ursula-第30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！



face。



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



〃Will　she　live？〃　replied　the　doctor。　〃Can　so　tender　and　delicate　a

flower　endure　the　trials　of　the　heart？〃



Nevertheless；　the　〃little　dreamer；〃　as　the　abbe　called　her；　was

working　hard。　She　understood　the　importance　of　a　fine　education　to　a

woman　of　the　world；　and　all　the　time　she　did　not　give　to　her　singing

and　to　the　study　of　harmony　and　composition　she　spent　in　reading　the

books　chosen　for　her　by　the　abbe　from　her　godfather's　rich　library。

And　yet　while　leading　this　busy　life　she　suffered；　though　without

complaint。　Sometimes　she　would　sit　for　hours　looking　at　Savinien's

window。　On　Sundays　she　would　leave　the　church　behind　Madame　de

Portenduere　and　watch　her　tenderly；　for；　in　spite　of　the　old　lady's

harshness；　she　loved　her　as　Savinien's　mother。　Her　piety　increased；

she　went　to　mass　every　morning；　for　she　firmly　believed　that　her

dreams　were　the　gift　of　God。



At　last　her　godfather；　frightened　by　the　effects　produced　by　this

nostalgia　of　love；　promised　on　her　birthday　to　take　her　to　Toulon　to

see　the　departure　of　the　fleet　for　Algiers。　Savinien's　ship　formed

part　of　it；　but　he　was　not　to　be　informed　beforehand　of　their

intention。　The　abbe　and　Monsieur　Bongrand　kept　secret　the　object　of

this　journey；　said　to　be　for　Ursula's　health；　which　disturbed　and

greatly　puzzled　the　relations。　After　beholding　Savinien　in　his　naval

uniform；　and　going　on　board　the　fine　flag…ship　of　the　admiral；　to　whom

the　minister　had　given　young　Portenduere　a　special　recommendation；

Ursula；　at　her　lover's　entreaty；　went　with　her　godfather　to　Nice；　and

along　the　shores　of　the　Mediterranean　to　Genoa；　where　she　heard　of　the

safe　arrival　of　the　fleet　at　Algiers　and　the　landing　of　the　troops。

The　doctor　would　have　liked　to　continue　the　journey　through　Italy；　as

much　to　distract　Ursula's　mind　as　to　finish；　in　some　sense；　her

education；　by　enlarging　her　ideas　through　comparison　with　other

manners　and　customs　and　countries；　and　by　the　fascination　of　a　land

where　the　masterpieces　of　art　can　still　be　seen；　and　where　so　many

civilizations　have　left　their　brilliant　traces。　But　the　tidings　of　the

opposition　by　the　throne　to　the　newly　elected　Chamber　of　1830　obliged

the　doctor　to　return　to　France；　bringing　back　his　treasure　in　a

flourishing　state　of　health　and　possessed　of　a　charming　little　model

of　the　ship　on　which　Savinien　was　serving。



The　elections　of　1830　united　into　an　active　body　the　various　Minoret

relations；Desire　and　Goupil　having　formed　a　committee　in　Nemours　by

whose　efforts　a　liberal　candidate　was　put　in　nomination　at

Fontainebleau。　Massin；　as　collector　of　taxes；　exercised　an　enormous

influence　over　the　country　electors。　Five　of　the　post　master's　farmers

were　electors。　Dionis　represented　eleven　votes。　After　a　few　meetings

at　the　notary's；　Cremiere；　Massin；　the　post　master；　and　their

adherents　took　a　habit　of　assembling　there。　By　the　time　the　doctor

returned；　Dionis's　office　and　salon　were　the　camp　of　his　heirs。　The

justice　of　peace　and　the　mayor；　who　had　formed　an　alliance；　backed　by

the　nobility　in　the　neighbouring　castles；　to　resist　the　liberals　of

Nemours；　now　worsted　in　their　efforts；　were　more　closely　united　than

ever　by　their　defeat。



