ursula-第20章

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mirror　was　a　pier…table　topped　with　marble；　on　which　stood　a　Sevres

vase　in　which　she　put　her　nosegays；　opposite　the　chimney　was　a　little

bureau…desk　of　charming　marquetry。　The　bed；　of　chintz；　with　chintz

curtains　lined　with　pink；　was　one　of　those　duchess　beds　so　common　in

the　eighteenth　century；　which　had　a　tuft　of　carved　feathers　at　the　top

of　each　of　the　four　posts；　which　were　fluted　on　the　sides。　An　old

clock；　inclosed　in　a　sort　of　monument　made　of　tortoise…shell　inlaid

with　arabesques　of　ivory；　decorated　the　mantelpiece；　the　marble　shelf

of　which；　with　the　candlesticks　and　the　mirror　in　a　frame　painted　in

cameo　on　a　gray　ground；　presented　a　remarkable　harmony　of　color；　tone；

and　style。　A　large　wardrobe；　the　doors　of　which　were　inlaid　with

landscapes　in　different　woods　（some　having　a　green　tint　which　are　no

longer　to　be　found　for　sale）　contained；　no　doubt；　her　linen　and　her

dresses。　The　air　of　the　room　was　redolent　of　heaven。　The　precise

arrangement　of　everything　showed　a　sense　of　order；　a　feeling　for

harmony；　which　would　certainly　have　influenced　any　one；　even　a

Minoret…Levrault。　It　was　plain　that　the　things　about　her　were　dear　to

Ursula；　and　that　she　loved　a　room　which　contained；　as　it　were；　her

childhood　and　the　whole　of　her　girlish　life。



Looking　the　room　well　over　that　he　might　seem　to　have　a　reason　for　his

visit；　the　doctor　saw　at　once　how　the　windows　looked　into　those　of

Madame　de　Portenduere。　During　the　night　he　had　meditated　as　to　the

course　he　ought　to　pursue　with　Ursula　about　his　discovery　of　this

dawning　passion。　To　question　her　now　would　commit　him　to　some　course。

He　must　either　approve　or　disapprove　of　her　love；　in　either　case　his

position　would　be　a　false　one。　He　therefore　resolved　to　watch　and

examine　into　the　state　of　things　between　the　two　young　people；　and

learn　whether　it　were　his　duty　to　check　the　inclination　before　it　was

irresistible。　None　but　an　old　man　could　have　shown　such　deliberate

wisdom。　Still　panting　from　the　discovery　of　the　truth　of　these

magnetic　facts；　he　turned　about　and　looked　at　all　the　various　little

things　around　the　room；　he　wished　to　examine　the　almanac　which　was

hanging　at　a　corner　of　the　chimney…piece。



〃These　ugly　things　are　too　heavy　for　your　little　hands；〃　he　said；

taking　up　the　marble　candlesticks　which　were　partly　covered　with

leather。



He　weighed　them　in　his　hand；　then　he　looked　at　the　almanac　and　took

it；　saying；　〃This　is　ugly　too。　Why　do　you　keep　such　a　common　thing　in

your　pretty　room？〃



〃Oh；　please　let　me　have　it；　godfather。〃



〃No；　no；　you　shall　have　another　to…morrow。〃



So　saying　he　carried　off　this　possible　proof；　shut　himself　up　in　his

study；　looked　for　Saint　Savinien　and　found；　as　the　somnambulist　had

told　him；　a　little　red　dot　at　the　19th　of　October；　he　also　saw　another

before　his　own　saint's　day；　Saint　Denis；　and　a　third　before　Saint

John；　the　abbe's　patron。　This　little　dot；　no　larger　than　a　pin's　head；

had　been　seen　by　the　sleeping　woman　in　spite　of　distance　and　other

obstacles！　The　old　man　thought　till　evening　of　these　events；　more

momentous　for　him　than　for　others。　He　was　forced　to　yield　to　evidence。

A　strong　wall；　as　it　were；　crumbled　within　him；　for　his　life　had

rested　on　two　bases；indifference　in　matters　of　religion　and　a　firm

disbelief　in　magnetism。　When　it　was　proved　to　him　that　the　senses

faculties　purely　physical；　organs；　the　effects　of　which　could　be

explainedattained　to　some　of　the　attributes　of　the　infinite；

magnetism　upset；　or　at　least　it　seemed　to　him　to　upset；　the　powerful

arguments　of　Spinoza。　The　finite　and　the　infinite；　two　incompatible

elements　according　to　that　remarkable　man；　were　here　united；　the　one

in　the　other。　No　matter　what　power　he　gave　to　the　divisibility　and

mobility　of　matter　he　could　not　help　recognizing　that　it　possessed

qualities　that　were　almost　divine。



He　was　too　old　now　to　connect　those　phenomena　to　a　system；　and　compare

