ursula-第8章

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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　his　property；〃　was　now　stamped　in　letters　of

fire　on　the　brains　of　the　most　obtuse　heir。　The　post　master　had

forgotten　about　his　son　in　his　hurry　to　reach　the　square；　for　if　the

doctor　were　really　in　the　church　hearing　mass　it　was　a　question　of

losing　two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　francs。　It　must　be　admitted　that

the　fears　of　these　relations　came　from　the　strongest　and　most

legitimate　of　social　feelings；　family　interests。



〃Well；　Monsieur　Minoret；〃　said　the　mayor　（formerly　a　miller　who　had

now　become　royalist；　named　Levrault…Cremiere）；　〃when　the　devil　gets

old　the　devil　a　monk　would　be。　Your　uncle；　they　say；　is　one　of　us。〃



〃Better　late　than　never；　cousin；〃　responded　the　post　master；　trying　to

conceal　his　annoyance。



〃How　that　fellow　will　grin　if　we　are　defrauded！　He　is　capable　of

marrying　his　son　to　that　damned　girlmay　the　devil　get　her！〃　cried

Cremiere；　shaking　his　fists　at　the　mayor　as　he　entered　the　porch。



〃What's　Cremiere　grumbling　about？〃　said　the　butcher　of　the　town；　a

Levrault…Levrault　the　elder。　〃Isn't　he　pleased　to　see　his　uncle　on　the

road　to　paradise？〃



〃Who　would　ever　have　believed　it！〃　ejaculated　Massin。



〃Ha！　one　should　never　say；　'Fountain；　I'll　not　drink　of　your　water；'〃

remarked　the　notary；　who；　seeing　the　group　from　afar；　had　left　his

wife　to　go　to　church　without　him。



〃Come；　Monsieur　Dionis；〃　said　Cremiere；　taking　the　notary　by　the　arm；

〃what　do　you　advise　me　to　do　under　the　circumstances？〃



〃I　advise　you；〃　said　the　notary；　addressing　the　heirs　collectively；

〃to　go　to　bed　and　get　up　at　your　usual　hour；　to　eat　your　soup　before

it　gets　cold；　to　put　your　feet　in　your　shoes　and　your　hats　on　your

heads；　in　short；　to　continue　your　ways　of　life　precisely　as　if　nothing

had　happened。〃



〃You　are　not　consoling；〃　said　Massin。



In　spite　of　his　squat；　dumpy　figure　and　heavy　face；　Cremiere…Dionis

was　really　as　keen　as　a　blade。　In　pursuit　of　usurious　fortune　he　did

business　secretly　with　Massin；　to　whom　he　no　doubt　pointed　out　such

peasants　as　were　hampered　in　means；　and　such　pieces　of　land　as　could

be　bought　for　a　song。　The　two　men　were　in　a　position　to　choose　their

opportunities；　none　that　were　good　escaped　them；　and　they　shared　the

profits　of　mortgage…usury；　which　retards；　though　it　does　not　prevent；

the　acquirement　of　the　soil　by　the　peasantry。　So　Dionis　took　a　lively

interest　in　the　doctor's　inheritance；　not　so　much　for　the　post　master

and　the　collector　as　for　his　friend　the　clerk　of　the　court；　sooner　or

later　Massin's　share　in　the　doctor's　money　would　swell　the　capital

with　which　these　secret　associates　worked　the　canton。



〃We　must　try　to　find　out　through　Monsieur　Bongrand　where　the　influence

comes　from；〃　said　the　notary　in　a　low　voice；　with　a　sign　to　Massin　to

keep　quiet。



〃What　are　you　about；　Minoret？〃　cried　a　little　woman；　suddenly

descending　upon　the　group　in　the　middle　of　which　stood　the　post

master；　as　tall　and　round　as　a　tower。　〃You　don't　know　where　Desire　is

and　there　you　are；　planted　on　your　two　legs；　gossiping　about　nothing；

when　I　thought　you　on　horseback！Oh；　good　morning；　Messieurs　and

Mesdames。〃



This　little　woman；　thin；　pale；　and　fair；　dressed　in　a　gown　of　white

cotton　with　pattern　of　large；　chocolate…colored　flowers；　a　cap　trimmed

with　ribbon　and　frilled　with　lace；　and　wearing　a　small　green　shawl　on

her　flat　shoulders；　was　Minoret's　wife；　the　terror　of　postilions；

servants；　and　carters；　who　kept　the　accounts　and　managed　the

