ursula-第43部分

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godfather　has　appeared　to　me；　as　Jesus　appeared　to　his　disciples。　He

was　wrapped　in　yellow　light；　he　spoke　to　me。　I　beg　you　to　say　a　mass

for　the　repose　of　his　soul　and　to　implore　the　help　of　God　that　these

visions　may　cease；　for　they　are　destroying　me。〃



She　then　related　the　three　dreams　with　all　their　details；　insisting　on

the　truth　of　what　she　said；　on　her　own　freedom　of　action；　on　the

somnambulism　of　her　inner　being；　which；　she　said；　detached　itself　from

her　body　at　the　bidding　of　the　spectre　and　followed　him　with　perfect

ease。　The　thing　that　most　surprised　the　abbe；　to　whom　Ursula's

veracity　was　known；　was　the　exact　description　which　she　gave　of　the

bedroom　formerly　occupied　by　Zelie　at　the　post　house；　which　Ursula　had

never　entered　and　about　which　no　one　had　ever　spoken　to　her。



〃By　what　means　can　these　singular　apparitions　take　place？〃　asked

Ursula。　〃What　did　my　godfather　think？〃



〃Your　godfather；　my　dear　child；　argued　my　hypothesis。　He　recognized

the　possibility　of　a　spiritual　world；　a　world　of　ideas。　If　ideas　are

of　man's　creation；　if　they　subsist　in　a　life　of　their　own；　they　must

have　forms　which　our　external　senses　cannot　grasp；　but　which　are

perceptible　to　our　inward　senses　when　brought　under　certain

conditions。　Thus　your　godfather's　ideas　might　so　enfold　you　that　you

would　clothe　them　with　his　bodily　presence。　Then；　if　Minoret　really

committed　those　actions；　they　too　resolve　themselves　into　ideas；　for

all　action　is　the　result　of　many　ideas。　Now；　if　ideas　live　and　move　in

a　spiritual　world；　your　spirit　must　be　able　to　perceive　them　if　it

penetrates　that　world。　These　phenomena　are　not　more　extraordinary　than

those　of　memory；　and　those　of　memory　are　quite　as　amazing　and

inexplicable　as　those　of　the　perfume　of　plantswhich　are　perhaps　the

ideas　of　the　plants。〃



〃How　you　enlarge　and　magnify　the　world！〃　exclaimed　Ursula。　〃But　to

hear　the　dead　speak；　to　see　them　walk；　actdo　you　think　it　possible？〃



〃In　Sweden；〃　replied　the　abbe；　〃Swedenborg　has　proved　by　evidence　that

he　communicated　with　the　dead。　But　come　with　me　into　the　library　and

you　shall　read　in　the　life　of　the　famous　Duc　de　Montmorency；　beheaded

at　Toulouse；　and　who　certainly　was　not　a　man　to　invent　foolish　tales；

an　adventure　very　like　yours；　which　happened　a　hundred　years　earlier

at　Cardan。〃



Ursula　and　the　abbe　went　upstairs；　and　the　good　man　hunted　up　a　little

edition　in　12mo；　printed　in　Paris　in　1666；　of　the　〃History　of　Henri　de

Montmorency；〃　written　by　a　priest　of　that　period　who　had　known　the

prince。



〃Read　it；〃　said　the　abbe；　giving　Ursula　the　volume；　which　he　had

opened　at　the　175th　page。　〃Your　godfather　often　re…read　that　passage；

and　see！　here's　a　little　of　his　snuff　in　it。〃



〃And　he　not　here！〃　said　Ursula；　taking　the　volume　to　read　the　passage。



　　〃The　siege　of　Privat　was　remarkable　for　the　loss　of　a　great　number

　　of　officers。　Two　brigadier…generals　died　therenamely；　the

　　Marquis　d'Uxelles；　of　a　wound　received　at　the　outposts；　and　the

　　Marquis　de　Portes；　from　a　musket…shot　through　the　head。　The　day

　　the　latter　was　killed　he　was　to　have　been　made　a　marshal　of

　　France。　About　the　moment　when　the　marquis　expired　the　Duc　de

　　Montmorency；　who　was　sleeping　in　his　tent；　was　awakened　by　a　voice

