ursula-第44部分

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

dead　on　the　floor；　to　take　her　in　his　arms　and　put　her　to　bed　himself；

ashamed　of　his　act。　He　was　taken　ill　and　the　doctor　bled　him　twice；

when　he　appeared　again　in　the　streets　everybody　noticed　a　great　change

in　him。　He　walked　alone；　and　often　roamed　the　town　as　though　uneasy。

When　any　one　addressed　him　he　seemed　preoccupied　in　his　mind；　he　who

had　never　before　had　two　ideas　in　his　head。　At　last；　one　evening；　he

went　up　to　Monsieur　Bongrand　in　the　Grand'Rue；　the　latter　being　on　his

way　to　take　Ursula　to　Madame　de　Portenduere's；　where　the　whist　parties

had　begun　again。



〃Monsieur　Bongrand；　I　have　something　important　to　say　to　my　cousin；〃

he　said；　taking　the　justice　by　the　arm；　〃and　I　am　very　glad　you　should

be　present；　for　you　can　advise　her。〃



They　found　Ursula　studying；　she　rose；　with　a　cold　and　dignified　air；

as　soon　as　she　saw　Minoret。



〃My　child；　Monsieur　Minoret　wants　to　speak　to　you　on　a　matter　of

business；〃　said　Bongrand。　〃By　the　bye；　don't　forget　to　give　me　your

certificates；　I　shall　go　to　Paris　in　the　morning　and　will　draw　your

dividend　and　La　Bougival's。〃



〃Cousin；〃　said　Minoret；　〃our　uncle　accustomed　you　to　more　luxury　than

you　have　now。〃



〃We　can　be　very　happy　with　very　little　money；〃　she　replied。



〃I　thought　money　might　help　your　happiness；〃　continued　Minoret；　〃and　I

have　come　to　offer　you　some；　out　of　respect　for　the　memory　of　my

uncle。〃



〃You　had　a　natural　way　of　showing　respect　for　him；〃　said　Ursula；

sternly；　〃you　could　have　left　his　house　as　it　was；　and　allowed　me　to

buy　it；　instead　of　that　you　put　it　at　a　high　price；　hoping　to　find

some　hidden　treasure　in　it。〃



〃But；〃　said　Minoret；　evidently　troubled；　〃if　you　had　twelve　thousand

francs　a　year　you　would　be　in　a　position　to　marry　well。〃



〃I　have　not　got　them。〃



〃But　suppose　I　give　them　to　you；　on　condition　of　your　buying　an　estate

in　Brittany　near　Madame　de　Portenduere；you　could　then　marry　her

son。〃



〃Monsieur　Minoret；〃　said　Ursula；　〃I　have　no　claim　to　that　money；　and　I

cannot　accept　it　from　you。　We　are　scarcely　relations；　still　less　are

we　friends。　I　have　suffered　too　much　from　calumny　to　give　a　handle　for

evil…speaking。　What　have　I　done　to　deserve　that　money？　What　reason

have　you　to　make　me　such　a　present？　These　questions；　which　I　have　a

right　to　ask；　persons　will　answer　as　they　see　fit；　some　would　consider

your　gift　the　reparation　of　a　wrong；　and；　as　such；　I　choose　not　to

accept　it。　Your　uncle　did　not　bring　me　up　to　ignoble　feelings。　I　can

accept　nothing　except　from　friends；　and　I　have　no　friendship　for　you。〃



〃Then　you　refuse？〃　cried　the　colossus；　into　whose　head　the　idea　had

never　entered　that　a　fortune　could　be　rejected。



〃I　refuse；〃　said　Ursula。



〃But　what　grounds　have　you　for　offering　Mademoiselle　Ursula　such　a

fortune？〃　asked　Bongrand；　looking　fixedly　at　Minoret。　〃You　have　an

ideahave　you　an　idea？〃



〃Well；　yes；　the　idea　of　getting　her　out　of　Nemours；　so　that　my　son

will　leave　me　in　peace；　he　is　in　love　with　her　and　wants　to　marry

her。〃



〃Well；　we'll　see　about　it；〃　said　Bongrand；　settling　his　spectacles。

〃Give　us　time　to　think　it　over。〃



He　walked　home　with　Minoret；　applauding　the　solicitude　shown　by　the

