ursula-第42章

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strengthened　the　affection　that　exists　between　Monsieur　de　Portenduere

and　myselfwhich　I　can　now　admit　because　his　mother　has　blessed　it。　I

will　also　tell　you　that　this　affection；　sanctioned　and　legitimate；　is

life　itself　to　me。　No　destiny；　however　brilliant；　however　lofty；　could

make　me　change。　I　love　without　the　possibility　of　changing。　It　would

therefore　be　a　crime　if　I　married　a　man　to　whom　I　could　take　nothing

but　a　soul　that　is　Savinien's。　But；　madame；　since　you　force　me　to　be

explicit；　I　must　tell　you　that　even　if　I　did　not　love　Monsieur　de

Portenduere　I　could　not　bring　myself　to　bear　the　troubles　and　joys　of

life　in　the　company　of　your　son。　If　Monsieur　Savinien　made　debts；　you

have　often　paid　those　of　your　son。　Our　characters　have　neither　the

similarities　nor　the　differences　which　enable　two　persons　to　live

together　without　bitterness。　Perhaps　I　should　not　have　towards　him　the

forbearance　a　wife　owes　to　her　husband；　I　should　then　be　a　trial　to

him。　Pray　cease　to　think　of　an　alliance　of　which　I　count　myself　quite

unworthy；　and　which　I　fell　I　can　decline　without　pain　to　you；　for　with

the　great　advantages　you　name　to　me；　you　cannot　fail　to　find　some　girl

of　better　station；　more　wealth；　and　more　beauty　than　mine。〃



〃Will　you　swear　to　me；〃　said　Zelie；　〃to　prevent　these　young　men　from

taking　that　journey　and　fighting　that　duel？〃



〃It　will　be；　I　foresee；　the　greatest　sacrifice　that　Monsieur　de

Portenduere　can　make　to　me；　but　I　shall　tell　him　that　my　bridal　crown

must　have　no　blood　upon　it。〃



〃Well；　I　thank　you；　cousin；　and　I　can　only　hope　you　will　be　happy。〃



〃And　I；　madame；　sincerely　wish　that　you　may　realize　all　your

expectations　for　the　future　of　your　son。〃



These　words　struck　a　chill　to　the　heart　of　the　mother；　who　suddenly

remembered　the　predictions　of　Ursula's　last　dream；　she　stood　still；

her　small　eyes　fixed　on　Ursula's　face；　so　white；　so　pure；　so　beautiful

in　her　mourning　dress；　for　Ursula　had　risen　too　to　hasten　her　so…

called　cousin's　departure。



〃Do　you　believe　in　dreams？〃　said　Zelie。



〃I　suffer　from　them　too　much　not　to　do　so。〃



〃But　if　you　do〃　began　Zelie。



〃Adieu；　madame；〃　exclaimed　Ursula；　bowing　to　Madame　Minoret　as　she

heard　the　abbe's　entering　step。



The　priest　was　surprised　to　find　Madame　Minoret　with　Ursula。　The

uneasiness　depicted　on　the　thin　and　wrinkled　face　of　the　former　post

mistress　induced　him　to　take　note　of　the　two　women。



〃Do　you　believe　in　spirits？〃　Zelie　asked　him。



〃What　do　you　believe　in？〃　he　answered；　smiling。



〃They　are　all　sly；〃　thought　Zelie；〃every　one　of　them！　They　want　to

deceive　us。　That　old　priest　and　the　old　justice　and　that　young　scamp

Savinien　have　got　some　plan　in　their　heads。　Dreams！　no　more　dreams

than　there　are　hairs　on　the　palm　of　my　hand。〃



With　two　stiff；　curt　bows　she　left　the　room。



〃I　know　why　Savinien　went　to　Fontainebleau；〃　said　Ursula　to　the　abbe；

telling　him　about　the　duel　and　begging　him　to　use　his　influence　to

prevent　it。



〃Did　Madame　Minoret　offer　you　her　son's　hand？〃　asked　the　abbe。



〃Yes。〃



〃Minoret　has　no　doubt　confessed　his　crime　to　her；〃　added　the　priest。



Monsieur　Bongrand；　who　came　in　at　this　moment；　was　told　of　the　step

taken　by　Zelie；　whose　hatred　to　Ursula　was　well　known　to　him。　He

looked　at　the　abbe　as　if　to　say：　〃Come　out；　I　want　to　speak　to　you　of

Ursula　without　her　hearing　me。〃



〃Savinien　must　be　told　that　you　refused　eighty　thousand　francs　a　year

and　the　dandy　of　Nemours；〃　he　said　aloud。



〃Is　it；　then；　a　sacrifice？〃　she　answered；　laughing。　〃Are　there

