ursula-第31部分

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

doctor　at　the　same　time。



〃He　has　come！〃　cried　Ursula　rushing　into　her　godfather's　bedroom。



〃Very　good；〃　he　answered；　〃I　can　guess　what　brings　him；　and　he　may　now

stay　in　Nemours。〃



〃Ah！　that's　my　birthday　presentit　is　all　in　that　sentence；〃　she

said；　kissing　him。



On　a　sign；　which　she　ran　up　to　make　from　her　window；　Savinien　came

over　at　once；　she　longed　to　admire　him；　for　he　seemed　to　her　so

changed　for　the　better。　Military　service　does；　in　fact；　give　a　certain

grave　decision　to　the　air　and　carriage　and　gestures　of　a　man；　and　an

erect　bearing　which　enables　the　most　superficial　observer　to　recognize

a　military　man　even　in　plain　clothes。　The　habit　of　command　produces

this　result。　Ursula　loved　Savinien　the　better　for　it；　and　took　a

childlike　pleasure　in　walking　round　the　garden　with　him；　taking　his

arm；　and　hearing　him　relate　the　part　he　played　（as　midshipman）　in　the

taking　of　Algiers。　Evidently　Savinien　had　taken　the　city。　The　doctor；

who　had　been　watching　them　from　his　window　as　he　dressed；　soon　came

down。　Without　telling　the　viscount　everything；　he　did　say　that；　in

case　Madame　de　Portenduere　consented　to　his　marriage　with　Ursula；　the

fortune　of　his　godchild　would　make　his　naval　pay　superfluous。



〃Alas！〃　said　Savinien。　〃It　will　take　a　great　deal　of　time　to　overcome

my　mother's　opposition。　Before　I　left　her　to　enter　the　navy　she　was

placed　between　two　alternatives；either　to　consent　to　my　marrying

Ursula　or　else　to　see　me　only　from　time　to　time　and　to　know　me　exposed

to　the　dangers　of　the　profession；　and　you　see　she　chose　to　let　me　go。〃



〃But；　Savinien；　we　shall　be　together；〃　said　Ursula；　taking　his　hand

and　shaking　it　with　a　sort　of　impatience。



To　see　each　other　and　not　to　part；that　was　the　all　of　love　to　her；

she　saw　nothing　beyond　it；　and　her　pretty　gesture　and　the　petulant

tone　of　her　voice　expressed　such　innocence　that　Savinien　and　the

doctor　were　both　moved　by　it。　The　resignation　was　written　and

despatched；　and　Ursula's　fete　received　full　glory　from　the　presence　of

her　betrothed。　A　few　months　later；　towards　the　month　of　May；　the　home…

life　of　the　doctor's　household　had　resumed　the　quite　tenor　of　its　way

but　with　one　welcome　visitor　the　more。　The　attentions　of　the　young

viscount　were　soon　interpreted　in　the　town　as　those　of　a　future

husband；all　the　more　because　his　manners　and　those　of　Ursula；

whether　in　church；　or　on　the　promenade；　though　dignified　and　reserved；

betrayed　the　understanding　of　their　hearts。　Dionis　pointed　out　to　the

heirs　that　the　doctor　had　never　asked　Madame　de　Portenduere　for　the

