　here　at　nine　o'clock　this　evening；〃　said　the　stranger。　〃I　will

return　to　meet　you。〃



Doctor　Minoret　was　in　so　convulsed　a　state　that　he　left　the　room

without　bowing；　followed　by　Bouvard；　who　called　to　him　from　behind。

〃Well；　what　do　you　say？　what　do　you　say？〃



〃I　think　I　am　mad；　Bouvard；〃　answered　Minoret　from　the　steps　of　the

porte…cochere。　〃If　that　woman　tells　the　truth　about　Ursula；and　none

but　Ursula　can　know　the　things　that　sorceress　has　told　me；I　shall

say　that　YOU　ARE　RIGHT。　I　wish　I　had　wings　to　fly　to　Nemours　this

minute　and　verify　her　words。　But　I　shall　hire　a　carriage　and　start　at

ten　o'clock　to…night。　Ah！　am　I　losing　my　senses？〃



〃What　would　you　say　if　you　knew　of　a　life…long　incurable　disease

healed　in　a　moment；　if　you　saw　that　great　magnetizer　bring　sweat　in

torrents　from　an　herpetic　patient；　or　make　a　paralyzed　woman　walk？〃



〃Come　and　dine；　Bouvard；　stay　with　me　till　nine　o'clock。　I　must　find

some　decisive；　undeniable　test！〃



〃So　be　it；　old　comrade；〃　answered　the　other。



The　reconciled　enemies　dined　in　the　Palais…Royal。　After　a　lively

conversation；　which　helped　Minoret　to　evade　the　fever　of　the　ideas

which　were　ravaging　his　brain；　Bouvard　said　to　him：



〃If　you　admit　in　that　woman　the　faculty　of　annihilating　or　of

traversing　space；　if　you　obtain　a　certainty　that　here；　in　Paris；　she

sees　and　hears　what　is　said　and　done　in　Nemours；　you　must　admit　all

other　magnetic　facts；　they　are　not　more　incredible　than　these。　Ask　her

for　some　one　proof　which　you　know　will　satisfy　youfor　you　might

suppose　that　we　obtained　information　to　deceive　you；　but　we　cannot

know；　for　instance；　what　will　happen　at　nine　o'clock　in　your

goddaughter's　bedroom。　Remember；　or　write　down；　what　the　sleeper　will

see　and　hear；　and　then　go　home。　Your　little　Ursula；　whom　I　do　not

know；　is　not　our　accomplice；　and　if　she　tells　you　that　she　has　said

and　done　what　you　have　written　downlower　thy　head；　proud　Hun！〃



The　two　friends　returned　to　the　house　opposite　to　the　Assumption　and

found　the　somnambulist；　who　in　her　waking　state　did　not　recognize

Doctor　Minoret。　The　eyes　of　this　woman　closed　gently　before　the　hand

of　the　Swedenborgian；　which　was　stretched　towards　her　at　a　little

distance；　and　she　took　the　attitude　in　which　Minoret　had　first　seen

her。　When　her　hand　and　that　of　the　doctor　were　again　joined；　he　asked

her　to　tell　him　what　was　happening　in　his　house　at　Nemours　at　that

instant。　〃What　is　Ursula　doing？〃　he　said。



〃She　is　undressed；　she　has　just　curled　her　hair；　she　is　kneeling　on

her　prie…Dieu；　before　an　ivory　crucifix　fastened　to　a　red　velvet

background。〃



〃What　is　she　saying？〃



〃Her　evening　prayers；　she　is　commending　herself　to　God；　she　implores

him　to　save　her　soul　from　evil　thoughts；　she　examines　her　conscience

and　recalls　what　she　has　done　during　the　day；　that　she　may　know　if　she

has　failed　to　obey　his　commands　and　those　of　the　churchpoor　dear

little　soul；　she　lays　bare　her　breast！〃　Tears　were　in　the　sleeper's

eyes。　〃She　has　done　no　sin；　but　she　blames　herself　for　thinking　too

much　of　Savinien。　She　stops　to　wonder　what　he　is　doing　in　Paris；　she

prays　to　God　to　make　him　happy。　She　speaks　of　you；　she　is　praying

aloud。〃



〃Tell　me　her　words。〃　Minoret　took　his　pencil　and　wrote；　as　the　sleeper

uttered　it；　the　following　prayer；　evidently　composed　by　the　Abbe

Chaperon。



