ursula-第7章

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coming　of　a　keen　observation　or　some　victorious　argument。　His

gestures；　his　loquacity；　his　innocent　self…assertion；　proclaimed　the

provincial　lawyer。　These　slight　defects　were；　however；　superficial；　he

redeemed　them　by　an　exquisite　kind…heartedness　which　a　rigid　moralist

might　call　the　indulgence　natural　to　superiority。　He　looked　a　little

like　a　fox；　and　he　was　thought　to　be　very　wily；　but　never　false　or

dishonest。　His　wiliness　was　perspicacity；　and　consisted　in　foreseeing

results　and　protecting　himself　and　others　from　the　traps　set　for　them。

He　loved　whist；　a　game　known　to　the　captain　and　the　doctor；　and　which

the　abbe　learned　to　play　in　a　very　short　time。



This　little　circle　of　friends　made　for　itself　an　oasis　in　Mironet's

salon。　The　doctor　of　Nemours；　who　was　not　without　education　and

knowledge　of　the　world；　and　who　greatly　respected　Minoret　as　an　honor

to　the　profession；　came　there　sometimes；　but　his　duties　and　also　his

fatigue　（which　obliged　him　to　go　to　bed　early　and　to　be　up　early）

prevented　his　being　as　assiduously　present　as　the　three　other　friends。

This　intercourse　of　five　superior　men；　the　only　ones　in　Nemours　who

had　sufficiently　wide　knowledge　to　understand　each　other；　explains　old

Minoret's　aversion　to　his　relatives；　if　he　were　compelled　to　leave

them　his　money；　at　least　he　need　not　admit　them　to　his　society。

Whether　the　post　master；　the　sheriff；　and　the　collector　understood

this　distinction；　or　whether　they　were　reassured　by　the　evident

loyalty　and　benefactions　of　their　uncle；　certain　it　is　that　they

ceased；　to　his　great　satisfaction；　to　see　much　of　him。　So；　about　eight

months　after　the　arrival　of　the　doctor　these　four　players　of　whist　and

backgammon　made　a　solid　and　exclusive　little　world　which　was　to　each　a

fraternal　aftermath；　an　unlooked　for　fine　season；　the　gentle　pleasures

of　which　were　the　more　enjoyed。　This　little　circle　of　choice　spirits

closed　round　Ursula；　a　child　whom　each　adopted　according　to　his

individual　tendencies；　the　abbe　thought　of　her　soul；　the　judge

imagined　himself　her　guardian；　the　soldier　intended　to　be　her　teacher；

and　as　for　Minoret；　he　was　father；　mother；　and　physician；　all　in　one。



After　he　became　acclimated　old　Minoret　settled　into　certain　habits　of

life；　under　fixed　rules；　after　the　manner　of　the　provinces。　On

Ursula's　account　he　received　no　visitors　in　the　morning；　and　never

gave　dinners；　but　his　friends　were　at　liberty　to　come　to　his　house　at

six　o'clock　and　stay　till　midnight。　The　first…comers　found　the

newspapers　on　the　table　and　read　them　while　awaiting　the　rest；　or　they

sometimes　sallied　forth　to　meet　the　doctor　if　he　were　out　for　a　walk。

This　tranquil　life　was　not　a　mere　necessity　of　old　age；　it　was　the

wise　and　careful　scheme　of　a　man　of　the　world　to　keep　his　happiness

untroubled　by　the　curiosity　of　his　heirs　and　the　gossip　of　a　little

town。　He　yielded　nothing　to　that　capricious　goddess；　public　opinion；

whose　tyranny　（one　of　the　present　great　evils　of　France）　was　just

beginning　to　establish　its　power　and　to　make　the　whole　nation　a　mere

province。　So；　as　soon　as　the　child　was　weaned　and　could　walk　alone；

the　doctor　sent　away　the　housekeeper　whom　his　niece；　Madame　Minoret…

Levrault　had　chosen　for　him；　having　discovered　that　she　told　her

patroness　everything　that　happened　in　his　household。



Ursula's　nurse；　the　widow　of　a　poor　workman　（who　possessed　no　name　but

a　baptismal　one；　and　who　came　from　Bougival）　had　lost　her　last　child；

aged　six　months；　just　as　the　doctor；　who　knew　her　to　be　a　good　and

honest　creature；　engaged　her　as　wetnurse　for　Ursula。　Antoinette　Patris

