ursula-第46部分

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since　entering　the　magistracy；　he　worked　hard；　and　it　was　not　unlikely

that　he　would　succeed　the　present　procureur　du　roi　at　Fontainebleau；

who；　they　said；　was　to　be　advanced　to　Melun。　His　parents　felt　that

they　must　find　him　a　wife；some　poor　girl　belonging　to　an　old　and

noble　family；　he　would　then　make　his　way　to　the　magistracy　of　Paris。

Perhaps　they　could　get　him　elected　deputy　from　Fontainebleau；　where

Zelie　was　proposing　to　pass　the　winter　after　living　at　Rouvre　for　the

summer　season。　Minoret；　inwardly　congratulating　himself　for　having

managed　his　affairs　so　well；　no　longer　thought　or　cared　about　Ursula；

at　the　very　moment　when　the　drama　so　heedlessly　begun　by　him　was

closing　down　upon　him　in　a　terrible　manner。



〃Monsieur　de　Portenduere　is　here　and　wishes　to　speak　to　you；〃　said

Cabirolle。



〃Show　him　in；〃　answered　Zelie。



The　twilight　shadows　prevented　Madame　Minoret　from　noticing　the　sudden

pallor　of　her　husband；　who　shuddered　as　he　heard　Savinien's　boots　on

the　floor　of　the　gallery；　where　the　doctor's　library　used　to　be。　A

vague　presentiment　of　danger　ran　through　the　robber's　veins。　Savinien

entered　and　remaining　standing；　with　his　hat　on　his　head；　his　cane　in

his　hand；　and　both　hands　crossed　in　front　of　him；　motionless　before

the　husband　and　wife。



〃I　have　come　to　ascertain；　Monsieur　and　Madame　Minoret；〃　he　said；

〃your　reasons　for　tormenting　in　an　infamous　manner　a　young　lady　who；

as　the　whole　town　knows；　is　to　be　my　wife。　Why　have　you　endeavored　to

tarnish　her　honor？　why　have　you　wished　to　kill　her？　why　did　you

deliver　her　over　to　Goupil's　insults？Answer！〃



〃How　absurd　you　are；　Monsieur　Savinien；〃　said　Zelie；　〃to　come　and　ask

us　the　meaning　of　a　thing　we　think　inexplicable。　I　bother　myself　as

little　about　Ursula　as　I　do　about　the　year　one。　Since　Uncle　Minoret

died　I've　not　thought　of　her　more　than　I　do　of　my　first　tooth。　I've

never　said　one　word　about　her　to　Goupil；　who　is；　moreover；　a　queer

rogue　whom　I　wouldn't　think　of　consulting　about　even　a　dog。　Why　don't

you　speak　up；　Minoret？　Are　you　going　to　let　monsieur　box　your　ears　in

that　way　and　accuse　you　of　wickedness　that's　beneath　you？　As　if　a　man

with　forty…eight　thousand　francs　a　year　from　landed　property；　and　a

castle　fit　for　a　prince；　would　stoop　to　such　things！　Get　up；　and　don't

sit　there　like　a　wet　rag！〃



〃I　don't　know　what　monsieur　means；〃　said　Minoret　in　his　squeaking

voice；　the　trembling　of　which　was　all　the　more　noticeable　because　the

voice　was　clear。　〃What　object　could　I　have　in　persecuting　the　girl？　I

may　have　said　to　Goupil　how　annoyed　I　was　at　seeing　her　in　Nemours。　My

son　Desire　fell　in　love　with　her；　and　I　didn't　want　him　to　marry　her；

that's　all。〃



〃Goupil　has　confessed　everything；　Monsieur　Minoret。〃



There　was　a　moment's　silence；　but　it　was　terrible；　when　all　three

persons　examined　one　another。　Zelie　saw　a　nervous　quiver　on　the　heavy

face　of　her　colossus。



〃Though　you　are　only　insects；〃　said　the　young　nobleman；　〃I　will　make

you　feel　my　vengeance。　It　is　not　from　you；　Monsieur　Minoret；　a　man

sixty…eight　years　of　age；　but　from　your　son　that　I　shall　seek

satisfaction　for　the　insults　offered　to　Mademoiselle　Mirouet。　The

first　time　he　sets　his　foot　in　Nemours　we　shall　meet。　He　must　fight

me；　he　will　do　so；　or　be　dishonored　and　never　dare　to　show　his　face

again。　If　he　does　not　come　to　Nemours　I　shall　go　to　Fontainebleau；　for

I　will　have　satisfaction。　It　shall　never　be　said　that　you　were　tamely

allowed　to　dishonor　a　defenceless　young　girl〃



〃But　the　calumnies　of　a　Goupilarenot〃　began　Minoret。



〃Do　you　wish　me　to　bring　him　face　to　face　with　you？　Believe　me；　you

had　better　hush　up　this　affair；　it　lies　between　you　and　Goupil　and　me。

Leave　it　as　it　is；　God　will　decide　between　us　and　when　I　meet　your

son。〃



〃But　this　sha'n't　go　one！〃　cried　Zelie。　〃Do　you　suppose　I'll　stand　by

and　let　Desire　fight　you；a　sailor　whose　business　it　is　to　handle

swords　and　guns？　If　you've　got　any　cause　of　complaint　against　Minoret；

there's　Minoret；　take　Minoret；　fight　Minoret！　But　do　you　think　my　boy；

who；　by　your　own　account；　knew　nothing　of　all　this；　is　going　to　bear

the　brunt　of　it？　No；　my　little　gentleman！　somebody's　teeth　will　pin

your　legs　first！　Come；　Minoret；　don't　stand　staring　there　like　a　big

canary；　you　are　in　your　own　house；　and　you　allow　a　man　to　keep　his　hat

on　before　your　wife！　I　say　he　shall　go。　Now；　monsieur；　be　off！　a　man's

