ursula-第41部分

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otherwise；　what　good　would　my　blood　do　you？　can　you　drink　it？　At　this

moment　it　would　poison　you。〃



The　cold　reasoning　of　the　man；　together　with　a　feeling　of　eager

curiosity；　calmed　Savinien's　anger。　He　fixed　his　eyes　on　Goupil　with　a

look　which　made　that　moral　deformity　writhe。



〃Who　set　you　at　this　work？〃　said　the　young　man。



〃Will　you　swear？〃



〃What；to　do　you　no　harm？〃



〃I　wish　that　you　and　Mademoiselle　Mirouet　should　not　forgive　me。〃



〃She　will　forgive　you；I；　never！〃



〃But　at　least　you　will　forget？〃



What　terrible　power　the　reason　has　when　it　is　used　to　further　self…

interest。　Here　were　two　men；　longing　to　tear　one　another　in　pieces；

standing　in　that　courtyard　within　two　inches　of　each　other；　compelled

to　talk　together　and　united　by　a　single　sentiment。



〃I　will　forgive　you；　but　I　shall　not　forget。〃



〃The　agreement　is　off；〃　said　Goupil　coldly。　Savinien　lost　patience。　He

applied　a　blow　upon　the　man's　face　which　echoed　through　the　courtyard

and　nearly　knocked　him　down；　making　Savinien　himself　stagger。



〃It　is　only　what　I　deserve；〃　said　Goupil；　〃for　committing　such　a

folly。　I　thought　you　more　noble　than　you　are。　You　have　abused　the

advantage　I　gave　you。　You　are　in　my　power　now；〃　he　added　with　a　look

of　hatred。



〃You　are　a　murderer！〃　said　Savinien。



〃No　more　than　a　dagger　is　a　murderer。〃



〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　Savinien。



〃Are　you　revenged　enough？〃　said　Goupil；　with　ferocious　irony；　〃will

you　stop　here？〃



〃Reciprocal　pardon　and　forgetfulness；〃　replied　Savinien。



〃Give　me　your　hand；〃　said　the　clerk；　holding　out　his　own。



〃It　is　yours；〃　said　Savinien；　swallowing　the　shame　for　Ursula's　sake。

〃Now　speak；　who　made　you　do　this　thing？〃



Goupil　looked　into　the　scales　as　it　were；　on　one　side　was　Savinien's

blow；　on　the　other　his　hatred　against　Minoret。　For　a　second　he　was

undecided；　then　a　voice　said　to　him：　〃You　will　be　notary！〃　and　he

answered：



〃Pardon　and　forgetfulness？　Yes；　on　both　sides；　monsieur〃



〃Who　is　persecuting　Ursula？〃　persisted　Savinien。



〃Minoret。　He　would　have　liked　to　see　her　buried。　Why？　I　can't　tell　you

that；　but　we　might　find　out　the　reason。　Don't　mix　me　up　in　all　this；　I

could　do　nothing　to　help　you　if　the　others　distrusted　me。　Instead　of

annoying　Ursula　I　will　defend　her；　instead　of　serving　Minoret　I　will

try　to　defeat　his　schemes。　I　live　only　to　ruin　him；　to　destroy　him

I'll　crush　him　under　foot；　I'll　dance　on　his　carcass；　I'll　make　his

bones　into　dominoes！　To…morrow；　every　wall　in　Nemours　and

Fontainebleau　and　Rouvre　shall　blaze　with　the　letters；　'Minoret　is　a

thief！'　Yes；　I'll　burst　him　like　a　gunThere！　we're　allies　now　by　the

imprudence　of　that　outbreak！　If　you　choose　I'll　beg　Mademoiselle

Mirouet's　pardon　and　tell　her　I　curse　the　madness　which　impelled　me　to

injure　her。　It　may　do　her　good；　the　abbe　and　the　justice　are　both

there；　but　Monsieur　Bongrand　must　promise　on　his　honor　not　to　injure

my　career。　I　have　a　career　now。〃



〃Wait　a　minute；〃　said　Savinien；　bewildered　by　the　revelation。



〃Ursula；　my　child；〃　he　said；　returning　to　the　salon；　〃the　author　of

all　your　troubles　is　ashamed　of　his　work；　he　repents　and　wishes　to　ask

your　pardon　in　presence　of　these　gentlemen；　on　condition　that　all　be

