ursula-第13章

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became　impossible；　wrung　psalms　of　thanksgiving　in　synagogues；

temples；　and　churches　from　the　lips　of　priests　recalled　to　the　one　God

by　the　same　miracle；that　sovereign　hand；　a　sun　of　life　dazzling　the

closed　eyes　of　the　somnambulist；　has　never　been　raised　again　even　to

save　the　heir…apparent　of　a　kingdom。　Wrapped　in　the　memory　of　his　past

mercies　as　in　a　luminous　shroud；　he　denies　himself　to　the　world　and

lives　for　heaven。



But；　at　the　dawn　of　his　reign；　surprised　by　his　own　gift；　this　man；

whose　generosity　equaled　his　power；　allowed　a　few　interested　persons

to　witness　his　miracles。　The　fame　of　his　work；　which　was　mighty；　and

could　easily　be　revived　to…morrow；　reached　Dr。　Bouvard；　who　was　then

on　the　verge　of　the　grave。　The　persecuted　mesmerist　was　at　last

enabled　to　witness　the　startling　phenomena　of　a　science　he　had　long

treasured　in　his　heart。　The　sacrifices　of　the　old　man　touched　the

heart　of　the　mysterious　stranger；　who　accorded　him　certain　privileges。

As　Bouvard　now　went　up　the　staircase　he　listened　to　the　twittings　of

his　old　antagonist　with　malicious　delight；　answering　only；　〃You　shall

see；　you　shall　see！〃　with　the　emphatic　little　nods　of　a　man　who　is

sure　of　his　facts。



The　two　physicians　entered　a　suite　of　rooms　that　were　more　than

modest。　Bouvard　went　alone　into　a　bedroom　which　adjoined　the　salon

where　he　left　Minoret；　whose　distrust　was　instantly　awakened；　but

Bouvard　returned　at　once　and　took　him　into　the　bedroom；　where　he　saw

the　mysterious　Swedenborgian；　and　also　a　woman　sitting　in　an　armchair。

The　woman　did　not　rise；　and　seemed　not　to　notice　the　entrance　of　the

two　old　men。



〃What！　no　tub？〃　cried　Minoret；　smiling。



〃Nothing　but　the　power　of　God；〃　answered　the　Swedenborgian　gravely。　He

seemed　to　Minoret　to　be　about　fifty　years　of　age。



The　three　men　sat　down　and　the　mysterious　stranger　talked　of　the　rain

and　the　coming　fine　weather；　to　the　great　astonishment　of　Minoret；　who

thought　he　was　being　hoaxed。　The　Swedenborgian　soon　began；　however；　to

question　his　visitor　on　his　scientific　opinions；　and　seemed　evidently

to　be　taking　time　to　examine　him。



〃You　have　come　here　solely　from　curiosity；　monsieur；〃　he　said　at　last。

〃It　is　not　my　habit　to　prostitute　a　power　which；　according　to　my

conviction；　emanates　from　God；　if　I　made　a　frivolous　or　unworthy　use

of　it；　it　would　be　taken　from　me。　Nevertheless；　there　is　some　hope；

Monsieur　Bouvard　tells　me；　of　changing　the　opinions　of　one　who　has

opposed　us；　of　enlightening　a　scientific　man　whose　mind　is　candid；　I

have　therefore　determined　to　satisfy　you。　That　woman　whom　you　see

there；〃　he　continued；　pointing　to　her；　〃is　now　in　a　somnambulic　sleep。

The　statements　and　manifestations　of　somnambulists　declare　that　this

state　is　a　delightful　other　life；　during　which　the　inner　being；　freed

from　the　trammels　laid　upon　the　exercise　of　our　faculties　by　the

visible　world；　moves　in　a　world　which　we　mistakenly　term　invisible。

Sight　and　hearing　are　then　exercised　in　a　manner　far　more　perfect　than

any　we　know　of　here；　possibly　without　the　help　of　the　organs　we　now

employ；　which　are　the　scabbard　of　the　luminous　blades　called　sight　and

hearing。　To　a　person　in　that　state；　distance　and　material　obstacles　do

not　exist；　or　they　can　be　traversed　by　a　life　within　us　for　which　our

body　is　a　mere　receptacle；　a　necessary　shelter；　a　casing。　Terms　fail

to　describe　effects　that　have　lately　been　rediscovered；　for　to…day　the

words　imponderable；　intangible；　invisible　have　no　meaning　to　the　fluid

whose　action　is　demonstrated　by　magnetism。　Light　is　ponderable　by　its