father　for　his　son's　interests；　and　slightly　blaming　Ursula　for　her

hasty　decision。　As　soon　as　Minoret　was　within　his　own　gate；　Bongrand

went　to　the　post　house；　borrowed　a　horse　and　cabriolet；　and　started

for　Fontainebleau；　where　he　went　to　see　the　deputy　procureur；　and　was

told　that　he　was　spending　the　evening　at　the　house　of　the　sub…prefect。

Bongrand；　delighted；　followed　him　there。　Desire　was　playing　whist　with

the　wife　of　the　procureur　du　roi；　the　wife　of　the　sub…prefect；　and　the

colonel　of　the　regiment　in　garrison。



〃I　come　to　bring　you　some　good　news；〃　said　Bongrand　to　Desire；　〃you

love　your　cousin　Ursula；　and　the　marriage　can　be　arranged。〃



〃I　love　Ursula　Mirouet！〃　cried　Desire；　laughing。　〃Where　did　you　get

that　idea？　I　do　remember　seeing　her　sometimes　at　the　late　Doctor

Minoret's；　she　certainly　is　a　beauty；　but　she　is　dreadfully　pious。　I

certainly　took　notice　of　her　charms；　but　I　must　say　I　never　troubled

my　head　seriously　for　that　rather　insipid　little　blonde；〃　he　added；

smiling　at　the　sub…prefect's　wife　（who　was　a　piquante　brunetteto　use

a　term　of　the　last　century）。　〃You　are　dreaming；　my　dear　Monsieur

Bongrand；　I　thought　every　one　knew　that　my　father　was　a　lord　of　a

manor；　with　a　rent　roll　of　forty…five　thousand　francs　a　year　from

lands　around　his　chateau　at　Rouvre；good　reasons　why　I　should　not

love　the　goddaughter　of　my　late　great…uncle。　If　I　were　to　marry　a　girl

without　a　penny　these　ladies　would　consider　me　a　fool。〃



〃Have　you　never　tormented　your　father　to　let　you　marry　Ursula？〃



〃Never。〃



〃You　hear　that；　monsieur？〃　said　the　justice　to　the　procureur　du　roi；

who　had　been　listening　to　the　conversation；　leading　him　aside　into　the

recess　of　a　window；　where　they　remained　in　conversation　for　a　quarter

of　an　hour。



An　hour　later　Bongrand　was　back　in　Nemours；　at　Ursula's　house；　whence

he　sent　La　Bougival　to　Minoret　to　beg　his　attendance。　The　colossus

came　at　once。



〃Mademoiselle〃　began　Bongrand；　addressing　Minoret　as　he　entered　the

room。



〃Accepts？〃　cried　Minoret；　interrupting　him。



〃No；　not　yet；〃　replied　Bongrand；　fingering　his　glasses。　〃I　had

scruples　as　to　your　son's　feelings；　for　Ursula　has　been　much　tried

lately　about　a　supposed　lover。　We　know　the　importance　of　tranquillity。

Can　you　swear　to　me　that　your　son　truly　loves　her　and　that　you　have　no

other　intention　than　to　preserve　our　dear　Ursula　from　any　further

Goupilisms？〃



〃Oh；　I'll　swear　to　that；〃　cried　Minoret。



〃Stop；　papa　Minoret；〃　said　the　justice；　taking　one　hand　from　the

pocket　of　his　trousers　to　slap　Minoret　on　the　shoulder　（the　colossus

trembled）；　〃Don't　swear　falsely。〃



〃Swear　falsely？〃



〃Yes；　either　you　or　your　son；　who　has　just　sworn　at　Fontainebleau；　in

presence　of　four　persons　and　the　procureur　du　roi；　that　he　has　never

even　thought　of　his　cousin　Ursula。　You　have　other　reasons　for　offering

this　fortune。　I　saw　you　were　inventing　that　tale；　and　went　myself　to

Fontainebleau　to　question　your　son。〃



Minoret　was　dumbfounded　at　his　own　folly。



〃But　where's　the　harm；　Monsieur　Bongrand；　in　proposing　to　a　young

relative　to　help　on　a　marriage　which　seems　to　be　for　her　happiness；

and　to　invent　pretexts　to　conquer　her　reluctance　to　accept　the　money。〃



Minoret；　whose　danger　suggested　to　him　an　excuse　which　was　almost