forgotten。〃



〃What！　Goupil？〃　cried　the　abbe；　the　justice；　and　the　doctor；　all

together。



〃Keep　his　secret；〃　said　Ursula；　putting　a　finger　on　her　lips。



Goupil　heard　the　words；　saw　the　gesture；　and　was　touched。



〃Mademoiselle；〃　he　said　in　a　troubled　voice；　〃I　wish　that　all　Nemours

could　hear　me　tell　you　that　a　fatal　passion　has　bewildered　my　brain

and　led　me　to　commit　a　crime　punishable　by　the　blame　of　honest　men。

What　I　say　now　I　would　be　willing　to　say　everywhere；　deploring　the

harm　done　by　such　miserable　trickswhich　may　have　hastened　your

happiness；〃　he　added；　rather　maliciously；　〃for　I　see　that　Madame　de

Portenduere　is　with　you。〃



〃That　is　all　very　well；　Goupil；〃　said　the　abbe；　〃Mademoiselle　forgives

you；　but　you　must　not　forget　that　you　came　near　being　her　murderer。〃



〃Monsieur　Bongrand；〃　said　Goupil；　addressing　the　justice　of　peace。　〃I

shall　negotiate　to…night　for　Lecoeur's　practice；　I　hope　the　reparation

I　have　now　made　will　not　injure　me　with　you；　and　that　you　will　back　my

petition　to　the　bar　and　the　ministry。〃



Bongrand　made　a　thoughtful　inclination　of　his　head；　and　Goupil　left

the　house　to　negotiate　on　the　best　terms　he　could　for　the　sheriff's

practice。　The　others　remained　with　Ursula　and　did　their　best　to

restore　the　peace　and　tranquillity　of　her　mind；　already　much　relieved

by　Goupil's　confession。



〃You　see；　my　child；　that　God　was　not　against　you；〃　said　the　abbe。



Minoret　came　home　late　from　Rouvre。　About　nine　o'clock　he　was　sitting

in　the　Chinese　pagoda　digesting　his　dinner　beside　his　wife；　with　whom

he　was　making　plans　for　Desire's　future。　Desire　had　become　very　sedate

since　entering　the　magistracy；　he　worked　hard；　and　it　was　not　unlikely

that　he　would　succeed　the　present　procureur　du　roi　at　Fontainebleau；

who；　they　said；　was　to　be　advanced　to　Melun。　His　parents　felt　that

they　must　find　him　a　wife；some　poor　girl　belonging　to　an　old　and

noble　family；　he　would　then　make　his　way　to　the　magistracy　of　Paris。

Perhaps　they　could　get　him　elected　deputy　from　Fontainebleau；　where

Zelie　was　proposing　to　pass　the　winter　after　living　at　Rouvre　for　the

summer　season。　Minoret；　inwardly　congratulating　himself　for　having

managed　his　affairs　so　well；　no　longer　thought　or　cared　about　Ursula；

at　the　very　moment　when　the　drama　so　heedlessly　begun　by　him　was

closing　down　upon　him　in　a　terrible　manner。



〃Monsieur　de　Portenduere　is　here　and　wishes　to　speak　to　you；〃　said

Cabirolle。



〃Show　him　in；〃　answered　Zelie。



The　twilight　shadows　prevented　Madame　Minoret　from　noticing　the　sudden

pallor　of　her　husband；　who　shuddered　as　he　heard　Savinien's　boots　on

the　floor　of　the　gallery；　where　the　doctor's　library　used　to　be。　A

vague　presentiment　of　danger　ran　through　the　robber's　veins。　Savinien

entered　and　remaining　standing；　with　his　hat　on　his　head；　his　cane　in

his　hand；　and　both　hands　crossed　in　front　of　him；　motionless　before

the　husband　and　wife。



〃I　have　come　to　ascertain；　Monsieur　and　Madame　Minoret；〃　he　said；

〃your　reasons　for　tormenting　in　an　infamous　manner　a　young　lady　who；

as　the　whole　town　knows；　is　to　be　my　wife。　Why　have　you　endeavored　to

tarnish　her　honor？　why　have　you　wished　to　kill　her？　why　did　you

deliver　her　over　to　Goupil's　insults？Answer！〃



〃How　absurd　you　are；　Monsieur　Savinien；〃　said　Zelie；　〃to　come　and　ask