heat；　which；　by　penetrating　bodies；　increases　their　volume；　and

certainly　electricity　is　only　too　tangible。　We　have　condemned　things

themselves　instead　of　blaming　the　imperfection　of　our　instruments。〃



〃She　sleeps；〃　said　Minoret；　examining　the　woman；　who　seemed　to　him　to

belong　to　an　inferior　class。



〃Her　body　is　for　the　time　being　in　abeyance；〃　said　the　Swedenborgian。

〃Ignorant　persons　suppose　that　condition　to　be　sleep。　But　she　will

prove　to　you　that　there　is　a　spiritual　universe；　and　that　the　mind

when　there　does　not　obey　the　laws　of　this　material　universe。　I　will

send　her　wherever　you　wish　to　go；a　hundred　miles　from　here　or　to

China；　as　you　will。　She　will　tell　you　what　is　happening　there。〃



〃Send　her　to　my　house　in　Nemours；　Rue　des　Bourgeois；　that　will　do；〃

said　Minoret。



He　took　Minoret's　hand；　which　the　doctor　let　him　take；　and　held　it　for

a　moment　seeming　to　collect　himself；　then　with　his　other　hand　he　took

that　of　the　woman　sitting　in　the　arm…chair　and　placed　the　hand　of　the

doctor　in　it；　making　a　sign　to　the　old　sceptic　to　seat　himself　beside

this　oracle　without　a　tripod。　Minoret　observed　a　slight　tremor　on　the

absolutely　calm　features　of　the　woman　when　their　hands　were　thus

united　by　the　Swedenborgian；　but　the　action；　though　marvelous　in　its

effects；　was　very　simply　done。



〃Obey　him；〃　said　the　unknown　personage；　extending　his　hand　above　the

head　of　the　sleeping　woman；　who　seemed　to　imbibe　both　light　and　life

from　him；　〃and　remember　that　what　you　do　for　him　will　please　me。You

can　now　speak　to　her；〃　he　added；　addressing　Minoret。



〃Go　to　Nemours；　to　my　house；　Rue　des　Bourgeois；〃　said　the　doctor。



〃Give　her　time；　put　your　hand　in　hers　until　she　proves　to　you　by　what

she　tells　you　that　she　is　where　you　wish　her　to　be；〃　said　Bouvard　to

his　old　friend。



〃I　see　a　river；〃　said　the　woman　in　a　feeble　voice；　seeming　to　look

within　herself　with　deep　attention；　notwithstanding　her　closed

eyelids。　〃I　see　a　pretty　garden〃



〃Why　do　you　enter　by　the　river　and　the　garden？〃　said　Minoret。



〃Because　they　are　there。〃



〃Who？〃



〃The　young　girl　and　her　nurse；　whom　you　are　thinking　of。〃



〃What　is　the　garden　like？〃　said　Minoret。



〃Entering　by　the　steps　which　go　down　to　the　river；　there　is　the　right；

a　long　brick　gallery；　in　which　I　see　books；　it　ends　in　a　singular

building；there　are　wooden　bells；　and　a　pattern　of　red　eggs。　To　the

left；　the　wall　is　covered　with　climbing　plants；　wild　grapes；　Virginia

jessamine。　In　the　middle　is　a　sun…dial。　There　are　many　plants　in　pots。

Your　child　is　looking　at　the　flowers。　She　shows　them　to　her　nurseshe

is　making　holes　in　the　earth　with　her　trowel；　and　planting　seeds。　The

nurse　is　raking　the　path。　The　young　girl　is　pure　as　an　angel；　but　the

beginning　of　love　is　there；　faint　as　the　dawn〃



〃Love　for　whom？〃　asked　the　doctor；　who；　until　now；　would　have　listened

to　no　word　said　to　him　by　somnambulists。　He　considered　it　all

jugglery。



〃You　know　nothingthough　you　have　lately　been　uneasy　about　her

health；〃　answered　the　woman。　〃Her　heart　has　followed　the　dictates　of

nature。〃



〃A　woman　of　the　people　to　talk　like　this！〃　cried　the　doctor。



〃In　the　state　she　is　in　all　persons　speak　with　extraordinary

perception；〃　said　Bouvard。



〃But　who　is　it　that　Ursula　loves？〃



〃Ursula　does　not　know　that　she　loves；〃　said　the　woman　with　a　shake　of

the　head；　〃she　is　too　angelic　to　know　what　love　is；　but　her　mind　is

occupied　by　him；　she　thinks　of　him；　she　tries　to　escape　the　thought；

but　she　returns　to　it　in　spite　of　her　will　to　abstain。She　is　at　the

piano〃



〃But　who　is　he？〃



〃The　son　of　a　lady　who　lives　opposite。〃