（her　maiden　name）；　widow　of　Pierre；　called　Le　Bougival；　attached

herself　naturally　to　Ursula；　as　wetmaids　do　to　their　nurslings。　This

blind　maternal　affection　was　accompanied　in　this　instance　by　household

devotion。　Told　of　the　doctor's　intention　to　send　away　his　housekeeper；

La　Bougival　secretly　learned　to　cook；　became　neat　and　handy；　and

discovered　the　old　man's　ways。　She　took　the　utmost　care　of　the　house

and　furniture；　in　short　she　was　indefatigable。　Not　only　did　the　doctor

wish　to　keep　his　private　life　within　four　walls；　as　the　saying　is；　but

he　also　had　certain　reasons　for　hiding　a　knowledge　of　his　business

affairs　from　his　relatives。　At　the　end　of　the　second　year　after　his

arrival　La　Bougival　was　the　only　servant　in　the　house；　on　her

discretion　he　knew　he　could　count；　and　he　disguised　his　real　purposes

by　the　all…powerful　open　reason　of　a　necessary　economy。　To　the　great

satisfaction　of　his　heirs　he　became　a　miser。　Without　fawning　or

wheedling；　solely　by　the　influence　of　her　devotion　and　solicitude；　La

Bougival；　who　was　forty…three　years　old　at　the　time　this　tale　begins；

was　the　housekeeper　of　the　doctor　and　his　protegee；　the　pivot　on　which

the　whole　house　turned；　in　short；　the　confidential　servant。　She　was

called　La　Bougival　from　the　admitted　impossibility　of　applying　to　her

person　the　name　that　actually　belonged　to　her；　Antoinettefor　names

and　forms　do　obey　the　laws　of　harmony。



The　doctor's　miserliness　was　not　mere　talk；　it　was　real；　and　it　had　an

object。　From　the　year　1817　he　cut　off　two　of　his　newspapers　and　ceased

subscribing　to　periodicals。　His　annual　expenses；　which　all　Nemours

could　estimate；　did　not　exceed　eighteen　hundred　francs　a　year。　Like

most　old　men　his　wants　in　linen；　boots；　and　clothing；　were　very　few。

Every　six　months　he　went　to　Paris；　no　doubt　to　draw　and　reinvest　his

income。　In　fifteen　years　he　never　said　a　single　word　to　any　one　in

relation　to　his　affairs。　His　confidence　in　Bongrand　was　of　slow

growth；　it　was　not　until　after　the　revolution　of　1830　that　he　told　him

of　his　projects。　Nothing　further　was　known　of　the　doctor's　life　either

by　the　bourgeoisie　at　large　or　by　his　heirs。　As　for　his　political

opinions；　he　did　not　meddle　in　public　matters　seeing　that　he　paid　less

than　a　hundred　francs　a　year　in　taxes；　and　refused；　impartially；　to

subscribe　to　either　royalist　or　liberal　demands。　His　known　horror　for

the　priesthood；　and　his　deism　were　so　little　obtrusive　that　he　turned

out　of　his　house　a　commercial　runner　sent　by　his　great…nephew　Desire

to　ask　a　subscription　to　the　〃Cure　Meslier〃　and　the　〃Discours　du

General　Foy。〃　Such　tolerance　seemed　inexplicable　to　the　liberals　of

Nemours。



The　doctor's　three　collateral　heirs；　Minoret…Levrault　and　his　wife；

Monsieur　and　Madame　Massin…Levrault；　junior；　Monsieur　and　Madame

Cremiere…Cremierewhom　we　shall　in　future　call　simply　Cremiere；

Massin；　and　Minoret；　because　these　distinctions　among　homonyms　is

quite　unnecessary　out　of　the　Gatinaismet　together　as　people　do　in

little　towns。　The　post　master　gave　a　grand　dinner　on　his　son's

birthday；　a　ball　during　the　carnival；　another　on　the　anniversary　of

his　marriage；　to　all　of　which　he　invited　the　whole　bourgeoisie　of

Nemours。　The　collector　received　his　relations　and　friends　twice　a

year。　The　clerk　of　the　court；　too　poor；　he　said；　to　fling　himself　into

such　extravagance；　lived　in　a　small　way　in　a　house　standing　half…way

down　the　Grand'Rue；　the　ground…floor　of　which　was　let　to　his　sister；

the　letter…postmistress　of　Nemours；　a　situation　she　owed　to　the

doctor's　kind　offices。　Nevertheless；　in　the　course　of　the　year　these

