ursula-第13部分

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conscience　rather　than　the　demands　of　social　law。　In　her；　nobility　of

feeling　and　action　would　ever　be　spontaneous；　her　judgment　would

confirm　the　impulse　of　her　heart。　She　was　destined　to　do　right　as　a

pleasure　before　doing　it　as　an　obligation。　This　distinction　is　the

peculiar　sign　of　Christian　education。　These　principles；　altogether

different　from　those　that　are　taught　to　men；　were　suitable　for　a

woman；the　spirit　and　the　conscience　of　the　home；　the　beautifier　of

domestic　life；　the　queen　of　her　household。　All　three　of　these　old

preceptors　followed　the　same　method　with　Ursula。　Instead　of　recoiling

before　the　bold　questions　of　innocence；　they　explained　to　her　the

reasons　of　things　and　the　best　means　of　action；　taking　care　to　give

her　none　but　correct　ideas。　When；　apropos　of　a　flower；　a　star；　a　blade

of　grass；　her　thoughts　went　straight　to　God；　the　doctor　and　the

professor　told　her　that　the　priest　alone　could　answer　her。　None　of

them　intruded　on　the　territory　of　the　others；　the　doctor　took　charge

of　her　material　well…being　and　the　things　of　life；　Jordy's　department

was　instruction；　moral　and　spiritual　questions　and　the　ideas

appertaining　to　the　higher　life　belonged　to　the　abbe。　This　noble

education　was　not；　as　it　often　is；　counteracted　by　injudicious

servants。　La　Bougival；　having　been　lectured　on　the　subject；　and　being；

moreover；　too　simple　in　mind　and　character　to　interfere；　did　nothing

to　injure　the　work　of　these　great　minds。　Ursula；　a　privileged　being；

grew　up　with　good　geniuses　round　her；　and　her　naturally　fine

disposition　made　the　task　of　each　a　sweet　and　easy　one。　Such　manly

tenderness；　such　gravity　lighted　by　smiles；　such　liberty　without

danger；　such　perpetual　care　of　soul　and　body　made　little　Ursula；　when

nine　years　of　age；　a　well…trained　child　and　delightful　to　behold。



Unhappily；　this　paternal　trinity　was　broken　up。　The　old　captain　died

the　following　year；　leaving　the　abbe　and　the　doctor　to　finish　his

work；　of　which；　however；　he　had　accomplished　the　most　difficult　part。

Flowers　will　bloom　of　themselves　if　grown　in　a　soil　thus　prepared。　The

old　gentleman　had　laid　by　for　ten　years　past　one　thousand　francs　a

year；　that　he　might　leave　ten　thousand　to　his　little　Ursula；　and　keep

a　place　in　her　memory　during　her　whole　life。　In　his　will；　the　wording

of　which　was　very　touching；　he　begged　his　legatee　to　spend　the　four　or

five　hundred　francs　that　came　of　her　little　capital　exclusively　on　her

dress。　When　the　justice　of　the　peace　applied　the　seals　to　the　effects

of　his　old　friend；　they　found　in　a　small　room；　which　the　captain　had

allowed　no　one　to　enter；　a　quantity　of　toys；　many　of　them　broken；

while　all　had　been　used；toys　of　a　past　generation；　reverently

preserved；　which　Monsieur　Bongrand　was；　according　to　the　captain's

last　wishes；　to　burn　with　his　own　hands。



About　this　time　it　was　that　Ursula　made　her　first　communion。　The　abbe

employed　one　whole　year　in　duly　instructing　the　young　girl；　whose　mind

and　heart；　each　well　developed；　yet　judiciously　balancing　one　another；

needed　a　special　spiritual　nourishment。　The　initiation　into　a

knowledge　of　divine　things　which　he　gave　her　was　such　that　Ursula　grew

into　the　pious　and　mystical　young　girl　whose　character　rose　above　all

vicissitudes；　and　whose　heart　was　enabled　to　conquer　adversity。　Then

began　a　secret　struggle　between　the　old　man　wedded　to　unbelief　and　the

young　girl　full　of　faith；long　unsuspected　by　her　who　incited　it；

the　result　of　which　had　now　stirred　the　whole　town；　and　was　destined

to　have　great　influence　on　Ursula's　future　by　rousing　against　her　the

antagonism　of　the　doctor's　heirs。



During　the　first　six　months　of　the　year　1824　Ursula　spent　all　her

mornings　at　the　parsonage。　The　old　doctor　guessed　the　abbe's　secret

hope。　He　meant　to　make　Ursula　an　unanswerable　argument　against　him。

The　old　unbeliever；　loved　by　his　godchild　as　though　she　were　his　own

daughter；　would　surely　believe　in　such　artless　candor；　he　could　not

fail　to　be　persuaded　by　the　beautiful　effects　of　religion　on　the　soul

of　a　child；　where　love　was　like　those　trees　of　Eastern　climes；　bearing

both　flowers　and　fruit；　always　fragrant；　always　fertile。　A　beautiful

life　is　more　powerful　than　the　strongest　argument。　It　is　impossible　to

resist　the　charms　of　certain　sights。　The　doctor's　eyes　were　wet；　he

knew　not　how　or　why；　when　he　saw　the　child　of　his　heart　starting　for

the　church；　wearing　a　frock　of　white　crape；　and　shoes　of　white　satin；

her　hair　bound　with　a　fillet　fastened　at　the　side　with　a　knot　of　white

ribbon；　and　rippling　upon　her　shoulders；　her　eyes　lighted　by　the　star

of　a　first　hope；　hurrying；　tall　and　beautiful；　to　a　first　union；　and

loving　her　godfather　better　since　her　soul　had　risen　towards　God。　When

the　doctor　perceived　that　the　thought　of　immortality　was　nourishing

that　spirit　（until　then　within　the　confines　of　childhood）　as　the　sun

gives　life　to　the　earth　without　knowing　why；　he　felt　sorry　that　he

remained　at　home　alone。



Sitting　on　the　steps　of　his　portico　he　kept　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　iron

