ursula-第29章

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approaching　death。　〃You'll　soon　know　results；〃　said　the　community　to

the　heirs。　In　truth　the　old　man's　death　had　all　the　attraction　of　a

problem。　But　the　doctor　himself　did　not　know　he　was　ill；　he　had　his

illusions；　and　neither　poor　Ursula　nor　Savinien　nor　Bongrand　nor　the

abbe　were　willing　to　enlighten　him　as　to　his　condition。　The　Nemours

doctor　who　came　to　see　him　every　day　did　not　venture　to　prescribe。　Old

Minoret　felt　no　pain；　his　lamp　of　life　was　gently　going　it。　His　mind

continued　firm　and　clear　and　powerful。　In　old　men　thus　constituted　the

soul　governs　the　body；　and　gives　it　strength　to　die　erect。　The　abbe；

anxious　not　to　hasten　the　fatal　end；　released　his　parishioner　from　the

duty　of　hearing　mass　in　church；　and　allowed　him　to　read　the　services

at　home；　for　the　doctor　faithfully　attended　to　all　his　religious

duties。　The　nearer　he　came　to　the　grave　the　more　he　loved　God；　the

lights　eternal　shone　upon　all　difficulties　and　explained　them　more　and

more　clearly　to　his　mind。　Early　in　the　year　Ursula　persuaded　him　to

sell　the　carriage　and　horses　and　dismiss　Cabirolle。　Monsieur　Bongrand；

whose　uneasiness　about　Ursula's　future　was　far　from　quieted　by　the

doctor's　half…confidence；　boldly　opened　the　subject　one　evening　and

showed　his　old　friend　the　importance　of　making　Ursula　legally　of　age。

Still　the　old　man；　though　he　had　often　consulted　the　justice　of　peace；

would　not　reveal　to　him　the　secret　of　his　provision　for　Ursula；　though

he　agreed　to　the　necessity　of　securing　her　independence　by　majority。

The　more　Monsieur　Bongrand　persisted　in　his　efforts　to　discover　the

means　selected　by　his　old　friend　to　provide　for　his　darling　the　more

wary　the　doctor　became。



〃Why　not　secure　the　thing；〃　said　Bongrand；　〃why　run　any　risks？〃



〃When　you　are　between　two　risks；〃　replied　the　doctor；　〃avoid　the　most

risky。〃



Bongrand　carried　through　the　business　of　making　Ursula　of　age　so

promptly　that　the　papers　were　ready　by　the　day　she　was　twenty。　That

anniversary　was　the　last　pleasure　of　the　old　doctor　who；　seized

perhaps　with　a　presentiment　of　his　end；　gave　a　little　ball；　to　which

he　invited　all　the　young　people　in　the　families　of　Dionis；　Cremiere；

Minoret；　and　Massin。　Savinien；　Bongrand；　the　abbe　and　his　two

assistant　priests；　the　Nemours　doctor；　and　Mesdames　Zelie　Minoret；

Massin；　and　Cremiere；　together　with　old　Schmucke；　were　the　guests　at　a

grand　dinner　which　preceded　the　ball。



〃I　feel　I　am　going；〃　said　the　old　man　to　the　notary　towards　the　close

of　the　evening。　〃I　beg　you　to　come　to…morrow　and　draw　up　my

guardianship　account　with　Ursula；　so　as　not　to　complicate　my　property

after　my　death。　Thank　God！　I　have　not　withdrawn　one　penny　from　my

heirs；I　have　disposed　of　nothing　but　my　income。　Messieurs　Cremiere；

Massin；　and　Minoret　my　nephew　are　members　of　the　family　council

appointed　for　Ursula；　and　I　wish　them　to　be　present　at　the　rendering

of　my　account。〃



These　words；　heard　by　Massin　and　quickly　passed　from　one　to　another

round　the　ball…room；　poured　balm　into　the　minds　of　the　three　families；

who　had　lived　in　perpetual　alternations　of　hope　and　fear；　sometimes

thinking　they　were　certain　of　wealth；　oftener　that　they　were

disinherited。



When；　about　two　in　the　morning；　the　guests　were　all　gone　and　no　one

remained　in　the　salon　but　Savinien；　Bongrand；　and　the　abbe；　the　old

doctor　said；　pointing　to　Ursula；　who　was　charming　in　her　ball　dress；

〃To　you；　my　friends；　I　confide　her！　A　few　days　more；　and　I　shall　be

here　no　longer　to　protect　her。　Put　yourselves　between　her　and　the

world　until　she　is　married；I　fear　for　her。〃



The　words　made　a　painful　impression。　The　guardian's　account；　rendered

a　day　or　two　later　in　presence　of　the　family　council；　showed　that

Doctor　Minoret　owed　a　balance　to　his　ward　of　ten　thousand　six　hundred