interest　of　his　money；　three　years　of　which　was　now　due。



〃She'll　be　forced　to　yield；　and　consent　to　this　derogatory　marriage　of

her　son；〃　said　the　notary。　〃If　such　a　misfortune　happens　it　is

probable　that　the　greater　part　of　your　uncle's　fortune　will　serve　for

what　Basile　calls　'an　irresistible　argument。'〃







CHAPTER　XIV



URSULA　AGAIN　ORPHANED



The　irritation　of　the　heirs；　when　convinced　that　their　uncle　loved

Ursula　too　well　not　to　secure　her　happiness　at　their　expense；　became

as　underhand　as　it　was　bitter。　Meeting　in　Dionis's　salon　（as　they　had

done　every　evening　since　the　revolution　of　1830）　they　inveighed

against　the　lovers；　and　seldom　separated　without　discussing　some　way

of　circumventing　the　old　man。　Zelie；　who　had　doubtless　profited　by　the

fall　in　the　Funds；　as　the　doctor　had　done；　to　invest　some；　at　least；

of　her　enormous　gains；　was　bitterest　of　them　all　against　the　orphan

girl　and　the　Portendueres。　One　evening；　when　Goupil；　who　usually

avoided　the　dullness　of　these　meetings；　had　come　in　to　learn　something

of　the　affairs　of　the　town　which　were　under　discussion；　Zelie's　hatred

was　freshly　excited；　she　had　seen　the　doctor；　Ursula；　and　Savinien

returning　in　the　caleche　from　a　country　drive；　with　an　air　of　intimacy

that　told　all。



〃I'd　give　thirty　thousand　francs　if　God　would　call　uncle　to　himself

before　the　marriage　of　young　Portenduere　with　that　affected　minx　can

take　place；〃　she　said。



Goupil　accompanied　Monsieur　and　Madame　Minoret　to　the　middle　of　their

great　courtyard；　and　there　said；　looking　round　to　see　if　they　were

quite　alone：



〃Will　you　give　me　the　means　of　buying　Dionis's　practice？　If　you　will；

I　will　break　off　the　marriage　between　Portenduere　and　Ursula。〃



〃How？〃　asked　the　colossus。



〃Do　you　think　I　am　such　a　fool　as　to　tell　you　my　plan？〃　said　the

notary's　head　clerk。



〃Well；　my　lad；　separate　them；　and　we'll　see　what　we　can　do；〃　said

Zelie。



〃I　don't　embark　in　any　such　business　on　a　'we'll　see。'　The　young　man

is　a　fire…eater　who　might　kill　me；　I　ought　to　be　rough…shod　and　as

good　a　hand　with　a　sword　or　a　pistol　as　he　is。　Set　me　up　in　business；

and　I'll　keep　my　word。〃



〃Prevent　the　marriage　and　I　will　set　you　up；〃　said　the　post　master。



〃It　is　nine　months　since　you　have　been　thinking　of　lending　me　a　paltry

fifteen　thousand　francs　to　buy　Lecoeur's　practice；　and　you　expect　me

to　trust　you　now！　Nonsense；　you'll　lose　your　uncle's　property；　and

serve　you　right。〃



〃It　if　were　only　a　matter　of　fifteen　thousand　francs　and　Lecoeur's

practice；　that　might　be　managed；〃　said　Zelie；　〃but　to　give　security

for　you　in　a　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　is　another　thing。〃



