ursula-第22部分

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you；　my　good　sir；　that　my　disposition　of　my　property　is　irrevocably

made。　My　heirs　will　have　the　capital　I　brought　here　with　me；　I　wish

them　to　know　that；　and　to　let　me　alone。　If　any　one　of　them　attempts　to

interfere　with　what　I　think　proper　to　do　for　that　young　girl　（pointing

to　Ursula）　I　shall　come　back　from　the　other　world　and　torment　him。　So；

Monsieur　Savinien　de　Portenduere　will　stay　in　prison　if　they　count　on

me　to　get　him　out。　I　shall　not　sell　my　property　in　the　Funds。〃



Hearing　this　last　fragment　of　the　sentence　Ursula　experienced　the

first　and　only　pain　which　so　far　had　ever　touched　her。　She　laid　her

head　against　the　blind　to　steady　herself。



〃Good　God；　what　is　the　matter　with　her？〃　thought　the　old　doctor。　〃She

has　no　color；　such　an　emotion　after　dinner　might　kill　her。〃



He　went　to　her　with　open　arms；　and　she　fell　into　them　almost　fainting。



〃Adieu；　Monsieur；〃　he　said　to　the　notary；　〃please　leave　us。〃



He　carried　his　child　to　an　immense　Louis　XV。　sofa　which　was　in　his

study；　looked　for　a　phial　of　hartshorn　among　his　remedies；　and　made

her　inhale　it。



〃Take　my　place；〃　said　the　doctor　to　Bongrand；　who　was　terrified；　〃I

must　be　alone　with　her。〃



The　justice　of　peace　accompanied　the　notary　to　the　gate；　asking　him；

but　without　showing　any　eagerness；　what　was　the　matter　with　Ursula。



〃I　don't　know；〃　replied　Dionis。　〃She　was　standing　by　the　pagoda；

listening　to　us；　and　just　as　her　uncle　（so…called）　refused　to　lend

some　money　at　my　request　to　young　de　Portenduere　who　is　in　prison　for

debt；for　he　has　not　had；　like　Monsieur　du　Rouvre；　a　Monsieur

Bongrand　to　defend　him；she　turned　pale　and　staggered。　Can　she　love

him？　Is　there　anything　between　them？〃



〃At　fifteen　years　of　age？　pooh！〃　replied　Bongrand。



〃She　was　born　in　February；　1813；　she'll　be　sixteen　in　four　months。〃



〃I　don't　believe　she　ever　saw　him；〃　said　the　judge。　〃No；　it　is　only　a

nervous　attack。〃



〃Attack　of　the　heart；　more　likely；〃　said　the　notary。



Dionis　was　delighted　with　this　discovery；　which　would　prevent　the

marriage　〃in　extremis〃　which　they　dreaded；the　only　sure　means　by

which　the　doctor　could　defraud　his　relatives。　Bongrand；　on　the　other

hand；　saw　a　private　castle　of　his　own　demolished；　he　had　long　thought

of　marrying　his　son　to　Ursula。



〃If　the　poor　girl　loves　that　youth　it　will　be　a　misfortune　for　her；〃

replied　Bongrand　after　a　pause。　〃Madame　de　Portenduere　is　a　Breton　and

infatuated　with　her　noble　blood。〃



〃LuckilyI　mean　for　the　honor　of　the　Portendueres；〃　replied　the

notary；　on　the　point　of　betraying　himself。



Let　us　do　the　faithful　and　upright　Bongrand　the　justice　to　say　that

before　he　re…entered　the　salon　he　had　abandoned；　not　without　deep

regret　for　his　son；　the　hope　he　had　cherished　of　some　day　calling

Ursula　his　daughter。　He　meant　to　give　his　son　six　thousand　francs　a

year　the　day　he　was　appointed　substitute；　and　if　the　doctor　would　give

Ursula　a　hundred　thousand　francs　what　a　pearl　of　a　home　the　pair　would

make！　His　Eugene　was　so　loyal　and　charming　a　fellow！　Perhaps　he　had

praised　his　Eugene　too　often；　and　that　had　made　the　doctor

distrustful。



〃I　shall　have　to　come　down　to　the　mayor's　daughter；〃　he　thought。　〃But

Ursula　without　any　money　is　worth　more　than　Mademoiselle　Levrault…

Cremiere　with　a　million。　However；　the　thing　to　be　done　is　to　manoeuvre

the　marriage　with　this　little　Portenduereif　she　really　loves　him。〃



The　doctor；　after　closing　the　door　to　the　library　and　that　to　the

garden；　took　his　goddaughter　to　the　window　which　opened　upon　the

river。



〃What　ails　you；　my　child？〃　he　said。　〃Your　life　is　my　life。　Without

your　smiles　what　would　become　of　me？〃



〃Savinien　in　prison！〃　she　said。



With　these　words　a　shower　of　tears　fell　from　her　eyes　and　she　began　to

sob。



〃Saved！〃　thought　the　doctor；　who　was　holding　her　pulse　with　great

anxiety。　〃Alas！　she　has　all　the　sensitiveness　of　my　poor　wife；〃　he

thought；　fetching　a　stethoscope　which　he　put　to　Ursula's　heart；

applying　his　ear　to　it。　〃Ah；　that's　all　right；〃　he　said　to　himself。　〃I

did　not　know；　my　darling；　that　you　loved　any　one　as　yet；〃　he　added；

looking　at　her；　〃but　think　out　loud　to　me　as　you　think　to　yourself；

tell　me　all　that　has　passed　between　you。〃



〃I　do　not　love　him；　godfather；　we　have　never　spoken　to　each　other；〃

she　answered；　sobbing。　〃But　to　hear　that　he　is　in　prison；　and　to　know

that　youharshlyrefused　to　get　him　outyou；　so　good！〃



