ursula-第25章

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

praised　his　Eugene　too　often；　and　that　had　made　the　doctor

distrustful。



〃I　shall　have　to　come　down　to　the　mayor's　daughter；〃　he　thought。　〃But

Ursula　without　any　money　is　worth　more　than　Mademoiselle　Levrault…

Cremiere　with　a　million。　However；　the　thing　to　be　done　is　to　manoeuvre

the　marriage　with　this　little　Portenduereif　she　really　loves　him。〃



The　doctor；　after　closing　the　door　to　the　library　and　that　to　the

garden；　took　his　goddaughter　to　the　window　which　opened　upon　the

river。



〃What　ails　you；　my　child？〃　he　said。　〃Your　life　is　my　life。　Without

your　smiles　what　would　become　of　me？〃



〃Savinien　in　prison！〃　she　said。



With　these　words　a　shower　of　tears　fell　from　her　eyes　and　she　began　to

sob。



〃Saved！〃　thought　the　doctor；　who　was　holding　her　pulse　with　great

anxiety。　〃Alas！　she　has　all　the　sensitiveness　of　my　poor　wife；〃　he

thought；　fetching　a　stethoscope　which　he　put　to　Ursula's　heart；

applying　his　ear　to　it。　〃Ah；　that's　all　right；〃　he　said　to　himself。　〃I

did　not　know；　my　darling；　that　you　loved　any　one　as　yet；〃　he　added；

looking　at　her；　〃but　think　out　loud　to　me　as　you　think　to　yourself；

tell　me　all　that　has　passed　between　you。〃



〃I　do　not　love　him；　godfather；　we　have　never　spoken　to　each　other；〃

she　answered；　sobbing。　〃But　to　hear　that　he　is　in　prison；　and　to　know

that　youharshlyrefused　to　get　him　outyou；　so　good！〃



〃Ursula；　my　dear　little　good　angel；　if　you　do　not　love　him　why　did　you

put　that　little　red　dot　against　Saint　Savinien's　day　just　as　you　put

one　before　that　of　Saint　Denis？　Come；　tell　me　everything　about　your

little　love…affair。〃



Ursula　blushed；　swallowed　a　few　tears；　and　for　a　moment　there　was

silence　between　them。



〃Surely　you　are　not　afraid　of　your　father；　your　friend；　mother；

doctor；　and　godfather；　whose　heart　is　now　more　tender　than　it　ever　has

been。〃



〃No；　no；　dear　godfather；〃　she　said。　〃I　will　open　my　heart　to　you。　Last

May；　Monsieur　Savinien　came　to　see　his　mother。　Until　then　I　had　never

taken　notice　of　him。　When　he　left　home　to　live　in　Paris　I　was　a　child；

and　I　did　not　see　any　difference　between　him　andall　of　youexcept

perhaps　that　I　loved　you；　and　never　thought　of　loving　any　one　else。

Monsieur　Savinien　came　by　the　mail…post　the　night　before　his　mother's

fete…day；　but　we　did　not　know　it。　At　seven　the　next　morning；　after　I

had　said　my　prayers；　I　opened　the　window　to　air　my　room　and　I　saw　the

windows　in　Monsieur　Savinien's　room　open；　and　Monsieur　Savinien　was

there；　in　a　dressing　gown；　arranging　his　beard；　in　all　his　movements

there　was　such　graceI　mean；　he　seemed　to　me　so　charming。　He　combed

his　black　moustache　and　the　little　tuft　on　his　chin；　and　I　saw　his

white　throatso　round！must　I　tell　you　all？　I　noticed　that　his

throat　and　face　and　that　beautiful　black　hair　were　all　so　different

from　yours　when　I　watch　you　arranging　your　beard。　There　cameI　don't

know　howa　sort　of　glow　into　my　heart；　and　up　into　my　throat；　my

head；　it　came　so　violently　that　I　sat　downI　couldn't　stand；　I

trembled　so。　But　I　longed　to　see　him　again；　and　presently　I　got　up；　he

saw　me　then；　and；　just　for　play；　he　sent　me　a　kiss　from　the　tips　of

his　fingers　and〃



〃And？〃



〃And　then；〃　she　continued；　〃I　hid　myselfI　was　ashamed；　but　happy

why　should　I　be　ashamed　of　being　happy？　That　feelingit　dazzled　my

soul　and　gave　it　some　power；　but　I　don't　know　whatit　came　again　each

time　I　saw　within　me　the　same　young　face。　I　loved　this　feeling；

violent　as　it　was。　Going　to　mass；　some　unconquerable　power　made　me

look　at　Monsieur　Savinien　with　his　mother　on　his　arm；　his　walk；　his

clothes；　even　the　tap　of　his　boots　on　the　pavement；　seemed　to　me　so

charming。　The　least　little　thing　about　himhis　hand　with　the　delicate

gloveacted　like　a　spell　upon　me；　and　yet　I　had　strength　enough　not

to　think　of　him　during　mass。　When　the　service　was　over　I　stayed　in　the

church　to　let　Madame　de　Portenduere　go　first；　and　then　I　walked　behind

