ursula-第35章

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respectfully；　saying：



〃You　are　quite　right；　monsieur。〃



He　then　withdrew；　but　not　without　a　bow　to　Ursula；　in　which　there　was

more　of　sadness　than　disappointment。



Desire　left　the　house　at　the　same　time；　but　he　found　it　impossible　to

exchange　even　a　word　with　the　young　nobleman；　who　rushed　into　his　own

house　precipitately。







CHAPTER　XIII



BETROTHAL　OF　HEARTS



This　rupture　between　the　Portendueres　and　Doctor　Minoret　gave　talk

among　the　heirs　for　a　week；　they　did　homage　to　the　genius　of　Dionis；

and　regarded　their　inheritance　as　rescued。



So；　in　an　age　when　ranks　are　leveled；　when　the　mania　for　equality

puts　everybody　on　one　footing　and　threatens　to　destroy　all　bulwarks；

even　military　subordination；that　last　refuge　of　power　in　France；

where　passions　have　now　no　other　obstacles　to　overcome　than　personal

antipathies；　or　differences　of　fortune；the　obstinacy　of　an　old…

fashioned　Breton　woman　and　the　dignity　of　Doctor　Minoret　created　a

barrier　between　these　lovers；　which　was　to　end；　as　such　obstacles

often　do；　not　in　destroying　but　in　strengthening　love。　To　an　ardent

man　a　woman's　value　is　that　which　she　costs　him；　Savinien　foresaw　a

struggle；　great　efforts；　many　uncertainties；　and　already　the　young

girl　was　rendered　dearer　to　him；　he　was　resolved　to　win　her。　Perhaps

our　feelings　obey　the　laws　of　nature　as　to　the　lastingness　of　her

creations；　to　a　long　life　a　long　childhood。



The　next　morning；　when　they　woke；　Ursula　and　Savinien　had　the　same

thought。　An　intimate　understanding　of　this　kind　would　create　love　if

it　were　not　already　its　most　precious　proof。　When　the　young　girl

parted　her　curtains　just　far　enough　to　let　her　eyes　take　in　Savinien's

window；　she　saw　the　face　of　her　lover　above　the　fastening　of　his。　When

one　reflects　on　the　immense　services　that　windows　render　to　lovers　it

seems　natural　and　right　that　a　tax　should　be　levied　on　them。　Having

thus　protested　against　her　godfather's　harshness；　Ursula　dropped　the

curtain　and　opened　her　window　to　close　the　outer　blinds；　through　which

she　could　continue　to　see　without　being　seen　herself。　Seven　or　eight

times　during　the　day　she　went　up　to　her　room；　always　to　find　the　young

viscount　writing；　tearing　up　what　he　had　written；　and　then　writing

againto　her；　no　doubt！



The　next　morning　when　she　woke　La　Bougival　gave　her　the　following

letter：





To　Mademoiselle　Ursula：



Mademoiselle；I　do　not　conceal　from　myself　the　distrust　a　young

man　inspires　when　he　has　placed　himself　in　the　position　from　which

your　godfather's　kindness　released　me。　I　know　that　I　must　in

future　give　greater　guarantees　of　good　conduct　than　other　men；

therefore；　mademoiselle；　it　is　with　deep　humility　that　I　place

myself　at　your　feet　and　ask　you　to　consider　my　love。　This

declaration　is　not　dictated　by　passion；　it　comes　from　an　inward

certainty　which　involves　the　whole　of　life。　A　foolish　infatuation

for　my　young　aunt；　Madame　de　Kergarouet；　was　the　cause　of　my　going

to　prison；　will　you　not　regard　as　a　proof　of　my　sincere　love　the

total　disappearance　of　those　wishes；　of　that　image；　now　effaced

from　my　heart　by　yours？　No　sooner　did　I　see　you；　asleep　and　so

engaging　in　your　childlike　slumber　at　Bouron；　than　you　occupied　my

soul　as　a　queen　takes　possession　of　her　empire。　I　will　have　no

other　wife　than　you。　You　have　every　qualification　I　desire　in　her

who　is　to　bear　my　name。　The　education　you　have　received　and　the

dignity　of　your　own　mind；　place　you　on　the　level　of　the　highest

positions。　But　I　doubt　myself　too　much　to　dare　describe　you　to

yourself；　I　can　only　love　you。　After　listening　to　you　yesterday　I

recalled　certain　words　which　seem　as　though　written　for　you；

suffer　me　to　transcribe　them：



〃Made　to　draw　all　hearts　and　charm　all　eyes；　gentle　and

intelligent；　spiritual　yet　able　to　reason；　courteous　as　though　she

had　passed　her　life　at　court；　simple　as　the　hermit　who　had　never

