ursula-第12章

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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　in　one　hand　and　her　parasol　in　the　other；　and　this　she　did

with　the　innate　grace　which　graceful　women　put　into　the　awkward　or

difficult　things　of　their　charming　craft　of　womanhood。　If　mind　does

truly　reveal　itself　in　all　things；　we　may　be　permitted　to　say　that

Ursula's　attitude　and　bearing　suggested　divine　simplicity。　She　was

dressed　in　a　white　cambric　gown　made　like　a　wrapper；　trimmed　here　and

there　with　knots　of　blue　ribbon。　The　pelerine；　edged　with　the　same

ribbon　run　through　a　broad　hem　and　tied　with　bows　like　those　on　the

dress；　showed　the　great　beauty　of　her　shape。　Her　throat；　of　a　pure

white；　was　charming　in　tone　against　the　blue；the　right　color　for　a

fair　skin。　A　long　blue　sash　with　floating　ends　defined　a　slender　waist

which　seemed　flexible；a　most　seductive　charm　in　women。　She　wore　a

rice…straw　bonnet；　modestly　trimmed　with　ribbons　like　those　of　the

gown；　the　strings　of　which　were　tied　under　her　chin；　setting　off　the

whiteness　of　the　straw　and　doing　no　despite　to　that　of　her　beautiful

complexion。　Ursula　dressed　her　own　hair　naturally　（a　la　Berthe；　as　it

was　then　called）　in　heavy　braids　of　fine；　fair　hair；　laid　flat　on

either　side　of　the　head；　each　little　strand　reflecting　the　light　as

she　walked。　Her　gray　eyes；　soft　and　proud　at　the　same　time；　were　in

harmony　with　a　finely　modeled　brow。　A　rosy　tinge；　suffusing　her

cheeks　like　a　cloud；　brightened　a　face　which　was　regular　without　being

insipid；　for　nature　had　given　her；　by　some　rare　privilege；　extreme

purity　of　form　combined　with　strength　of　countenance。　The　nobility　of

her　life　was　manifest　in　the　general　expression　of　her　person；　which

might　have　served　as　a　model　for　a　type　of　trustfulness；　or　of

modesty。　Her　health；　though　brilliant；　was　not　coarsely　apparent；　in

fact；　her　whole　air　was　distinguished。　Beneath　the　little　gloves　of　a

light　color　it　was　easy　to　imagine　her　pretty　hands。　The　arched　and

slender　feet　were　delicately　shod　in　bronzed　kid　boots　trimmed　with　a

brown　silk　fringe。　Her　blue　sash　holding　at　the　waist　a　small　flat

watch　and　a　blue　purse　with　gilt　tassels　attracted　the　eyes　of　every

woman　she　met。



〃He　has　given　her　a　new　watch！〃　said　Madame　Cremiere；　pinching　her

husband's　arm。



〃Heavens！　is　that　Ursula？〃　cried　Desire；　〃I　didn't　recognize　her。〃



〃Well；　my　dear　uncle；〃　said　the　post　master；　addressing　the　doctor　and

pointing　to　the　whole　population　drawn　up　in　parallel　hedges　to　let

the　doctor　pass；　〃everybody　wants　to　see　you。〃



〃Was　it　the　Abbe　Chaperon　or　Mademoiselle　Ursula　who　converted　you；

uncle；〃　said　Massin；　bowing　to　the　doctor　and　his　protegee；　with

Jesuitical　humility。



〃Ursula；〃　replied　the　doctor；　laconically；　continuing　to　walk　on　as　if

annoyed。



The　night　before；　as　the　old　man　finished　his　game　of　whist　with

Ursula；　the　Nemours　doctor；　and　Bongrand；　he　remarked；　〃I　intend　to　go

to　church　to…morrow。〃



〃Then；〃　said　Bongrand；　〃your　heirs　won't　get　another　night's　rest。〃



The　speech　was　superfluous；　however；　for　a　single　glance　sufficed　the

sagacious　and　clear…sighted　doctor　to　read　the　minds　of　his　heirs　by

the　expression　of　their　faces。　Zelie's　irruption　into　the　church；　her

glance；　which　the　doctor　intercepted；　this　meeting　of　all　the

expectant　ones　in　the　public　square；　and　the　expression　in　their　eyes

as　they　turned　them　on　Ursula；　all　proved　to　him　their　hatred；　now

freshly　awakened；　and　their　sordid　fears。



〃It　is　a　feather　in　your　cap；　Mademoiselle；〃　said　Madame　Cremiere；

putting　in　her　word　with　a　humble　bow；〃a　miracle　which　will　not　cost

you　much。〃



〃It　is　God's　doing；　madame；〃　replied　Ursula。



〃God！〃　exclaimed　Minoret…Levrault；　〃my　father…in…law　used　to　say　he

served　to　blanket　many　horses。〃



〃Your　father…in…law　had　the　mind　of　a　jockey；〃　said　the　doctor

severely。



〃Come；〃　said　Minoret　to　his　wife　and　son；　〃why　don't　you　bow　to　my

uncle？〃



〃I　shouldn't　be　mistress　of　myself　before　that　little　hypocrite；〃

cried　Zelie；　carrying　off　her　son。



〃I　advise　you；　uncle；　not　to　go　to　mass　without　a　velvet　cap；〃　said

Madame　Massin；　〃the　church　is　very　damp。〃



〃Pooh；　niece；〃　said　the　doctor；　looking　round　on　the　assembly；　〃the

sooner　I'm　put　to　bed　the　sooner　you'll　flourish。〃



He　walked　on　quickly；　drawing　Ursula　with　him；　and　seemed　in　such　a

hurry　that　the　others　dropped　behind。



〃Why　do　you　say　such　harsh　things　to　them？　it　isn't　right；〃　said

Ursula；　shaking　his　arm　in　a　coaxing　way。



〃I　shall　always　hate　hypocrites；　as　much　after　as　before　I　became

religious。　I　have　done　good　to　them　all；　and　I　asked　no　gratitude；　but

not　one　of　my　relatives　sent　you　a　flower　on　your　birthday；　which　they

know　is　the　only　day　I　celebrate。〃



At　some　distance　behind　the　doctor　and　Ursula　came　Madame　de

Portenduere；　dragging　herself　along　as　if　overcome　with　trouble。　She

belonged　to　the　class　of　old　women　whose　dress　recalls　the　style　of

the　last　century。　They　wear　puce…colored　gowns　with　flat　sleeves；　the

cut　of　which　can　be　seen　in　the　portraits　of　Madame　Lebrun；　they　all

have　black　lace　mantles　and　bonnets　of　a　shape　gone　by；　in　keeping

with　their　slow　and　dignified　deportment；　one　might　almost　fancy　that

they　still　wore　paniers　under　their　petticoats　or　felt　them　there；　as

persons　who　have　lost　a　leg　are　said　to　fancy　that　the　foot　is　moving。

They　swathe　their　heads　in　old　lace　which　declines　to　drape　gracefully

about　their　cheeks。　Their　wan　and　elongated　faces；　their　haggard　eyes

and　faded　brows；　are　not　without　a　certain　melancholy　grace；　in　spite

of　the　false　fronts　with　flattened　curls　to　which　they　cling；and　yet

these　ruins　are　all　subordinate　to　an　unspeakable　dignity　of　look　and

manner。



The　red　and　wrinkled　eyes　of　this　old　lady　showed　plainly　that　she　had

been　crying　during　the　service。　She　walked　like　a　person　in　trouble；

seemed　to　be　expecting　some　one；　and　looked　behind　her　from　time　to

time。　Now；　the　f