　　〃My　God；　if　thou　art　content　with　thine　handmaid；　who　worships

　　thee　and　prays　to　thee　with　a　love　that　is　equal　to　her　devotion；

　　who　strives　not　to　wander　from　thy　sacred　paths；　who　would　gladly

　　die　as　thy　Son　died　to　glorify　thy　name；　who　desires　to　live　in

　　the　shadow　of　thy　willO　God；　who　knoweth　the　heart；　open　the

　　eyes　of　my　godfather；　lead　him　in　the　way　of　salvation；　grant　him

　　thy　Divine　grace；　that　he　may　live　for　thee　in　his　last　days；　save

　　him　from　evil；　and　let　me　suffer　in　his　stead。　Kind　Saint　Ursula；

　　dear　protectress；　and　you；　Mother　of　God；　queen　of　heaven；

　　archangels；　and　saints　in　Paradise；　hear　me！　join　your

　　intercessions　to　mine　and　have　mercy　upon　us。〃



The　sleeper　imitated　so　perfectly　the　artless　gestures　and　the

inspired　manner　of　his　child　that　Doctor　Minoret's　eyes　were　filled

with　tears。



〃Does　she　say　more？〃　he　asked。



〃Yes。〃



〃Repeat　it。〃



〃'My　dear　godfather；　I　wonder　who　plays　backgammon　with　him　in　Paris。'

She　has　blown　out　the　lighther　head　is　on　the　pillowshe　turns　to

sleep！　Ah！　she　is　off！　How　pretty　she　looks　in　her　little　night…cap。〃



Minoret　bowed　to　the　great　Unknown；　wrung　Bouvard　by　the　hand；　ran

downstairs　and　hastened　to　a　cab…stand　which　at　that　time　was　near　the

gates　of　a　house　since　pulled　down　to　make　room　for　the　Rue　d'Alger。

There　he　found　a　coachman　who　was　willing　to　start　immediately　for

Fontainebleau。　The　moment　the　price　was　agreed　on；　the　old　man；　who

seemed　to　have　renewed　his　youth；　jumped　into　the　carriage　and

started。　According　to　agreement；　he　stopped　to　rest　the　horse　at

Essonne；　but　arrived　at　Fontainebleau　in　time　for　the　diligence　to

Nemours；　on　which　he　secured　a　seat；　and　dismissed　his　coachman。　He

reached　home　at　five　in　the　morning；　and　went　to　bed；　with　his　life…

long　ideas　of　physiology；　nature；　and　metaphysics　in　ruins　about　him；

and　slept　till　nine　o'clock；　so　wearied　was　he　with　the　events　of　his

journey。







CHAPTER　VII



A　TWO…FOLD　CONVERSION



On　rising；　the　doctor；　sure　that　no　one　had　crossed　the　threshold　of

his　house　since　he　re…entered　it；　proceeded　（but　not　without　extreme

trepidation）　to　verify　his　facts。　He　was　himself　ignorant　of　any

difference　in　the　bank…notes　and　also　of　the　misplacement　of　the

Pandect　volumes。　The　somnambulist　was　right。　The　doctor　rang　for　La

Bougival。



〃Tell　Ursula　to　come　and　speak　to　me；〃　he　said；　seating　himself　in　the

center　of　his　library。



The　girl　came；　she　ran　up　to　him　and　kissed　him。　The　doctor　took　her

on　his　knee；　where　she　sat　contentedly；　mingling　her　soft　fair　curls

with　the　white　hair　of　her　old　friend。



〃Do　you　want　something；　godfather？〃



〃Yes；　but　promise　me；　on　your　salvation；　to　answer　frankly；　without

evasion；　the　questions　that　I　shall　put　to　you。〃



Ursula　colored　to　the　temples。



〃Oh！　I'll　ask　nothing　that　you　cannot　speak　of；〃　he　said；　noticing　how

the　bashfulness　of　young　love　clouded　the　hitherto　childlike　purity　of

the　girl's　blue　eyes。



〃Ask　me；　godfather。〃



〃What　thought　was　in　your　mind　when　you　ended　your　prayers　last

evening；　and　what　time　was　it　when　you　said　them。〃



〃It　was　a　quarter…past　or　half…past　nine。〃



〃Well；　repeat　your　last　prayer。〃



The　girl　fancied　that　her　voice　might　convey　her　faith　to　the　sceptic；

she　slid　from　his　knee　and　knelt　down；　clasping　her　hands　fervently；　a

brilliant　light　illumined　her　face　as　she