ursula-第24章

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town。　Bongrand　considered　that　Ursula　was　not　a　relative　of　Doctor

Minoret；　but　he　felt　that　the　whole　spirit　of　legislation　was　against

the　foisting　into　families　of　illegitimate　off…shoots。　The　makers　of

the　Code　had　foreseen　only　the　weakness　of　fathers　and　mothers　for

their　natural　children；　without　considering　that　uncles　and　aunts

might　have　a　like　tenderness　and　a　desire　to　provide　for　such

children。　Evidently　there　was　a　gap　in　the　law。



〃In　all　other　countries；〃　he　said；　ending　an　explanation　of　the　legal

points　which　Dionis；　Goupil；　and　Desire　had　just　explained　to　the

heirs；　〃Ursula　would　have　nothing　to　fear；　she　is　a　legitimate　child；

and　the　disability　of　her　father　ought　only　to　affect　the　inheritance

from　Valentine　Mirouet；　her　grandfather。　But　in　France　the　magistracy

is　unfortunately　overwise　and　very　consequential；　it　inquires　into　the

spirit　of　the　law。　Some　lawyers　talk　morality；　and　might　try　to　show

that　this　hiatus　in　the　Code　came　from　the　simple…mindedness　of　the

legislators；　who　did　not　foresee　the　case；　though；　none　the　less；　they

established　a　principle。　To　bring　a　suit　would　be　long　and　expensive。

Zelie　would　carry　it　to　the　court　of　appeals；　and　I　might　not　be　alive

when　the　case　was　tried。〃



〃The　best　of　cases　is　often　worthless；〃　cried　the　doctor。　〃Here's　the

question　the　lawyers　will　put；　'To　what　degree　of　relationship　ought

the　disability　of　natural　children　in　matters　of　inheritance　to

extend？'　and　the　credit　of　a　good　lawyer　will　lie　in　gaining　a　bad

cause。〃



〃Faith！〃　said　Bongrand；　〃I　dare　not　take　upon　myself　to　affirm　that

the　judges　wouldn't　interpret　the　meaning　of　the　law　as　increasing　the

protection　given　to　marriage；　the　eternal　base　of　society。〃



Without　explaining　his　intentions；　the　doctor　rejected　the　idea　of　a

trust。　When　Bongrand　suggested　to　him　a　marriage　with　Ursula　as　the

surest　means　of　securing　his　property　to　her；　he　exclaimed；　〃Poor

little　girl！　I　might　live　fifteen　years；　what　a　fate　for　her！〃



〃Well；　what　will　you　do；　then？〃　asked　Bongrand。



〃We'll　think　about　itI'll　see；〃　said　the　old　man；　evidently　at　a

loss　for　a　reply。



Just　then　Ursula　came　to　say　that　Monsieur　Dionis　wished　to　speak　to

the　doctor。



〃Already！〃　cried　Minoret；　looking　at　Bongrand。　〃Yes；〃　he　said　to

Ursula；　〃send　him　here。〃



〃I'll　bet　my　spectacles　to　a　bunch　of　matches　that　he　is　the　advance…

guard　of　your　heirs；〃　said　Bongrand。　〃They　breakfasted　together　at　the

post　house；　and　something　is　being　engineered。〃



The　notary；　conducted　by　Ursula；　came　to　the　lower　end　of　the　garden。

After　the　usual　greetings　and　a　few　insignificant　remarks；　Dionis

asked　for　a　private　interview；　Ursula　and　Bongrand　retired　to　the

salon。



The　distrust　which　superior　men　excite　in　men　of　business　is　very

remarkable。　The　latter　deny　them　the　〃lesser〃　powers　while　recognizing

their　possession　of　the　〃higher。〃　It　is；　perhaps；　a　tribute　to　them。

Seeing　them　always　on　the　higher　plane　of　human　things；　men　of

business　believe　them　incapable　of　descending　to　the　infinitely　petty

details　which　（like　the　dividends　of　finance　and　the　microscopic　facts

of　science）　go　to　equalize　capital　and　to　form　the　worlds。　They　are

mistaken！　The　man　of　honor　and　of　genius　sees　all。　Bongrand；　piqued　by

the　doctor's　silence；　but　impelled　by　a　sense　of　Ursula's　interests

which　he　thought　endangered；　resolved　to　defend　her　against　the　heirs。

He　was　wretched　at　not　knowing　what　was　taking　place　between　the　old

man　and　Dionis。



〃No　matter　how　pure　and　innocent　Ursula　may　be；〃　he　thought　as　he

looked　at　her；　〃there　is　a　point　on　which　young　girls　do　make　their

own　law　and　their　own　morality。　I'll　test　here。　The　Minoret…

Levraults；〃　he　began；　settling　his　spectacles；　〃might　possibly　ask　you

in　marriage　for　their　son。〃



The　poor　child　turned　pale。　She　was　too　well　trained；　and　had　too　much

delicacy　to　listen　to　what　Dionis　was　saying　to　her　uncle；　but　after　a

