ursula-第10部分

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！



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　leather；　a　rich　cravat；

admirably　put　on　and　still　more　admirably　fastened；　a　pretty　fancy

waistcoat；　in　the　pocket　of　said　waistcoat　a　flat　watch；　the　chain　of

which　hung　down；　and；　finally；　a　short　frock…coat　of　blue　cloth；　and　a

gray　hat；but　his　lack　of　the　manner…born　was　shown　in　the　gilt

buttons　of　the　waistcoat　and　the　ring　worn　outside　of　his　purple　kid

glove。　He　carried　a　cane　with　a　chased　gold　head。



〃You　are　losing　your　watch；〃　said　his　mother；　kissing　him。



〃No；　it　is　worn　that　way；〃　he　replied；　letting　his　father　hug　him。



〃Well；　cousin；　so　we　shall　soon　see　you　a　lawyer？〃　said　Massin。



〃I　shall　take　the　oaths　at　the　beginning　of　next　term；〃　said　Desire；

returning　the　friendly　nods　he　was　receiving　on　all　sides。



〃Now　we　shall　have　some　fun；〃　said　Goupil；　shaking　him　by　the　hand。



〃Ha！　my　old　wag；　so　here　you　are！〃　replied　Desire。



〃You　take　your　law　license　for　all　license；〃　said　Goupil；　affronted　by

being　treated　so　cavalierly　in　presence　of　others。



〃You　know　my　luggage；〃　cried　Desire　to　the　red…faced　old　conductor　of

the　diligence；　〃have　it　taken　to　the　house。〃



〃The　sweat　is　rolling　off　your　horses；〃　said　Zelie　sharply　to　the

conductor；　〃you　haven't　common…sense　to　drive　them　in　that　way。　You

are　stupider　than　your　own　beasts。〃



〃But　Monsieur　Desire　was　in　a　hurry　to　get　here　to　save　you　from

anxiety；〃　explained　Cabirolle。



〃But　if　there　was　no　accident　why　risk　killing　the　horses？〃　she

retorted。



The　greetings　of　friends　and　acquaintances；　the　crowding　of　the　young

men　around　Desire；　and　the　relating　of　the　incidents　of　the　journey

took　enough　time　for　the　mass　to　be　concluded　and　the　worshippers　to

issue　from　the　church。　By　mere　chance　（which　manages　many　things）

Desire　saw　Ursula　on　the　porch　as　he　passed　along；　and　he　stopped

short　amazed　at　her　beauty。　His　action　also　stopped　the　advance　of　the

relations　who　accompanied　him。



In　giving　her　arm　to　her　godfather；　Ursula　was　obliged　to　hold　her

prayer…book