　　like　that　of　the　marquis　bidding　him　farewell。　The　affection　he

　　felt　for　a　friend　so　near　made　him　attribute　the　illusion　of　this

　　dream　to　the　force　of　his　own　imagination；　and　owing　to　the

　　fatigues　of　the　night；　which　he　had　spent；　according　to　his

　　custom；　in　the　trenches；　he　fell　asleep　once　more　without　any

　　sense　of　dread。　But　the　same　voice　disturbed　him　again；　and　the

　　phantom　obliged　him　to　wake　up　and　listen　to　the　same　words　it　had

　　said　as　it　first　passed。　The　duke　then　recollected　that　he　had

　　heard　the　philosopher　Pitrat　discourse　on　the　possibility　of　the

　　separation　of　the　soul　from　the　body；　and　that　he　and　the　marquis

　　had　agreed　that　the　first　who　died　should　bid　adieu　to　the　other。

　　On　which；　not　being　able　to　restrain　his　fears　as　to　the　truth　of

　　this　warning；　he　sent　a　servant　to　the　marquis's　quarters；　which

　　were　distant　from　him。　But　before　the　man　could　get　back；　the　king

　　sent　to　inform　the　duke；　by　persons　fitted　to　console　him；　of　the

　　great　loss　he　had　sustained。



　　〃I　leave　learned　men　to　discuss　the　cause　of　this　event；　which　I

　　have　frequently　heard　the　Duc　de　Montmorency　relate：　I　think　that

　　the　truth　and　singularity　of　the　fact　itself　ought　to　be　recorded

　　and　preserved。〃



〃If　all　this　is　so；〃　said　Ursula；　〃what　ought　I　do　do？〃



〃My　child；〃　said　the　abbe；　〃it　concerns　matters　so　important；　and

which　may　prove　so　profitable　to　you；　that　you　ought　to　keep

absolutely　silent　about　it。　Now　that　you　have　confided　to　me　the

secret　of　these　apparitions　perhaps　they　may　not　return。　Besides；　you

are　now　strong　enough　to　come　to　church；　well；　then；　come　to…morrow

and　thank　God　and　pray　to　him　for　the　repose　of　your　godfather's　soul。

Feel　quite　sure　that　you　have　entrusted　your　secret　to　prudent　hands。〃



〃If　you　knew　how　afraid　I　am　to　go　to　sleep；what　glances　my

godfather　gives　me！　The　last　time　he　caught　hold　of　my　dressI　awoke

with　my　face　all　covered　with　tears。〃



〃Be　at　peace；　he　will　not　come　again；〃　said　the　priest。



Without　losing　a　moment　the　Abbe　Chaperon　went　straight　to　Minoret　and

asked　for　a　few　moments　interview　in　the　Chinese　pagoda；　requesting

that　they　might　be　entirely　alone。



〃Can　any　one　hear　us？〃　he　asked。



〃No　one；〃　replied　Minoret。



〃Monsieur；　my　character　must　be　known　to　you；〃　said　the　abbe；

fastening　a　gentle　but　attentive　look　on　Minoret's　face。　〃I　have　to

speak　to　you　of　serious　and　extraordinary　matters；　which　concern　you；

and　about　which　you　may　be　sure　that　I　shall　keep　the　profoundest

secrecy；　but　it　is　impossible　for　me　to　do　otherwise　than　give　you

this　information。　While　your　uncle　lived；　there　stood　there；〃　said　the

priest；　pointing　to　a　certain　spot　in　the　room；　〃a　small　buffet　made

by　Boule；　with　a　marble　top〃　（Minoret　turned　livid）；　〃and　beneath　the

marble　your　uncle　placed　a　letter　for　Ursula〃　The　abbe　then　went　on

to　relate；　without　omitting　the　smallest　circumstance；　Minoret's

conduct　to　Minoret　himself。　When　the　last　post　master　heard　the　detail

of　the　two　matches　refusing　to　light　he　felt　his　hair　begin　to　writhe

on　his　skull。



〃Who　invented　such　nonsense？〃　he　said；　in　a　strangled　voice；　when　the

tale　ended。



〃The　dead　man　himself。〃



This　answer　made　Minoret　tremble；　for　he　himself　had　dreamed　of　the

