ursula-第26部分

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salon　on　the　ground　floor；　which　communicated　by　a　passage　with　the

kitchen　built　at　the　end　of　the　court；　so　that　this　salon　was　made　to

answer　the　double　purpose　of　drawing…room　and　dining…room　combined。



The　bedroom　of　the　late　Monsieur　de　Portenduere　remained　as　he　had

left　it　on　the　day　of　his　death；　there　was　no　change　except　that　he

was　absent。　Madame　de　Portenduere　had　made　the　bed　herself；　laying

upon　it　the　uniform　of　a　naval　captain；　his　sword；　cordon；　orders；　and

hat。　The　gold　snuff…box　from　which　her　late　husband　had　taken　snuff

for　the　last　time　was　on　the　table；　with　his　prayer…book；　his　watch；

and　the　cup　from　which　he　drank。　His　white　hair；　arranged　in　one

curled　lock　and　framed；　hung　above　a　crucifix　and　the　holy　water　in

the　alcove。　All　the　little　ornaments　he　had　worn；　his　journals；　his

furniture；　his　Dutch　spittoon；　his　spy…glass　hanging　by　the　mantel；

were　all　there。　The　widow　had　stopped　the　hands　of　the　clock　at　the

hour　of　his　death；　to　which　they　always　pointed。　The　room　still　smelt

of　the　powder　and　the　tobacco　of　the　deceased。　The　hearth　was　as　he

left　it。　To　her；　entering　there；　he　was　again　visible　in　the　many

articles　which　told　of　his　daily　habits。　His　tall　cane　with　its　gold

head　was　where　he　had　last　placed　it；　with　his　buckskin　gloves　close

by。　On　a　table　against　the　wall　stood　a　gold　vase；　of　coarse

workmanship　but　worth　three　thousand　francs；　a　gift　from　Havana；　which

city；　at　the　time　of　the　American　War　of　Independence；　he　had

protected　from　an　attack　by　the　British；　bringing　his　convoy　safe　into

port　after　an　engagement　with　superior　forces。　To　recompense　this

service　the　King　of　Spain　had　made　him　a　knight　of　his　order；　the　same

event　gave　him　a　right　to　the　next　promotion　to　the　rank　of　vice…

admiral；　and　he　also　received　the　red　ribbing。　He　then　married　his

wife；　who　had　a　fortune　of　about　two　hundred　thousand　francs。　But　the

Revolution　hindered　his　promotion；　and　Monsieur　de　Portenduere

emigrated。



〃Where　is　my　mother？〃　said　Savinien　to　Tiennette。



〃She　is　waiting　for　you　in　your　father's　room；〃　said　the　old　Breton

woman。



Savinien　could　not　repress　a　shudder。　He　knew　his　mother's　rigid

principles；　her　worship　of　honor；　her　loyalty；　her　faith　in　nobility；

and　he　foresaw　a　scene。　He　went　up　to　the　assault　with　his　heart

beating　and　his　face　rather　pale。　In　the　dim　light　which　filtered

through　the　blinds　he　saw　his　mother　dressed　in　black；　and　with　an　air

of　solemnity　in　keeping　with　that　funereal　room。



〃Monsieur　le　vicomte；〃　she　said　when　she　saw　him；　rising　and　taking

his　hand　to　lead　him　to　his　father's　bed；　〃there　died　your　father；a

man　of　honor；　he　died　without　reproach　from　his　own　conscience。　His

spirit　is　there。　Surely　he　groaned　in　heaven　when　he　saw　his　son

degraded　by　imprisonment　for　debt。　Under　the　old　monarchy　that　stain

could　have　been　spared　you　by　obtaining　a　lettre　de　cachet　and

shutting　you　up　for　a　few　days　in　a　military　prison。But　you　are

here；　you　stand　before　your　father；　who　hears　you。　You　know　all　that

you　did　before　you　were　sent　to　that　ignoble　prison。　Will　you　swear　to

me　before　your　father's　shade；　and　in　presence　of　God　who　sees　all；

that　you　have　done　no　dishonorable　act；　that　your　debts　are　the　result