francs　from　the　bequest　of　Monsieur　de　Jordy；　and　also　from　a　little

capital　of　gifts　made　by　the　doctor　himself　to　Ursula　during　the　last

fifteen　years；　on　birthdays　and　other　anniversaries。



This　formal　rendering　of　the　account　was　insisted　on　by　the　justice　of

the　peace；　who　feared　（unhappily；　with　too　much　reason）　the　results　of

Doctor　Minoret's　death。



The　following　day　the　old　man　was　seized　with　a　weakness　which

compelled　him　to　keep　his　bed。　In　spite　of　the　reserve　which　always

surrounded　the　doctor's　house　and　kept　it　from　observation；　the　news

of　his　approaching　death　spread　through　the　town；　and　the　heirs　began

to　run　hither　and　thither　through　the　streets；　like　the　pearls　of　a

chaplet　when　the　string　is　broken。　Massin　called　at　the　house　to　learn

the　truth；　and　was　told　by　Ursula　herself　that　the　doctor　was　in　bed。

The　Nemours　doctor　had　remarked　that　whenever　old　Minoret　took　to　his

bed　he　would　die；　and　therefore　in　spite　of　the　cold；　the　heirs　took

their　stand　in　the　street；　on　the　square；　at　their　own　doorsteps；

talking　of　the　event　so　long　looked　for；　and　watching　for　the　moment

when　the　priests　should　appear；　bearing　the　sacrament；　with　all　the

paraphernalia　customary　in　the　provinces；　to　the　dying　man。

Accordingly；　two　days　later；　when　the　Abbe　Chaperon；　with　an　assistant

and　the　choir…boys；　preceded　by　the　sacristan　bearing　the　cross；

passed　along　the　Grand'Rue；　all　the　heirs　joined　the　procession；　to

get　an　entrance　to　the　house　and　see　that　nothing　was　abstracted；　and

lay　their　eager　hands　upon　its　coveted　treasures　at　the　earliest

moment。



When　the　doctor　saw；　behind　the　clergy；　the　row　of　kneeling　heirs；　who

instead　of　praying　were　looking　at　him　with　eyes　that　were　brighter

than　the　tapers；　he　could　not　restrain　a　smile。　The　abbe　turned　round；

saw　them；　and　continued　to　say　the　prayers　slowly。　The　post　master　was

the　first　to　abandon　the　kneeling　posture；　his　wife　followed　him。

Massin；　fearing　that　Zelie　and　her　husband　might　lay　hands　on　some

ornament；　joined　them　in　the　salon；　where　all　the　heirs　were　presently

assembled　one　by　one。



〃He　is　too　honest　a　man　to　steal　extreme　unction；〃　said　Cremiere；　〃we

may　be　sure　of　his　death　now。〃



〃Yes；　we　shall　each　get　about　twenty　thousand　francs　a　year；〃　replied

Madame　Massin。



〃I　have　an　idea；〃　said　Zelie；　〃that　for　the　last　three　years　he　hasn't

invested　anythinghe　grew　fond　of　hoarding。〃



〃Perhaps　the　money　is　in　the　cellar；〃　whispered　Massin　to　Cremiere。



〃I　hope　we　shall　be　able　to　find　it；〃　said　Minoret…Levrault。



〃But　after　what　he　said　at　the　ball　we　can't　have　any　doubt；〃　cried

Madame　Massin。



〃In　any　case；〃　began　Cremiere；　〃how　shall　we　manage？　Shall　we　divide；

shall　we　go　to　law；　or　could　we　draw　lots？　We　are　adults；　you　know〃



A　discussion；　which　soon　became　angry；　now　arose　as　to　the　method　of

procedure。　At　the　end　of　half　an　hour　a　perfect　uproar　of　voices；

Zelie's　screeching　organ　detaching　itself　from　the　rest；　resounded　in

the　courtyard　and　even　in　the　street。



The　noise　reached　the　doctor's　ears；　he　heard　the　words；　〃The　house

the　house　is　worth　thirty　thousand　francs。　I'll　take　it　at　that；〃

said；　or　rather　bellowed　by　Cremiere。



〃Well；　we'll　take　what　it's　worth；〃　said　Zelie；　sharply。



〃Monsieur　l'abbe；〃　said　the　old　man　to　the　priest；　who　remained　beside

his　friend　after　administering　the　communion；　〃help　me　to　die　in

peace。　My　heirs；　like　those　of　Cardinal　Ximenes；　are　capable　of

pillaging　the　house　before　my　death；　and　I　have　no　monkey　to　revive

me。　Go　and　tell　them　I　will　have　none　of　them　in　my　house。〃



The　priest　and　the　doctor　of　the　town　went　downstairs　and　repeated　the

message　of　the　dying　man；　adding；　in　their　indignation；　strong　words

of　their　own。



〃Madame　Bougival；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃close　the　iron　gate　and　allow　no