By　the　time　Bongrand　and　the　Abbe　Chaperon　were　able　to　tell　the

doctor　by　word　of　mouth　the　result　of　the　antagonism；　which　was

defined　for　the　first　time；　between　the　two　classes　in　Nemours　（giving

incidentally　such　importance　to　his　heirs）　Charles　X。　had　left

Rambouillet　for　Cherbourg。　Desire　Minoret；　whose　opinions　were　those

of　the　Paris　bar；　sent　for　fifteen　of　his　friends；　commanded　by　Goupil

and　mounted　on　horses　from　his　father's　stable；　who　arrived　in　Paris

on　the　night　of　the　28th。　With　this　troop　Goupil　and　Desire　took　part

in　the　capture　of　the　Hotel…de…Veille。　Desire　was　decorated　with　the

Legion　of　honor　and　appointed　deputy　procureur　du　roi　at

Fontainebleau。　Goupil　received　the　July　cross。　Dionis　was　elected

mayor　of　Nemours；　and　the　city　council　was　composed　of　the　post　master

（now　assistant…mayor）；　Massin；　Cremiere；　and　all　the　adherents　of　the

family　faction。　Bongrand　retained　his　place　only　through　the　influence

of　his　son；　procureur　du　roi　at　Melun；　whose　marriage　with

Mademoiselle　Levrault　was　then　on　the　tapis。



Seeing　the　three…per…cents　quoted　at　forty…five；　the　doctor　started　by

post　for　Paris；　and　invested　five　hundred　and　forty　thousand　francs

in　shares　to　bearer。　The　rest　of　his　fortune　which　amounted　to　about

two　hundred　and　seventy　thousand　francs；　standing　in　his　own　name　in

the　same　funds；　gave　him　ostensibly　an　income　of　fifteen　thousand

francs　a　year。　He　made　the　same　disposition　of　Ursula's　little　capital

bequeathed　to　her　by　de　Jordy；　together　with　the　accrued　interest

thereon；　which　gave　her　about　fourteen　hundred　francs　a　year　in　her

own　right。　La　Bougival；　who　had　laid　by　some　five　thousand　francs　of

her　savings；　did　the　same　by　the　doctor's　advice；　receiving　in　future

three　hundred　and　fifty　francs　a　year　in　dividends。　These　judicious

transactions；　agreed　on　between　the　doctor　and　Monsieur　Bongrand；　were

carried　out　in　perfect　secrecy；　thanks　to　the　political　troubles　of

the　time。



When　quiet　was　again　restored　the　doctor　bought　the　little　house　which

adjoined　his　own　and　pulled　it　down　so　as　to　build　a　coach…house　and

stables　on　its　side。　To　employ　a　capital　which　would　have　given　him　a

thousand　francs　a　year　on　outbuildings　seemed　actual　folly　to　the

Minoret　heirs。　This　folly；　if　it　were　one；　was　the　beginning　of　a　new

era　in　the　doctor's　existence；　for　he　now　（at　a　period　when　horses　and

carriages　were　almost　given　away）　brought　back　from　Paris　three　fine

horses　and　a　caleche。



When；　in　the　early　part　of　November；　1830；　the　old　man　came　to　church

on　a　rainy　day　in　the　new　carriage；　and　gave　his　hand　to　Ursula　to

help　her　out；　all　the　inhabitants　flocked　to　the　square；as　much　to

see　the　caleche　and　question　the　coachman；　as　to　criticize　the

goddaughter；　to　whose　excessive　pride　and　ambition　Massin；　Cremiere；

the　post　master；　and　their　wives　attributed　this　extravagant　folly　of

the　old　man。



〃A　caleche！　Hey；　Massin！〃　cried　Goupil。　〃Your　inheritance　will　go　at

top　speed　now！〃



〃You　ought　to　be　getting　good　wages；　Cabirolle；〃　said　the　post　master

to　the　son　of　one　of　his　conductors；　who　stood　by　the　horses；　〃for　it

is　to　be　supposed　an　old　man　of　eighty…four　won't　use　up　many　horse…

shoes。　What　did　those　horses　cost？〃



〃Four　thousand　francs。　The　caleche；　though　second…hand；　was　two