railing　of　the　gate　through　which　the　child　had　disappeared；　saying　as

she　left　him：　〃Why　won't　you　come；　godfather？　how　can　I　be　happy

without　you？〃　Though　shaken　to　his　very　center；　the　pride　of　the

Encyclopedist　did　not　as　yet　give　way。　He　walked　slowly　in　a　direction

from　which　he　could　see　the　procession　of　communicants；　and

distinguish　his　little　Ursula　brilliant　with　exaltation　beneath　her

veil。　She　gave　him　an　inspired　look；　which　knocked；　in　the　stony

regions　of　his　heart；　on　the　corner　closed　to　God。　But　still　the　old

deist　held　firm。　He　said　to　himself：　〃Mummeries！　if　there　be　a　maker

of　worlds；　imagine　the　organizer　of　infinitude　concerning　himself　with

such　trifles！〃　He　laughed　as　he　continued　his　walk　along　the　heights

which　look　down　upon　the　road　to　the　Gatinais；　where　the　bells　were

ringing　a　joyous　peal　that　told　of　the　joy　of　families。



The　noise　of　backgammon　is　intolerable　to　persons　who　do　not　know　the

game；　which　is　really　one　of　the　most　difficult　that　was　ever

invented。　Not　to　annoy　his　godchild；　the　extreme　delicacy　of　whose

organs　and　nerves　could　not　bear；　he　thought；　without　injury　the　noise

and　the　exclamations　she　did　not　know　the　meaning　of；　the　abbe；　old

Jordy　while　living；　and　the　doctor　always　waited　till　their　child　was

in　bed　before　they　began　their　favorite　game。　Sometimes　the　visitors

came　early　when　she　was　out　for　a　walk；　and　the　game　would　be　going　on

when　she　returned；　then　she　resigned　herself　with　infinite　grace　and

took　her　seat　at　the　window　with　her　work。　She　had　a　repugnance　to　the

game；　which　is　really　in　the　beginning　very　hard　and　unconquerable　to

some　minds；　so　that　unless　it　be　learned　in　youth　it　is　almost

impossible　to　take　it　up　in　after　life。



The　night　of　her　first　communion；　when　Ursula　came　into　the　salon

where　her　godfather　was　sitting　alone；　she　put　the　backgammon…board

before　him。



〃Whose　throw　shall　it　be？〃　she　asked。



〃Ursula；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃isn't　it　a　sin　to　make　fun　of　your

godfather　the　day　of　your　first　communion？〃



〃I　am　not　making　fun　of　you；〃　she　said；　sitting　down。　〃I　want　to　give

you　some　pleasureyou　who　are　always　on　the　look…out　for　mine。　When

Monsieur　Chaperon　was　pleased　with　me　he　gave　me　a　lesson　in

backgammon；　and　he　has　given　me　so　many　that　now　I　am　quite　strong

enough　to　beat　youyou　shall　not　deprive　yourself　any　longer　for　me。

I　have　conquered　all　difficulties；　and　now　I　like　the　noise　of　the

game。〃



Ursula　won。　The　abbe　had　slipped　in　to　enjoy　his　triumph。　The　next

day　Minoret；　who　had　always　refused　to　let　Ursula　learn　music；　sent　to

Paris　for　a　piano；　made　arrangements　at　Fontainebleau　for　a　teacher；

and　submitted　to　the　annoyance　that　her　constant　practicing　was　to

him。　One　of　poor　Jordy's　predictions　was　fulfilled；the　girl　became

an　excellent　musician。　The　doctor；　proud　of　her　talent；　had　lately

sent　to　Paris　for　a　master；　an　old　German　named　Schmucke；　a

distinguished　professor　who　came　once　a　week；　the　doctor　willingly

paying　for　an　art　which　he　had　formerly　declared　to　be　useless　in　a

household。　Unbelievers　do　not　like　musica　celestial　language；

developed　by　Catholicism；　which　has　taken　the　names　of　the　seven　notes

from　one　of　the　church　hymns；　every　note　being　the　first　syllable　of

the　seven　first　lines　in　the　hymn　to　Saint　John。



The　impression　produced　on　the　doctor　by　Ursula's　first　communion

though　keen　was　not　lasting。　The　calm　and　sweet　contentment　which

prayer　and　the　exercise　of　resolution　produced　in　that　young　soul　had

not　their　due　influence　upon　him。　Having　no　reasons　for　remorse　or

repentance　himself；　he　enjoyed　a　serene　peace。　Doing　his　own

benefactions　without　hope　of　a　celestial　harvest；　he　thought　himself

on　a　nobler　plane　than　religious　men　whom　he　always　accused　for

making；　as　he　called　it；　terms　with　God。



〃But；〃　the　abbe　would　say　to　him；　〃if　all　men　would　be　so；　you　must