admissible；　wiped　his　forehead；　wet　with　perspiration。



〃You　know　the　cause　of　my　refusal；〃　said　Ursula；　〃and　I　request　you

never　to　come　here　again。　Though　Monsieur　de　Portenduere　has　not　told

me　his　reason；　I　know　that　he　feels　such　contempt　for　you；　such

dislike　even；　that　I　cannot　receive　you　into　my　house。　My　happiness　is

my　only　fortune；I　do　not　blush　to　say　so；　I　shall　not　risk　it。

Monsieur　de　Portenduere　is　only　waiting　for　my　majority　to　marry　me。〃



〃Then　the　old　saw　that　'Money　does　all'　is　a　lie；〃　said　Minoret；

looking　at　the　justice　of　peace；　whose　observing　eyes　annoyed　him　so

much。



He　rose　and　left　the　house；　but；　once　outside；　he　found　the　air　as

oppressive　as　in　the　little　salon。



〃There　must　be　an　end　put　to　this；〃　he　said　to　himself　as　he　re…

entered　his　own　home。



When　Ursula　came　down；　bring　her　certificates　and　those　of　La

Bougival；　she　found　Monsieur　Bongrand　walking　up　and　down　the　salon

with　great　strides。



〃Have　you　no　idea　what　the　conduct　of　that　huge　idiot　means？〃　he　said。



〃None　that　I　can　tell；〃　she　replied。



Bongrand　looked　at　her　with　inquiring　surprise。



〃Then　we　have　the　same　idea；〃　he　said。　〃Here；　keep　the　number　of　your

certificates；　in　case　I　lose　them；　you　should　always　take　that

precaution。〃



Bongrand　himself　wrote　the　number　of　the　two　certificates；　hers　and

that　of　La　Bougival；　and　gave　them　to　her。



〃Adieu；　my　child；　I　shall　be　gone　two　days；　but　you　will　see　me　on　the

third。〃



That　night　the　apparition　appeared　to　Ursula　in　a　singular　manner。　She

thought　her　bed　was　in　the　cemetery　of　Nemours；　and　that　her　uncle's

grave　was　at　the　foot　of　it。　The　white　stone；　on　which　she　read　the

inscription；　opened；　like　the　cover　of　an　oblong　album。　She　uttered　a

piercing　cry；　but　the　doctor's　spectre　slowly　rose。　First　she　saw　his

yellow　head；　with　its　fringe　of　white　hair；　which　shone　as　if

surmounted　by　a　halo。　Beneath　the　bald　forehead　the　eyes　were　like　two

gleams　of　light；　the　dead　man　rose　as　if　impelled　by　some　superior

force　or　will。　Ursula's　body　trembled；　her　flesh　was　like　a　burning

garment；　and　there　was　（as　she　subsequently　said）　another　self　moving

within　her　bodily　presence。　〃Mercy！〃　she　cried；　〃mercy；　godfather！〃

〃It　is　too　late；〃　he　said；　in　the　voice　of　death；to　use　the　poor

girl's　own　expression　when　she　related　this　new　dream　to　the　abbe。　〃He

has　been　warned；　he　has　paid　no　heed　to　the　warning。　The　days　of　his

son　are　numbered。　If　he　does　not　confess　all　and　restore　what　he　has

taken　within　a　certain　time　he　must　lose　his　son；　who　will　die　a

violent　and　horrible　death。　Let　him　know　this。〃　The　spectre　pointed　to

a　line　of　figures　which　gleamed　upon　the　side　of　the　tomb　as　if

written　with　fire；　and　said；　〃There　is　his　doom。〃　When　her　uncle　lay

down　again　in　his　grave　Ursula　heard　the　sound　of　the　stone　falling

back　into　its　place；　and　immediately　after；　in　the　distance；　a　strange

sound　of　horses　and　the　cries　of　men。



The　next　day　Ursula　was　prostrate。　She　could　not　rise；　so　terribly　had

the　dream　overcome　her。　She　begged　her　nurse　to　find　the　Abbe　Chaperon

and　bring　him　to　her。　The　good　priest　came　as　soon　as　he　had　said

mass；　but　he　was　not　surprised　at　Ursula's　revelation。　He　believed　the

robbery　had　been　committed；　and　no　longer　tried　to　explain　to　himse