sacrifices　when　one　truly　loves？　Is　it　any　merit　to　refuse　the　son　of

a　man　we　all　despise？　Others　may　make　virtues　of　their　dislikes；　but

that　ought　not　to　be　the　morality　of　a　girl　brought　up　by　a　de　Jordy；

and　the　abbe；　and　my　dear　godfather；〃　she　said；　looking　up　at　his

portrait。



Bongrand　took　Ursula's　hand　and　kissed　it。



〃Do　you　know　what　Madame　Minoret　came　about？〃　said　the　justice　as　soon

as　they　were　in　the　street。



〃What？〃　asked　the　priest；　looking　at　Bongrand　with　an　air　that　seemed

merely　curious。



〃She　had　some　plan　for　restitution。〃



〃Then　you　think〃　began　the　abbe。



〃I　don't　think；　I　know；　I　have　the　certaintyand　see　there！〃



So　saying；　Bongrand　pointed　to　Minoret；　who　was　coming　towards　them　on

his　way　home。



〃When　I　was　a　lawyer　in　the　criminal　courts；〃　continued　Bongrand；　〃I

naturally　had　many　opportunities　to　study　remorse；　but　I　have　never

seen　any　to　equal　that　of　this　man。　What　gives　him　that　flaccidity；

that　pallor　of　the　cheeks　where　the　skin　was　once　as　tight　as　a　drum

and　bursting　with　the　good　sound　health　of　a　man　without　a　care？　What

has　put　those　black　circles　round　his　eyes　and　dulled　their　rustic

vivacity？　Did　you　ever　expect　to　see　lines　of　care　on　that　forehead？

Who　would　have　supposed　that　the　brain　of　that　colossus　could　be

excited？　The　man　has　felt　his　heart！　I　am　a　judge　of　remorse；　just　as

you　are　a　judge　of　repentance；　my　dear　abbe。　That　which　I　have

hitherto　observed　has　developed　in　men　who　were　awaiting　punishment；

or　enduring　it　to　get　quits　with　the　world；　they　were　either　resigned；

or　breathing　vengeance；　but　here　is　remorse　without　expiation；　remorse

pure　and　simple；　fastening　on　its　prey　and　rending　him。〃



The　judge　stopped　Minoret　and　said：　〃Do　you　know　that　Mademoiselle

Mirouet　has　refused　your　son's　hand？〃



〃But；〃　interposed　the　abbe；　〃do　not　be　uneasy；　she　will　prevent　the

duel。〃



〃Ah；　then　my　wife　succeeded？〃　said　Minoret。　〃I　am　very　glad；　for　it

nearly　killed　me。〃



〃You　are；　indeed；　so　changed　that　you　are　no　longer　like　yourself；〃

remarked　Bongrand。



Minoret　looked　alternately　at　the　two　men　to　see　if　the　priest　had

betrayed　the　dreams；　but　the　abbe's　face　was　unmoved；　expressing　only

a　calm　sadness　which　reassured　the　guilty　man。



〃And　it　is　the　more　surprising；〃　went　on　Monsieur　Bongrand；　〃because

you　ought　to　be　filled　with　satisfaction。　You　are　lord　of　Rouvre　and

all　those　farms　and　mills　and　meadows　andwith　your　investments　in

the　Funds；　you　have　an　income　of　one　hundred　thousand　francs〃



〃I　haven't　anything　in　the　Funds；〃　cried　Minoret；　hastily。



〃Pooh；〃　said　Bongrand；　〃this　is　just　as　it　was　about　your　son's　love

for　Ursula；first　he　denied　it；　and　now　he　asks　her　in　marriage。

After　trying　to　kill　Ursula　with　sorrow　you　now　want　her　for　a

daughter…in…law。　My　good　friend；　you　have　got　some　secret　in　your

pouch。〃



Minoret　tried　to　answer；　he　searched　for　words　and　could　find　nothing

better　than：



〃You're　very　queer；　monsieur。　Good…day；　gentlemen〃；　and　he　turned　with

a　slow　step　into　the　Rue　des　Bourgeois。



〃He　has　stolen　the　fortune　of　our　poor　Ursula；〃　said　Bongrand；　〃but

how　can　we　ever　find　the　proof？〃



〃God　may〃



〃God　has　put　into　us　the　sentiment　that　is　now　appealing　to　that　man；

but　all　that　is　merely　what　is　called　'presumptive；'　and　human　justice

requires　something　more。〃



The　abbe　maintained　the　silence　of　a　priest。　As　often　happens　in

similar　circumstances；　he　thought　much　oftener　than　he　wished　to　think

of　the　robbery；　now　almost　admitted　by　Minoret；　and　of　Savinien's

happiness；　delayed　only　by　Ursula's　loss　of　fortunefor　the　old　lady

