ursula-第43章

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

office　and　look　at　the　inventory。　If　the　number　of　the　certificate　for

his　own　investment　is　23；533；　letter　M；　we　may　be　sure　that　he

invested；　through　the　same　broker　on　the　same　day；　first　his　own

property　on　a　single　certificate；　secondly　his　savings　in　three

certificates　to　bearer　（numbered；　but　without　the　series　letter）；

thirdly；　Ursula's　own　property；　the　transfer　books　will　show；　of

course；　undeniable　proofs　of　this。　Ha！　Minoret；　you　deceiver；　I　have

you　Motus；　my　children！〃



Whereupon　he　left　them　abruptly　to　reflect　with　admiration　on　the　ways

by　which　Providence　had　brought　the　innocent　to　victory。



〃The　finger　of　God　is　in　all　this；〃　cried　the　abbe。



〃Will　they　punish　him？〃　asked　Ursula。



〃Ah；　mademoiselle；〃　cried　La　Bougival。　〃I'd　give　the　rope　to　hang

him。〃



Bongrand　was　already　at　Goupil's；　now　the　appointed　successor　of

Dionis；　but　he　entered　the　office　with　a　careless　air。　〃I　have　a

little　matter　to　verify　about　the　Minoret　property；〃　he　said　to

Goupil。



〃What　is　it？〃　asked　the　latter。



〃The　doctor　left　one　or　more　certificates　in　the　three…per…cent

Funds？〃



〃He　left　one　for　fifteen　thousand　francs　a　year；〃　said　Goupil；　〃I

recorded　it　myself。〃



〃Then　just　look　on　the　inventory；〃　said　Bongrand。



Goupil　took　down　a　box；　hunted　through　it；　drew　out　a　paper；　found　the

place；　and　read：



〃'Item；　one　certificate'　Here；　read　for　yourselfunder　the　number

23；533；　letter　M。〃



〃Do　me　the　kindness　to　let　me　have　a　copy　of　that　clause　within　an

hour；〃　said　Bongrand。



〃What　good　is　it　to　you？〃　asked　Goupil。



〃Do　you　want　to　be　a　notary？〃　answered　the　justice　of　peace；　looking

sternly　at　Dionis's　proposed　successor。



〃Of　course　I　do；〃　cried　Goupil。　〃I've　swallowed　too　many　affronts　not

to　succeed　now。　I　beg　you　to　believe；　monsieur；　that　the　miserable

creature　once　called　Goupil　has　nothing　in　common　with　Maitre　Jean…

Sebastien…Marie　Goupil；　notary　of　Nemours　and　husband　of　Mademoiselle

Massin。　The　two　beings　do　not　know　each　other。　They　are　no　longer　even

alike。　Look　at　me！〃



Thus　adjured　Monsieur　Bongrand　took　notice　of　Goupil's　clothes。　The

new　notary　wore　a　white　cravat；　a　shirt　of　dazzling　whiteness　adorned

with　ruby　buttons；　a　waistcoat　of　red　velvet；　with　trousers　and　coat

of　handsome　black　broad…cloth；　made　in　Paris。　His　boots　were　neat；　his

hair；　carefully　combed；　was　perfumedin　short　he　was　metamorphosed。



〃The　fact　is　you　are　another　man；〃　said　Bongrand。



〃Morally　as　well　as　physically。　Virtue　comes　with　practicea

practice；　besides；　money　is　the　source　of　cleanliness〃



〃Morally　as　well　as　physically；〃　returned　Bongrand；　settling　his

spectacles。



〃Ha！　monsieur；　is　a　man　worth　a　hundred　thousand　francs　a　year　ever　a

democrat？　Consider　me　in　future　as　an　honest　man　who　knows　what

refinement　is；　and　who　intends　to　love　his　wife；〃　said　Goupil；　〃and

what's　more；　I　shall　prevent　my　clients　from　ever　doing　dirty

actions。〃



〃Well；　make　haste；〃　said　Bongrand。　〃Let　me　have　that　copy　in　an　hour；

and　notary　Goupil　will　have　undone　some　of　the　evil　deeds　of　Goupil

the　clerk。〃



After　asking　the　Nemours　doctor　to　lend　him　his　horse　and　cabriolet；

he　went　back　to　Ursula's　house　for　the　two　important　volumes　and　for

her　own　certificate　of　Funds；　then；　armed　with　the　extract　from　the

inventory；　he　drove　to　Fontainebleau　and　had　an　interview　with　the

procureur　du　roi。　Bongrand　easily　convinced　that　official　of　the　theft

of　the　three　certificates　by　one　or　other　of　the　heirs；presumably　by

Minoret。



〃His　conduct　is　explained；〃　said　the　procureur。



