ursula-第35部分

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and　they　would　to…day　have　been　opulent　instead　of　being；　as　they　now

were；　in　the　depths　of　poverty。　Though　said　without　reproach；　this

argument　annihilated　the　poor　woman　even　more　than　the　thought　of　her

coming　ejectment。　When　Ursula　heard　of　this　catastrophe　she　was

stupefied　with　grief；　having　scarcely　recovered　from　her　fever；　and

the　blow　which　the　heirs　had　already　dealt　her。　To　love　and　be　unable

to　succor　the　man　she　loves；that　is　one　of　the　most　dreadful　of　all

sufferings　to　the　soul　of　a　noble　and　sensitive　woman。



〃I　wished　to　buy　my　uncle's　house；〃　she　said；　〃now　I　will　buy　your

mother's。〃



〃Can　you？〃　said　Savinien。　〃You　are　a　minor；　and　you　cannot　sell　out

your　Funds　without　formalities　to　which　the　procureur　du　roi；　now　your

legal　guardian；　would　not　agree。　We　shall　not　resist。　The　whole　town

will　be　glad　to　see　the　discomfiture　of　a　noble　family。　These

bourgeois　are　like　hounds　after　a　quarry。　Fortunately；　I　still　have

ten　thousand　francs　left；　on　which　I　can　support　my　mother　till　this

deplorable　matter　is　settled。　Besides；　the　inventory　of　your

godfather's　property　is　not　yet　finished；　Monsieur　Bongrand　still

thinks　he　shall　find　something　for　you。　He　is　as　much　astonished　as　I

am　that　you　seem　to　be　left　without　fortune。　The　doctor　so　often　spoke

both　to　him　and　to　me　of　the　future　he　had　prepared　for　you　that

neither　of　us　can　understand　this　conclusion。〃



〃Pooh！〃　she　said；　〃so　long　as　I　can　buy　my　godfather's　books　and

furniture　and　prevent　their　being　dispersed；　I　am　content。〃



〃But　who　knows　the　price　these　infamous　creatures　will　set　on　anything

you　want？〃



Nothing　was　talked　of　from　Montargis　to　Fontainebleau　but　the　million

for　which　the　Minoret　heirs　were　searching。　But　the　most　minute　search

made　in　every　corner　of　the　house　after　the　seals　were　removed；

brought　no　discovery。　The　one　hundred　and　twenty…nine　thousand　francs

of　the　Portenduere　debt；　the　capital　of　the　fifteen　thousand　a　year　in

the　three　per　cents　（then　quoted　at　76）；　the　house；　valued　at　forty

thousand　francs；　and　its　handsome　furniture；　produced　a　total　of　about

six　hundred　thousand　francs；　which　to　most　persons　seemed　a　comforting

sum。　But　what　had　become　of　the　money　the　doctor　must　have　saved？



Minoret　began　to　have　gnawing　anxieties。　La　Bougival　and　Savinien；　who

persisted　in　believing；　as　did　the　justice　of　peace；　in　the　existence

of　a　will；　came　every　day　at　the　close　of　each　session　to　find　out

from　Bongrand　the　results　of　the　day's　search。　The　latter　would

sometimes　exclaim；　before　the　agents　and　the　heirs　were　fairly　out　of

hearing；　〃I　can't　understand　the　thing！〃　Bongrand；　Savinien；　and　the

abbe　often　declared　to　each　other　that　the　doctor；　who　received　no

interest　from　the　Portenduere　loan；　could　not　have　kept　his　house　as

he　did　on　fifteen　thousand　francs　a　year。　This　opinion；　openly

expressed；　made　the　post　master　turn　livid　more　than　once。



〃Yet　they　and　I　have　rummaged　everywhere；〃　said　Bongrand；〃they　to

find　money；　and　I　to　find　a　will　in　favor　of　Monsieur　de　Portenduere。

They　have　sifted　the　ashes；　lifted　the　marbles；　felt　of　the　slippers；

bored　into　the　wood…work　of　the　beds；　emptied　the　mattresses；　ripped

up　the　quilts；　turned　his　eider…down　inside…out；　examined　every　inch

