ursula-第38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！



rogue　whom　I　wouldn't　think　of　consulting　about　even　a　dog。　Why　don't

you　speak　up；　Minoret？　Are　you　going　to　let　monsieur　box　your　ears　in

that　way　and　accuse　you　of　wickedness　that's　beneath　you？　As　if　a　man

with　forty…eight　thousand　francs　a　year　from　landed　property；　and　a

castle　fit　for　a　prince；　would　stoop　to　such　things！　Get　up；　and　don't

sit　there　like　a　wet　rag！〃



〃I　don't　know　what　monsieur　means；〃　said　Minoret　in　his　squeaking

voice；　the　trembling　of　which　was　all　the　more　noticeable　because　the

voice　was　clear。　〃What　object　could　I　have　in　persecuting　the　girl？　I

may　have　said　to　Goupil　how　annoyed　I　was　at　seeing　her　in　Nemours。　My

son　Desire　fell　in　love　with　her；　and　I　didn't　want　him　to　marry　her；

that's　all。〃



〃Goupil　has　confessed　everything；　Monsieur　Minoret。〃



There　was　a　moment's　silence；　but　it　was　terrible；　when　all　three

persons　examined　one　another。　Zelie　saw　a　nervous　quiver　on　the　heavy

face　of　her　colossus。



〃Though　you　are　only　insects；〃　said　the　young　nobleman；　〃I　will　make

you　feel　my　vengeance。　It　is　not　from　you；　Monsieur　Minoret；　a　man

sixty…eight　years　of　age；　but　from　your　son　that　I　shall　seek

satisfaction　for　the　insults　offered　to　Mademoiselle　Mirouet。　The

first　time　he　sets　his　foot　in　Nemours　we　shall　meet。　He　must　fight

me；　he　will　do　so；　or　be　dishonored　and　never　dare　to　show　his　face

again。　If　he　does　not　come　to　Nemours　I　shall　go　to　Fontainebleau；　for

I　will　have　satisfaction。　It　shall　never　be　said　that　you　were　tamely

allowed　to　dishonor　a　defenceless　young　girl〃



〃But　the　calumnies　of　a　Goupilarenot〃　began　Minoret。



〃Do　you　wish　me　to　bring　him　face　to　face　with　you？　Believe　me；　you

had　better　hush　up　this　affair；　it　lies　between　you　and　Goupil　and　me。

Leave　it　as　it　is；　God　will　decide　between　us　and　when　I　meet　your

son。〃



〃But　this　sha'n't　go　one！〃　cried　Zelie。　〃Do　you　suppose　I'll　stand　by

and　let　Desire　fight　you；a　sailor　whose　business　it　is　to　handle

swords　and　guns？　If　you've　got　any　cause　of　complaint　against　Minoret；

there's　Minoret；　take　Minoret；　fight　Minoret！　But　do　you　think　my　boy；

who；　by　your　own　account；　knew　nothing　of　all　this；　is　going　to　bear

the　brunt　of　it？　No；　my　little　gentleman！　somebody's　teeth　will　pin

your　legs　first！　Come；　Minoret；　don't　stand　staring　there　like　a　big

canary；　you　are　in　your　own　house；　and　you　allow　a　man　to　keep　his　hat

on　before　your　wife！　I　say　he　shall　go。　Now；　monsieur；　be　off！　a　man's

house　is　his　castle。　I　don't　know　what　you　mean　with　your　nonsense；

but　show　me　your　heels；　and　if　you　dare　touch　Desire　you'll　have　to

answer　to　ME；you　and　your　minx　Ursula。〃



She　rang　the　bell　violently　and　called　to　the　servants。



〃Remember　what　I　have　said　to　you；〃　repeated　Savinien　to　Minoret；

paying　no　attention　to　Zelie's　tirade。　Suspending　the　sword　of

Damocles　over　their　heads；　he　left　the　room。