doctor。



〃God　is　very　good；　Monsieur　l'abbe；　to　do　miracles　for　me；〃　he　said；

danger　inspiring　him　to　make　the　sole　jest　of　his　life。



〃All　that　God　does　is　natural；〃　replied　the　priest。



〃Your　phantoms　don't　frighten　me；〃　said　the　colossus；　recovering　his

coolness。



〃I　did　not　come　to　frighten　you；　for　I　shall　never　speak　of　this　to

any　one　in　the　world；〃　said　the　abbe。　〃You　alone　know　the　truth。　The

matter　is　between　you　and　God。〃



〃Come　now；　Monsieur　l'abbe；　do　you　really　think　me　capable　of　such　a

horrible　abuse　of　confidence？〃



〃I　believe　only　in　crimes　which　are　confessed　to　me；　and　of　which　the

sinner　repents；〃　said　the　priest；　in　an　apostolic　tone。



〃Crime？〃　cried　Minoret。



〃A　crime　frightful　in　its　consequences。〃



〃What　consequences？〃



〃In　the　fact　that　it　escapes　human　justice。　The　crimes　which　are　not

expiated　here　below　will　be　punished　in　another　world。　God　himself

avenges　innocence。〃



〃Do　you　think　God　concerns　himself　with　such　trifles？〃



〃If　he　did　not　see　the　worlds　in　all　their　details　at　a　glance；　as　you

take　a　landscape　into　your　eye；　he　would　not　be　God。〃



〃Monsieur　l'abbe；　will　you　give　me　your　word　of　honor　that　you　have

had　these　facts　from　my　uncle？〃



〃Your　uncle　has　appeared　three　times　to　Ursula　and　has　told　them　and

repeated　them　to　her。　Exhausted　by　such　visions　she　revealed　them　to

me　privately；　she　considers　them　so　devoid　of　reason　that　she　will

never　speak　of　them。　You　may　make　yourself　easy　on　that　point。〃



〃I　am　easy　on　all　points；　Monsieur　Chaperon。〃



〃I　hope　you　are；〃　said　the　old　priest。　〃Even　if　I　considered　these

warnings　absurd；　I　should　still　feel　bound　to　inform　you　of　them；

considering　the　singular　nature　of　the　details。　You　are　an　honest　man；

and　you　have　obtained　your　handsome　fortune　in　too　legal　a　way　to　wish

to　add　to　it　by　theft。　Besides；　you　are　an　almost　primitive　man；　and

you　would　be　tortured　by　remorse。　We　have　within　us；　be　we　savage　or

civilized；　the　sense　of　what　is　right；　and　this　will　not　permit　us　to

enjoy　in　peace　ill…gotten　gains　acquired　against　the　laws　of　the

society　in　which　we　live；for　well…constituted　societies　are　modeled

on　the　system　God　has　ordained　for　the　universe。　In　this　respect

societies　have　a　divine　origin。　Man　does　not　originate　ideas；　he

invents　no　form；　he　answers　to　the　eternal　relations　that　surround　him

on　all　sides。　Therefore；　see　what　happens！　Criminals　going　to　the

scaffold；　and　having　it　in　their　power　to　carry　their　secret　with

them；　are　compelled　by　the　force　of　some　mysterious　power　to　make

confessions　before　their　heads　are　taken　off。　Therefore；　Monsieur

Minoret；　if　your　mind　is　at　ease；　I　go　my　way　satisfied。〃



Minoret　was　so　stupefied　that　he　allowed　the　abbe　to　find　his　own　way

out。　When　he　thought　himself　alone　he　flew　into　the　fury　of　a　choleric

man；　the　strangest　blasphemies　escaped　his　lips；　in　which　Ursula's

name　was　mingled　with　odious　language。



〃Why；　what　has　she　done　to　you？〃　cried　Zelie；　who　had　slipped　in　on

tiptoe　after　seeing　the　abbe　out　of　the　house。



For　the　first　and　only　time　in　his　life；　Minoret；　drunk　with　anger　and

driven　to　extremities　by　his　wife's　reiterated　questions；　turned　upon

her　and　beat　her　so　violently　that　he　was　obliged；　when　she　fell　half…

dead　on　the　floor；　to　take　her　in