ursula-第27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！



when　there　was　a　rap　at　the　door。



〃There　is　our　dear　abbe；〃　said　the　old　lady；　who　rose；　leaving　Ursula

alone；　and　advancing　to　meet　the　Abbe　Chaperon；an　honor　she　had　not

paid　to　the　doctor　and　his　niece。



The　old　man　smiled　to　himself　as　he　looked　from　his　goddaughter　to

Savinien。　To　show　offence　or　to　complain　of　Madame　de　Portenduere's

manners　was　a　rock　on　which　a　man　of　small　mind　might　have　struck；　but

Minoret　was　too　accomplished　in　the　ways　of　the　world　not　to　avoid　it。

He　began　to　talk　to　the　viscount　of　the　danger　Charles　X。　was　then

running　by　confiding　the　affairs　of　the　nation　to　the　Prince　de

Polignac。　When　sufficient　time　had　been　spent　on　the　subject　to　avoid

all　appearance　of　revenging　himself　by　so　doing；　he　handed　the　old

lady；　in　an　easy；　jesting　way；　a　packet　of　legal　papers　and　receipted

bills；　together　with　the　account　of　his　notary。



〃Has　my　son　verified　them？〃　she　said；　giving　Savinien　a　look；　to　which

he　replied　by　bending　his　head。　〃Well；　then　the　rest　is　my　notary's

business；〃　she　added；　pushing　away　the　papers　and　treating　the　affair

with　the　disdain　she　wished　to　show　for　money。



To　abase　wealth　was；　according　to　Madame　de　Portenduere's　ideas；　to

elevate　the　nobility　and　rob　the　bourgeoisie　of　their　importance。



A　few　moments　later　Goupil　came　from　his　employer；　Dionis；　to　ask　for

the　accounts　of　the　transaction　between　the　doctor　and　Savinien。



〃Why　do　you　want　them？〃　said　the　old　lady。



〃To　put　the　matter　in　legal　form；　there　have　been　no　cash　payments。〃



Ursula　and　Savinien；　who　both　for　the　first　time　exchanged　a　glance

with　offensive　personage；　were　conscious　of　a　sensation　like　that　of

touching　a　toad；　aggravated　by　a　dark　presentiment　of　evil。　They　both

had　the　same　indefinable　and　confused　vision　into　the　future；　which

has　no　name　in　any　language；　but　which　is　capable　of　explanation　as

the　action　of　the　inward　being　of　which　the　mysterious　Swedenborgian

had　spoken　to　Doctor　Minoret。　The　certainty　that　the　venomous　Goupil

would　in　some　way　be　fatal　to　them　made　Ursula　tremble；　but　she

controlled　herself；　conscious　of　unspeakable　pleasure　in　seeing　that

Savinien　shared　her　emotion。



〃He　is　not　handsome；　that　clerk　of　Monsieur　Dionis；〃　said　Savinien；

when　Goupil　had　closed　the　door。



〃What　does　it　signify　whether　such　persons　are　handsome　or　ugly？〃　said

Madame　de　Portenduere。



〃I　don't　complain　of　his　ugliness；〃　said　the　abbe；　〃but　I　do　of　his

wickedness；　which　passes　all　bounds；　he　is　a　villain。〃



The　doctor；　in　spite　of　his　desire　to　be　amiable；　grew　cold　and

dignified。　The　lovers　were　embarrassed。　If　it　had　not　been　for　the

kindly　good…humor　of　the　abbe；　whose　gentle　gayety　enlivened　the

dinner；　the　position　of　the　doctor　and　his　niece　would　have　been

almost　intolerable。　At　dessert；　seeing　Ursula　turn　pale；　he　said　to

her：



〃If　you　don't　feel　well；　dear　child；　we　have　only　the　street　to

cross。〃



〃What　is　the　matter；　my　dear？〃　said　the　old　lady　to　the　girl。



〃Madame；〃　said　the　doctor　severely；　〃her　soul　is　chilled；　accustomed

as　she　is　to　be　met　by　smiles。〃



〃A　very　bad　education；　monsieur；〃　said　Madame　de　Portenduere。　〃Is　it

not；　Monsieur　l'abbe？〃



〃Yes；〃　answered　Minoret；　with　a　look　at　the　abbe；　who　knew　not　how　to

