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第38章

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help her out; all the inhabitants flocked to the square;as much to

see the caleche and question the coachman; as to criticize the

goddaughter; to whose excessive pride and ambition Massin; Cremiere;

the post master; and their wives attributed this extravagant folly of

the old man。



〃A caleche! Hey; Massin!〃 cried Goupil。 〃Your inheritance will go at

top speed now!〃



〃You ought to be getting good wages; Cabirolle;〃 said the post master

to the son of one of his conductors; who stood by the horses; 〃for it

is to be supposed an old man of eighty…four won't use up many horse…

shoes。 What did those horses cost?〃



〃Four thousand francs。 The caleche; though second…hand; was two

thousand; but it's a fine one; the wheels are patent。〃



〃Yes; it's a good carriage;〃 said Cremiere; 〃and a man must be rich to

buy that style of thing。〃



〃Ursula means to go at a good pace;〃 said Goupil。 〃She's right; she's

showing you how to enjoy life。 Why don't you have fine carriages and

horses; papa Minoret? I wouldn't let myself be humiliated if I were

youI'd buy a carriage fit for a prince。〃



〃Come; Cabirolle; tell us;〃 said Massin; 〃is it the girl who drives

our uncle into such luxury?〃



〃I don't know;〃 said Cabirolle; 〃but she is almost mistress of the

house。 There are masters upon masters down from Paris。 They say now

she is going to study painting。〃



〃Then I shall seize the occasion to have my portrait drawn;〃 said

Madame Cremiere。



In the provinces they always say a picture is drawn; not painted。



〃The old German is not dismissed; is he?〃 said Madame Massin。



〃He was there yesterday;〃 replied Cabirolle。



〃Now;〃 said Goupil; 〃you may as well give up counting on your

inheritance。 Ursula is seventeen years old; and she is prettier than

ever。 Travel forms young people; and the little minx has got your

uncle in the toils。 Five or six parcels come down for her by the

diligence every week; and the dressmakers and milliners come too; to

try on her gowns and all the rest of it。 Madame Dionis is furious。

Watch for Ursula as she comes out of church and look at the little

scarf she is wearing round her neck;real cashmere; and it cost six

hundred francs!〃



If a thunderbolt had fallen in the midst of the heirs the effect would

have been less than that of Goupil's last words; the mischief…maker

stood by rubbing his hands。



The doctor's old green salon had been renovated by a Parisian

upholsterer。 Judged by the luxury displayed; he was sometimes accused

of hoarding immense wealth; sometimes of spending his capital on

Ursula。 The heirs called him in turn a miser and a spendthrift; but

the saying; 〃He's an old fool!〃 summed upon; on the whole; the verdict

of the neighbourhood。 These mistaken judgments of the little town had

the one advantage of misleading the heirs; who never suspected the

love between Savinien and Ursula; which was the secret reason of the

doctor's expenditure。 The old man took the greatest delights in

accustoming his godchild to her future station in the world。

Possessing an income of over fifty thousand francs a year; it gave him

pleasure to adorn his idol。



In the month of February; 1832; the day when Ursula was eighteen; her

eyes beheld Savinien in the uniform of an ensign as she looked from

her window when she rose in the morning。



〃Why didn't I know he was coming?〃 she said to herself。



After the taking of Algiers; Savinien had distinguished himself by an

act of courage which won him the cross。 The corvette on which he was

serving was many months at sea without his being able to communicate

with the doctor; and he did not wish to leave the service without

consulting him。 Desirous of retaining in the navy a name already

illustrious in its service; the new government had profited by a

general change of officers to make Savinien an ensign。 Having obtained

leave of absence for fifteen days; the new officer arrived from Toulon

by the mail; in time for Ursula's fete; intending to consult the

doctor at the same time。



〃He has come!〃 cried Ursula rushing into her godfather's bedroom。



〃Very good;〃 he answered; 〃I can guess what brings him; and he may now

stay in Nemours。〃



〃Ah! that's my birthday presentit is all in that sentence;〃 she

said; kissing him。



On a sign; which she ran up to make from her window; Savinien came

over at once; she longed to admire him; for he seemed to her so

changed for the better。 Military service does; in fact; give a certain

grave decision to the air and carriage and gestures of a man; and an

erect bearing which enables the most superficial observer to recognize

a military man even in plain clothes。 The habit of command produces

this result。 Ursula loved Savinien the better for it; and took a

childlike pleasure in walking round the garden with him; taking his

arm; and hearing him relate the part he played (as midshipman) in the

taking of Algiers。 Evidently Savinien had taken the city。 The doctor;

who had been watching them from his window as he dressed; soon came

down。 Without telling the viscount everything; he did say that; in

case Madame de Portenduere consented to his marriage with Ursula; the

fortune of his godchild would make his naval pay superfluous。



〃Alas!〃 said Savinien。 〃It will take a great deal of time to overcome

my mother's opposition。 Before I left her to enter the navy she was

placed between two alternatives;either to consent to my marrying

Ursula or else to see me only from time to time and to know me exposed

to the dangers of the profession; and you see she chose to let me go。〃



〃But; Savinien; we shall be together;〃 said Ursula; taking his hand

and shaking it with a sort of impatience。



To see each other and not to part;that was the all of love to her;

she saw nothing beyond it; and her pretty gesture and the petulant

tone of her voice expressed such innocence that Savinien and the

doctor were both moved by it。 The resignation was written and

despatched; and Ursula's fete received full glory from the presence of

her betrothed。 A few months later; towards the month of May; the home…

life of the doctor's household had resumed the quite tenor of its way

but with one welcome visitor the more。 The attentions of the young

viscount were soon interpreted in the town as those of a future

husband;all the more because his manners and those of Ursula;

whether in church; or on the promenade; though dignified and reserved;

betrayed the understanding of their hearts。 Dionis pointed out to the

heirs that the doctor had never asked Madame de Portenduere for the

interest of his money; three years of which was now due。



〃She'll be forced to yield; and consent to this derogatory marriage of

her son;〃 said the notary。 〃If such a misfortune happens it is

probable that the greater part of your uncle's fortune will serve for

what Basile calls 'an irresistible argument。'〃







CHAPTER XIV



URSULA AGAIN ORPHANED



The irritation of the heirs; when convinced that their uncle loved

Ursula too well not to secure her happiness at their expense; became

as underhand as it was bitter。 Meeting in Dionis's salon (as they had

done every evening since the revolution of 1830) they inveighed

against the lovers; and seldom separated without discussing some way

of circumventing the old man。 Zelie; who had doubtless profited by the

fall in the Funds; as the doctor had done; to invest some; at least;

of her enormous gains; was bitterest of them all against the orphan

girl and the Portendueres。 One evening; when Goupil; who usually

avoided the dullness of these meetings; had come in to learn something

of the affairs of the town which were under discussion; Zelie's hatred

was freshly excited; she had seen the doctor; Ursula; and Savinien

returning in the caleche from a country drive; with an air of intimacy

that told all。



〃I'd give thirty thousand francs if God would call uncle to himself

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