〃Now；　then；　Minoret；〃　said　Zelie；　〃you　will　explain　to　me　what　this

all　means。　A　young　man　doesn't　rush　into　a　house　and　make　an　uproar

like　that　and　demand　the　blood　of　a　family　for　nothing。〃



〃It's　some　mischief　of　that　vile　Goupil；〃　said　the　colossus。　〃I

promised　to　help　him　buy　a　practice　if　he　would　get　me　the　Rouvre

property　cheap。　I　gave　him　ten　per　cent　on　the　cost；　twenty　thousand

francs　in　a　note；　and　I　suppose　he　isn't　satisfied。〃



〃Yes；　but　why　did　he　get　up　those　serenades　and　the　scandals　against

Ursula？〃



〃He　wanted　to　marry　her。〃



〃A　girl　without　a　penny！　the　sly　thing！　Now　Minoret；　you　are　telling

me　lies；　and　you　are　too　much　of　a　fool；　my　son；　to　make　me　believe

them。　There　is　something　under　all　this；　and　you　are　going　to　tell　me

what　it　is。〃



〃There's　nothing。〃



〃Nothing？　I　tell　you　you　lie；　and　I　shall　find　it　out。〃



〃Do　let　me　alone！〃



〃I'll　turn　the　faucet　of　that　fountain　of　venom；　Goupilwhom　you're

afraid　ofand　we'll　see　who　gets　the　best　of　it　then。〃



〃Just　as　you　choose。〃



〃I　know　very　well　it　will　be　as　I　choose！　and　what　I　choose　first　and

foremost　is　that　no　harm　shall　come　to　Desire。　If　anything　happens　to

him；　mark　you；　I'll　do　something　that　may　send　me　to　the　scaffoldand

you；　you　haven't　any　feeling　about　him〃



A　quarrel　thus　begun　between　Minoret　and　his　wife　was　sure　not　to　end

without　a　long　and　angry　strife。　So　at　the　moment　of　his　self…

satisfaction　the　foolish　robber　found　his　inward　struggle　against

himself　and　against　Ursula　revived　by　his　own　fault；　and　complicated

with　a　new　and　terrible　adversary。　The　next　day；　when　he　left　the

house　early　to　find　Goupil　and　try　to　appease　him　with　additional

money；　the　walls　were　already　placarded　with　the　words：　〃Minoret　is　a

thief。〃　All　those　whom　he　met　commiserated　him　and　asked　him　who　was

the　author　of　the　anonymous　placard。　Fortunately　for　him；　everybody

made　allowance　for　his　equivocal　replies　by　reflecting　on　his　utter

stupidity；　fools　get　more　advantage　from　their　weakness　than　able　men

from　their　strength。　The　world　looks　on　at　a　great　man　battling

against　fate；　and　does　not　help　him；　but　it　supplies　the　capital　of　a

grocer　who　may　fail　and　lose　all。　Why？　Because　men　like　to　feel

superior　in　protecting　an　incapable；　and　are　displeased　at　not　feeling

themselves　the　equal　of　a　man　of　genius。　A　clever　man　would　have　been

lost　in　public　estimation　had　he　stammered；　as　Minoret　did；　evasive

and　foolish　answers　with　a　frightened　air。　Zelie　sent　her　servants　to

efface　the　vindictive　words　wherever　they　were　found；　but　the　effect

of　them　on　Minoret's　conscience　still　remained。



The　result　of　his　interview　with　his　assailant　was　soon　apparent。

Though　Goupil　had　concluded　his　bargain　with　the　sheriff　the　night

before；　he　now　impudently　refused　to　fulfil　it。



〃My　dear　Lecoeur；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　unexpectedly　enabled　to　buy　up