reply。　〃I　have；　it　is　true；　rendered　life　unbearable　to　an　angelic

spirit　if　she　has　to　pass　it　in　the　world；　but　I　trust　I　shall　not　die

until　I　place　her　in　security；　safe　from　coldness；　indifference；　and

hatred〃



〃Oh；　godfatherI　beg　of　yousay　no　more。　There　is　nothing　the　matter

with　me；〃　cried　Ursula；　meeting　Madame　de　Portenduere's　eyes　rather

than　give　too　much　meaning　to　her　words　by　looking　at　Savinien。



〃I　cannot　know；　madame；〃　said　Savinien　to　his　mother；　〃whether

Mademoiselle　Ursula　suffers；　but　I　do　know　that　you　are　torturing　me。〃



Hearing　these　words；　dragged　from　the　generous　young　man　by　his

mother's　treatment　of　herself；　Ursula　turned　pale　and　begged　Madame　de

Portenduere　to　excuse　her；　then　she　took　her　uncle's　arm；　bowed；　left

the　room；　and　returned　home。　Once　there；　she　rushed　to　the　salon　and

sat　down　to　the　piano；　put　her　head　in　her　hands；　and　burst　into

tears。



〃Why　don't　you　leave　the　management　of　your　affairs　to　my　old

experience；　cruel　child？〃　cried　the　doctor　in　despair。　〃Nobles　never

think　themselves　under　any　obligations　to　the　bourgeoisie。　When　we　do

them　a　service　they　consider　that　we　do　our　duty；　and　that's　all。

Besides；　the　old　lady　saw　that　you　looked　favorably　on　Savinien；　she

is　afraid　he　will　love　you。〃



〃At　any　rate　he　is　saved！〃　said　Ursula。　〃But　ah！　to　try　to　humiliate　a

man　like　you！〃



〃Wait　till　I　return；　my　child；〃　said　the　old　man　leaving　her。



When　the　doctor　re…entered　Madame　de　Portenduere's　salon　he　found

Dionis　the　notary；　accompanied　by　Monsieur　Bongrand　and　the　mayor　of

Nemours；　witnesses　required　by　law　for　the　validity　of　deeds　in　all

communes　where　there　is　but　one　notary。　Minoret　took　Monsieur　Dionis

aside　and　said　a　word　in　his　ear；　after　which　the　notary　read　the

deeds　aloud　officially；　from　which　it　appeared　that　Madame　de

Portenduere　gave　a　mortgage　on　all　her　property　to　secure　payment　of

the　hundred　thousand　francs；　the　interest　on　which　was　fixed　at　five

per　cent。　At　the　reading　of　this　last　clause　the　abbe　looked　at

Minoret；　who　answered　with　an　approving　nod。　The　poor　priest　whispered

something　in　the　old　lady's　ear　to　which　she　replied；



〃I　will　owe　nothing　to　such　persons。〃



〃My　mother　leaves　me　the　nobler　part；〃　said　Savinien　to　the　doctor；

〃she　will　repay　the　money　and　charges　me　to　show　our　gratitude。〃



〃But　you　will　have　to　pay　eleven　thousand　francs　the　first　year　to

meet　the　interest　and　the　legal　costs；〃　said　the　abbe。



〃Monsieur；〃　said　Minoret　to　Dionis；　〃as　Monsieur　and　Madame　de

Portenduere　are　not　in　a　condition　to　pay　those　costs；　add　them　to　the

amount　of　the　mortgage　and　I　will　pay　them。〃



Dionis　made　the　change　and　the　sum　borrowed　was　fixed　at　one　hundred

and　seven　thousand　francs。　When　the　papers　were　all　signed；　Minoret

made　his　fatigue　an　excuse　to　leave　the　house　at　the　same　time　as　the

notary　and　witnesses。



〃Madame；〃　said　the　abbe；　〃why　did　you　affront　the　excellent　Monsieur

Minoret；　who　saved　you　at　least　twenty…five　thousand　francs　on　those

debts　in　Paris；　and　had　the　delicacy　to　give　twenty　thousand　to　your

son　for　his　debts　of　honor？〃



〃Your　Minoret　is　sly；〃　she　said；　taking　a　pinch　of　snuff。　〃He　knows

what　he　is　about。〃



〃My　mother　thinks　he　wishes　to　force　me　into　marrying　his　niece　by