thousand；　but　it's　a　fine　one；　the　wheels　are　patent。〃



〃Yes；　it's　a　good　carriage；〃　said　Cremiere；　〃and　a　man　must　be　rich　to

buy　that　style　of　thing。〃



〃Ursula　means　to　go　at　a　good　pace；〃　said　Goupil。　〃She's　right；　she's

showing　you　how　to　enjoy　life。　Why　don't　you　have　fine　carriages　and

horses；　papa　Minoret？　I　wouldn't　let　myself　be　humiliated　if　I　were

youI'd　buy　a　carriage　fit　for　a　prince。〃



〃Come；　Cabirolle；　tell　us；〃　said　Massin；　〃is　it　the　girl　who　drives

our　uncle　into　such　luxury？〃



〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Cabirolle；　〃but　she　is　almost　mistress　of　the

house。　There　are　masters　upon　masters　down　from　Paris。　They　say　now

she　is　going　to　study　painting。〃



〃Then　I　shall　seize　the　occasion　to　have　my　portrait　drawn；〃　said

Madame　Cremiere。



In　the　provinces　they　always　say　a　picture　is　drawn；　not　painted。



〃The　old　German　is　not　dismissed；　is　he？〃　said　Madame　Massin。



〃He　was　there　yesterday；〃　replied　Cabirolle。



〃Now；〃　said　Goupil；　〃you　may　as　well　give　up　counting　on　your

inheritance。　Ursula　is　seventeen　years　old；　and　she　is　prettier　than

ever。　Travel　forms　young　people；　and　the　little　minx　has　got　your

uncle　in　the　toils。　Five　or　six　parcels　come　down　for　her　by　the

diligence　every　week；　and　the　dressmakers　and　milliners　come　too；　to

try　on　her　gowns　and　all　the　rest　of　it。　Madame　Dionis　is　furious。

Watch　for　Ursula　as　she　comes　out　of　church　and　look　at　the　little

scarf　she　is　wearing　round　her　neck；real　cashmere；　and　it　cost　six

hundred　francs！〃



If　a　thunderbolt　had　fallen　in　the　midst　of　the　heirs　the　effect　would

have　been　less　than　that　of　Goupil's　last　words；　the　mischief…maker

stood　by　rubbing　his　hands。



The　doctor's　old　green　salon　had　been　renovated　by　a　Parisian

upholsterer。　Judged　by　the　luxury　displayed；　he　was　sometimes　accused

of　hoarding　immense　wealth；　sometimes　of　spending　his　capital　on

Ursula。　The　heirs　called　him　in　turn　a　miser　and　a　spendthrift；　but

the　saying；　〃He's　an　old　fool！〃　summed　upon；　on　the　whole；　the　verdict

of　the　neighbourhood。　These　mistaken　judgments　of　the　little　town　had

the　one　advantage　of　misleading　the　heirs；　who　never　suspected　the

love　between　Savinien　and　Ursula；　which　was　the　secret　reason　of　the

doctor's　expenditure。　The　old　man　took　the　greatest　delights　in

accustoming　his　godchild　to　her　future　station　in　the　world。

Possessing　an　income　of　over　fifty　thousand　francs　a　year；　it　gave　him

pleasure　to　adorn　his　idol。



In　the　month　of　February；　1832；　the　day　when　Ursula　was　eighteen；　her

eyes　beheld　Savinien　in　the　uniform　of　an　ensign　as　she　looked　from

her　window　when　she　rose　in　the　morning。



〃Why　didn't　I　know　he　was　coming？〃　she　said　to　herself。



After　the　taking　of　Algiers；　Savinien　had　distinguished　himself　by　an

act　of　courage　which　won　him　the　cross。　The　corvette　on　which　he　was

serving　was　many　months　at　sea　without　his　being　able　to　communicate

with　the　doctor；　and　he　did　not　wish　to　leave　the　service　without

consulting　him。　Desirous　of　retaining　in　the　navy　a　name　already

illustrious　in　its　service；　the　new　government　had　profited　by　a

general　change　of　officers　to　make　Savinien　an　ensign。　Having　obtained

leave　of　absence　for　fifteen　days；　the　new　officer　arrived　from　Toulon

by　the　mail；　in　time　for　Ursula's　fete；　intending　to　consult　the

doctor　at　t