ursula-第21章

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best　wishes；　with　the　respects　of



Your　very　affectionate　servant；

Emilie　de　Kergarouet。





The　second　letter　was　as　follows：





Portenduere；　August；　1829。



To　Madame　de　Portenduere：



My　dear　aunt；I　am　more　annoyed　than　surprised　at　Savinien's

pranks。　As　I　am　married　and　the　father　of　two　sons　and　one

daughter；　my　fortune；　already　too　small　for　my　position　and

prospects；　cannot　be　lessened　to　ransom　a　Portenduere　from　the

hands　of　the　Jews。　Sell　your　farm；　pay　his　debts；　and　come　and

live　with　us　at　Portenduere。　You　shall　receive　the　welcome　we　owe　

you；　even　though　our　views　may　not　be　entirely　in　accordance　with

yours。　You　shall　be　made　happy；　and　we　will　manage　to　marry

Savinien；　whom　my　wife　thinks　charming。　This　little　outbreak　is

nothing；　do　not　make　yourself　unhappy；　it　will　never　be　known　in

this　part　of　the　country；　where　there　are　a　number　of　rich　girls

who　would　be　delighted　to　enter　our　family。



My　wife　joins　me　in　assuring　you　of　the　happiness　you　would　give

us；　and　I　beg　you　to　accept　her　wishes　for　the　realization　of　this

plan；　together　with　my　affectionate　respects。



Luc…Savinien；　Comte　de　Portenduere。





〃What　letters　for　a　Kergarouet　to　receive！〃　cried　the　old　Breton　lady；

wiping　her　eyes。



〃The　admiral　does　not　know　his　nephew　is　in　prison；〃　said　the　Abbe

Chaperon　at　last；　〃the　countess　alone　read　your　letter；　and　has

answered　it　for　him。　But　you　must　decide　at　once　on　some　course；〃　he

added　after　a　pause；　〃and　this　is　what　I　have　the　honor　to　advise。　Do

not　sell　your　farm。　The　lease　is　just　out；　having　lasted　twenty…four

years；　in　a　few　months　you　can　raise　the　rent　to　six　thousand　francs

and　get　a　premium　for　double　that　amount。　Borrow　what　you　need　of　some

honest　man；not　from　the　townspeople　who　make　a　business　of

mortgages。　Your　neighbour　here　is　a　most　worthy　man；　a　man　of　good

society；　who　knew　it　as　it　was　before　the　Revolution；　who　was　once　an

atheist；　and　is　now　an　earnest　Catholic。　Do　not　let　your　feelings

debar　you　from　going　to　his　house　this　very　evening；　he　will　fully

understand　the　step　you　take；　forget　for　a　moment　that　you　are　a

Kergarouet。〃



〃Never！〃　said　the　old　mother；　in　a　sharp　voice。



〃Well；　then；　be　an　amiable　Kergarouet；　come　when　he　is　alone。　He　will

lend　you　the　money　at　three　and　a　half　per　cent；　perhaps　even　at　three

per　cent；　and　will　do　you　this　service　delicately；　you　will　be　pleased

with　him。　He　can　go　to　Paris　and　release　Savinien　himself；for　he

will　have　to　go　there　to　sell　out　his　funds；and　he　can　bring　the　lad

back　to　you。〃



〃Are　you　speaking　of　that　little　Minoret？〃



〃That　little　Minoret　is　eighty…three　years　old；〃　said　the　abbe；

smiling。　〃My　dear　lady；　do　have　a　little　Christian　charity；　don't

wound　him；he　might　be　useful　to　you　in　other　ways。〃



〃What　ways？〃



〃He　has　an　angel　in　his　house；　a　precious　young　girl〃



〃Oh！　that　little　Ursula。　What　of　that？〃



The　poor　abbe　did　not　pursue　the　subject　after　these　significant

words；　the　laconic　sharpness　of　which　cut　through　the　proposition　he

was　about　to　make。



〃I　think　Doctor　Minoret　is　very　rich；〃　he　said。



〃So　much　the　better　for　him。〃



〃You　have　indirectly　caused　your　son's　misfortunes　by　refusing　to　give

him　a　profession；　beware　for　the　future；〃　said　the　abbe　sternly。　〃Am　I

to　tell　Doctor　Minoret　that　you　are　coming？〃



〃Why　cannot　he　come　to　me　if　he　knows　I　want　him？〃　she　replied。



〃Ah；　madame；　if　you　go　to　him　you　will　pay　him　three　per　cent；　if　he

comes　to　you　you　will　pay　him　five；〃　said　the　abbe；　inventing　this

