ursula-第25部分
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solid。 You are what I call an elegant male brunette。 Your face is of
the style Louis XII。； hardly any color； well…formed nose； and you have
the thing that pleases women； a something； I don't know what it is；
which men take no account of themselves； it is in the air； the manner；
the tone of the voice； the dart of the eye； the gesture；in short； in
a number of little things which women see and to which they attach a
meaning which escapes us。 You don't know your merits； my dear fellow。
Take a certain tone and style and in six months you'll captivate an
English…woman with a hundred thousand pounds； but you must call
yourself viscount； a title which belongs to you。 My charming step…
mother； Lady Dudley； who has not her equal for matching two hearts；
will find you some such woman in the fens of Great Britain。 What you
must now do is to get the payment of your debts postponed for ninety
days。 Why didn't you tell us about them？ The money…lenders at Baden
would have spared youserved you perhaps； but now； after you have
once been in prison； they'll despise you。 A money…lender is； like
society； like the masses； down on his knees before the man who is
strong enough to trick him； and pitiless to the lambs。 To the eyes of
some persons Sainte…Pelagie is a she…devil who burns the souls of
young men。 Do you want my candid advice？ I shall tell you as I told
that little d'Esgrignon： 'Arrange to pay your debts leisurely； keep
enough to live on for three years； and marry some girl in the
provinces who can bring you an income of thirty thousand francs。' In
the course of three years you can surely find some virtuous heiress
who is willing to call herself Madame la Vicomtesse de Portenduere。
Such is virtue；let's drink to it。 I give you a toast： 'The girl with
money！〃
The young men did not leave their ex…friend till the official hour for
parting。 The gate was no sooner closed behind them than they said to
each other： 〃He's not strong enough！〃 〃He's quite crushed。〃 〃I don't
believe he'll pull through it？〃
The next day Savinien wrote his mother a confession in twenty…two
pages。 Madame de Portenduere； after weeping for one whole day； wrote
first to her son； promising to get him out of prison； and then to the
Comte de Portenduere and to Admiral Kergarouet。
The letters the abbe had just read and which the poor mother was
holding in her hand and moistening with tears； were the answers to her
appeal； which had arrived that morning； and had almost broken her
heart。
Paris； September； 1829。
To Madame de Portenduere：
Madame；You cannot doubt the interest which the admiral and I
both feel in your troubles。 What you ask of Monsieur de
Kergarouet grieves me all the more because our house was a home to
your son； we were proud of him。 If Savinien had had more
confidence in the admiral we could have taken him to live with us；
and he would already have obtained some good situation。 But；
unfortunately； he told us nothing； he ran into debt of his own
accord； and even involved himself for me； who knew nothing of his
pecuniary position。 It is all the more to be regretted because
Savinien has； for the moment； tied our hands by allowing the
authorities to arrest him。
If my nephew had not shown a foolish passion for me and sacrificed
our relationship to the vanity of a lover； we could have sent him
to travel in Germany while his affairs were being settled here。
Monsieur de Kergarouet intended to get him a place in the War
office； but this imprisonment for debt will paralyze such efforts。
You must pay his debts； let him enter the navy； he will make his
way like the true Portenduere that he is； he has the fire of the
family in his beautiful black eyes； and we will all help him。
Do not be disheartened； madame； you have many friends； among whom
I beg you to consider me as one of the most sincere； I send you our
best wishes； with the respects of
Your very affectionate servant；
Emilie de Kergarouet。
The second letter was as follows：
Portenduere； August； 1829。
To Madame de Portenduere：
My dear aunt；I am more annoyed than surprised at Savinien's
pranks。 As I am married and the father of two sons and one
daughter； my fortune； already too small for my position and
prospects； cannot be lessened to ransom a Portenduere from the
hands of the Jews。 Sell your farm； pay his debts； and come and
