ursula-第17章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃In these days；〃 whispered Zelie again in Massin's year； 〃notaries
look out for no interests but their own。 Suppose Dionis went over to
Ursula just to get the old man's business？〃
〃I am sure of him；〃 said the clerk of the court； giving her a sly look
out of his spiteful little eyes。 He was just going to add； 〃because I
hold something over him；〃 but he withheld the words。
〃I am quite of Dionis's opinion；〃 he said aloud。
〃So am I；〃 cried Zelie； who now suspected the notary of collusion with
the clerk。
〃My wife has voted！〃 said the post master； sipping his brandy； though
his face was already purple from digesting his meal and absorbing a
notable quantity of liquids。
〃And very properly；〃 remarked the collector。
〃I shall go and see the doctor after dinner；〃 said Dionis。
〃If Monsieur Dionis's advice is good；〃 said Madame Cremiere to Madame
Massin； 〃we had better go and call on our uncle； as we used to do；
every Sunday evening； and behave exactly as Monsieur Dionis has told
us。〃
〃Yes； and be received as he received us！〃 cried Zelie。 〃Minoret and I
have more than forty thousand francs a year； and yet he refused our
invitations！ We are quite his equals。 If I don't know how to write
prescriptions I know how to paddle my boat as well as heI can tell
him that！〃
〃As I am far from having forty thousand francs a year；〃 said Madame
Massin； rather piqued； 〃I don't want to lose ten thousand。〃
〃We are his nieces； we ought to take care of him； and then besides we
shall see how things are going；〃 said Madame Cremiere； 〃you'll thank
us some day； cousin。〃
〃Treat Ursula kindly；〃 said the notary； lifting his right forefinger
to the level of his lips； 〃remember old Jordy left her his savings。〃
〃You have managed those fools as well as Desroches； the best lawyer in
Paris； could have done；〃 said Goupil to his patron as they left the
post…house。
〃And now they are quarreling over my fee；〃 replied the notary； smiling
bitterly。
The heirs； after parting with Dionis and his clerk； met again in the
square； with face rather flushed from their breakfast； just as vespers
were over。 As the notary predicted； the Abbe Chaperon had Madame de
Portenduere on his arm。
〃She dragged him to vespers； see！〃 cried Madame Massin to Madame
Cremiere； pointing to Ursula and the doctor； who were leaving the
church。
〃Let us go and speak to him；〃 said Madame Cremiere； approaching the
old man。
The change in the faces of his relatives （produced by the conference）
did not escape Doctor Minoret。 He tried to guess the reason of this
sudden amiability； and out of sheer curiosity encouraged Ursula to
stop and speak to the two women； who were eager to greet her with
exaggerated affection and forced smiles。
〃Uncle； will you permit me to come and see you to…night？〃 said Madame
Cremiere。 〃We feared sometimes we were in your waybut it is such a
long time since our children have paid you their respects； our girls
are old enough now to make dear Ursula's acquaintance。〃
〃Ursula is a little bear； like her name；〃 replied the doctor。
〃Let us tame her；〃 said Madame Massin。 〃And besides； uncle；〃 added the
good housewife； trying to hide her real motive under a mask of
economy； 〃they tell us the dear girl has such talent for the forte
that we are very anxious to hear her。 Madame Cremiere and I are
inclined to take her music…master for our children。 If there were six
or eight scholars in a class it would bring the price of his lessons
within our means。〃
〃Certainly；〃 said the old man； 〃and it will be all the better for me
because I want to give Ursula a singing…master。〃
〃Well； to…night then； uncle。 We will bring your great…nephew Desire to
see you； he is now a lawyer。〃
〃Yes； to…night；〃 echoed Minoret； meaning to fathom the motives of
these petty souls。
The two nieces pressed Ursula's hand； saying； with affected eagerness；
〃Au revoir。〃
〃Oh； godfather； you have read my heart！〃 cried Ursula； giving him a
grateful look。
〃You are going to have a voice；〃 he said； 〃and I shall give you
masters of drawing and Italian also。 A woman；〃 added the doctor；
looking at Ursula as he unfastened the gate of his house； 〃ought to be
educated to the height of every position in which her marriage may
place her。〃
Ursula grew red as a cherry； her godfather's thoughts evidently turned
in the same direction as her own。 Feeling that she was too near
confessing to the doctor the involuntary attraction which led her to
think about Savinien and to center all her ideas of affection upon
him； she turned aside and sat down in front of a great cluster of
climbing plants； on the dark background of which she looked at a
distance like a blue and white flower。
〃Now you see； godfather； that your nieces were very kind to me； yes；
they were very kind；〃 she repeated as he approached her； to change the
thoughts that made him pensive。
〃Poor little girl！〃 cried the old man。
He laid Ursula's hand upon his arm； tapping it gently； and took her to
the terraces beside the river； where no one could hear them。
〃Why do you say； 'Poor little girl'？〃
〃Don't you see how they fear you？〃
〃Fear me；why？〃
〃My next of kin are very uneasy about my conversion。 They no doubt
attribute it to your influence over me； they fancy I deprive them of
their inheritance to enrich you。〃
