ursula-第42章

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yourselves；〃　he　cried。　〃Go！　you　who　owe　your　inheritance　to　the

generosity　of　her　soul；　take　her　by　the　shoulders　and　fling　her　into

the　street　before　the　eyes　of　the　whole　town！　You　think　her　capable　of

robbing　you？　Well；　appoint　a　watcher　of　the　seals；　you　have　a　right　to

do　that。　But　I　tell　you　at　once　I　shall　put　no　seals　on　Ursula's　room；

she　has　a　right　to　that　room；　and　everything　in　it　is　her　own

property。　I　shall　tell　her　what　her　rights　are；　and　tell　her　too　to

put　everything　that　belongs　to　her　in　this　house　in　that　room　Oh！　in

your　presence；〃　he　said；　hearing　a　growl　of　dissatisfaction　among　the

heirs。



〃What　do　you　think　of　that？〃　said　the　collector　to　the　post　master　and

the　women；　who　seemed　stupefied　by　the　angry　address　of　Bongrand。



〃Call　HIM　a　magistrate！〃　cried　the　post　master。



Ursula　meanwhile　was　sitting　on　her　little　sofa　in　a　half…fainting

condition；　her　head　thrown　back；　her　braids　unfastened；　while　every

now　and　then　her　sobs　broke　forth。　Her　eyes　were　dim　and　their　lids

swollen；　she　was；　in　fact；　in　a　state　of　moral　and　physical

prostration　which　might　have　softened　the　hardest　heartsexcept　those

of　the　heirs。



〃Ah！　Monsieur　Bongrand；　after　my　happy　birthday　comes　death　and

mourning；〃　she　said；　with　the　poetry　natural　to　her。　〃You　know；　YOU；

what　he　was。　In　twenty　years　he　never　said　an　impatient　word　to　me。　I

believed　he　would　live　a　hundred　years。　He　has　been　my　mother；〃　she

cried；　〃my　good；　kind　mother。〃



These　simple　thoughts　brought　torrents　of　tears　from　her　eyes；

interrupted　by　sobs；　then　she　fell　back　exhausted。



〃My　child；〃　said　the　justice　of　peace；　hearing　the　heirs　on　the

staircase。　〃You　have　a　lifetime　before　you　in　which　to　weep；　but　you

have　now　only　a　moment　to　attend　to　your　interests。　Gather　everything

that　belongs　to　you　in　this　house　and　put　it　into　your　own　room　at

once。　The　heirs　insist　on　my　affixing　the　seals。〃



〃Ah！　his　heirs　may　take　everything　if　they　choose；〃　cried　Ursula；

sitting　upright　under　an　impulse　of　savage　indignation。　〃I　have

something　here；〃　she　added；　striking　her　breast；　〃which　is　far　more

precious〃



〃What　is　it？〃　said　the　post　master；　who　with　Massin　at　his　heels　now

showed　his　brutal　face。



〃The　remembrances　of　his　virtues；　of　his　life；　of　his　wordsan　image

of　his　celestial　soul；〃　she　said；　her　eyes　and　face　glowing　as　she

raised　her　hand　with　a　glorious　gesture。



〃And　a　key！〃　cried　Massin；　creeping　up　to　her　like　a　cat　and　seizing　a

key　which　fell　from　the　bosom　of　her　dress　in　her　sudden　movement。



〃Yes；〃　she　said；　blushing；　〃that　is　the　key　of　his　study；　he　sent　me

there　at　the　moment　he　was　dying。〃



The　two　men　glanced　at　each　other　with　horrid　smiles；　and　then　at

Monsieur　Bongrand；　with　a　meaning　look　of　degrading　suspicion。　Ursula

who　intercepted　it；　rose　to　her　feet；　pale　as　if　the　blood　had　left

her　body。　Her　eyes　sent　forth　the　lightnings　that　perhaps　can　issue

only　at　some　cost　of　life；　as　she　said　in　a　choking　voice：



〃Monsieur　Bongrand；　everything　in　this　room　is　mine　through　the

kindness　of　my　godfather；　they　may　have　it　all；　I　have　nothing　on　me

but　the　clothes　I　wear。　I　shall　leave　the　house　and　never　return　to

it。〃



She　went　to　her　godfather's　room；　and　no　entreaties　could　make　her

leave　it；the　heirs；　who　now　began　to　be　slightly　ashamed　of　their

conduct；　endeavoring　to　persuade　her。　She　requested　Monsieur　Bongrand

to　engage　two　rooms　for　her　at　the　〃Vieille　Poste〃　inn　until　she　could

find　some　lodging　in　town　where　she　could　live　with　La　Bougival。　She

returned　to　her　own　room　for　her　prayer…book；　and　spent　the　night；

with　the　abbe；　his　assistant；　and　Savinien；　in　weeping　and　praying

beside　her　uncle's　body。　Savinien　came；　after　his　mother　had　gone　to

bed；　and　knelt；　without　a　word；　beside　his　Ursula。　She　smiled　at　him

sadly；　and　thanked　him　for　coming　faithfully　to　share　her　troubles。