known　the　world；　the　fire　of　her　soul　is　tempered　in　her　eyes　by

sacred　modesty。〃



I　feel　the　value　of　the　noble　soul　revealed　in　you　by　many；　even

the　most　trifling；　things。　This　it　is　which　gives　me　the　courage

to　ask　you；　provided　you　love　no　one　else；　to　let　me　prove　to　you

by　my　conduct　and　my　devotion　that　I　am　not　unworthy　of　you。　It

concerns　my　very　life；　you　cannot　doubt　that　all　my　powers　will　be

employed；　not　only　in　trying　to　please　you；　but　in　deserving　your

esteem；　which　is　more　precious　to　me　than　any　other　upon　earth。

With　this　hope；　Ursulaif　you　will　suffer　me　so　to　call　you　in　my

heartNemours　will　be　to　me　a　paradise；　the　hardest　tasks　will

bring　me　joys　derived　through　you；　as　life　itself　is　derived　from

God。　Tell　me　that　I　may　call　myself



Your　Savinien。





Ursula　kissed　the　letter；　then；　having　re…read　it　and　clasped　it　with

passionate　motions；　she　dressed　herself　eagerly　to　carry　it　to　her

uncle。



〃Ah；　my　God！　I　nearly　forgot　to　say　my　prayers！〃　she　exclaimed；

turning　back　to　kneel　on　her　prie…Dieu。



A　few　moments　later　she　went　down　to　the　garden；　where　she　found　her

godfather　and　made　him　read　the　letter。　They　both　sat　down　on　a　bench

under　the　arch　of　climbing　plants　opposite　to　the　Chinese　pagoda。

Ursula　awaited　the　old　man's　words；　and　the　old　man　reflected　long；

too　long　for　the　impatient　young　girl。　At　last；　the　result　of　their

secret　interview　appeared　in　the　following　answer；　part　of　which　the

doctor　undoubtedly　dictated。





To　Monsieur　le　Vicomte　Savinien　de　Portenduere：



Monsieur；I　cannot　be　otherwise　than　greatly　honored　by　the

letter　in　which　you　offer　me　your　hand；　but；　at　my　age；　and

according　to　the　rules　of　my　education；　I　have　felt　bound　to

communicate　it　to　my　godfather；　who　is　all　I　have；　and　whom　I　love

as　a　father　and　also　as　a　friend。　I　must　now　tell　you　the　painful

objections　which　he　has　made　to　me；　and　which　must　be　to　you　my

answer。



Monsieur　le　vicomte；　I　am　a　poor　girl；　whose　fortune　depends

entirely；　not　only　on　my　godfather's　good…will；　but　also　on　the

doubtful　success　of　the　measures　he　may　take　to　elude　the　schemes

of　his　relatives　against　me。　Though　I　am　the　legitimate　daughter

of　Joseph　Mirouet；　band…master　of　the　45th　regiment　of　infantry；

my　father　himself　was　my　godfather's　natural　half…brother；　and

therefore　these　relatives　may；　though　without　reason；　being　a　suit

against　a　young　girl　who　would　be　defenceless。　You　see；　monsieur；

that　the　smallness　of　my　fortune　is　not　my　greatest　misfortune。　I

have　many　things　to　make　me　humble。　It　is　for　your　sake；　and　not

for　my　own；　that　I　lay　before　you　these　facts；　which　to　loving　and

devoted　hearts　are　sometimes　of　little　weight。　But　I　beg　you　to

consider；　monsieur；　that　if　I　did　not　submit　them　to　you；　I　might

be　suspected　of　leading　your　tenderness　to　overlook　obstacles

which　the　world；　and　more　especially　your　mother；　regard　as

insuperable。



I　shall　be　sixteen　in　four　months。　Perhaps　you　will　admit　that　we

are　both　too　young　and　too　inexperienced　to　understand　the

miseries　of　a　life　entered　upon　without　other　fortune　than　that　I

have　received　from　the　kindness　of　the　late　Monsieur　de　Jordy。　My

godfather　desires；　moreover；　not　to　marry　me　until　I　am　twenty。

Who　knows　what　fate　may　have　in　store　for　you　in　four　years；　the

finest　years　of　your　life？　do　not　sacrifice　them　to　a　poor　girl。



Having　thus　explained　to　you；　monsieur；　the　opinions　of　my　dear

godfather；　who；　far　from　opposing　my　happiness；　seeks　to

contribute　to　it　in　every　way；　and　earnestly　desires　that　his

protection；　which　must　soon　fail　me；　may　be　replaced　by　a

tenderness　equal　to　his　own；　there　remains　only　to　tell　you　how

touched　I　am　by　your　offer　and　by　the　compliments　which　accompany

it。　The　prudence　which　dictates　my　letter　is　that　of　an　old　man　to

whom　life　is　well…known；　but　the　gratitude　I　express　is　that　of　a

young　girl；　in　whose　soul　no　other　sentiment　has　arisen。



Therefore；　monsieur；　I　can　sign　myself；　in　all　sincerity；