them　with　those　of　sleep；　of　vision；　of　light。　His　whole　scientific

belief；　based　on　the　assertions　of　the　school　of　Locke　and　Condillac；

was　in　ruins。　Seeing　his　hollow　ideas　in　pieces；　his　scepticism

staggered。　Thus　the　advantage　in　this　struggle　between　the　Catholic

child　and　the　Voltairean　old　man　was　on　Ursula's　side。　In　the

dismantled　fortress；　above　these　ruins；　shone　a　light；　from　the　center

of　these　ashes　issued　the　path　of　prayer！　Nevertheless；　the　obstinate

old　scientist　fought　his　doubts。　Though　struck　to　the　heart；　he　would

not　decide；　he　struggled　on　against　God。



But　he　was　no　longer　the　same　man；　his　mind　showed　its　vacillation。　He

became　unnaturally　dreamy；　he　read　Pascal；　and　Bossuet's　sublime

〃History　of　Species〃；　he　read　Bonald；　he　read　Saint…Augustine；　he

determined　also　to　read　the　works　of　Swedenborg；　and　the　late　Saint…

Martin；　which　the　mysterious　stranger　had　mentioned　to　him。　The

edifice　within　him　was　cracking　on　all　sides；　it　needed　but　one　more

shake；　and　then；　his　heart　being　ripe　for　God；　he　was　destined　to　fall

into　the　celestial　vineyard　as　fall　the　fruits。　Often　of　an　evening；

when　playing　with　the　abbe；　his　goddaughter　sitting　by；　he　would　put

questions　bearing　on　his　opinions　which　seemed　singular　to　the　priest；

who　was　ignorant　of　the　inward　workings　by　which　God　was　remaking　that

fine　conscience。



〃Do　you　believe　in　apparitions？〃　asked　the　sceptic　of　the　pastor；

stopping　short　in　the　game。



〃Cardan；　a　great　philosopher　of　the　sixteenth　century　said　he　had　seen

some；〃　replied　the　abbe。



〃I　know　all　those　that　scholars　have　discussed；　for　I　have　just　reread

Plotinus。　I　am　questioning　you　as　a　Catholic　might；　and　I　ask　if　you

think　that　dead　men　can　return　to　the　living。〃



〃Jesus　reappeared　to　his　disciples　after　his　death；〃　said　the　abbe。

〃The　Church　ought　to　have　faith　in　the　apparitions　of　the　Savior。　As

for　miracles；　they　are　not　lacking；〃　he　continued；　smiling。　〃Shall　I

tell　you　the　last？　It　took　place　in　the　eighteenth　century。〃



〃Pooh！〃　said　the　doctor。



〃Yes；　the　blessed　Marie…Alphonse　of　Ligouri；　being　very　far　from　Rome；

knew　of　the　death　of　the　Pope　at　the　very　moment　the　Holy　Father

expired；　there　were　numerous　witnesses　of　this　miracle。　The　sainted

bishop　being　in　ecstasy；　heard　the　last　words　of　the　sovereign　pontiff

and　repeated　them　at　the　time　to　those　about　him。　The　courier　who

brought　the　announcement　of　the　death　did　not　arrive　till　thirty　hours

later。〃



〃Jesuit！〃　exclaimed　old　Minoret；　laughing；　〃I　did　not　ask　you　for

proofs；　I　asked　you　if　you　believed　in　apparitions。〃



〃I　think　an　apparition　depends　a　good　deal　on　who　sees　it；〃　said　the

abbe；　still　fencing　with　his　sceptic。



〃My　friend；〃　said　the　doctor；　seriously；　〃I　am　not　setting　a　trap　for

you。　What　do　you　really　believe　about　it？〃



〃I　believe　that　the　power　of　God　is　infinite；〃　replied　the　abbe。



〃When　I　am　dead；　if　I　am　reconciled　to　God；　I　will　ask　Him　to　let　me

appear　to　you；〃　said　the　doctor；　smiling。



〃That's　exactly　the　agreement　Cardan　made　with　his　friend；〃　answered

the　priest。



〃Ursula；〃　said　Minoret；　〃if　danger　ever　threatens　you；　call　me；　and　I

will　come。〃



〃You　have　put　into　one　sentence　that　beautiful　elegy　of　'Neere'　by

Andre　Chenier；〃　said　the　abbe。　〃Poets　are　sublime　because　they　clothe

both　facts　and　feelings　with　ever…living　images。〃



〃Why　do　you　speak　of　your　death；　dear　godfather？〃　said　Ursula　in　a

grieved　tone。　〃We　Christians　do　not　die；　the　grave　is　the　cradle　of

our　souls。〃



〃Well；〃　said　the　doctor；　smiling；　〃we　must　go　out　of　the　world；　and

when　I　am　no　longer　here　you　will　be　astonished　at　your　fortune。〃



〃When　you　are　here　no　longer；　my　kind　friend；　my　only　consolation　will

be　to　consecrate　my　life　to　you。〃



〃To　me；　dead？〃



〃Yes。　All　the　good　works　that　I　can　do　will　be　done　in　your　name　to

redeem　your　sins。　I　will　pray　God　every　day　for　his　infinite　mercy；

that　he　may　not　punish　eternally　the　errors　of　a　day。　I　know　he　wil