As　a　measure　of　precaution　the　magistrate　at　once　notified　the

Treasury　to　withhold　transfer　of　the　said　certificates；　and　told

Bongrand　to　go　to　Paris　and　ascertain　if　the　shares　had　ever　been

sold。　He　then　wrote　a　polite　note　to　Madame　Minoret　requesting　her

presence。



Zelie；　very　uneasy　about　her　son's　duel；　dressed　herself　at　once；　had

the　horses　put　to　her　carriage　and　hurried　to　Fontainebleau。　The

procureur's　plan　was　simple　enough。　By　separating　the　wife　from　the

husband；　and　bringing　the　terrors　of　the　law　to　bear　upon　her；　he

expected　to　learn　the　truth。　Zelie　found　the　official　in　his　private

office　and　was　utterly　annihilated　when　he　addressed　her　as　follows：



〃Madame；〃　he　said；　〃I　do　not　believe　you　are　an　accomplice　in　a　theft

that　has　been　committed　upon　the　Minoret　property；　on　the　track　of

which　the　law　is　now　proceeding。　But　you　can　spare　your　husband　the

shame　of　appearing　in　the　prisoner's　dock　by　making　a　full　confession

of　what　you　know　about　it。　The　punishment　which　your　husband　has

incurred　is；　moreover；　not　the　only　thing　to　be　dreaded。　Your　son's

career　is　to　be　thought　of；　you　must　avoid　destroying　that。　Half　an

hour　hence　will　be　too　late。　The　police　are　already　under　orders　for

Nemours；　the　warrant　is　made　out。〃



Zelie　nearly　fainted；　when　she　recovered　her　senses　she　confessed

everything。　After　proving　to　her　that　she　was　in　point　of　fact　an

accomplice；　the　magistrate　told　her　that　if　she　did　not　wish　to　injure

either　son　or　husband　she　must　behave　with　the　utmost　prudence。



〃You　have　now　to　do　with　me　as　an　individual；　not　as　a　magistrate；〃　he

said。　〃No　complaint　has　been　lodged　by　the　victim；　nor　has　any

publicity　been　given　to　the　theft。　But　your　husband　has　committed　a

great　crime；　which　may　be　brought　before　a　judge　less　inclined　than

myself　to　be　considerate。　In　the　present　state　of　the　affair　I　am

obliged　to　make　you　a　prisoneroh；　in　my　own　house；　on　parole；〃　he

added；　seeing　that　Zelie　was　about　to　faint。　〃You　must　remember　that

my　official　duty　would　require　me　to　issue　a　warrant　at　once　and　begin

an　examination；　but　I　am　acting　now　individually；　as　guardian　of

Mademoiselle　Ursula　Mirouet；　and　her　best　interests　demand　a

compromise。〃



〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　Zelie。



〃Write　to　your　husband　in　the　following　words；〃　he　continued；　placing

Zelie　at　his　desk　and　proceeding　to　dictate　the　letter：



　　〃My　Friend；I　am　arrested；　and　I　have　told　all。　Return　the

　　certificates　which　uncle　left　to　Monsieur　de　Portenduere　in　the

　　will　which　you　burned；　for　the　procureur　du　roi　has　stopped

　　payment　at　the　Treasury。〃



〃You　will　thus　save　him　from　the　denials　he　would　otherwise　attempt　to

make；〃　said　the　magistrate；　smiling　at　Zelie's　orthography。　〃We　will

see　that　the　restitution　is　properly　made。　My　wife　will　make　your　stay

in　our　house　as　agreeable　as　possible。　I　advise　you　to　say　nothing　of

the　matter　and　not　to　appear　anxious　or　unhappy。〃



Now　that　Zelie　had　confessed　and　was　safely　immured；　the　magistrate

sent　for　Desire；　told　him　all　the　particulars　of　his　father's　theft；

which　was　really　to　Ursula's　injury；　but；　as　matters　stood；　legally　to

that　of　his　co…heirs；　and　showed　him　the　letter　written　by　his　mother。

Desire　at　once　asked　to　be　allowed　to　go　to　Nemours　and　see　that　his

father　made　immediate　restitution。



〃It　is　a　very　serious　matter；〃　said　the　magistrate。　〃The　will　having

been　destroyed；　if　the　matter　gets　wind；　the　co…heirs；　Massin　and

Cremiere　may　put　in　a　claim。　I　have　proof　enough　against　your　father。

I　will　release　your　mother；　for　I　think　the　little　ceremony　that　has