moment's　inward　deliberation；　she　thought　she　might　show　herself；　and

then；　if　she　was　in　the　way；　her　godfather　would　let　her　know　it。　The

Chinese　pagoda　which　the　doctor　made　his　study　had　outside　blinds　to

the　glass　doors；　Ursula　invented　the　excuse　of　shutting　them。　She

begged　Monsieur　Bongrand's　pardon　for　leaving　him　alone　in　the　salon；

but　he　smiled　at　her　and　said；　〃Go！　go！〃



Ursula　went　down　the　steps　of　the　portico　which　led　to　the　pagoda　at

the　foot　of　the　garden。　She　stood　for　some　minutes　slowly　arranging

the　blinds　and　watching　the　sunset。　The　doctor　and　notary　were　at　the

end　of　the　terrace；　but　as　they　turned　she　heard　the　doctor　make　an

answer　which　reached　the　pagoda　where　she　was。



〃My　heirs　would　be　delighted　to　see　me　invest　my　property　in　real

estate　or　mortgages；　they　imagine　it　would　be　safer　there。　I　know

exactly　what　they　are　saying；　perhaps　you　come　from　them。　Let　me　tell

you；　my　good　sir；　that　my　disposition　of　my　property　is　irrevocably

made。　My　heirs　will　have　the　capital　I　brought　here　with　me；　I　wish

them　to　know　that；　and　to　let　me　alone。　If　any　one　of　them　attempts　to

interfere　with　what　I　think　proper　to　do　for　that　young　girl　（pointing

to　Ursula）　I　shall　come　back　from　the　other　world　and　torment　him。　So；

Monsieur　Savinien　de　Portenduere　will　stay　in　prison　if　they　count　on

me　to　get　him　out。　I　shall　not　sell　my　property　in　the　Funds。〃



Hearing　this　last　fragment　of　the　sentence　Ursula　experienced　the

first　and　only　pain　which　so　far　had　ever　touched　her。　She　laid　her

head　against　the　blind　to　steady　herself。



〃Good　God；　what　is　the　matter　with　her？〃　thought　the　old　doctor。　〃She

has　no　color；　such　an　emotion　after　dinner　might　kill　her。〃



He　went　to　her　with　open　arms；　and　she　fell　into　them　almost　fainting。



〃Adieu；　Monsieur；〃　he　said　to　the　notary；　〃please　leave　us。〃



He　carried　his　child　to　an　immense　Louis　XV。　sofa　which　was　in　his

study；　looked　for　a　phial　of　hartshorn　among　his　remedies；　and　made

her　inhale　it。



〃Take　my　place；〃　said　the　doctor　to　Bongrand；　who　was　terrified；　〃I

must　be　alone　with　her。〃



The　justice　of　peace　accompanied　the　notary　to　the　gate；　asking　him；

but　without　showing　any　eagerness；　what　was　the　matter　with　Ursula。



〃I　don't　know；〃　replied　Dionis。　〃She　was　standing　by　the　pagoda；

listening　to　us；　and　just　as　her　uncle　（so…called）　refused　to　lend

some　money　at　my　request　to　young　de　Portenduere　who　is　in　prison　for

debt；for　he　has　not　had；　like　Monsieur　du　Rouvre；　a　Monsieur

Bongrand　to　defend　him；she　turned　pale　and　staggered。　Can　she　love

him？　Is　there　anything　between　them？〃



〃At　fifteen　years　of　age？　pooh！〃　replied　Bongrand。



〃She　was　born　in　February；　1813；　she'll　be　sixteen　in　four　months。〃



〃I　don't　believe　she　ever　saw　him；〃　said　the　judge。　〃No；　it　is　only　a

nervous　attack。〃



〃Attack　of　the　heart；　more　likely；〃　said　the　notary。



Dionis　was　delighted　with　this　discovery；　which　would　prevent　the

marriage　〃in　extremis〃　which　they　dreaded；the　only　sure　means　by

which　the　doctor　could　defraud　his　relatives。　Bongrand；　on　the　other

hand；　saw　a　private　castle　of　his　own　demolished；　he　had　long　thought

of　marrying　his　son　to　Ursula。



〃If　the　poor　girl　loves　that　youth　it　will　be　a　misfortune　for　her；〃

replied　Bongrand　after　a　pause。　〃Madame　de　Portenduere　is　a　Breton　and

infatuated　with　her　noble　blood。〃



〃LuckilyI　mean　for　the　honor　of　the　Portendueres；〃　replied　the

notary；　on　the　point　of　betraying　himself。



Let　us　do　the　faithful　and　upright　Bongrand　the　justice　to　say　that

before　he　re…entered　the　salon　he　had　abandoned；　not　without　deep

regret　for　his　son；　the　hope　he　had　cherished　of　some　day　calling

Ursula　his　daughter。　He　meant　to　give　his　son　six　thousand　francs　a

year　the　day　he　was　appointed　substitute；　and　if　the　doctor　would　give

Ursula　a　hundred　thousand　francs　what　a　pearl　of　a　home　the　pair　would

make！　His　Eugene　was　so　loyal　and　charming　a　fellow！　Perhaps　he　had