live with us at Portenduere。 You shall receive the welcome we owe
you； even though our views may not be entirely in accordance with
yours。 You shall be made happy； and we will manage to marry
Savinien； whom my wife thinks charming。 This little outbreak is
nothing； do not make yourself unhappy； it will never be known in
this part of the country； where there are a number of rich girls
who would be delighted to enter our family。
My wife joins me in assuring you of the happiness you would give
us； and I beg you to accept her wishes for the realization of this
plan； together with my affectionate respects。
Luc…Savinien； Comte de Portenduere。
〃What letters for a Kergarouet to receive！〃 cried the old Breton lady；
wiping her eyes。
〃The admiral does not know his nephew is in prison；〃 said the Abbe
Chaperon at last； 〃the countess alone read your letter； and has
answered it for him。 But you must decide at once on some course；〃 he
added after a pause； 〃and this is what I have the honor to advise。 Do
not sell your farm。 The lease is just out； having lasted twenty…four
years； in a few months you can raise the rent to six thousand francs
and get a premium for double that amount。 Borrow what you need of some
honest man；not from the townspeople who make a business of
mortgages。 Your neighbour here is a most worthy man； a man of good
society； who knew it as it was before the Revolution； who was once an
atheist； and is now an earnest Catholic。 Do not let your feelings
debar you from going to his house this very evening； he will fully
understand the step you take； forget for a moment that you are a
Kergarouet。〃
〃Never！〃 said the old mother； in a sharp voice。
〃Well； then； be an amiable Kergarouet； come when he is alone。 He will
lend you the money at three and a half per cent； perhaps even at three
per cent； and will do you this service delicately； you will be pleased
with him。 He can go to Paris and release Savinien himself；for he
will have to go there to sell out his funds；and he can bring the lad
back to you。〃
〃Are you speaking of that little Minoret？〃
〃That little Minoret is eighty…three years old；〃 said the abbe；
smiling。 〃My dear lady； do have a little Christian charity； don't
wound him；he might be useful to you in other ways。〃
〃What ways？〃
〃He has an angel in his house； a precious young girl〃
〃Oh！ that little Ursula。 What of that？〃
The poor abbe did not pursue the subject after these significant
words； the laconic sharpness of which cut through the proposition he
was about to make。
〃I think Doctor Minoret is very rich；〃 he said。
〃So much the better for him。〃
〃You have indirectly caused your son's misfortunes by refusing to give
him a profession； beware for the future；〃 said the abbe sternly。 〃Am I
to tell Doctor Minoret that you are coming？〃
〃Why cannot he come to me if he knows I want him？〃 she replied。
〃Ah； madame； if you go to him you will pay him three per cent； if he
comes to you you will pay him five；〃 said the abbe； inventing this
reason to influence the old lady。 〃And if you are forced to sell your
farm by Dionis the notary； or by Massin the clerk （who would refuse to
lend you the money； knowing it was more their interest to buy）； you
would lose half its value。 I have not the slightest influence on the
Dionis； Massins； or Levraults； or any of those rich men who covet your
farm and know that your son is in prison。〃
〃They know it！ oh； do they know it？〃 she exclaimed； throwing up her
arms。 〃There！ my poor abbe； you have let your coffee get cold！
Tiennette； Tiennette！〃
Tiennette； an old Breton servant sixty years of age； wearing a short
gown and a Breton cap； came quickly in and took the abbe's coffee to
warm it。
〃Let be； Monsieur le recteur；〃 she said； seeing that the abbe meant to
drink it； 〃I'll just put it into the bain…marie； it won't spoil it。〃
〃Well；〃 said the abbe to Madame de Portenduere in his most insinuating
voice； 〃I shall go and tell the doctor of your visit； and you will
come〃
The old mother did not yield till after an hour's discussion； during
which the abbe was forced to repeat his arguments at least ten times。
And even then the proud Kergarouet was not vanquished until he used
the words； 〃Savinien would go。〃
〃It is better that I should go than he；〃 she said。
CHAPTER XI
SAVINIEN SAVED
The clock was striking nine when the little door made in the large
door of Madame de Portenduere's house cl