one　to　enter；　even　the　dying；　it　seems；　can　have　no　peace。　Prepare

mustard　poultices　and　apply　them　to　the　soles　of　Monsieur's　feet。〃



〃Your　uncle　is　not　dead；〃　said　the　abbe；　〃and　he　may　live　some　time

longer。　He　wishes　for　absolute　silence；　and　no　one　beside　him　but　his

niece。　What　a　difference　between　the　conduct　of　that　young　girl　and

yours！〃



〃Old　hypocrite！〃　exclaimed　Cremiere。　〃I　shall　keep　watch　of　him。　It　is

possible　he's　plotting　something　against　our　interests。〃



The　post　master　had　already　disappeared　into　the　garden；　intending　to

watch　there　and　wait　his　chance　to　be　admitted　to　the　house　as　an

assistant。　He　now　returned　to　it　very　softly；　his　boots　making　no

noise；　for　there　were　carpets　on　the　stairs　and　corridors。　He　was　able

to　reach　the　door　of　his　uncle's　room　without　being　heard。　The　abbe

and　the　doctor　had　left　the　house；　La　Bougival　was　making　the

poultices。



〃Are　we　quite　alone？〃　said　the　old　man　to　his　godchild。



Ursula　stood　on　tiptoe　and　looked　into　the　courtyard。



〃Yes；〃　she　said；　〃the　abbe　has　just　closed　the　gate　after　him。〃



〃My　darling　child；〃　said　the　dying　man；　〃my　hours；　my　minutes　even；

are　counted。　I　have　not　been　a　doctor　for　nothing；　I　shall　not　last

till　evening。　Do　not　cry；　my　Ursula；〃　he　said；　fearing　to　be

interrupted　by　the　child's　weeping；　〃but　listen　to　me　carefully；　it

concerns　your　marriage　to　Savinien。　As　soon　as　La　Bougival　comes　back

go　down　to　the　pagoda；here　is　the　key；lift　the　marble　top　of　the

Boule　buffet　and　you　will　find　a　letter　beneath　it；　sealed　and

addressed　to　you；　take　it　and　come　back　here；　for　I　cannot　die　easy

unless　I　see　it　in　your　hands。　When　I　am　dead　do　not　let　any　one　know

of　it　immediately；　but　send　for　Monsieur　de　Portenduere；　read　the

letter　together；　swear　to　me　now；　in　his　name　and　your　own；　that　you

will　carry　out　my　last　wishes。　When　Savinien　has　obeyed　me；　then

announce　my　death；　but　not　till　then。　The　comedy　of　the　heirs　will

begin。　God　grant　those　monsters　may　not　ill…treat　you。〃



〃Yes　godfather。〃



The　post　master　did　not　listen　to　the　end　of　this　scene；　he　slipped

away　on　tip…toe；　remembering　that　the　lock　of　the　study　was　on　the

library　side　of　the　door。　He　had　been　present　in　former　days　at　an

argument　between　the　architect　and　a　locksmith；　the　latter　declaring

that　if　the　pagoda　were　entered　by　the　window　on　the　river　it　would　be

much　safer　to　put　the　lock　of　the　door　opening　into　the　library　on　the

library　side。　Dazzled　by　his　hopes；　and　his　ears　flushed　with　blood；

Minoret　sprang　the　lock　with　the　point　of　his　knife　as　rapidly　as　a

burglar　could　have　done　it。　He　entered　the　study；　followed　the

doctor's　directions；　took　the　package　of　papers　without　opening　it；

relocked　the　door；　put　everything　in　order；　and　went　into　the　dining…

room　and　sat　down；　waiting　till　La　Bougival　had　gone　upstairs　with　the

poultice　before　he　ventured　to　leave　the　house。　He　then　made　his

escape；all　the　more　easily　because　poor　Ursula　lingered　to　see　that

La　Bougival　applied　the　poultice　properly。



〃The　letter！　the　letter！〃　cried　the　old　man；　in　a　dying　voice。　〃Obey

me；　take　the　key。　I　must　see　you　with　that　letter　in　your　hand。〃



The　words　were　said　with　so　wild　a　look　that　La　Bougival　e