of　paper　piece　by　piece；　searched　the　drawers；　dug　up　the　cellar　floor

and　I　have　urged　on　their　devastations。〃



〃What　do　you　think　about　it？〃　said　the　abbe。



〃The　will　has　been　suppressed　by　one　of　the　heirs。〃



〃But　where's　the　property？〃



〃We　may　whistle　for　it！〃



〃Perhaps　the　will　is　hidden　in　the　library；〃　said　Savinien。



〃Yes；　and　for　that　reason　I　don't　dissuade　Ursula　from　buying　it。　If

it　were　not　for　that；　it　would　be　absurd　to　let　her　put　every　penny　of

her　ready　money　into　books　she　will　never　open。〃



At　first　the　whole　town　believed　the　doctor's　niece　had　got　possession

of　the　unfound　capital；　but　when　it　was　known　positively　that　fourteen

hundred　francs　a　year　and　her　gifts　constituted　her　whole　fortune　the

search　of　the　doctor's　house　and　furniture　excited　a　more　wide…spread

curiosity　than　before。　Some　said　the　money　would　be　found　in　bank

bills　hidden　away　in　the　furniture；　others　that　the　old　man　had

slipped　them　into　his　books。　The　sale　of　the　effects　exhibited　a

spectacle　of　the　most　extraordinary　precautions　on　the　part　of　the

heirs。　Dionis；　who　was　doing　duty　as　auctioneeer；　declared；　as　each

lot　was　cried　out；　that　the　heirs　only　sold　the　article　（whatever　it

was）　and　not　what　it　might　contain；　then；　before　allowing　it　to　be

taken　away　it　was　subjected　to　a　final　investigation；　being　thumped

and　sounded；　and　when　at　last　it　left　the　house　the　sellers　followed

with　the　looks　a　father　might　cast　upon　a　son　who　was　starting　for

India。



〃Ah；　mademoiselle；〃　cried　La　Bougival；　returning　from　the　first

session　in　despair；　〃I　shall　not　go　again。　Monsieur　Bongrand　is　right；

you　could　never　bear　the　sight。　Everything　is　ticketed。　All　the　town

is　coming　and　going　just　as　in　the　street；　the　handsome　furniture　is

being　ruined；　they　even　stand　upon　it；　the　whole　place　is　such　a

muddle　that　a　hen　couldn't　find　her　chicks。　You'd　think　there　had　been

a　fire。　Lots　of　things　are　in　the　courtyard；　the　closets　are　all　open；

and　nothing　in　them。　Oh！　the　poor　dear　man；　it's　well　he　died；　the

sight　would　have　killed　him。〃



Bongrand；　who　bought　for　Ursula　certain　articles　which　her　uncle

cherished；　and　which　were　suitable　for　her　little　house；　did　not

appear　at　the　sale　of　the　library。　Shrewder　than　the　heirs；　whose

cupidity　might　have　run　up　the　price　of　the　books　had　they　known　he

was　buying　them　for　Ursula；　he　commissioned　a　dealer　in　old　books

living　in　Melun　to　buy　them　for　him。　As　a　result　of　the　heir's　anxiety

the　whole　library　was　sold　book　by　book。　Three　thousand　volumes　were

examined；　one　by　one；　held　by　the　two　sides　of　the　binding　and　shaken

so　that　loose　papers　would　infallibly　fall　out。　The　whole　amount　of

the　purchases　on　Ursula's　account　amounted　to　six　thousand　five

hundred　francs　or　thereabouts。　The　book…cases　were　not　allowed　to

leave　the　premises　until　carefully　examined　by　a　cabinet…maker；

brought　down　from　Paris　to　search　for　secret　drawers。　When　at　last

Monsieur　Bongrand　gave　orders　to　take　the　books　and　the　bookcases　to

Mademoiselle　Mirouet's　house　the　heirs　were　tortured　with　vague　fears；

not　dissipated　until　in　course　of　time　they　saw　how　poorly　she　lived。



Minoret　bought　up　his　uncle's　house；　the　value　of　which　his　co…heirs

ran　up　to　fifty　thousand　francs；　imagining　that　the　post　master

