ursula-第29部分

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Therefore；　monsieur；　I　can　sign　myself；　in　all　sincerity；



Your　servant；

Ursula　Mirouet。





Savinien　made　no　reply。　Was　he　trying　to　soften　his　mother？　Had　this

letter　put　an　end　to　his　love？　Many　such　questions；　all　insoluble；

tormented　poor　Ursula；　and；　by　repercussion；　the　doctor　too；　who

suffered　from　every　agitation　of　his　darling　child。　Ursula　went　often

to　her　chamber　to　look　at　Savinien；　whom　she　usually　found　sitting

pensively　before　his　table　with　his　eyes　turned　towards　her　window。　At

the　end　of　the　week；　but　no　sooner；　she　received　a　letter　from　him；

the　delay　was　explained　by　his　increasing　love。



　　To　Mademoiselle　Ursula　Mirouet：



Dear　Ursula；I　am　a　Breton；　and　when　my　mind　is　once　made　up

nothing　can　change　me。　Your　godfather；　whom　may　God　preserve　to

us；　is　right；　but　does　it　follow　that　I　am　wrong　in　loving　you？

Therefore；　all　I　want　to　know　from　you　is　whether　you　could　love

me。　Tell　me　this；　if　only　by　a　sign；　and　then　the　next　four　years

will　be　the　finest　of　my　life。



A　friend　of　mine　has　delivered　to　my　great…uncle；　Vice…admiral

Kergarouet；　a　letter　in　which　I　asked　his　help　to　enter　the　navy。

The　kind　old　man；　grieved　at　my　misfortune；　replies　that　even　the

king's　favor　would　be　thwarted　by　the　rules　of　the　service　in　case

I　wanted　a　certain　rank。　Nevertheless；　if　I　study　three　months　at

Toulon；　the　minister　of　war　can　send　me　to　sea　as　master's　mate；

then　after　a　cruise　against　the　Algerines；　with　whom　we　are　now　at

war；　I　can　go　through　an　examination　and　become　a　midshipman。

Moreover；　if　I　distinguish　myself　in　an　expedition　they　are

fitting　out　against　Algiers；　I　shall　certainly　be　made　ensignbut

how　soon？　that　no　one　can　tell。　Only；　they　will　make　the　rules　as

elastic　as　possible　to　have　the　name　of　Portenduere　again　in　the　navy。



I　see　very　plainly　that　I　can　only　hope　to　obtain　you　from　your

godfather；　and　your　respect　for　him　makes　you　still　dearer　to　me。

Before　replying　to　the　admiral；　I　must　have　an　interview　with　the

doctor；　on　his　reply　my　whole　future　will　depend。　Whatever　comes

of　it；　know　this；　that　rich　or　poor；　the　daughter　of　a　band　master

or　the　daughter　of　a　king；　you　are　the　woman　whom　the　voice　of　my

heart　points　out　to　me。　Dear　Ursula；　we　live　in　times　when

prejudices　which　might　once　have　separated　us　have　no　power　to

prevent　our　marriage。　To　you；　then；　I　offer　the　feelings　of　my

heart；　to　your　uncle　the　guarantees　which　secure　to　him　your

happiness。　He　has　not　seen　that　I；　in　a　few　hours；　came　to　love

you　more　than　he　has　loved　you　in　fifteen　years。



Until　this　evening。

Savinien。





〃Here；　godfather；〃　said　Ursula；　holding　the　letter　out　to　him　with　a

proud　gesture。



〃Ah；　my　child！〃　cried　the　doctor　when　he　had　read　it；　〃I　am　happier

than　even　you。　He　repairs　all　his　faults　by　this　resolution。〃



After　dinner　Savinien　presented　himself；　and　found　the　doctor　walking

with　Ursula　by　the　balustrade　of　the　terrace　overlooking　the　river。

The　viscount　had　received　his　clothes　from　Paris；　and　had　not　missed