reason　to　influence　the　old　lady。　〃And　if　you　are　forced　to　sell　your

farm　by　Dionis　the　notary；　or　by　Massin　the　clerk　（who　would　refuse　to

lend　you　the　money；　knowing　it　was　more　their　interest　to　buy）；　you

would　lose　half　its　value。　I　have　not　the　slightest　influence　on　the

Dionis；　Massins；　or　Levraults；　or　any　of　those　rich　men　who　covet　your

farm　and　know　that　your　son　is　in　prison。〃



〃They　know　it！　oh；　do　they　know　it？〃　she　exclaimed；　throwing　up　her

arms。　〃There！　my　poor　abbe；　you　have　let　your　coffee　get　cold！

Tiennette；　Tiennette！〃



Tiennette；　an　old　Breton　servant　sixty　years　of　age；　wearing　a　short

gown　and　a　Breton　cap；　came　quickly　in　and　took　the　abbe's　coffee　to

warm　it。



〃Let　be；　Monsieur　le　recteur；〃　she　said；　seeing　that　the　abbe　meant　to

drink　it；　〃I'll　just　put　it　into　the　bain…marie；　it　won't　spoil　it。〃



〃Well；〃　said　the　abbe　to　Madame　de　Portenduere　in　his　most　insinuating

voice；　〃I　shall　go　and　tell　the　doctor　of　your　visit；　and　you　will

come〃



The　old　mother　did　not　yield　till　after　an　hour's　discussion；　during

which　the　abbe　was　forced　to　repeat　his　arguments　at　least　ten　times。

And　even　then　the　proud　Kergarouet　was　not　vanquished　until　he　used

the　words；　〃Savinien　would　go。〃



〃It　is　better　that　I　should　go　than　he；〃　she　said。







CHAPTER　XI



SAVINIEN　SAVED



The　clock　was　striking　nine　when　the　little　door　made　in　the　large

door　of　Madame　de　Portenduere's　house　closed　on　the　abbe；　who

immediately　crossed　the　road　and　hastily　rang　the　bell　at　the　doctor's

gate。　He　fell　from　Tiennette　to　La　Bougival；　the　one　said　to　him；　〃Why

do　you　come　so　late；　Monsieur　l'abbe？〃　as　the　other　had　said；　〃Why　do

you　leave　Madame　so　early　when　she　is　in　trouble？〃



The　abbe　found　a　numerous　company　assembled　in　the　green　and　brown

salon；　for　Dionis　had　stopped　at　Massin's　on　his　way　home　to　re…assure

the　heirs　by　repeating　their　uncle's　words。



〃I　believe　Ursula　has　a　love…affair；〃　said　he；　〃which　will　be　nothing

but　pain　and　trouble　to　her；　she　seems　romantic〃　（extreme　sensibility

is　so　called　by　notaries）；　〃and；　you'll　see；　she　won't　marry　soon。

Therefore；　don't　show　her　any　distrust；　be　very　attentive　to　her　and

very　respectful　to　your　uncle；　for　he　is　slyer　than　fifty　Goupils；〃

added　the　notarywithout　being　aware　that　Goupil　is　a　corruption　of

the　word　vulpes；　a　fox。



So　Mesdames　Massin　and　Cremiere　with　their　husbands；　the　post　master

and　Desire；　together　with　the　Nemours　doctor　and　Bongrand；　made　an

unusual　and　noisy　party　in　the　doctor's　salon。　As　the　abbe　entered　he

heard　the　sound　of　the　piano。　Poor　Ursula　was　just　finishing　a　sonata

of　Beethoven's。　With　girlish　mischief　she　had　chosen　that　grand　music；

which　must　be　studied　to　be　understood；　for　the　purpose　of　disgusting

these　women　with　the　thing　they　coveted。　The　finer　the　music　the　less

ignorant　persons　like　it。　So；　when　the　door　opened　and　the　abbe's

venerable　head　appeared　they　all　cried　out：　〃Ah！　here's　Monsieur

l'abbe！〃　in　a　tone　of　relief；　delighted　to　jump　up　and　put　an　end　to

their　torture。



The　exclamation　was　echoed　at　the　card…table；　where　Bongrand；　the

Nemours　doctor；　and　old　Minoret　were　victims　to　the　presumption　with

which　the　collector；　in　order　to　propitiate　his　great…uncle；　had

proposed　to　take　the　fourth　hand　at　whist。　Ursula　left　the　piano。　The

doctor　rose　as　if　to　receive　the　abbe；　but　really　to　put　an　end　to　the

game。　After　many　compliments　to　their　uncle　on　the　wonderful

proficiency　of　his　goddaughter；　the　heirs　made　their　bow　and　retired。



〃Good…night；　my　friends；〃　cried　the　doctor　as　the　iron　gate　clanged。



〃Ah！　that's　where　the　money　goes；〃　said　Madame　Cremiere　to　Madame

