ursula-第45章

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foster　child　with　some　allusion　to　the　fortune　she　ought　to　have　had；

or　without　comparing　her　miserable　lot　with　the　prospects　the　doctor

had　promised；　and　of　which　he　had　often　spoken　to　her；　La　Bougival。



〃It　is　not　for　myself　I　speak；〃　she　said；　〃but　is　it　likely　that

monsieur；　good　and　kind　as　he　was；　would　have　died　without　leaving　me

the　merest　trifle？〃



〃Am　I　not　here？〃　replied　Ursula；　forbidding　La　Bougival　to　say　another

word　on　the　subject。



She　could　not　endure　to　soil　the　dear　and　tender　memories　that

surrounded　that　noble　heada　sketch　of　which　in　black　and　white　hung

in　her　little　salonwith　thoughts　of　selfish　interest。　To　her　fresh

and　beautiful　imagination　that　sketch　sufficed　to　make　her　SEE　her

godfather；　on　whom　her　thoughts　continually　dwelt；　all　the　more

because　surrounded　with　the　things　he　loved　and　used；his　large

duchess…sofa；　the　furniture　from　his　study；　his　backgammon…table；　and

the　piano　he　had　chosen　for　her。　The　two　old　friends　who　still

remained　to　her；　the　Abbe　Chaperon　and　Monsieur　Bongrand；　the　only

visitors　whom　she　received；　were；　in　the　midst　of　these　inanimate

objects　representative　of　the　past；　like　two　living　memories　of　her

former　life　to　which　she　attached　her　present　by　the　love　her

godfather　had　blessed。



After　a　while　the　sadness　of　her　thoughts；　softening　gradually；　gave

tone　to　the　general　tenor　of　her　life　and　united　all　its　parts　in　an

indefinable　harmony；　expressed　by　the　exquisite　neatness；　the　exact

symmetry　of　her　room；　the　few　flowers　sent　by　Savinien；　the　dainty

nothings　of　a　young　girl's　life；　the　tranquillity　which　her　quiet

habits　diffused　about　her；　giving　peace　and　composure　to　the　little

home。　After　breakfast　and　after　mass　she　continued　her　studies　and

practiced；　then　she　took　her　embroidery　and　sat　at　the　window　looking

on　the　street。　At　four　o'clock　Savinien；　returning　from　a　walk　（which

he　took　in　all　weathers）；　finding　the　window　open；　would　sit　upon　the

outer　casing　and　talk　with　her　for　half　an　hour。　In　the　evening　the

abbe　and　Monsieur　Bongrand　came　to　see　her；　but　she　never　allowed

Savinien　to　accompany　them。　Neither　did　she　accept　Madame　de

Portenduere's　proposition；　which　Savinien　had　induced　his　mother　to

make；　that　she　should　visit　there。



Ursula　and　La　Bougival　lived；　moreover；　with　the　strictest　economy；

they　did　not　spend；　counting　everything；　more　than　sixty　francs　a

month。　The　old　nurse　was　indefatigable；　she　washed　and　ironed；　cooked

only　twice　a　week；mistress　and　maid　eating　their　food　cold　on　other

days；　for　Ursula　was　determined　to　save　the　seven　hundred　francs　still

due　on　the　purchase　of　the　house。　This　rigid　conduct；　together　with

her　modesty　and　her　resignation　to　a　life　of　poverty　after　the

enjoyment　of　luxury　and　the　fond　indulgence　of　all　her　wishes；　deeply

impressed　certain　persons。　Ursula　won　the　respect　of　others；　and　no

voice　was　raised　against　her。　Even　the　heirs；　once　satisfied；　did　her

justice。　Savinien　admired　the　strength　of　character　of　so　young　a

girl。　From　time　to　time　Madame　de　Portenduere；　when　they　met　in

church；　would　address　a　few　kind　words　to　her；　and　twice　she　insisted

on　her　coming　to　dinner　and　fetched　her　herself。　If　all　this　was　not

happiness　it　was　at　least　tranquillity。　But　a　benefit　which　came　to

Ursula　through　the　legal　care　and　ability　of　Bongrand　started　the

smouldering　persecution　which　up　to　this　time　had　laid　in　Minoret's

breast　as　a　dumb　desire。



As　soon　as　the　legal　settlement　of　the　doctor's　estate　was　finished；

the　justice　of　peace；　urged　by　Ursula；　took　the　cause　of　the

Portendueres　in　hand　and　promised　her　to　get　them　out　of　their

trouble。　In　dealing　with　the　old　lady；　whose　opposition　to　Ursula's

happiness　made　him　furious；　he　did　not　allow　her　to　be　ignorant　of　the

fact　that　his　devotion　to　her　service　was　solely　to　give　pleasure　to

Mademoiselle　Mirouet。　He　chose　one　of　his　former　clerks　to　act　for　the