heightening　his　natural　advantages　by　a　careful　toilet；　as　elegant　as

though　he　were　striving　to　please　the　proud　and　beautiful　Comtesse　de

Kergarouet。　Seeing　him　approach　her　from　the　portico；　the　poor　girl

clung　to　her　uncle's　arm　as　though　she　were　saving　herself　from　a　fall

over　a　precipice；　and　the　doctor　heard　the　beating　of　her　heart；　which

made　him　shudder。



〃Leave　us；　my　child；〃　he　said　to　the　girl；　who　went　to　the　pagoda　and

sat　upon　the　steps；　after　allowing　Savinien　to　take　her　hand　and　kiss

it　respectfully。



〃Monsieur；　will　you　give　this　dear　hand　to　a　naval　captain？〃　he　said

to　the　doctor　in　a　low　voice。



〃No；〃　said　Minoret；　smiling；　〃we　might　have　to　wait　too　long；　butI

will　give　her　to　a　lieutenant。〃



Tears　of　joy　filled　the　young　man's　eyes　as　he　pressed　the　doctor's

hand　affectionately。



〃I　am　about　to　leave；〃　he　said；　〃to　study　hard　and　try　to　learn　in　six

months　what　the　pupils　of　the　Naval　School　take　six　years　to　acquire。〃



〃You　are　going？〃　said　Ursula；　springing　towards　them　from　the

pavilion。



〃Yes；　mademoiselle；　to　deserve　you。　Therefore　the　more　eager　I　am　to

go；　the　more　I　prove　to　you　my　affection。〃



〃This　is　the　3rd　of　October；〃　she　said；　looking　at　him　with　infinite

tenderness；　〃do　not　go　till　after　the　19th。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃we　will　celebrate　Saint…Savinien's　day。〃



〃Good…by；　then；〃　cried　the　young　man。　〃I　must　spend　this　week　in

Paris；　to　take　the　preliminary　steps；　buy　books　and　mathematical

instruments；　and　try　to　conciliate　the　minister　and　get　the　best　terms

that　I　can　for　myself。〃



Ursula　and　her　godfather　accompanied　Savinien　to　the　gate。　Soon　after

he　entered　his　mother's　house　they　saw　him　come　out　again；　followed　by

Tiennette　carrying　his　valise。



〃If　you　are　rich；〃　said　Ursula　to　her　uncle；　〃why　do　you　make　him

serve　in　the　navy？〃



〃Presently　it　will　be　I　who　incurred　his　debts；〃　said　the　doctor；

smiling。　〃I　don't　oblige　him　to　do　anything；　but　the　uniform；　my　dear；

and　the　cross　of　the　Legion　of　honor；　won　in　battle；　will　wipe　out

many　stains。　Before　six　years　are　over　he　may　be　in　command　of　a　ship；

and　that's　all　I　ask　of　him。〃



〃But　he　may　be　killed；〃　she　said；　turning　a　pale　face　upon　the　doctor。



〃Lovers；　like　drunkards；　have　a　providence　of　their　own；〃　he　said；

laughing。



That　night　the　poor　child；　with　La　Bougival's　help；　cut　off　a

sufficient　quantity　of　her　long　and　beautiful　blond　hair　to　make　a

chain；　and　the　next　day　she　persuaded　old　Schmucke；　the　music…master；

to　take　it　to　Paris　and　have　the　chain　made　and　returned　by　the

following　Sunday。　When　Savinien　got　back　he　informed　the　doctor　and

Ursula　that　he　had　signed　his　articles　and　was　to　be　at　Brest　on　the

25th。　The　doctor　asked　him　to　dinner　on　the　18th；　and　he　passed　nearly

two　whole　days　in　the　old　man's　house。　Notwithstanding　much　sage

advice　and　many　resolutions；　the　lovers　could　not　help　betraying　their

secret　understanding　to　the　watchful　eyes　of　the　abbe；　Monsieur

Bongrand；　the　Nemours　doctor；　and　La　Bougival。



〃Children；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃you　are　risking　your　happiness　by　not