getting　hold　of　our　farm；〃　said　Savinien；　〃as　if　a　Portenduere；　son　of

a　Kergarouet；　could　be　made　to　marry　against　his　will。〃



An　hour　later；　Savinien　presented　himself　at　the　doctor's　house；　where

all　the　relatives　had　assembled；　enticed　by　curiosity。　The　arrival　of

the　young　viscount　produced　a　lively　sensation；　all　the　more　because

its　effect　was　different　on　each　person　present。　Mesdemoiselles

Cremiere　and　Massin　whispered　together　and　looked　at　Ursula；　who

blushed。　The　mothers　said　to　Desire　that　Goupil　was　right　about　the

marriage。　The　eyes　of　all　present　turned　towards　the　doctor；　who　did

not　rise　to　receive　the　young　nobleman；　but　merely　bowed　his　head

without　laying　down　the　dice…box；　for　he　was　playing　a　game　of

backgammon　with　Monsieur　Bongrand。　The　doctor's　cold　manner　surprised

every　one。



〃Ursula；　my　child；〃　he　said；　〃give　us　a　little　music。〃



While　the　young　girl；　delighted　to　have　something　to　do　to　keep　her　in

countenance；　went　to　the　piano　and　began　to　move　the　green…covered

music…books；　the　heirs　resigned　themselves；　with　many　demonstrations

of　pleasure；　to　the　torture　and　the　silence　about　to　be　inflicted　on

them；　so　eager　were　they　to　find　out　what　was　going　on　between　their

uncle　and　the　Portendueres。



In　sometimes　happens　that　a　piece　of　music；　poor　in　itself；　when

played　by　a　young　girl　under　the　influence　of　deep　feeling；　makes　more

impression　than　a　fine　overture　played　by　a　full　orchestra。　In　all

music　there　is；　besides　the　thought　of　the　composer；　the　soul　of　the

performer；　who；　by　a　privilege　granted　to　this　art　only；　can　give　both

meaning　and　poetry　to　passages　which　are　in　themselves　of　no　great

value。　Chopin　proves；　for　that　unresponsive　instrument　the　piano；　the

truth　of　this　fact；　already　proved　by　Paganini　on　the　violin。　That

fine　genius　is　less　a　musician　than　a　soul　which　makes　itself　felt；

and　communicates　itself　through　all　species　of　music；　even　simple

chords。　Ursula；　by　her　exquisite　and　sensitive　organization；　belonged

to　this　rare　class　of　beings；　and　old　Schmucke；　the　master；　who　came

every　Saturday　and　who；　during　Ursula's　stay　in　Paris　was　with　her

every　day；　had　brought　his　pupil's　talent　to　its　full　perfection。

〃Rousseau's　Dream；〃　the　piece　now　chosen　by　Ursula；　composed　by　Herold

in　his　young　days；　is　not　without　a　certain　depth　which　is　capable　of

being　developed　by　execution。　Ursula　threw　into　it　the　feelings　which

were　agitating　her　being；　and　justified　the　term　〃caprice〃　given　by

Herold　to　the　fragment。　With　soft　and　dreamy　touch　her　soul　spoke　to

the　young　man's　soul　and　wrapped　it；　as　in　a　cloud；　with　ideas　that

were　almost　visible。



Sitting　at　the　end　of　the　piano；　his　elbow　resting　on　the　cover　and

his　head　on　his　left　hand；　Savinien　admired　Ursula；　whose　eyes；　fixed

on　the　paneling　of　the　wall　beyond　him；　seemed　to　be　questioning

another　world。　Many　a　man　would　have　fallen　deeply　in　love　for　a　less

reason。　Genuine　feelings　have　a　magnetism　of　their　own；　and　Ursula　was

willing　to　show　her　soul；　as　a　coquette　her　dresses　to　be　admired。

Savinien　entered　that　delightful　kingdom；　led　by　this　pure　heart；

which；　to　interpret　its　feelings；　borrowed　the　power　of　the　only　art

that　speaks　to　thought　by　thought；　without　the　help　of　words；　or

color；　or　form。　Candor；　openness　of　heart　have　the