ursula-第40章

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fifteen　years；　on　birthdays　and　other　anniversaries。



This　formal　rendering　of　the　account　was　insisted　on　by　the　justice　of

the　peace；　who　feared　（unhappily；　with　too　much　reason）　the　results　of

Doctor　Minoret's　death。



The　following　day　the　old　man　was　seized　with　a　weakness　which

compelled　him　to　keep　his　bed。　In　spite　of　the　reserve　which　always

surrounded　the　doctor's　house　and　kept　it　from　observation；　the　news

of　his　approaching　death　spread　through　the　town；　and　the　heirs　began

to　run　hither　and　thither　through　the　streets；　like　the　pearls　of　a

chaplet　when　the　string　is　broken。　Massin　called　at　the　house　to　learn

the　truth；　and　was　told　by　Ursula　herself　that　the　doctor　was　in　bed。

The　Nemours　doctor　had　remarked　that　whenever　old　Minoret　took　to　his

bed　he　would　die；　and　therefore　in　spite　of　the　cold；　the　heirs　took

their　stand　in　the　street；　on　the　square；　at　their　own　doorsteps；

talking　of　the　event　so　long　looked　for；　and　watching　for　the　moment

when　the　priests　should　appear；　bearing　the　sacrament；　with　all　the

paraphernalia　customary　in　the　provinces；　to　the　dying　man。

Accordingly；　two　days　later；　when　the　Abbe　Chaperon；　with　an　assistant

and　the　choir…boys；　preceded　by　the　sacristan　bearing　the　cross；

passed　along　the　Grand'Rue；　all　the　heirs　joined　the　procession；　to

get　an　entrance　to　the　house　and　see　that　nothing　was　abstracted；　and

lay　their　eager　hands　upon　its　coveted　treasures　at　the　earliest

moment。



When　the　doctor　saw；　behind　the　clergy；　the　row　of　kneeling　heirs；　who

instead　of　praying　were　looking　at　him　with　eyes　that　were　brighter

than　the　tapers；　he　could　not　restrain　a　smile。　The　abbe　turned　round；

saw　them；　and　continued　to　say　the　prayers　slowly。　The　post　master　was

the　first　to　abandon　the　kneeling　posture；　his　wife　followed　him。

Massin；　fearing　that　Zelie　and　her　husband　might　lay　hands　on　some

ornament；　joined　them　in　the　salon；　where　all　the　heirs　were　presently

assembled　one　by　one。



〃He　is　too　honest　a　man　to　steal　extreme　unction；〃　said　Cremiere；　〃we

may　be　sure　of　his　death　now。〃



〃Yes；　we　shall　each　get　about　twenty　thousand　francs　a　year；〃　replied

Madame　Massin。



〃I　have　an　idea；〃　said　Zelie；　〃that　for　the　last　three　years　he　hasn't

invested　anythinghe　grew　fond　of　hoarding。〃



〃Perhaps　the　money　is　in　the　cellar；〃　whispered　Massin　to　Cremiere。



〃I　hope　we　shall　be　able　to　find　it；〃　said　Minoret…Levrault。



〃But　after　what　he　said　at　the　ball　we　can't　have　any　doubt；〃　cried

Madame　Massin。



〃In　any　case；〃　began　Cremiere；　〃how　shall　we　manage？　Shall　we　divide；

shall　we　go　to　law；　or　could　we　draw　lots？　We　are　adults；　you　know〃



A　discussion；　which　soon　became　angry；　now　arose　as　to　the　method　of

procedure。　At　the　end　of　half　an　hour　a　perfect　uproar　of　voices；

Zelie's　screeching　organ　detaching　itself　from　the　rest；　resounded　in

the　courtyard　and　even　in　the　street。



The　noise　reached　the　doctor's　ears；　he　heard　the　words；　〃The　house

the　house　is　worth　thirty　thousand　francs。　I'll　take　it　at　that；〃

said；　or　rather　bellowed　by　Cremiere。



〃Well；　we'll　take　what　it's　worth；〃　said　Zelie；　sharply。



〃Monsieur　l'abbe；〃　said　the　old　man　to　the　priest；　who　remained　beside

his　friend　after　administering　the　communion；　〃help　me　to　die　in

peace。　My　heirs；　like　those　of　Cardinal　Ximenes；　are　capable　of

pillaging　the　house　before　my　death；　and　I　have　no　monkey　to　revive

me。　Go　and　tell　them　I　will　have　none　of　them　in　my　house。〃



The　priest　and　the　doctor　of　the　town　went　downstairs　and　repeated　the

message　of　the　dying　man；　adding；　in　their　indignation；　strong　words

of　their　own。



〃Madame　Bougival；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃close　the　iron　gate　and　allow　no