〃But you won't do that？〃 said Ursula naively； looking up at him。
〃Oh； divine consolation of my old age！〃 said the doctor； taking his
godchild in his arms and kissing her on both cheeks。 〃It was for her
and not for myself； oh God！ that I besought thee just now to let me
live until the day I give her to some good being who is worthy of her！
You will see comedies； my little angel； comedies which the Minorets
and Cremieres and Massins will come and play here。 You want to
brighten and prolong my life； they are longing for my death。〃
〃God forbids us to hate any one； but if that is Ah！ I despise them！〃
exclaimed Ursula。
〃Dinner is ready！〃 called La Bougival from the portico； which； on the
garden side； was at the end of the corridor。
CHAPTER IX
A FIRST CONFIDENCE
Ursula and her godfather were sitting at dessert in the pretty dining…
room decorated with Chinese designs in black and gold lacquer （the
folly of Levrault…Levrault） when the justice of peace arrived。 The
doctor offered him （and this was a great mark of intimacy） a cup of
his coffee； a mixture of Mocha with Bourbon and Martinique； roasted；
ground； and made by himself in a silver apparatus called a Chaptal。
〃Well；〃 said Bongrand； pushing up his glasses and looking slyly at the
old man； 〃the town is in commotion； your appearance in church has put
your relatives beside themselves。 You have left your fortune to the
priests； to the poor。 You have roused the families； and they are
bestirring themselves。 Ha！ ha！ I saw their first irruption into the
square； they were as busy as ants who have lost their eggs。〃
〃What did I tell you； Ursula？〃 cried the doctor。 〃At the risk of
grieving you； my child； I must teach you to know the world and put you
on your guard against undeserved enmity。〃
〃I should like to say a word to you on this subject；〃 said Bongrand；
seizing the occasion to speak to his old friend of Ursula's future。
The doctor put a black velvet cap on his white head； the justice of
peace wore his hat to protect him from the night air； and they walked
up and down the terrace discussing the means of securing to Ursula
what her godfather intended to bequeath her。 Bongrand knew Dionis's
opinion as to the invalidity of a will made by the doctor in favor of
Ursula； for Nemours was so preoccupied with the Minoret affairs that
the matter had been much discussed among the lawyers of the little
town。 Bongrand considered that Ursula was not a relative of Doctor
Minoret； but he felt that the whole spirit of legislation was against
the foisting into families of illegitimate off…shoots。 The makers of
the Code had foreseen only the weakness of fathers and mothers for
their natural children； without considering that uncles and aunts
might have a like tenderness and a desire to provide for such
children。 Evidently there was a gap in the law。
〃In all other countries；〃 he said； ending an explanation of the legal
points which Dionis； Goupil； and Desire had just explained to the
heirs； 〃Ursula would have nothing to fear； she is a legitimate child；
and the disability of her father ought only to affect the inheritance
from Valentine Mirouet； her grandfather。 But in France the magistracy
is unfortunately overwise and very consequential； it inquires into the
spirit of the law。 Some lawyers talk morality； and might try to show
that this hiatus in the Code came from the simple…mindedness of the
legislators； who did not foresee the case； though； none the less； they
established a principle。 To bring a suit would be long and expensive。
Zelie would carry it to the court of appeals； and I might not be alive
when the case was tried。〃
〃The best of cases is often worthless；〃 cried the doctor。 〃Here's the
question the lawyers will put； 'To what degree of relationship ought
the disability of natural children in matters of inheritance to
extend？' and the credit of a good lawyer will lie in gaining a bad
cause。〃
〃Faith！〃 said Bongrand； 〃I dare not take upon myself to affirm that
the judges wouldn't interpret the meaning of the law as increasing the
protection given to marriage； the eternal base of society。〃
Without explaining his intentions； the doctor rejected the idea of a
trust。 When Bongrand suggested to him a marriage with Ursula as the
surest means of securing his property to her； he exclaimed； 〃Poor
little girl！ I might live fifteen years； what a fate for her！〃
〃Well； what will you do； then？〃 asked Bongrand。
〃We'll think about itI'll see；〃 said the old man； evidently at a
loss for a reply。
Just then Ursula came to say that Monsieur Dionis wished to speak to
the doctor。
〃Already！〃 cried Minoret； looking at Bongrand。 〃Yes；〃 he said to
Ursula； 〃send him here。〃
〃I'll bet my spectacles to a bunch of matches that he is the advance…
guard of your heirs；〃 said Bongrand。 〃They breakfasted together at the
post house； and something is being engineered。〃
The notary； conducted by Ursula； came to the lower end of the garden。
After the usual greetings and a few insignificant remarks； Dionis
asked for a private interview； Ursula and Bongrand retired to the
salon。
The distrust which superior men excite in men of business is very
remarkable。 The latter deny them the 〃lesser〃 powers while recognizing
their possession of the 〃higher。〃 It is； perhaps； a tribute to them。
Seeing them always on the higher plane of human things； men of
business believe them inca