house　is　his　castle。　I　don't　know　what　you　mean　with　your　nonsense；

but　show　me　your　heels；　and　if　you　dare　touch　Desire　you'll　have　to

answer　to　ME；you　and　your　minx　Ursula。〃



She　rang　the　bell　violently　and　called　to　the　servants。



〃Remember　what　I　have　said　to　you；〃　repeated　Savinien　to　Minoret；

paying　no　attention　to　Zelie's　tirade。　Suspending　the　sword　of

Damocles　over　their　heads；　he　left　the　room。



〃Now；　then；　Minoret；〃　said　Zelie；　〃you　will　explain　to　me　what　this

all　means。　A　young　man　doesn't　rush　into　a　house　and　make　an　uproar

like　that　and　demand　the　blood　of　a　family　for　nothing。〃



〃It's　some　mischief　of　that　vile　Goupil；〃　said　the　colossus。　〃I

promised　to　help　him　buy　a　practice　if　he　would　get　me　the　Rouvre

property　cheap。　I　gave　him　ten　per　cent　on　the　cost；　twenty　thousand

francs　in　a　note；　and　I　suppose　he　isn't　satisfied。〃



〃Yes；　but　why　did　he　get　up　those　serenades　and　the　scandals　against

Ursula？〃



〃He　wanted　to　marry　her。〃



〃A　girl　without　a　penny！　the　sly　thing！　Now　Minoret；　you　are　telling

me　lies；　and　you　are　too　much　of　a　fool；　my　son；　to　make　me　believe

them。　There　is　something　under　all　this；　and　you　are　going　to　tell　me

what　it　is。〃



〃There's　nothing。〃



〃Nothing？　I　tell　you　you　lie；　and　I　shall　find　it　out。〃



〃Do　let　me　alone！〃



〃I'll　turn　the　faucet　of　that　fountain　of　venom；　Goupilwhom　you're

afraid　ofand　we'll　see　who　gets　the　best　of　it　then。〃



〃Just　as　you　choose。〃



〃I　know　very　well　it　will　be　as　I　choose！　and　what　I　choose　first　and

foremost　is　that　no　harm　shall　come　to　Desire。　If　anything　happens　to

him；　mark　you；　I'll　do　something　that　may　send　me　to　the　scaffoldand

you；　you　haven't　any　feeling　about　him〃



A　quarrel　thus　begun　between　Minoret　and　his　wife　was　sure　not　to　end

without　a　long　and　angry　strife。　So　at　the　moment　of　his　self…

satisfaction　the　foolish　robber　found　his　inward　struggle　against

himself　and　against　Ursula　revived　by　his　own　fault；　and　complicated

with　a　new　and　terrible　adversary。　The　next　day；　when　he　left　the

house　early　to　find　Goupil　and　try　to　appease　him　with　additional

money；　the　walls　were　already　placarded　with　the　words：　〃Minoret　is　a

thief。〃　All　those　whom　he　met　commiserated　him　and　asked　him　who　was

the　author　of　the　anonymous　placard。　Fortunately　for　him；　everybody

made　allowance　for　his　equivocal　replies　by　reflecting　on　his　utter

stupidity；　fools　get　more　advantage　from　their　weakness　than　able　men

from　their　strength。　The　world　looks　on　at　a　great　man　battling

against　fate；　and　does　not　help　him；　but　it　supplies　the　capital　of　a

grocer　who　may　fail　and　lose　all。　Why？　Because　men　like　to　feel

superior　in　protecting　an　incapable；　and　are　displeased　at　not　feeling

themselves　the　equal　of　a　man　of　genius。　A　clever　man　would　have　been

lost　in　public　estimation　had　he　stammered；　as　Minoret　did；　evasive

and　foolish　answers　with　a　frightened　air。　Zelie　sent　her　servants　to

efface　the　vindictive　words　wherever　they　were　found；　but　the　effect

of　them　on　Minoret's　conscience　still　remained。



The　result　of　his　interview　with　his　assailant　was　soon　apparent。

Though　Goupil　had　concluded　his　bargain　with　the　sheriff　the　night

before；　he　now　impudently　refused　to　fulfil　it。



〃My　dear　Lecoeur；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　unexpectedly　enabled　to　buy　up

Monsieur　Dionis's　practice；　I　am　therefore　in　a　position　to　help　you

to　sell　to　others。　Tear　up　the　agreement；　it's　only　the　loss　of　two

stamps；here　are　seventy　centimes。〃



Lecoeur　was　too　much　afraid　of　Goupil　to　complain。　All　Nemours　knew

before　night　that　Minoret　had　given　Dionis　security　to　enable　Goupil

to　buy　his　practice。　The　latter　wrote　to　Savinien　denying　his　charges

against　Minoret；　and　telling　the　young　nobleman　that　in　his　new

position　he　was　forbidden　by　the　rules　of　the　supreme　court；　and　also

by　his　respect　for　law；　to　fight　a　duel。　But　he　warned　Savinien　to

treat　him　well　in　future；　assuring　him　he　was　a　capital　boxer；　and

would　break　his　leg　at　the　first　offence。



The　walls　of　Nemours　were　cleared　of　the　inscription；　but　the　quarrel

between　Minoret　and　his　wife　went　on；　and　Savinien　maintained　a

threatening　silence。　Ten　days　after　these　events　the　marriage　of

Mademoiselle　Massin；　the　elder；　to　the　future　notary　was　bruited　about

the　town。　Mademoiselle　Massin　had　a　dowry　of　eighty　thousand　francs

and　her　own　peculiar　ugliness；　Goupil　had　his　deformities　and　his

practice；　the　union　therefore　seemed　suitable　and　probable。　One

evening；　to