Portendueres　at　Fontainebleau；　and　himself　put　in　a　motion　for　a　stay

of　proceedings。　He　intended　to　profit　by　the　interval　which　must

elapse　between　the　stoppage　of　the　present　suit　and　some　new　step　on

the　part　of　Massin　to　renew　the　lease　at　six　thousand　francs；　get　a

premium　from　the　present　tenants　and　the　payment　in　full　of　the　rent

of　the　current　year。



At　this　time；　when　these　matters　had　to　be　discussed；　the　former

whist…parties　were　again　organized　in　Madame　de　Portenduere's　salon；

between　himself；　the　abbe；　Savinien；　and　Ursula；　whom　the　abbe　and　he

escorted　there　and　back　every　evening。　In　June；　Bongrand　succeeded　in

quashing　the　proceedings；　whereupon　the　new　lease　was　signed；　he

obtained　a　premium　of　thirty…two　thousand　francs　from　the　farmer　and　a

rent　of　six　thousand　a　year　for　eighteen　years。　The　evening　of　the　day

on　which　this　was　finally　settled　he　went　to　see　Zelie；　whom　he　knew

to　be　puzzled　as　to　how　to　invest　her　money；　and　proposed　to　sell　her

the　farm　at　Bordieres　for　two　hundred　and　twenty　thousand　francs。



〃I'd　buy　it　at　once；〃　said　Minoret；　〃if　I　were　sure　the　Portendueres

would　go　and　live　somewhere　else。〃



〃Why？〃　said　the　justice　of　peace。



〃We　want　to　get　rid　of　the　nobles　in　Nemours。〃



〃I　did　hear　the　old　lady　say　that　if　she　could　settle　her　affairs　she

should　go　and　live　in　Brittany；　as　she　would　not　have　means　enough

left　to　live　her。　She　is　thinking　of　selling　her　house。〃



〃Well；　sell　it　to　me；〃　said　Minoret。



〃To　you？〃　said　Zelie。　〃You　talk　as　if　you　were　master　of　everything。

What　do　you　want　with　two　houses　in　Nemours？〃



〃If　I　don't　settle　this　matter　of　the　farm　with　you　to…night；〃　said

Bongrand；　〃our　lease　will　get　known；　Massin　will　put　in　a　fresh　claim；

and　I　shall　lose　this　chance　of　liquidation　which　I　am　anxious　to

make。　So　if　you　don't　take　my　offer　I　shall　go　at　once　to　Melun；　where

some　farmers　I　know　are　ready　to　buy　the　farm　with　their　eyes　shut。〃



〃Why　did　you　come　to　us；　then？〃　said　Zelie。



〃Because　you　can　pay　me　in　cash；　and　my　other　clients　would　make　me

wait　some　time　for　the　money。　I　don't　want　difficulties。〃



〃Get　HER　out　of　Nemours　and　I'll　pay　it；〃　exclaimed　Minoret。



〃You　understand　that　I　cannot　answer　for　Madame　de　Portenduere's

actions；〃　said　Bongrand。　〃I　can　only　repeat　what　I　heard　her　say；　but

I　feel　certain　they　will　not　remain　in　Nemours。〃



On　this　assurance；　enforced　by　a　nudge　from　Zelie；　Minoret　agreed　to

the　purchase；　and　furnished　the　funds　to　pay　off　the　mortgage　due　to

the　doctor's　estate。　The　deed　of　sale　was　immediately　drawn　up　by

Dionis。　Towards　the　end　of　June　Bongrand　brought　the　balance　of　the

purchase　money　to　Madame　de　Portenduere；　advising　her　to　invest　it　in

the　Funds；　where；　joined　to　Savinien's　ten　thousand；　it　would　give

her；　at　five　per　cent；　an　income　of　six　thousand　francs。　Thus；　so　far

from　losing　her　resources；　the　old　lady　actually　gained　by　the

transaction。　But　she　did　not　leave　Nemours。　Minoret　thought　he　had

been　tricked；as　though　Bongrand　had　had　an　idea　that　Ursula's

presence　was　intolerable　to　him；　and　he　felt　a　keen　resentment　which

embittered　his　hatred　to　his　victim。　Then　began　a　secret　drama　which

was　terrible　in　its　effects；the　struggle　of　two　determinations；　one

which　impelled　Minoret　to　drive　his　victim　from　Nemours；　the　other

which　gave　Ursula　the　strength　to　bear　persecution；　the　cause　of　which

was　for　a　certain　length　of　time　undiscoverable。　The　situation　was　a

strange　and　even　unnatural　one；　and　yet　it　was　led　up　to　by　all　the

preceding　events；　which　served　as　a　preface　to　what　was　now　to　occur。



Madame　Minoret；　to　whom　her　husband　had　given　a　handsome　silver

service　costing　twenty　thousand　francs；　gave　a　magnificent　dinner

every　Sunday；　the　day　on　which　her　son；　the　deputy　procureur；　came

from　Fontainebleau；　bringing　with　him　certain　of　his　friends。　On　these

occasions　Zelie　sent　to　Paris　for　delicaciesobliging　Dionis　the

notary　to　emulate　her　display。　Goupil；　whom　the　Minore