of　youthful　folly；　and　that　your　honor　is　untarnished？　If　your

blameless　father　were　there；　sitting　in　that　armchair；　and　asking　an

explanation　of　your　conduct；　could　he　embrace　you　after　having　heard

it？〃



〃Yes；　mother；〃　replied　the　young　man；　with　grave　respect。



She　opened　her　arms　and　pressed　him　to　her　heart；　shedding　a　few

tears。



〃Let　us　forget　it　all；　my　son；〃　she　said；　〃it　is　only　a　little　less

money。　I　shall　pray　God　to　let　us　recover　it。　As　you　are　indeed　worthy

of　your　name；　kiss　mefor　I　have　suffered　much。〃



〃I　swear；　mother；〃　he　said；　laying　his　hand　upon　the　bed；　〃to　give　you

no　further　unhappiness　of　that　kind；　and　to　do　all　I　can　to　repair

these　first　faults。〃



〃Come　and　breakfast；　my　child；〃　she　said；　turning　to　leave　the　room。







CHAPTER　XII



OBSTACLES　TO　YOUNG　LOVE



In　1829　the　old　noblesse　had　recovered　as　to　manners　and　customs

something　of　the　prestige　it　had　irrevocably　lost　in　politics。

Moreover；　the　sentiment　which　governs　parents　and　grandparents　in　all

that　relates　to　matrimonial　conventions　is　an　imperishable　sentiment；

closely　allied　to　the　very　existence　of　civilized　societies　and

springing　from　the　spirit　of　family。　It　rules　in　Geneva　as　in　Vienna

and　in　Nemours；　where；　as　we　have　seen；　Zelie　Minoret　refused　her

consent　to　a　possible　marriage　of　her　son　with　the　daughter　of　a

bastard。　Still；　all　social　laws　have　their　exceptions。　Savinien

thought　he　might　bend　his　mother's　pride　before　the　inborn　nobility　of

Ursula。　The　struggle　began　at　once。　As　soon　as　they　were　seated　at

table　his　mother　told　him　of　the　horrible　letters；　as　she　called　them；

which　the　Kergarouets　and　the　Portendueres　had　written　her。



〃There　is　no　such　thing　as　family　in　these　days；　mother；〃　replied

Savinien；　〃nothing　but　individuals！　The　nobles　are　no　longer　a　compact

body。　No　one　asks　or　cares　whether　I　am　a　Portenduere；　or　brave；　or　a

statesmen；　all　they　ask　now…a…days　is；　'What　taxes　does　he　pay？'〃



〃But　the　king？〃　asked　the　old　lady。



〃The　king　is　caught　between　the　two　Chambers　like　a　man　between　his

wife　and　his　mistress。　So　I　shall　have　to　marry　some　rich　girl　without

regard　to　family；the　daughter　of　a　peasant　if　she　has　a　million　and

is　sufficiently　well　brought…upthat　is　to　say；　if　she　has　been

taught　in　school。〃



〃Oh！　there's　no　need　to　talk　of　that；〃　said　the　old　lady。



Savinien　frowned　as　he　heard　the　words。　He　knew　the　granite　will；

called　Breton　obstinacy；　that　distinguished　his　mother；　and　he

resolved　to　know　at　once　her　opinion　on　this　delicate　matter。



〃So；〃　he　went　on；　〃if　I　loved　a　young　girl；take　for　instance　your

neighbour's　godchild；　little　Ursula；would　you　oppose　my　marriage？〃



〃Yes；　as　long　as　I　live；〃　she　replied；　〃and　after　my　death　you　would

be　responsible　for　the　honor　and　the　blood　of　the　Kergarouets　and　the

Portendueres。〃



〃Would　you　let　me　die　of　hunger　and　despair　for　the　chimera　of

nobility；　which　has　no　reality　to…day　unless　it　has　the　lustre　of

great　wealth？〃



〃You　could　serve　France　and　put　faith　in　God。〃



〃Would　you　postpone　my　happiness　till　after　your　death？〃



〃It　would　be　horrible　if　you　took　it　then；that　is　all　I　have　to

say。〃



〃Louis　XIV。　came　very　near　marrying　the　niece　of　Mazarin；　a　parvenu。〃



〃Mazarin　himself　opposed　it。〃