〃Madame　de　Portenduere？〃



〃Portenduere；　did　you　say？〃　replied　the　sleeper。　〃Perhaps　so。　But

there's　no　danger；　he　is　not　in　the　neighbourhood。〃



〃Have　they　spoken　to　each　other？〃　asked　the　doctor。



〃Never。　They　have　looked　at　one　another。　She　thinks　him　charming。　He

is；　in　fact；　a　fine　man；　he　has　a　good　heart。　She　sees　him　from　her

window；　they　see　each　other　in　church。　But　the　young　man　no　longer

thinks　of　her。〃



〃His　name？〃



〃Ah！　to　tell　you　that　I　must　read　it；　or　hear　it。　He　is　named

Savinien；　she　has　just　spoken　his　name；　she　thinks　it　sweet　to　say；

she　has　looked　in　the　almanac　for　his　fete…day　and　marked　a　red　dot

against　it；child's　play；　that。　Ah！　she　will　love　well；　with　as　much

strength　as　purity；　she　is　not　a　girl　to　love　twice；　love　will　so　dye

her　soul　and　fill　it　that　she　will　reject　all　other　sentiments。〃



〃Where　do　you　see　that？〃



〃In　her。　She　will　know　how　to　suffer；　she　inherits　that；　her　father

and　her　mother　suffered　much。〃



The　last　words　overcame　the　doctor；　who　felt　less　shaken　than

surprised。　It　is　proper　to　state　that　between　her　sentences　the　woman

paused　for　several　minutes；　during　which　time　her　attention　became

more　and　more　concentrated。　She　was　seen　to　see；　her　forehead　had　a

singular　aspect；　an　inward　effort　appeared　there；　it　seemed　to　clear

or　cloud　by　some　mysterious　power；　the　effects　of　which　Minoret　had

seen　in　dying　persons　at　moments　when　they　appeared　to　have　the　gift

of　prophecy。　Several　times　she　made　gestures　which　resembled　those　of

Ursula。



〃Question　her；〃　said　the　mysterious　stranger；　to　Minoret；　〃she　will

tell　you　secrets　you　alone　can　know。〃



〃Does　Ursula　love　me？〃　asked　Minoret。



〃Almost　as　much　as　she　loves　God；〃　was　the　answer。　〃But　she　is　very

unhappy　at　your　unbelief。　You　do　not　believe　in　God；　as　if　you　could

prevent　his　existence！　His　word　fills　the　universe。　You　are　the　cause

of　her　only　sorrow。Hear！　she　is　playing　scales；　she　longs　to　be　a

better　musician　than　she　is；　she　is　provoked　with　herself。　She　is

thinking；　'If　I　could　sing；　if　my　voice　were　fine；　it　would　reach　his

ear　when　he　is　with　his　mother。'〃



Doctor　Minoret　took　out　his　pocket…book　and　noted　the　hour。



〃Tell　me　what　seeds　she　planted？〃



〃Mignonette；　sweet…peas；　balsams〃



〃And　what　else？〃



〃Larkspur。〃



〃Where　is　my　money？〃



〃With　your　notary；　but　you　invest　it　so　as　not　to　lose　the　interest　of

a　single　day。〃



〃Yes；　but　where　is　the　money　that　I　keep　for　my　monthly　expenses？〃



〃You　put　it　in　a　large　book　bound　in　red；　entitled　'Pandects　of

Justinian；　Vol。　II。'　between　the　last　two　leaves；　the　book　is　on　the

shelf　of　folios　above　the　glass　buffet。　You　have　a　whole　row　of　them。

Your　money　is　in　the　last　volume　next　to　the　salon　See！　Vol。　III。　is

before　Vol。　II。but　you　have　no　money；　it　is　all　in〃



〃thousand…franc　notes；〃　said　the　doctor。



〃I　cannot　see；　they　are　folded。　No；　there　are　two　notes　of　five

hundred　francs。〃



〃You　see　them？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃How　do　they　look？〃



〃One　is　old　and　yellow；　the　other　white　and　new。〃



This　last　phase　of　the　inquiry　petrified　the　doctor。　He　looked　at

Bouvard　with　a　bewildered　air；　but　Bouvard　and　the　Swedenborgian；　who

were　accustomed　to　the　amazement　of　sceptics；　were　speaking　together

in　a　low　voice　and　appeared　not　to　notice　him。　Minoret　begged　them　to

allow　him　to　return　after　dinner。　The　old　philosopher　wished　to

compose　his　mind　and　shake　off　this　terror；　so　as　to　put　this　vast

power　to　some　new　test；　to　subject　it　to　more　decisive　experiments　and

obtain　answers　to　certain　questions；　the　truth　of　which　should　do