keeping　it　to　yourselves。〃



On　the　fete…day；　after　mass；　during　which　several　glances　had　been

exchanged；　Savinien；　watched　by　Ursula；　crossed　the　road　and　entered

the　little　garden　where　the　pair　were　practically　alone；　for　the　kind

old　man；　by　way　of　indulgence；　was　reading　his　newspapers　in　the

pagoda。



〃Dear　Ursula；〃　said　Savinien；　〃will　you　make　a　gift　greater　than　my

mother　could　make　me　even　if〃



〃I　know　what　you　wish　to　ask　me；〃　she　said；　interrupting　him。　〃See；

here　is　my　answer；〃　she　added；　taking　from　the　pocket　of　her　apron　the

box　containing　the　chain　made　of　her　hair；　and　offering　it　to　him　with

a　nervous　tremor　which　testified　to　her　illimitable　happiness。　〃Wear

it；〃　she　said；　〃for　love　of　me。　May　it　shield　you　from　all　dangers　by

reminding　you　that　my　life　depends　on　yours。〃



〃Naughty　little　thing！　she　is　giving　him　a　chain　of　her　hair；〃　said

the　doctor　to　himself。　〃How　did　she　manage　to　get　it？　what　a　pity　to

cut　those　beautiful　fair　tresses；　she　will　be　giving　him　my　life's

blood　next。〃



〃You　will　not　blame　me　if　I　ask　you　to　give　me；　now　that　I　am　leaving

you；　a　formal　promise　to　have　no　other　husband　than　me；〃　said

Savinien；　kissing　the　chain　and　looking　at　Ursula　with　tears　in　his

eyes。



〃Have　I　not　said　so　too　oftenI　who　went　to　see　the　walls　of　Sainte…

Pelagie　when　you　were　behind　them？〃　she　replied；　blushing。　〃I　repeat

it；　Savinien；　I　shall　never　love　any　one　but　you；　and　I　will　be　yours

alone。〃



Seeing　that　Ursula　was　half…hidden　by　the　creepers；　the　young　man

could　not　deny　himself　the　happiness　of　pressing　her　to　his　heart　and

kissing　her　forehead；　but　she　gave　a　feeble　cry　and　dropped　upon　the

bench；　and　when　Savinien　sat　beside　her；　entreating　pardon；　he　saw　the

doctor　standing　before　them。



〃My　friend；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃Ursula　is　a　born　sensitive；　too　rough

a　word　might　kill　her。　For　her　sake　you　must　moderate　the　enthusiasm

of　your　loveAh！　if　you　had　loved　her　for　sixteen　years　as　I　have；

you　would　have　been　satisfied　with　her　word　of　promise；〃　he　added；　to

revenge　himself　for　the　last　sentence　in　Savinien's　second　letter。



Two　days　later　the　young　man　departed。　In　spite　of　the　letters　which

he　wrote　regularly　to　Ursula；　she　fell　a　prey　to　an　illness　without

apparent　cause。　Like　a　fine　fruit　with　a　worm　at　the　core；　a　single

thought　gnawed　her　heart。　She　lost　both　appetite　and　color。　The　first

time　her　godfather　asked　her　what　she　felt；　she　replied：



〃I　want　to　see　the　ocean。〃



〃It　is　difficult　to　take　you　to　a　sea…port　in　the　depth　of　winter；〃

answered　the　old　man。



〃Shall　I　really　go？〃　she　said。



If　the　wind　was　high；　Ursula　was　inwardly　convulsed；　certain；　in　spite

of　the　learned　assurances　of　the　doctor　and　the　abbe；　that　Savinien

was　being　tossed　about　in　a　whirlwind。　Monsieur　Bongrand　made　her

happy　for　days　with　the　gift　of　an　engraving　representing　a　midshipman

in　uniform。　She　read　the　newspapers；　imagining　that　they　would　give

news　of　the　cruiser　on　which　her　lover　sailed。　She　devoured　Cooper's

sea…tales　and　learned　to　use　sea…terms。　Such　proofs　of　concentration

of　feeling；　often　assumed　by　other　women；　were　so　genuine　in　Ursula

that　she　saw　in　dreams　the　coming　of　Savinien's　letters；　and　never

failed　to　announce　them；　relating　the　dream　as　a　forerunner。



〃Now；〃　she　said　to　the　doctor　the　fourth　time　that　this　happened；　〃I

am　easy；　wherever　Savinien　may　be；　if　he　is　wounded　I　shall　know　it

instantly。〃



The　old　doctor　thought　over　this　remark　so　anxiously　that　the　abbe　and

Monsieur　Bongrand　were　troubled　by　the　sorrowful　expression　of　his

face。



〃What　pains　you？〃　they　said；　when　Ursula　had　left　them。



〃Will　she　live？〃　replied　the　docto