〃Ursula；　my　dear　little　good　angel；　if　you　do　not　love　him　why　did　you

put　that　little　red　dot　against　Saint　Savinien's　day　just　as　you　put

one　before　that　of　Saint　Denis？　Come；　tell　me　everything　about　your

little　love…affair。〃



Ursula　blushed；　swallowed　a　few　tears；　and　for　a　moment　there　was

silence　between　them。



〃Surely　you　are　not　afraid　of　your　father；　your　friend；　mother；

doctor；　and　godfather；　whose　heart　is　now　more　tender　than　it　ever　has

been。〃



〃No；　no；　dear　godfather；〃　she　said。　〃I　will　open　my　heart　to　you。　Last

May；　Monsieur　Savinien　came　to　see　his　mother。　Until　then　I　had　never

taken　notice　of　him。　When　he　left　home　to　live　in　Paris　I　was　a　child；

and　I　did　not　see　any　difference　between　him　andall　of　youexcept

perhaps　that　I　loved　you；　and　never　thought　of　loving　any　one　else。

Monsieur　Savinien　came　by　the　mail…post　the　night　before　his　mother's

fete…day；　but　we　did　not　know　it。　At　seven　the　next　morning；　after　I

had　said　my　prayers；　I　opened　the　window　to　air　my　room　and　I　saw　the

windows　in　Monsieur　Savinien's　room　open；　and　Monsieur　Savinien　was

there；　in　a　dressing　gown；　arranging　his　beard；　in　all　his　movements

there　was　such　graceI　mean；　he　seemed　to　me　so　charming。　He　combed

his　black　moustache　and　the　little　tuft　on　his　chin；　and　I　saw　his

white　throatso　round！must　I　tell　you　all？　I　noticed　that　his

throat　and　face　and　that　beautiful　black　hair　were　all　so　different

from　yours　when　I　watch　you　arranging　your　beard。　There　cameI　don't

know　howa　sort　of　glow　into　my　heart；　and　up　into　my　throat；　my

head；　it　came　so　violently　that　I　sat　downI　couldn't　stand；　I

trembled　so。　But　I　longed　to　see　him　again；　and　presently　I　got　up；　he

saw　me　then；　and；　just　for　play；　he　sent　me　a　kiss　from　the　tips　of

his　fingers　and〃



〃And？〃



〃And　then；〃　she　continued；　〃I　hid　myselfI　was　ashamed；　but　happy

why　should　I　be　ashamed　of　being　happy？　That　feelingit　dazzled　my

soul　and　gave　it　some　power；　but　I　don't　know　whatit　came　again　each

time　I　saw　within　me　the　same　young　face。　I　loved　this　feeling；

violent　as　it　was。　Going　to　mass；　some　unconquerable　power　made　me

look　at　Monsieur　Savinien　with　his　mother　on　his　arm；　his　walk；　his

clothes；　even　the　tap　of　his　boots　on　the　pavement；　seemed　to　me　so

charming。　The　least　little　thing　about　himhis　hand　with　the　delicate

gloveacted　like　a　spell　upon　me；　and　yet　I　had　strength　enough　not

to　think　of　him　during　mass。　When　the　service　was　over　I　stayed　in　the

church　to　let　Madame　de　Portenduere　go　first；　and　then　I　walked　behind

him。　I　couldn't　tell　you　how　these　little　things　excited　me。　When　I

reached　home；　I　turned　round　to　fasten　the　iron　gate〃



〃Where　was　La　Bougival？〃　asked　the　doctor。



〃Oh；　I　let　her　go　to　the　kitchen；〃　said　Ursula　simply。　〃Then　I　saw

Monsieur　Savinien　standing　quite　still　and　looking　at　me。　Oh！

godfather；　I　was　so　proud；　for　I　thought　I　saw　a　look　in　his　eyes　of

surprise　and　admirationI　don't　know　what　I　would　not　do　to　make　him

look　at　me　again　like　that。　It　seemed　to　me　I　ought　to　think　of

nothing　forevermore　but　pleasing　him。　That　glance　is　now　the　best

reward　I　have　for　any　good　I　do。　From　that　moment　I　have　thought　of

him　incessantly；　in　spite　of　myself。　Monsieur　Savinien　went　back　to

Paris　that　evening；　and　I　have　not　seen　him　since。　The　street　seems

empty；　he　took　my　heart　away　with　himbut　he　does　not　know　it。〃



〃Is　that　all？〃　asked　the　old　man。



〃All；　dear　godfather；〃　she　said；　with　a　sigh　of　regret　that　there　was

not　more　to　tell。



〃My　little　girl；〃　said　the　doctor；　putting　her　on　his　knee；　〃you　are

nearly　sixteen　and　your　womanhood　is　beginning。　You　are　now　between

your　blessed　childhood；　which　is　ending；　and　the　emotions　of　love；

which　will　make　your　life　a　tumultuous　one；　for　you　have　a　nervous

system　of　exquisite　sensibility。　What　has　happened　to　you；　my　child；

is　love；〃　said　the　old　man　with　an　expression　of　deepest　sadness；

〃love　in　its　holy　simplicity；　love　as　it　ought　to　be；　involuntary；

sudden；　coming　like　a　thief　who　takes　allyes；　all！　I　expected　it。　I

have　studied　women；　many　need　proofs　and　miracles　of　affection　before

love　conquers　them；　but　others　there　are；　under　the　influence　of

sympathies　explainable　to…day　by　magnetic　fluids；　who　are　possessed　by

it　in　an　instant。　To　you　I　can　now　tell　allas　soon　as　I　saw　the

charming　woman　whose　name　you　bear；　I　felt　that　I　should　love　her

forever；　solely　and　faithfully；　without　knowing　whether　our　characters

or　persons　su