us　the　meaning　of　a　thing　we　think　inexplicable。　I　bother　myself　as

little　about　Ursula　as　I　do　about　the　year　one。　Since　Uncle　Minoret

died　I've　not　thought　of　her　more　than　I　do　of　my　first　tooth。　I've

never　said　one　word　about　her　to　Goupil；　who　is；　moreover；　a　queer

rogue　whom　I　wouldn't　think　of　consulting　about　even　a　dog。　Why　don't

you　speak　up；　Minoret？　Are　you　going　to　let　monsieur　box　your　ears　in

that　way　and　accuse　you　of　wickedness　that's　beneath　you？　As　if　a　man

with　forty…eight　thousand　francs　a　year　from　landed　property；　and　a

castle　fit　for　a　prince；　would　stoop　to　such　things！　Get　up；　and　don't

sit　there　like　a　wet　rag！〃



〃I　don't　know　what　monsieur　means；〃　said　Minoret　in　his　squeaking

voice；　the　trembling　of　which　was　all　the　more　noticeable　because　the

voice　was　clear。　〃What　object　could　I　have　in　persecuting　the　girl？　I

may　have　said　to　Goupil　how　annoyed　I　was　at　seeing　her　in　Nemours。　My

son　Desire　fell　in　love　with　her；　and　I　didn't　want　him　to　marry　her；

that's　all。〃



〃Goupil　has　confessed　everything；　Monsieur　Minoret。〃



There　was　a　moment's　silence；　but　it　was　terrible；　when　all　three

persons　examined　one　another。　Zelie　saw　a　nervous　quiver　on　the　heavy

face　of　her　colossus。



〃Though　you　are　only　insects；〃　said　the　young　nobleman；　〃I　will　make

you　feel　my　vengeance。　It　is　not　from　you；　Monsieur　Minoret；　a　man

sixty…eight　years　of　age；　but　from　your　son　that　I　shall　seek

satisfaction　for　the　insults　offered　to　Mademoiselle　Mirouet。　The

first　time　he　sets　his　foot　in　Nemours　we　shall　meet。　He　must　fight

me；　he　will　do　so；　or　be　dishonored　and　never　dare　to　show　his　face

again。　If　he　does　not　come　to　Nemours　I　shall　go　to　Fontainebleau；　for

I　will　have　satisfaction。　It　shall　never　be　said　that　you　were　tamely

allowed　to　dishonor　a　defenceless　young　girl〃



〃But　the　calumnies　of　a　Goupilarenot〃　began　Minoret。



〃Do　you　wish　me　to　bring　him　face　to　face　with　you？　Believe　me；　you

had　better　hush　up　this　affair；　it　lies　between　you　and　Goupil　and　me。

Leave　it　as　it　is；　God　will　decide　between　us　and　when　I　meet　your

son。〃



〃But　this　sha'n't　go　one！〃　cried　Zelie。　〃Do　you　suppose　I'll　stand　by

and　let　Desire　fight　you；a　sailor　whose　business　it　is　to　handle

swords　and　guns？　If　you've　got　any　cause　of　complaint　against　Minoret；

there's　Minoret；　take　Minoret；　fight　Minoret！　But　do　you　think　my　boy；

who；　by　your　own　account；　knew　nothing　of　all　this；　is　going　to　bear

the　brunt　of　it？　No；　my　little　gentleman！　somebody's　teeth　will　pin

your　legs　first！　Come；　Minoret；　don't　stand　staring　there　like　a　big

canary；　you　are　in　your　own　house；　and　you　allow　a　man　to　keep　his　hat

on　before　your　wife！　I　say　he　shall　go。　Now；　monsieur；　be　off！　a　man's

house　is　his　castle。　I　don't　know　what　you　mean　with　your　nonsense；

but　show　me　your　heels；　and　if　you　dare　touch　Desire　you'll　have　to

answer　to　ME；you　and　your　minx　Ursula。〃



She　rang　the　bell　violently　and　called　to　the　servants。



〃Remember　what　I　have　said　to　you；〃　repeated　Savinien　to　Minoret；

paying　no　attention　to　Zelie's　tirade。　Suspending　the　sword　of

Damocles　over　their　heads；　he　left　the　room。



〃Now；　then；　Minoret；〃　said　Zelie；　〃you　will　explain　to　me　what　this

all　means。　A　young　man　doesn't　rush　into　a　house　and　make　an　uproar

like　that　and　demand　the