one　to　enter；　even　the　dying；　it　seems；　can　have　no　peace。　Prepare

mustard　poultices　and　apply　them　to　the　soles　of　Monsieur's　feet。〃



〃Your　uncle　is　not　dead；〃　said　the　abbe；　〃and　he　may　live　some　time

longer。　He　wishes　for　absolute　silence；　and　no　one　beside　him　but　his

niece。　What　a　difference　between　the　conduct　of　that　young　girl　and

yours！〃



〃Old　hypocrite！〃　exclaimed　Cremiere。　〃I　shall　keep　watch　of　him。　It　is

possible　he's　plotting　something　against　our　interests。〃



The　post　master　had　already　disappeared　into　the　garden；　intending　to

watch　there　and　wait　his　chance　to　be　admitted　to　the　house　as　an

assistant。　He　now　returned　to　it　very　softly；　his　boots　making　no

noise；　for　there　were　carpets　on　the　stairs　and　corridors。　He　was　able

to　reach　the　door　of　his　uncle's　room　without　being　heard。　The　abbe

and　the　doctor　had　left　the　house；　La　Bougival　was　making　the

poultices。



〃Are　we　quite　alone？〃　said　the　old　man　to　his　godchild。



Ursula　stood　on　tiptoe　and　looked　into　the　courtyard。



〃Yes；〃　she　said；　〃the　abbe　has　just　closed　the　gate　after　him。〃



〃My　darling　child；〃　said　the　dying　man；　〃my　hours；　my　minutes　even；

are　counted。　I　have　not　been　a　doctor　for　nothing；　I　shall　not　last

till　evening。　Do　not　cry；　my　Ursula；〃　he　said；　fearing　to　be

interrupted　by　the　child's　weeping；　〃but　listen　to　me　carefully；　it

concerns　your　marriage　to　Savinien。　As　soon　as　La　Bougival　comes　back

go　down　to　the　pagoda；here　is　the　key；lift　the　marble　top　of　the

Boule　buffet　and　you　will　find　a　letter　beneath　it；　sealed　and

addressed　to　you；　take　it　and　come　back　here；　for　I　cannot　die　easy

unless　I　see　it　in　your　hands。　When　I　am　dead　do　not　let　any　one　know

of　it　immediately；　but　send　for　Monsieur　de　Portenduere；　read　the

letter　together；　swear　to　me　now；　in　his　name　and　your　own；　that　you

will　carry　out　my　last　wishes。　When　Savinien　has　obeyed　me；　then

announce　my　death；　but　not　till　then。　The　comedy　of　the　heirs　will

begin。　God　grant　those　monsters　may　not　ill…treat　you。〃



〃Yes　godfather。〃



The　post　master　did　not　listen　to　the　end　of　this　scene；　he　slipped

away　on　tip…toe；　remembering　that　the　lock　of　the　study　was　on　the

library　side　of　the　door。　He　had　been　present　in　former　days　at　an

argument　between　the　architect　and　a　locksmith；　the　latter　declaring

that　if　the　pagoda　were　entered　by　the　window　on　the　river　it　would　be

much　safer　to　put　the　lock　of　the　door　opening　into　the　library　on　the

library　side。　Dazzled　by　his　hopes；　and　his　ears　flushed　with　blood；

Minoret　sprang　the　lock　with　the　point　of　his　knife　as　rapidly　as　a

burglar　could　have　done　it。　He　entered　the　study；　followed　the

doctor's　directions；　took　the　package　of　papers　without　opening　it；

relocked　the　door；　put　everything　in　order；　and　went　into　the　dining…

room　and　sat　down；　waiting　till　La　Bougival　had　gone　upstairs　with　the

poultice　before　he　ventured　to　leave　the　house。　He　then　made　his

escape；all　the　more　easily　because　poor　Ursula　lingered　to　see　that

La　Bougival　applied　the　poultice　properly。



〃The　letter！　the　letter！〃　cried　the　old　man；　in　a　dying　voice。　〃Obey

me；　take　the　key。　I　must　see　you　with　that　letter　in　your　hand。〃



The　words　were　said　with　so　wild　a　look　that　La　Bougival　exclaimed　to

Ursula：



〃Do　what　he　asks　at　once　or　you　will　kill　him。〃



She　kissed　his　forehead；　took　the　key　and　went　down。　A　moment　later；

recalled　by　a　cry　from　La　Bougival；　she　ran　back。　The　old　man　looked

at　her　eagerly。　Seeing　her　hands　empty；　he　rose　in　his　bed；　tried　to

speak；　and　died　with　a　horrible　gasp；　his　eyes　haggard　with　fear。　The

poor　girl；　who　saw　death　for　the　first　time；　fell　on　her　knees　and

burst　into　tears。　La　Bougival　closed　the　old　man's　eyes　and

straightened　him　on　the　bed；　then　she　ran　to　call　Savinien；　but　the

heirs；　who　stood　at　the　corner　of　the　street；　like　crows　watching　till

a　horse　is　buried　before　they　scratch　at　the　ground　and　turn　it　over

with　beak　and　claw；　flocked　in　with　the　celerity　of　birds　of　prey。







CHAPTER　XV



THE　DOCTOR'S　WILL



While　these　events　were　taking　place　the　post　master　had　hurried　home

to　open　the　mysterious　package　and　know　its　contents。





To　my　dear　Ursula　Mirouet；　daughter　of　my