expected　to　find　a　treasure　in　the　walls；　in　fact　the　house　was　sold

with　a　reservation　on　this　subject。　Two　weeks　later　Minoret　disposed

of　his　post　establishment；　with　all　the　coaches　and　horses；　to　the　son

of　a　rich　farmer；　and　went　to　live　in　his　uncle's　house；　where　he

spent　considerable　sums　in　repairing　and　refurnishing　the　rooms。　By

making　this　move　he　thoughtlessly　condemned　himself　to　live　within

sight　of　Ursula。



〃I　hope；〃　he　said　to　Dionis　the　day　when　Madame　de　Portenduere　was

summoned　to　pay　her　debt；　〃that　we　shall　soon　be　rid　of　those　nobles；

after　they　are　gone　we'll　drive　out　the　rest。〃



〃That　old　woman　with　fourteen　quarterings；〃　said　Goupil；　〃won't　want

to　witness　her　own　disaster；　she'll　go　and　die　in　Brittany；　where　she

can　manage　to　find　a　wife　for　her　son。〃



〃No；〃　said　the　notary；　who　had　that　morning　drawn　out　a　deed　of　sale

at　Bongrand's　request。　〃Ursula　has　just　bought　the　house　she　is　living

in。〃



〃That　cursed　fool　does　everything　she　can　to　annoy　me！〃　cried　the　post

master　imprudently。



〃What　does　it　signify　to　you　whether　she　lives　in　Nemours　or　not？〃

asked　Goupil；　surprised　at　the　annoyance　which　the　colossus　betrayed。



〃Don't　you　know；〃　answered　Minoret；　turning　as　red　as　a　poppy；　〃that

my　son　is　fool　enough　to　be　in　love　with　her？　I'd　give　five　hundred

francs　if　I　could　get　Ursula　out　of　this　town。〃







CHAPTER　XVI



THE　TWO　ADVERSARIES



Perhaps　the　foregoing　conduct　on　the　part　of　the　post　master　will　have

shown　already　that　Ursula；　poor　and　resigned；　was　destined　to　be　a

thorn　in　the　side　of　the　rich　Minoret。　The　bustle　attending　the

settlement　of　an　estate；　the　sale　of　the　property；　the　going　and

coming　necessitated　by　such　unusual　business；　his　discussions　with　his

wife　about　the　most　trifling　details；　the　purchase　of　the　doctor's

house；　where　Zelie　wished　to　live　in　bourgeois　style　to　advance　her

son's　interests；all　this　hurly…burly；　contrasting　with　his　usually

tranquil　life　hindered　the　huge　Minoret　from　thinking　of　his　victim。

But　about　the　middle　of　May；　a　few　days　after　his　installation　in　the

doctor's　house；　as　he　was　coming　home　from　a　walk；　he　heard　the　sound

of　a　piano；　saw　La　Bougival　sitting　at　a　window；　like　a　dragon

guarding　a　treasure；　and　suddenly　became　aware　of　an　importunate　voice

within　him。



To　explain　why　to　a　man　of　Minoret's　nature　the　sight　of　Ursula；　who

had　no　suspicion　of　the　theft　committed　upon　her；　now　became

intolerable；　why　the　spectacle　of　so　much　fortitude　under　misfortune

impelled　him　to　a　desire　to　drive　the　girl　out　of　town；　and　how　and

why　it　was　that　this　desire　took　the　form　of　hatred　and　revenge；　would

require　a　whole　treatise　on　moral　philosophy。　Perhaps　he　felt　he　was

not　the　real　possessor　of　thirty…six　thousand　francs　a　year　so　long　as

she　to　whom　they　really　belonged　lived　near　him。　Perhaps　he　fancied

some　mere　chance　might　betray　his　theft　if　the　person　despoiled　was

not　got　rid　of。　Perhaps　to　a　nature　in　some　sort　primitive；　almost

uncivilized；　and　whose　owner　up　to　that　time　had　never　done　anything

illegal；　the　presence　of　Ursula　awakened　remorse。　Possibly　this

remorse　goaded　him　the　more　because　he　had　received　his　share　of　the

property　legitimately　acquired。　In　his　own　mind　he　no　doubt　attributed

these　stirrings　of　his　conscie