〃Remember　the　widow　Scarron。〃



〃She　was　a　d'Aubigne。　Besides；　the　marriage　was　in　secret。　But　I　am

very　old；　my　son；〃　she　said；　shaking　her　head。　〃When　I　am　no　more　you

can；　as　you　say；　marry　whom　you　please。〃



Savinien　both　loved　and　respected　his　mother；　but　he　instantly；　though

silently；　set　himself　in　opposition　to　her　with　an　obstinacy　equal　to

her　own；　resolving　to　have　no　other　wife　than　Ursula；　to　whom　this

opposition　gave；　as　often　happens　in　similar　circumstances；　the　value

of　a　forbidden　thing。



When；　after　vespers；　the　doctor；　with　Ursula；　who　was　dressed　in　pink

and　white；　entered　the　cold；　stiff　salon；　the　girl　was　seized　with

nervous　trembling；　as　though　she　had　entered　the　presence　of　the　queen

of　France　and　had　a　favor　to　beg　of　her。　Since　her　confession　to　the

doctor　this　little　house　had　assumed　the　proportions　of　a　palace　in

her　eyes；　and　the　old　lady　herself　the　social　value　which　a　duchess　of

the　Middle　Ages　might　have　had　to　the　daughter　of　a　serf。　Never　had

Ursula　measured　as　she　did　at　that　moment　the　distance　which　separated

Vicomte　de　Portenduere　from　the　daughter　of　a　regimental　musician；　a

former　opera…singer　and　the　natural　son　of　an　organist。



〃What　is　the　matter；　my　dear？〃　said　the　old　lady；　making　the　girl　sit

down　beside　her。



〃Madame；　I　am　confused　by　the　honor　you　have　done　me〃



〃My　little　girl；〃　said　Madame　de　Portenduere；　in　her　sharpest　tone。　〃I

know　how　fond　your　uncle　is　of　you；　and　I　wished　to　be　agreeable　to

him；　for　he　has　brought　back　my　prodigal　son。〃



〃But；　my　dear　mother；〃　said　Savinien　cut　to　the　heart　by　seeing　the

color　fly　into　Ursula's　face　as　she　struggled　to　keep　back　her　tears；

〃even　if　we　were　under　no　obligations　to　Monsieur　le　Chevalier

Minoret；　I　think　we　should　always　be　most　grateful　for　the　pleasure

Mademoiselle　has　given　us　by　accepting　your　invitation。〃



The　young　man　pressed　the　doctor's　hand　in　a　significant　manner；

adding：　〃I　see　you　wear；　monsieur；　the　order　of　Saint…Michel；　the

oldest　order　in　France；　and　one　which　confers　nobility。〃



Ursula's　extreme　beauty；　to　which　her　almost　hopeless　love　gave　a

depth　which　great　painters　have　sometimes　conveyed　in　pictures　where

the　soul　is　brought　into　strong　relief；　had　struck　Madame　de

Portenduere　suddenly；　and　made　her　suspect　that　the　doctor's　apparent

generosity　masked　an　ambitious　scheme。　She　had　made　the　speech　to

which　Savinien　replied　with　the　intention　of　wounding　the　doctor　in

that　which　was　dearest　to　him；　and　she　succeeded；　though　the　old　man

could　hardly　restrain　a　smile　as　he　heard　himself　styled　a

〃chevalier；〃　amused　to　observe　how　the　eagerness　of　a　lover　did　not

shrink　from　absurdity。



〃The　order　of　Saint…Michel　which　in　former　days　men　committed　follies

to　obtain；〃　he　said；　〃has　now；　Monsieur　le　vicomte；　gone　the　way　of

other　privileges！　It　is　given　only　to　doctors　and　poor　artists。　The

kings　have　done　well　to　join　it　to　that　of　Saint…Lazare　who　was；　I

believe；　a　poor　devil　recalled　to　life　by　a　miracle。　From　this　point

of　view　the　order　of　Saint…Michel　and　Saint…Lazare　may　be；　for　many　of

us；　symbolic。〃



After　this　reply；　at　once　sarcastic　and　dignified；　silence　reigned；

which；　as　no　one　seemed　inclined　to　break　it；　was　becoming　awkward；

when　there　was　a　rap　at　the　door。



〃There　is　our