〃But　I'll　do　my　part；〃　said　Goupil；　flinging　a　seductive　look　at

Zelie；　which　encountered　the　imperious　glance　of　the　post　mistress。



The　effect　was　that　of　venom　on　steel。



〃We　can　wait；〃　said　Zelie。



〃The　devil's　own　spirit　is　in　you；〃　thought　Goupil。　〃If　I　ever　catch

that　pair　in　my　power；〃　he　said　to　himself　as　he　left　the　yard；　〃I'll

squeeze　them　like　lemons。〃



By　cultivating　the　society　of　the　doctor；　the　abbe；　and　Monsieur

Bongrand；　Savinien　proved　the　excellence　of　his　character。　The　love　of

this　young　man　for　Ursula；　so　devoid　of　self…interest；　and　so

persistent；　interested　the　three　friends　deeply；　and　they　now　never

separated　the　lovers　in　their　thoughts。　Soon　the　monotony　of　this

patriarchal　life；　and　the　certainty　of　a　future　before　them；　gave　to

their　affection　a　fraternal　character。　The　doctor　often　left　the　pair

alone　together。　He　judged　the　young　man　rightly；　he　saw　him　kiss　her

hand　on　arriving；　but　he　knew　he　would　ask　no　kiss　when　alone　with

her；　so　deeply　did　the　lover　respect　the　innocence；　the　frankness　of

the　young　girl；　whose　excessive　sensibility；　often　tried；　taught　him

that　a　harsh　word；　a　cold　look；　or　the　alternations　of　gentleness　and

roughness　might　kill　her。　The　only　freedom　between　the　two　took　place

before　the　eyes　of　the　old　man　in　the　evenings。



Two　years；　full　of　secret　happiness；　passed　thus；without　other

events　than　the　fruitless　efforts　made　by　the　young　man　to　obtain　from

his　mother　her　consent　to　his　marriage。　He　talked　to　her　sometimes　for

hours　together。　She　listened　and　made　no　answer　to　his　entreaties；

other　than　by　Breton　silence　or　a　positive　denial。



At　nineteen　years　of　age　Ursula；　elegant　in　appearance；　a　fine

musician；　and　well　brought　up；　had　nothing　more　to　learn；　she　was

perfected。　The　fame　of　her　beauty　and　grace　and　education　spread　far。

The　doctor　was　called　upon　to　decline　the　overtures　of　Madame

d'Aiglemont；　who　was　thinking　of　Ursula　for　her　eldest　son。　Six　months

later；　in　spite　of　the　secrecy　the　doctor　and　Ursula　maintained　on

this　subject；　Savinien　heard　of　it。　Touched　by　so　much　delicacy；　he

made　use　of　the　incident　in　another　attempt　to　vanquish　his　mother's

obstinacy；　but　she　merely　replied：



〃If　the　d'Aiglemonts　choose　to　ally　themselves　ill；　is　that　any　reason

why　we　should　do　so？〃



In　December；　1834；　the　kind　and　now　truly　pious　old　doctor；　then

eighty…eight　years　old；　declined　visibly。　When　seen　out　of　doors；　his

face　pinched　and　wan　and　his　eyes　pale；　all　the　town　talked　of　his

approaching　death。　〃You'll　soon　know　results；〃　said　the　community　to

the　heirs。　In　truth　the　old　man's　death　had　all　the　attraction　of　a

problem。　But　the　doctor　himself　did　not　know　he　was　ill；　he　had　his

illusions；　and　neither　poor　Ursula　nor　Savinien　nor　Bongrand　nor　the

abbe　were　willing　to　enlighten　him　as　to　his　condition。　The　Nemours

doctor　who　came　to　see　him　every　day　did　not　venture　to　prescribe。　Old

Minoret　felt　no　pain；　his　lamp　of　life　was　gently　going　it。　His　mind

continued　firm　and　clear　and　powerful。　In　old　men　thus　constituted　the

soul　governs　the　body；　and　gives　it　strength　to　die　erect。　The　abbe；

anxious　not　to　hasten　the　fatal　end；　released　his　parishioner　from　the

duty　of　hearing　mass　in　church；　and　allowed　him　to　read　the　services

at　home；　for　the　doctor　faithfully　attended　to　all　his　religious

duties。　The　nearer　he　came　to　the　grave　the　more　he　loved　God；　the

lights　eternal　shone　upon　all　difficulties　and　explained　them　more　and

more　clearly　to　his　mind。　Early　in　the　year　Ursula　persuaded　him　to

sell　the　carriage　and　horses　and　dismiss　Cabirolle。　Monsieur　Bongrand；

whose　uneasiness　about　Ursula's　future　was　far　from　quieted　by　the

doctor's　half…confidence；　boldly　opened　the　subject　one　evening　and

showed　his　old　friend　the　importance　of　making　Ursula　legally　of　age。

Still　the　old　man；　though　he　had　often　consulted　the　justice　of　peace；

would　not　reveal　to　him　the　secret　of　his　provision　for　Ursula；　though

he　agreed　to　the　necessity　of　securing　her　independence　by　majority。

The　more　Monsieur　Bongrand　persisted　in　his　efforts　to　discover　the

means　selected　by　his　old　friend　to　provide　for　his　darling　the　more

wary　the　doctor　became。



〃Why　not　secure　the　thing；〃　said　Bongrand；　〃why　run　any　risks？〃



〃When　you　are　between　two　risks；〃　replied　the　doctor；　〃avoid　the　most

risky。〃



Bongrand　carried　through　the　business　of　making　Ursula　of　age　so

promptly　that　the　papers　were　ready　by　the　day　she　was　twenty。　That

anniversary　was　the　last　pleasure　of　the　old　doctor　who；　seized

perhaps　with　a