Massin；　as　they　walked　on。



〃God　forbid　that　I　should　spend　money　to　teach　my　little　Aline　to　make

such　a　din　as　that！〃　cried　Madame　Massin。



〃She　said　it　was　Beethoven；　who　is　thought　to　be　fine　musician；〃　said

the　collector；　〃he　has　quite　a　reputation。〃



〃Not　in　Nemours；　I'm　sure　of　that；〃　said　Madame　Cremiere。



〃I　believe　uncle　made　her　play　it　expressly　to　drive　us　away；〃　said

Massin；　〃for　I　saw　him　give　that　little　minx　a　wink　as　she　opened　the

music…book。〃



〃If　that's　the　sort　of　charivari　they　like；〃　said　the　post　master；

〃they　are　quite　right　to　keep　it　to　themselves。〃



〃Monsieur　Bongrand　must　be　fond　of　whist　to　stand　such　a　dreadful

racket；〃　said　Madame　Cremiere。



〃I　shall　never　be　able　to　play　before　persons　who　don't　understand

music；〃　Ursula　was　saying　as　she　sat　down　beside　the　whist…table。



〃In　natures　richly　organized；〃　said　the　abbe；　〃sentiments　can　be

developed　only　in　a　congenial　atmosphere。　Just　as　a　priest　is　unable

to　give　the　blessing　in　presence　of　an　evil　spirit；　or　as　a　chestnut…

tree　dies　in　a　clay　soil；　so　a　musician's　genius　has　a　mental　eclipse

when　he　is　surrounded　by　ignorant　persons。　In　all　the　arts　we　must

receive　from　the　souls　who　make　the　environment　of　our　souls　as　much

intensity　as　we　convey　to　them。　This　axiom；　which　rules　the　human

mind；　has　been　made　into　proverbs：　'Howl　with　the　wolves'；　'Like　meets

like。'　But　the　suffering　you　felt；　Ursula；　affects　delicate　and　tender

natures　only。〃



〃And　so；　friends；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃a　thing　which　would　merely　give

pain　to　most　women　might　kill　my　Ursula。　Ah！　when　I　am　no　longer　here；

I　charge　you　to　see　that　the　hedge　of　which　Catullus　spoke；〃Ut

flos；〃　etc。；a　protecting　hedge　is　raised　between　this　cherished

flower　and　the　world。〃



〃And　yet　those　ladies　flattered　you；　Ursula；〃　said　Monsieur　Bongrand；

smiling。



〃Flattered　her　grossly；〃　remarked　the　Nemours　doctor。



〃I　have　always　noticed　how　vulgar　forced　flattery　is；〃　said　old

Minoret。　〃Why　is　that？〃



〃A　true　thought　has　its　own　delicacy；〃　said　the　abbe。



〃Did　you　dine　with　Madame　de　Portenduere？〃　asked　Ursula；　with　a　look

of　anxious　curiosity。



〃Yes；　the　poor　lady　is　terribly　distressed。　It　is　possible　she　may

come　to　see　you　this　evening；　Monsieur　Minoret。〃



Ursula　pressed　her　godfather's　hand　under　the　table。



〃Her　son；〃　said　Bongrand；　〃was　rather　too　simple…minded　to　live　in

Paris　without　a　mentor。　When　I　heard　that　inquiries　were　being　made

here　about　the　property　of　the　old　lady　I　feared　he　was　discounting

her　death。〃



〃Is　it　possible　you　think　him　capable　of　it？〃　said　Ursula；　with　such　a

terrible　glance　at　Monsieur　Bongrand　that　he　said　to　himself　rather

sadly；　〃Alas！　yes；　she　loves　him。〃



〃Yes　and　no；〃　said　the　Nemours　doctor；　replying　to　Ursula's　question。

〃There　is　a　great　deal　of　good　in　Savinien；　and　that　is　why　he　is　now

in　prison；　a　scamp　wouldn't　have　got　there。〃



〃Don't　let　us　talk　about　it　any　more；〃　said　old　Minoret。　〃The　poor

mother　must　not　be　allowed　to　weep　if　there's　a　way　to　dry　her　tears。〃



The　four　friends　rose　and　went　out；　Ursula　accompanied　them　to　the

gate；　saw　her　godfather　and　the　abbe　knock　at　the　opposite　door；　and

as　soon　as　Tiennette　admitted　them　she　sat　down　on　the　outer　wall　with

La　Bougival　beside　her。



〃Madame　la　vicomtesse；〃　said　the　abbe；　who　entered　first　into　the

little　salon；　〃Monsieur　le　docteur　Minoret　was　not　willing　that　you

should　have　the　trouble　of　coming　to　him〃



〃I　am　too　much　of　the　old　school；　madame；〃　interrupted　the　doctor；

〃not　to　know　what　a　man　owes