had　privately　owned　to　him　that　she　knew　she　had　done　wrong　in　not

consenting　to　the　marriage　in　the　doctor's　lifetime。







CHAPTER　XXI



SHOWING　HOW　DIFFICULT　IT　IS　TO　STEAL　THAT

WHICH　SEEMS　VERY　EASILY　STOLEN



The　following　day；　as　the　abbe　was　leaving　the　altar　after　saying

mass；　a　thought　struck　him　with　such　force　that　it　seemed　to　him　the

utterance　of　a　voice。　He　made　a　sign　to　Ursula　to　wait　for　him；　and

accompanied　her　home　without　having　breakfasted。



〃My　child；〃　he　said；　〃I　want　to　see　the　two　volumes　your　godfather

showed　you　in　your　dreamswhere　he　said　that　he　placed　those

certificates　and　banknotes。〃



Ursula　and　the　abbe　went　up　to　the　library　and　took　down　the　third

volume　of　the　Pandects。　When　the　old　man　opened　it　he　noticed；　not

without　surprise；　a　mark　left　by　some　enclosure　upon　the　pages；　which

still　kept　the　outline　of　the　certificate。　In　the　other　volume　he

found　a　sort　of　hollow　made　by　the　long…continued　presence　of　a

package；　which　had　left　its　traces　on　the　two　pages　next　to　it。



〃Yes；　go　up；　Monsieur　Bongrand；〃　La　Bougival　was　heard　to　say；　and　the

justice　of　the　peace　came　into　the　library　just　as　the　abbe　was

putting　on　his　spectacles　to　read　three　numbers　in　Doctor　Minoret's

hand…writing　on　the　fly…leaf　of　colored　paper　with　which　the　binder

had　lined　the　cover　of　the　volume；figures　which　Ursula　had　just

discovered。



〃What's　the　meaning　of　those　figures？〃　said　the　abbe；　〃our　dear　doctor

was　too　much　of　a　bibliophile　to　spoil　the　fly…leaf　of　a　valuable

volume。　Here　are　three　numbers　written　between　a　first　number　preceded

by　the　letter　M　and　a　last　number　preceded　by　a　U。〃



〃What　are　you　talking　of？〃　said　Bongrand。　〃Let　me　see　that。　Good　God！〃

he　cried；　after　a　moment's　examination；　〃it　would　open　the　eyes　of　an

atheist　as　an　actual　demonstration　of　Providence！　Human　justice　is；　I

believe；　the　development　of　the　divine　thought　which　hovers　over　the

worlds。〃　He　seized　Ursula　and　kissed　her　forehead。　〃Oh！　my　child；　you

will　be　rich　and　happy；　and　all　through　me！〃



〃What　is　it？〃　exclaimed　the　abbe。



〃Oh；　monsieur；〃　cried　La　Bougival；　catching　Bongrand's　blue　overcoat；

〃let　me　kiss　you　for　what　you've　just　said。〃



〃Explain；　explain！　don't　give　us　false　hopes；〃　said　the　abbe。



〃If　I　bring　trouble　on　others　by　becoming　rich；〃　said　Ursula；

forseeing　a　criminal　trial；　〃I〃



〃Remember；〃　said　the　justice；　interrupting　her；　〃the　happiness　you

will　give　to　Savinien。〃



〃Are　you　mad？〃　said　the　abbe。



〃No；　my　dear　friend；〃　said　Bongrand。　〃Listen；　the　certificates　in　the

Funds　are　issued　in　series；as　many　series　as　there　are　letters　in

the　alphabet；　and　each　number　bears　the　letter　of　its　series。　But　the

certificates　which　are　made　out　'to　bearer'　cannot　have　a　letter；　they

are　not　in　any　person's　name。　What　you　see　there　shows　that　the　day

the　doctor　placed　his　money　in　the　Funds；　he　noted　down；　first；　the

number　of　his　own　certificate　for　fifteen　thousand　francs　interest

which　bears　his　initial　M；　next；　the　numbers　of　three　inscriptions　to

bearer；　these　are　without　a　letter；　and　thirdly；　the　certificate　of

Ursula's　share　in　the　Funds；　the　number　of　which　is　23；534；　and　which

follows；　as　you　see；　that　of　the　fifteen…thousand…franc　certificate

with　lettering。　This　goes　far　to　prove　that　those　numbers　are　those　of

five　certificates　of　investments　made　on　the　same　day　and　noted　down

by　the　doctor　in　case　of　loss。　I　advised　him　to　take　certificates　to

bearer　for　Ursula's　fortune；　and　he　must　have　made　his　own　investment

and　that　of　Ursula's　little　property　the　same　day。　I'll　go　to　Dionis's

office　and　l