establishment　〃with　finger　and　eye〃　as　they　say　in　those　parts。　Like

the　true　housekeeper　that　she　was；　she　wore　no　ornaments。　She　did　not

give　in　（to　use　her　own　expression）　to　gew…gaws　and　trumpery；　she　held

to　the　solid　and　the　substantial；　and　wore；　even　on　Sundays；　a　black

apron；　in　the　pocket　of　which　she　jingled　her　household　keys。　Her

screeching　voice　was　agony　to　the　drums　of　all　ears。　Her　rigid　glance；

conflicting　with　the　soft　blue　of　her　eyes；　was　in　visible　harmony

with　the　thin　lips　of　a　pinched　mouth　and　a　high；　projecting；　and　very

imperious　forehead。　Sharp　was　the　glance；　sharper　still　both　gesture

and　speech。　〃Zelie　being　obliged　to　have　a　will　for　two；　had　it　for

three；〃　said　Goupil；　who　pointed　out　the　successive　reigns　of　three

young　postilions；　of　neat　appearance；　who　had　been　set　up　in　life　by

Zelie；　each　after　seven　years'　service。　The　malicious　clerk　named　them

Postilion　I。；　Postilion　II。；　Postilion　III。　But　the　little　influence

these　young　men　had　in　the　establishment；　and　their　perfect　obedience

proved　that　Zelie　was　merely　interested　in　worthy　helpers。



This　attempt　at　scandal　was　against　probabilities。　Since　the　birth　of

her　son　（nursed　by　her　without　any　evidence　of　how　it　was　possible　for

her　to　do　so）　Madame　Minoret　had　thought　only　of　increasing　the　family

fortune　and　was　wholly　given　up　to　the　management　of　their　immense

establishment。　To　steal　a　bale　of　hay　or　a　bushel　of　oats　or　get　the

better　of　Zelie　in　even　the　most　complicated　accounts　was　a　thing

impossible；　though　she　scribbled　hardly　better　than　a　cat；　and　knew

nothing　of　arithmetic　but　addition　and　subtraction。　She　never　took　a

walk　except　to　look　at　the　hay；　the　oats；　or　the　second　crops。　She

sent　〃her　man〃　to　the　mowing；　and　the　postilions　to　tie　the　bales；

telling　them　the　quantity；　within　a　hundred　pounds；　each　field　should

bear。　Though　she　was　the　soul　of　that　great　body　called　Minoret…

Levrault　and　led　him　about　by　his　pug　nose；　she　was　made　to　feel　the

fears　which　occasionally　（we　are　told）　assail　all　tamers　of　wild

beasts。　She　therefore　made　it　a　rule　to　get　into　a　rage　before　he　did；

the　postilions　knew　very　well　when　his　wife　had　been　quarreling　with

him；　for　his　anger　ricocheted　on　them。　Madame　Minoret　was　as　clever　as

she　was　grasping；　and　it　was　a　favorite　remark　in　the　whole　town；

〃Where　would　Minoret…Levrault　be　without　his　wife？〃



〃When　you　know　what　has　happened；〃　replied　the　post　master；　〃you'll　be

over　the　traces　yourself。〃



〃What　is　it？〃



〃Ursula　has　taken　the　doctor　to　mass。〃



Zelie's　pupils　dilated；　she　stood　for　a　moment　yellow　with　anger；

then；　crying　out；　〃I'll　see　it　before　I　believe　it！〃　she　rushed　into

the　church。　The　service　had　reached　the　Elevation。　The　stillness　of

the　worshippers　enabled　her　to　look　along　each　row　of　chairs　and

benches　as　she　went　up　the　aisle　beside　the　chapels　to　Ursula's　place；

where　she　saw　old　Minoret　standing　with　bared　head。



If　you　recall　the　heads　of　Barbe…Marbois；　Boissy　d'Anglas；　Morellet；

Helvetius；　or　Frederick　the　Great；　you　will　see　the　exact　image　of

Doctor　Minoret；　whose　green　old　age　resembled　that　of　those　celebrated

personages。　Their　heads　coined　in　the　same　mint　（for　each　had　the

characteristics　of　a　medal）　showed　a　stern　and　quasi…puritan　profile；

cold　tones；　a　mathematical　brain；　a　certain　narrowness　about　the

features；　shrewd　eyes；　grave　lips；　and　a　something　that　was　surely

aristocraticless　perhaps　in　sentiment　than　in　habit；　more　in　the

ideas　than　in　the　character。　All　men　of　this　stamp　have　high　brows

retreating　at　the　summit；　the　sigh　of　a　tendency　to　materialism。　You

