ursula-第15章

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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

admit　that　society　would　be　regenerated；　there　would　be　no　more

misery。　To　be　benevolent　after　your　fashion　one　must　needs　be　a　great

philosopher；　you　rise　to　your　principles　through　reason；　you　are　a

social　exception；　whereas　it　suffices　to　be　a　Christian　to　make　us

benevolent　in　ours。　With　you；　it　is　an　effort；　with　us；　it　comes

naturally。〃



〃In　other　words；　abbe；　I　think；　and　you　feel；that's　the　whole　of

it。〃



However；　at　twelve　years　of　age；　Ursula；　whose　quickness　and　natural

feminine　perceptions　were　trained　by　her　superior　education；　and　whose

intelligence　in　its　dawn　was　enlightened　by　a　religious　spirit　（of　all

spirits　the　most　refined）；　came　to　understand　that　her　godfather　did

not　believe　in　a　future　life；　nor　in　the　immortality　of　the　soul；　nor

in　providence；　nor　in　God。　Pressed　with　questions　by　the　innocent

creature；　the　doctor　was　unable　to　hide　the　fatal　secret。　Ursula's

artless　consternation　made　him　smile；　but　when　he　saw　her　depressed

and　sad　he　felt　how　deep　an　affection　her　sadness　revealed。　Absolute

devotion　has　a　horror　of　every　sort　of　disagreement；　even　in　ideas

which　it　does　not　share。　Sometimes　the　doctor　accepted　his　darling's

reasonings　as　he　would　her　kisses；　said　as　they　were　in　the　sweetest

of　voices　with　the　purest　and　most　fervent　feeling。　Believers　and

unbelievers　speak　different　languages　and　cannot　understand　each

other。　The　young　girl　pleading　God's　cause　was　unreasonable　with　the

old　man；　as　a　spoilt　child　sometimes　maltreats　its　mother。　The　abbe

rebuked　her　gently；　telling　her　that　God　had　power　to　humiliate　proud

spirits。　Ursula　replied　that　David　had　overcome　Goliath。



This　religious　difference；　these　complaints　of　the　child　who　wished　to

drag　her　godfather　to　God；　were　the　only　troubles　of　this　happy　life；

so　peaceful；　yet　so　full；　and　wholly　withdrawn　from　the　inquisitive

eyes　of　the　little　town。　Ursula　grew　and　developed；　and　became　in　time

the　modest　and　religiously　trained　young　woman　whom　Desire　admired　as

she　left　the　church。　The　cultivation　of　flowers　in　the　garden；　her

music；　the　pleasures　of　her　godfather；　and　all　the　little　cares　she

was　able　to　give　him　（for　she　had　eased　La　Bougival's　labors　by　doing

everything　for　him）；these　things　filled　the　hours；　the　days；　the

months　of　her　calm　life。　Nevertheless；　for　about　a　year　the　doctor　had

felt　uneasy　about　his　Ursula；　and　watched　her　health　with　the　utmost

care。　Sagacious　and　profoundly　practical　observer　that　he　was；　he

thought　he　perceived　some　commotion　in　her　moral　being。　He　watched　her

like　a　mother；　but　seeing　no　one　about　her　who　was　worthy　of　inspiring

love；　his　uneasiness　on　the　subject　at　length　passed　away。



At　this　conjuncture；　one　month　before　the　day　when　this　drama　begins；

the　doctor's　intellectual　life　was　invaded　by　one　of　those　events

which　plough　to　the　very　depths　of　a　man's　convictions　and　turn　them

over。　But　this　event　needs　a　succinct　narrative　of　certain

circumstances　in　his　medic