three　families　did　meet　together　frequently；　in　the　houses　of　friends；

in　the　public　promenades；　at　the　market；　on　their　doorsteps；　or；　of　a

Sunday　in　the　square；　as　on　this　occasion；　so　that　one　way　and　another

they　met　nearly　every　day。　For　the　last　three　years　the　doctor's　age；

his　economies；　and　his　probable　wealth　had　led　to　allusions；　or　frank

remarks；　among　the　townspeople　as　to　the　disposition　of　his　property；

a　topic　which　made　the　doctor　and　his　heirs　of　deep　interest　to　the

little　town。　For　the　last　six　months　not　a　day　passed　that　friends　and

neighbours　did　not　speak　to　the　heirs；　with　secret　envy；　of　the　day

the　good　man's　eyes　would　shut　and　the　coffers　open。



〃Doctor　Minoret　may　be　an　able　physician；　on　good　terms　with　death；

but　none　but　God　is　eternal；〃　said　one。



〃Pooh；　he'll　bury　us　all；　his　health　is　better　than　ours；〃　replied　an

heir；　hypocritically。



〃Well；　if　you　don't　get　the　money　yourselves；　your　children　will；

unless　that　little　Ursula〃



〃He　won't　leave　it　all　to　her。〃



Ursula；　as　Madame　Massin　had　predicted；　was　the　bete　noire　of　the

relations；　their　sword　of　Damocles；　and　Madame　Cremiere's　favorite

saying；　〃Well；　whoever　lives　will　know；〃　shows　that　they　wished　at　any

rate　more　harm　to　her　than　good。



The　collector　and　the　clerk　of　the　court；　poor　in　comparison　with　the

post　master；　had　often　estimated；　by　way　of　conversation；　the　doctor's

property。　If　they　met　their　uncle　walking　on　the　banks　of　the　canal　or

along　the　road　they　would　look　at　each　other　piteously。



〃He　must　have　got　hold　of　some　elixir　of　life；〃　said　one。



〃He　has　made　a　bargain　with　the　devil；〃　replied　the　other。



〃He　ought　to　give　us　the　bulk　of　it；　that　fat　Minoret　doesn't　need

anything；〃　said　Massin。



〃Ah！　but　Minoret　has　a　son　who'll　waste　his　substance；〃　answered

Cremiere。



〃How　much　do　you　really　think　the　doctor　has？〃



〃At　the　end　of　twelve　years；　say　twelve　thousand　francs　saved　each

year；　that　would　give　one　hundred　and　forty…four　thousand　francs；　and

the　interest　brings　in　at　least　one　hundred　thousand　more。　But　as　he

must；　if　he　consults　a　notary　in　Paris；　have　made　some　good　strokes　of

business；　and　we　know　that　up　to　1822　he　could　get　seven　or　eight　per

cent　from　the　State；　he　must　now　have　at　least　four　hundred　thousand

francs；　without　counting　the　capital　of　his　fourteen　thousand　a　year

from　the　five　per　cents。　If　he　were　to　die　to…morrow　without　leaving

anything　to　Ursula　we　should　get　at　least　seven　or　eight　hundred

thousand　francs；　besides　the　house　and　furniture。〃



〃Well；　a　hundred　thousand　to　Minoret；　and　three　hundred　thousand

apiece　to　you　and　me；　that　would　be　fair。〃



〃Ha；　that　would　make　us　comfortable！〃



〃If　he　did　that；〃　said　Massin；　〃I　should　sell　my　situation　in　court

and　buy　an　estate；　I'd　try　to　be　judge　at　Fontainebleau；　and　get

myself　elected　deputy。〃



〃As　for　me　I　should　buy　a　brokerage　business；〃　said　the　collector。



〃Unluckily；　that　girl　he　has　on　his　arm　and　the　abbe　have　got　round

him。　I　don't　believe　we　can　do　anything　with　him。〃



〃Still；　we　know　very　well　he　will　never　leave　anything　to　the　Church。〃







CHAPTER　IV



ZELIE



The　fright　of　the　heirs　at　beholding　their　uncle　on　his　way　to　mass

will　now　be　understood。　The　dullest　persons　have　mind　enough　to

foresee　a　danger　to　self…interests。　Self…interest　constitutes　the　mind

of　the　peasant　as　well　as　that　of　the　diplomatist；　and　on　that　ground

the　stupidest　of　men　is　sometimes　the　most　powerful。　So　the　fatal

reasoning；　〃If　that　little　Ursula　has　influence　enough　to　drag　her

godfather　into　the　pale　of　the　Church　she　will　certainly　have　enough

to　make　him　leave　her