him。　I　couldn't　tell　you　how　these　little　things　excited　me。　When　I

reached　home；　I　turned　round　to　fasten　the　iron　gate〃



〃Where　was　La　Bougival？〃　asked　the　doctor。



〃Oh；　I　let　her　go　to　the　kitchen；〃　said　Ursula　simply。　〃Then　I　saw

Monsieur　Savinien　standing　quite　still　and　looking　at　me。　Oh！

godfather；　I　was　so　proud；　for　I　thought　I　saw　a　look　in　his　eyes　of

surprise　and　admirationI　don't　know　what　I　would　not　do　to　make　him

look　at　me　again　like　that。　It　seemed　to　me　I　ought　to　think　of

nothing　forevermore　but　pleasing　him。　That　glance　is　now　the　best

reward　I　have　for　any　good　I　do。　From　that　moment　I　have　thought　of

him　incessantly；　in　spite　of　myself。　Monsieur　Savinien　went　back　to

Paris　that　evening；　and　I　have　not　seen　him　since。　The　street　seems

empty；　he　took　my　heart　away　with　himbut　he　does　not　know　it。〃



〃Is　that　all？〃　asked　the　old　man。



〃All；　dear　godfather；〃　she　said；　with　a　sigh　of　regret　that　there　was

not　more　to　tell。



〃My　little　girl；〃　said　the　doctor；　putting　her　on　his　knee；　〃you　are

nearly　sixteen　and　your　womanhood　is　beginning。　You　are　now　between

your　blessed　childhood；　which　is　ending；　and　the　emotions　of　love；

which　will　make　your　life　a　tumultuous　one；　for　you　have　a　nervous

system　of　exquisite　sensibility。　What　has　happened　to　you；　my　child；

is　love；〃　said　the　old　man　with　an　expression　of　deepest　sadness；

〃love　in　its　holy　simplicity；　love　as　it　ought　to　be；　involuntary；

sudden；　coming　like　a　thief　who　takes　allyes；　all！　I　expected　it。　I

have　studied　women；　many　need　proofs　and　miracles　of　affection　before

love　conquers　them；　but　others　there　are；　under　the　influence　of

sympathies　explainable　to…day　by　magnetic　fluids；　who　are　possessed　by

it　in　an　instant。　To　you　I　can　now　tell　allas　soon　as　I　saw　the

charming　woman　whose　name　you　bear；　I　felt　that　I　should　love　her

forever；　solely　and　faithfully；　without　knowing　whether　our　characters

or　persons　suited　each　other。　Is　there　a　second…sight　in　love？　What

answer　can　I　give　to　that；　I　who　have　seen　so　many　unions　formed　under

celestial　auspices　only　to　be　ruptured　later；　giving　rise　to　hatreds

that　are　well…nigh　eternal；　to　repugnances　that　are　unconquerable。　The

senses　sometimes　harmonize　while　ideas　are　at　variance；　and　some

persons　live　more　by　their　minds　than　by　their　bodies。　The　contrary　is

also　true；　often　minds　agree　and　persons　displease。　These　phenomena；

the　varying　and　secret　cause　of　many　sorrows；　show　the　wisdom　of　laws

which　give　parents　supreme　power　over　the　marriages　of　their　children；

for　a　young　girl　is　often　duped　by　one　or　other　of　these

hallucinations。　Therefore　I　do　not　blame　you。　The　sensations　you　feel；

the　rush　of　sensibility　which　has　come　from　its　hidden　source　upon

your　heart　and　upon　your　mind；　the　happiness　with　which　you　think　of

Savinien；　are　all　natural。　But；　my　darling　child；　society　demands；　as

our　good　abbe　has　told　us；　the　sacrifice　of　many　natural　inclinations。

The　destinies　of　men　and　women　differ。　I　was　able　to　choose　Ursula

Mirouet　for　my　wife；　I　could　go　to　her　and　say　that　I　loved　her；　but　a

young　girl　is　false　to　herself　if　she　asks　the　love　of　the　man　she

loves。　A　woman　has　not　the　right　which　men　have　to　seek　the

accomplishment　of　her　hopes　in　open　day。　Modesty　is　to　herabove　all

to　you；　my　Ursula；the　insurmountable　barrier　which　protects　the

secrets　of　her　heart。　Your　hesitation　in　confiding　to　me　these　first

emotions　shows　me　you　would　suffer　cruel　torture　rather　than　admit　to

Savinien〃



〃Oh；　yes！〃　she　said。



〃But；　my　child；　you　must　do　more。　You　must　repress　these　feelings；　you

must　forget　them。〃



〃Why？〃



〃Because；　my　darling；　you　must　love　only　the　man　you　marry；　and；　even

if　Monsieur　Savinien　de　Portenduere　loved　you〃



〃I　never　thought　of　it。〃



〃But　listen：　even　if　he　loved　you；　even　if　his　mother　asked　me　to　give

him　your　hand；　I　should　not　consent　to　the　marriage　until　I　had

subjected　him　to　a　lo