already　taken　place　has　been　sufficient　warning　as　to　her　duty。　To

her；　I　will　seem　to　have　yielded　to　your　entreaties　in　releasing　her。

Take　her　with　you　to　Nemours；　and　manage　the　whole　matter　as　best　you

can。　Don't　fear　any　one。　Monsieur　Bongrand　loves　Ursula　Mirouet　too

well　to　let　the　matter　become　known。〃



Zelie　and　Desire　started　soon　after　for　Nemours。　Three　hours　later　the

procureur　du　roi　received　by　a　mounted　messenger　the　following　letter；

the　orthography　of　which　has　been　corrected　so　as　not　to　bring

ridicule　on　a　man　crushed　by　affliction。





To　Monsieur　le　procureur　du　roi　at　Fontainebleau：



Monsieur；God　is　less　kind　to　us　than　you；　we　have　met　with　an

irreparable　misfortune。　When　my　wife　and　son　reached　the　bridge　at

Nemours　a　trace　became　unhooked。　There　was　no　servant　behind　the

carriage；　the　horses　smelt　the　stable；　my　son；　fearing　their

impatience；　jumped　down　to　hook　the　trace　rather　than　have　the

coachman　leave　the　box。　As　he　turned　to　resume　his　place　in　the

carriage　beside　his　mother　the　horses　started；　Desire　did　not　step

back　against　the　parapet　in　time；　the　step　of　the　carriage　cut

through　both　legs　and　he　fell；　the　hind　wheel　passing　over　his

body。　The　messenger　who　goes　to　Paris　for　the　best　surgeon　will

bring　you　this　letter；　which　my　son　in　the　midst　of　his　sufferings

desires　me　to　write　so　as　to　let　you　know　our　entire　submission　to

your　decisions　in　the　matter　about　which　he　was　coming　to　speak　to　me。



I　shall　be　grateful　to　you　to　my　dying　day　for　the　manner　in　which

you　have　acted；　and　I　will　deserve　your　goodness。



Francois　Minoret。





This　cruel　event　convulsed　the　whole　town　of　Nemours。　The　crowds

standing　about　the　gate　of　the　Minoret　house　were　the　first　to　tell

Savinien　that　his　vengeance　had　been　taken　by　a　hand　more　powerful

than　his　own。　He　went　at　once　to　Ursula's　house；　where　he　found　both

the　abbe　and　the　young　girl　more　distressed　than　surprised。



The　next　day；　after　the　wounds　were　dressed；　and　the　doctors　and

surgeons　from　Paris　had　given　their　opinion　that　both　legs　must　be

amputated；　Minoret　went；　pale；　humbled；　and　broken　down；　accompanied

by　the　abbe；　to　Ursula's　house；　where　he　found　also　Monsieur　Bongrand

and　Savinien。



〃Mademoiselle；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　very　guilty　towards　you；　but　if　all　the

wrongs　I　have　done　you　are　not　wholly　reparable；　there　are　some　that　I

can　expiate。　My　wife　and　I　have　made　a　vow　to　make　over　to　you　in

absolute　possession　our　estate　at　Rouvre　in　case　our　son　recovers；　and

also　in　case　we　have　the　dreadful　sorrow　of　losing　him。〃



He　burst　into　tears　as　he　said　the　last　words。



〃I　can　assure　you；　my　dear　Ursula；〃　said　the　abbe；　〃that　you　can　and

that　you　ought　to　accept　a　part　of　this　gift。〃



〃Will　you　forgive　me？〃　said　Minoret；　humbly　kneeling　before　the

astonished　girl。　〃The　operation　is　about　to　be　performed　by　the　first

surgeon　of　the　Hotel…Dieu；　but　I　do　not　trust　to　human　science；　I　rely

only　on　the　power　of　God。　If　you　will　forgive　us；　if　you　ask　God　to

restore　our　son　to　us；　he　will　have　strength　to　bear　the　agony　and　we

shall　have　the　joy　of　saving　him。〃



〃Let　us　go　to　the　church！〃　cried　Ursula；　rising。



But　as　she　gained　her　feet；　a　piercing　cry　came　from　her　lips；　and　she

fell　backward　fainting。　When　her　senses　returned；　she　saw　her　friends

but　not　Minoret　who　had　rushed　for　a　doctorlooking　at　her　with

anxious　eyes；　seeking　an　explanation。　As　she　gave　it；　terror　filled

their　hearts。



〃I　saw　my　godfather　standing　in　the　doorway；〃　she　said；　〃and　he　signed

to　me　that　there　was　no　hope。