〃My　child；〃　said　Monsieur　Bongrand；　bring　her　a　large　package；　〃one　of

your　uncle's　heirs　has　taken　these　necessary　articles　from　your

drawers；　for　the　seals　cannot　be　opened　for　several　days；　after　that

you　will　recover　everything　that　belongs　to　you。　I　have；　for　your　own

sake；　placed　the　seals　on　your　room。〃



〃Thank　you；〃　she　replied；　pressing　his　hand。　〃Look　at　him　again；he

seems　to　sleep；　does　he　not？〃



The　old　man's　face　wore　that　flower　of　fleeting　beauty　which　rests

upon　the　features　of　the　dead　who　die　a　painless　death；　light　appeared

to　radiate　from　it。



〃Did　he　give　you　anything　secretly　before　he　died？〃　whispered　M。

Bongrand。



〃Nothing；〃　she　said；　〃he　spoke　only　of　a　letter。〃



〃Good！　it　will　certainly　be　found；〃　said　Bongrand。　〃How　fortunate　for

you　that　the　heirs　demanded　the　sealing。〃



At　daybreak　Ursula　bade　adieu　to　the　house　where　her　happy　youth　was

passed；　more　particularly；　to　the　modest　chamber　in　which　her　love

began。　So　dear　to　her　was　it　that　even　in　this　hour　of　darkest　grief

tears　of　regret　rolled　down　her　face　for　the　dear　and　peaceful　haven。

With　one　last　glance　at　Savinien's　windows　she　left　the　room　and　the

house；　and　went　to　the　inn　accompanied　by　La　Bougival；　who　carried　the

package；　by　Monsieur　Bongrand；　who　gave　her　his　arm；　and　by　Savinien；

her　true　protector。



Thus　it　happened　that　in　spite　of　all　his　efforts　and　cautions　the

worst　fears　of　the　justice　of　peace　were　realized；　he　was　now　to　see

Ursula　without　means　and　at　the　mercy　of　her　benefactor's　heirs。



The　next　afternoon　the　whole　town　attended　the　doctor's　funeral。　When

the　conduct　of　the　heirs　to　his　adopted　daughter　was　publicly　known；　a

vast　majority　of　the　people　thought　it　natural　and　necessary。　An

inheritance　was　involved；　the　good　man　was　known　to　have　hoarded；

Ursula　might　think　she　had　rights；　the　heirs　were　only　defending　their

property；　she　had　humbled　them　enough　during　their　uncle's　lifetime；

for　he　had　treated　them　like　dogs　and　sent　them　about　their　business。



Desire　Minoret；　who　was　not　going　to　do　wonders　in　life　（so　said　those

who　envied　his　father）；　came　down　for　the　funeral。　Ursula　was　unable

to　be　present；　for　she　was　in　bed　with　a　nervous　fever；　caused　partly

by　the　insults　of　the　heirs　and　partly　by　her　heavy　affliction。



〃Look　at　that　hypocrite　weeping；〃　said　some　of　the　heirs；　pointing　to

Savinien；　who　was　deeply　affected　by　the　doctor's　death。



〃The　question　is；〃　said　Goupil；　〃has　he　any　good　grounds　for　weeping。

Don't　laugh　too　soon；　my　friends；　the　seals　are　not　yet　removed。〃



〃Pooh！〃　said　Minoret；　who　had　good　reason　to　know　the　truth；　〃you　are

always　frightening　us　about　nothing。〃



As　the　funeral　procession　left　the　church　to　proceed　to　the　cemetery；

a　bitter　mortification　was　inflicted　on　Goupil；　he　tried　to　take

Desire's　arm；　but　the　latter　withdrew　it　and　turned　away　from　his

former　comrade　in　presence　of　all　Nemours。



〃I　won't　be　angry；　or　I　couldn't　get　revenge；〃　thought　the　notary's

clerk；　whose　dry　heart　swelled　in　his　bosom　like　a　sponge。



Before　breaking　the　seals　and　making　the　inventory；　it　took　some　time

for　the　procureur　du　roi；　who　is　the　legal　guardian　of　orphans；　to

commission　Monsieur　Bongrand　to　act　in　his　place。　After　that　was　done

the　settlement　of　the　Minoret　inheritance　（nothing　else　being　talked

of　in　the　town　for　ten　days）　began　with　all　the　legal　formalities。

Dionis　had　his　pickings；　Goupil　enjoyed　some　mischief…making；　and　as

the　business　was　profitable　the　sessions　were　many。　After　the　first　of

these　sessions　all　parties　breakfasted　together；　notary；　clerk；　heirs；

and　witnesses　drank　the　best　wines　in　the　doctor's　cellar。



In　the　provinces；　and　especially　in　little　towns　where　every　one　lives

in　his　own　house；　it　is　sometimes　very　difficult　to　find　a　lodging。

When　a　man　buys　a　business　of　any　kind　the　dwelling…house　is　almost

always　included　in　the　purchase。　Monsieur　Bongrand　saw　no　other　way　of

removing　Ursula　from　the　village　inn　than　to　buy　a　small　house　o