will　find　these　leading　characteristics　of　the　head　and　these　points

of　the　face　in　all　the　Encyclopedists；　in　the　orators　of　the　Gironde；

in　the　men　of　a　period　when　religious　ideas　were　almost　dead；　men　who

called　themselves　deists　and　were　atheists。　The　deist　is　an　atheist

lucky　in　classification。



Minoret　had　a　forehead　of　this　description；　furrowed　with　wrinkles；

which　recovered　in　his　old　age　a　sort　of　artless　candor　from　the

manner　in　which　the　silvery　hair；　brushed　back　like　that　of　a　woman

when　making　her　toilet；　curled　in　light　flakes　upon　the　blackness　of

his　coat。　He　persisted　in　dressing；　as　in　his　youth；　in　black　silk

stockings；　shoes　with　gold　buckles；　breeches　of　black　poult…de…soie；

and　a　black　coat；　adorned　with　the　red　rosette。　This　head；　so　firmly

characterized；　the　cold　whiteness　of　which　was　softened　by　the

yellowing　tones　of　old　age；　happened　to　be；　just　then；　in　the　full

light　of　a　window。　As　Madame　Minoret　came　in　sight　of　him　the　doctor's

blue　eyes　with　their　reddened　lids　were　raised　to　heaven；　a　new

conviction　had　given　them　a　new　expression。　His　spectacles　lay　in　his

prayer…book　and　marked　the　place　where　he　had　ceased　to　pray。　The　tall

and　spare　old　man；　his　arms　crossed　on　his　breast；　stood　erect　in　an

attitude　which　bespoke　the　full　strength　of　his　faculties　and　the

unshakable　assurance　of　his　faith。　He　gazed　at　the　altar　humbly　with　a

look　of　renewed　hope；　and　took　no　notice　of　his　nephew's　wife；　who

planted　herself　almost　in　front　of　him　as　if　to　reproach　him　for

coming　back　to　God。



Zelie；　seeing　all　eyes　turned　upon　her；　made　haste　to　leave　the　church

and　returned　to　the　square　less　hurriedly　than　she　had　left　it。　She

had　reckoned　on　the　doctor's　money；　and　possession　was　becoming

problematical。　She　found　the　clerk　of　the　court；　the　collector；　and

their　wives　in　greater　consternation　than　ever。　Goupil　was　taking

pleasure　in　tormenting　them。



〃It　is　not　in　the　public　square　and　before　the　whole　town　that　we

ought　to　talk　of　our　affairs；〃　said　Zelie；　〃come　home　with　me。　You

too；　Monsieur　Dionis；〃　she　added　to　the　notary；　〃you'll　not　be　in　the

way。〃



Thus　the　probable　disinheritance　of　Massin；　Cremiere；　and　the　post

master　was　the　news　of　the　day。



Just　as　the　heirs　and　the　notary　were　crossing　the　square　to　go　to　the

post　house　the　noise　of　the　diligence　rattling　up　to　the　office；　which

was　only　a　few　steps　from　the　church；　at　the　top　of　the　Grand'Rue；

made　its　usual　racket。



〃Goodness！　I'm　like　you；　Minoret；　I　forgot　all　about　Desire；〃　said

Zelie。　〃Let　us　go　and　see　him　get　down。　He　is　almost　a　lawyer；　and　his

interests　are　mixed　up　in　this　matter。〃



The　arrival　of　the　diligence　is　always　an　amusement；　but　when　it　comes

in　late　some　unusual　event　is　expected。　The　crowd　now　moved　towards

the　〃Ducler。〃



〃Here's　Desire！〃　was　the　general　cry。



The　tyrant；　and　yet　the　life　and　soul　of　Nemours；　Desire　always　put

the　town　in　a　ferment　when　he　came。　Loved　by　the　young　men；　with　whom

he　was　invariably　generous；　he　stimulated　them　by　his　very　presence。

But　his　methods　of　amusement　were　so　dreaded　by　older　persons　that

more　than　one　family　was　very　thankful　to　have　him　complete　his

studies　and　study　law　in　Paris。　Desire　Minoret；　a　slight　youth；

slender　and　fair　like　his　mother；　from　whom　he　obtained　his　blue　eyes

and　pale　skin；　smiled　from　the　window　on　the　crowd；　and　jumped　lightly

down　to　kiss　his　mother。　A　short　sketch　of　the　young　fellow　will　show

how　proud　Zelie　felt　when　she　saw　him。



He　wore　very　elegant　boots；　trousers　of　white　English　drilling　held

under　his　feet　by　straps　of　varnished　leath