Monsieur　Dionis's　practice；　I　am　therefore　in　a　position　to　help　you

to　sell　to　others。　Tear　up　the　agreement；　it's　only　the　loss　of　two

stamps；here　are　seventy　centimes。〃



Lecoeur　was　too　much　afraid　of　Goupil　to　complain。　All　Nemours　knew

before　night　that　Minoret　had　given　Dionis　security　to　enable　Goupil

to　buy　his　practice。　The　latter　wrote　to　Savinien　denying　his　charges

against　Minoret；　and　telling　the　young　nobleman　that　in　his　new

position　he　was　forbidden　by　the　rules　of　the　supreme　court；　and　also

by　his　respect　for　law；　to　fight　a　duel。　But　he　warned　Savinien　to

treat　him　well　in　future；　assuring　him　he　was　a　capital　boxer；　and

would　break　his　leg　at　the　first　offence。



The　walls　of　Nemours　were　cleared　of　the　inscription；　but　the　quarrel

between　Minoret　and　his　wife　went　on；　and　Savinien　maintained　a

threatening　silence。　Ten　days　after　these　events　the　marriage　of

Mademoiselle　Massin；　the　elder；　to　the　future　notary　was　bruited　about

the　town。　Mademoiselle　Massin　had　a　dowry　of　eighty　thousand　francs

and　her　own　peculiar　ugliness；　Goupil　had　his　deformities　and　his

practice；　the　union　therefore　seemed　suitable　and　probable。　One

evening；　towards　midnight；　two　unknown　men　seized　Goupil　in　the　street

as　he　was　leaving　Massin's　house；　gave　him　a　sound　beating；　and

disappeared。　The　notary　kept　the　matter　a　profound　secret；　and　even

contradicted　an　old　woman　who　saw　the　scene　from　her　window　and

thought　that　she　recognized　him。



These　great　little　events　were　carefully　studied　by　Bongrand；　who

became　convinced　that　Goupil　held　some　mysterious　power　over　Minoret；

and　he　determined　to　find　out　its　cause。







CHAPTER　XIX



APPARITIONS



Though　the　public　opinion　of　the　little　town　recognized　Ursula's

perfect　innocence；　she　recovered　slowly。　While　in　a　state　of　bodily

exhaustion；　which　left　her　mind　and　spirit　free；　she　became　the　medium

of　phenomena　the　effects　of　which　were　astounding；　and　of　a　nature　to

challenge　science；　if　science　had　been　brought　into　contact　with　them。



Ten　days　after　Madame　de　Portenduere's　visit　Ursula　had　a　dream；　with

all　the　characteristics　of　a　supernatural　vision；　as　much　in　its　moral

aspects　as　in　the；　so　to　speak；　physical　circumstances。　Her　godfather

appeared　to　her　and　made　a　sign　that　she　should　come　with　him。　She

dressed　herself　and　followed　him　through　the　darkness　to　their　former

house　in　the　Rue　des　Bourgeois；　where　she　found　everything　precisely

as　it　was　on　the　day　of　her　godfather's　death。　The　old　man　wore　the

clothes　that　were　on　him　the　evening　before　his　death。　His　face　was

pale；　his　movements　caused　no　sound；　nevertheless；　Ursula　heard　his

voice　distinctly；　though　it　was　feeble　and　as　if　repeated　by　a　distant

echo。　The　doctor　conducted　his　child　as　far　as　the　Chinese　pagoda；

where　he　made　her　lift　the　marble　top　of　the　little　Boule　cabinet　just

as　she　had　raised　it　on　the　day　of　his　death；　but　instead　of　finding

nothing　there　she　saw　the　letter　her　godfather　had　told　her　to　fetch。

She　opened　it　and　read　both　the　letter　addressed　to　herself　and　the

will　in　favor　of　Savinien。　The　writing；　as　she　afterwards　told　the

abbe；　shone　as　if　traced　by　sunbeams〃it　burned　my　eyes；〃　she　said。

When　she　looked　at　her　uncle　to　thank　him　she　saw　the　old　benevolent

smile　upon　his　discolored　lips。　Then；　in　a　feeble　voice；　but　still

clearly；　he　told　her　to　look　at　Minoret；　who　was　listening　in　the

corridor　to　what　he　said　to　her；　and　next；　slipping　the　lock　of　the

library　door　with　his　knife；　and　taking　the　papers　from　the　study。

With　his　right　hand　the　old　man　seized　his　goddaughter　and　obliged　her

to　walk　at　the　pace　of　death　and　follow　Minoret　to　his　own　house。

Ursula　crossed　the　town；　entered　the　post　house　and　went　into　Zelie's

old　room；　where　the　spectre　showed　her　Minoret　unfolding　the　letters；

reading　them　and　burning　them。



〃He　could　not；〃　said　Ursula；　telling　her　dream　to　the　abbe；　〃light　the

first　two　matches；　but　the　third　took　fire；　he　burned　the　papers　and

buried　their　remains　in　the　ashes。　Then　my　godfather　brought　me　back

to　our　house；　and　I　saw　Minoret…Levrault　slipping　into　the　library；

where　he　took　from　the　third　volume　of　Pandects　three　certificates　of

twelve　thousand　francs　each；　also；　from　the　preceding　volume；　a　number

of　banknotes。　'He　is；'　said　my　godfather；　'the　cause　of　all　the

trouble　which　has　brought　you　to　the　verge　of　the　tomb；　but　God　wills

that　you　shall　yet　be　happy。　You　will　not　die　now；　you　will　marry

Savinien。　If　you　love　me；　and　if　you　love　Savinien；　I　charge　you　to

demand　your　fortune　from　my　nephew。　Swear　it。'〃



Resplendent　as　though　transfigured；　the　spectre　had　so　powerful　an

influence　on　Ursula's　soul　that　she　promised　all　her　uncle　asked；

hoping　to　put　an　end　to　the　nightmare。　She　woke　suddenly　and　found

herself　standing　in　the　middle　of　her　bedroom；　facing　her　godfather's

portrait；　which　had　been　placed　there　during　her　illness。　She　went

back　to　bed　and　fell　asleep　after　much　agitation；　and　on　waking　again

she　remembered　all　the　particulars　of　this　singular　vision；　but　she

dared　not　sp