ursula-第51章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
otherwise； what good would my blood do you？ can you drink it？ At this
moment it would poison you。〃
The cold reasoning of the man； together with a feeling of eager
curiosity； calmed Savinien's anger。 He fixed his eyes on Goupil with a
look which made that moral deformity writhe。
〃Who set you at this work？〃 said the young man。
〃Will you swear？〃
〃What；to do you no harm？〃
〃I wish that you and Mademoiselle Mirouet should not forgive me。〃
〃She will forgive you；I； never！〃
〃But at least you will forget？〃
What terrible power the reason has when it is used to further self…
interest。 Here were two men； longing to tear one another in pieces；
standing in that courtyard within two inches of each other； compelled
to talk together and united by a single sentiment。
〃I will forgive you； but I shall not forget。〃
〃The agreement is off；〃 said Goupil coldly。 Savinien lost patience。 He
applied a blow upon the man's face which echoed through the courtyard
and nearly knocked him down； making Savinien himself stagger。
〃It is only what I deserve；〃 said Goupil； 〃for committing such a
folly。 I thought you more noble than you are。 You have abused the
advantage I gave you。 You are in my power now；〃 he added with a look
of hatred。
〃You are a murderer！〃 said Savinien。
〃No more than a dagger is a murderer。〃
〃I beg your pardon；〃 said Savinien。
〃Are you revenged enough？〃 said Goupil； with ferocious irony； 〃will
you stop here？〃
〃Reciprocal pardon and forgetfulness；〃 replied Savinien。
〃Give me your hand；〃 said the clerk； holding out his own。
〃It is yours；〃 said Savinien； swallowing the shame for Ursula's sake。
〃Now speak； who made you do this thing？〃
Goupil looked into the scales as it were； on one side was Savinien's
blow； on the other his hatred against Minoret。 For a second he was
undecided； then a voice said to him： 〃You will be notary！〃 and he
answered：
〃Pardon and forgetfulness？ Yes； on both sides； monsieur〃
〃Who is persecuting Ursula？〃 persisted Savinien。
〃Minoret。 He would have liked to see her buried。 Why？ I can't tell you
that； but we might find out the reason。 Don't mix me up in all this； I
could do nothing to help you if the others distrusted me。 Instead of
annoying Ursula I will defend her； instead of serving Minoret I will
try to defeat his schemes。 I live only to ruin him； to destroy him
I'll crush him under foot； I'll dance on his carcass； I'll make his
bones into dominoes！ To…morrow； every wall in Nemours and
Fontainebleau and Rouvre shall blaze with the letters； 'Minoret is a
thief！' Yes； I'll burst him like a gunThere！ we're allies now by the
imprudence of that outbreak！ If you choose I'll beg Mademoiselle
Mirouet's pardon and tell her I curse the madness which impelled me to
injure her。 It may do her good； the abbe and the justice are both
there； but Monsieur Bongrand must promise on his honor not to injure
my career。 I have a career now。〃
〃Wait a minute；〃 said Savinien； bewildered by the revelation。
〃Ursula； my child；〃 he said； returning to the salon； 〃the author of
all your troubles is ashamed of his work； he repents and wishes to ask
your pardon in presence of these gentlemen； on condition that all be
forgotten。〃
〃What！ Goupil？〃 cried the abbe； the justice； and the doctor； all
together。
〃Keep his secret；〃 said Ursula； putting a finger on her lips。
Goupil heard the words； saw the gesture； and was touched。
〃Mademoiselle；〃 he said in a troubled voice； 〃I wish that all Nemours
could hear me tell you that a fatal passion has bewildered my brain
and led me to commit a crime punishable by the blame of honest men。
What I say now I would be willing to say everywhere； deploring the
harm done by such miserable trickswhich may have hastened your
happiness；〃 he added； rather maliciously； 〃for I see that Madame de
Portenduere is with you。〃
〃That is all very well； Goupil；〃 said the abbe； 〃Mademoiselle forgives
you； but you must not forget that you came near being her murderer。〃
〃Monsieur Bongrand；〃 said Goupil； addressing the justice of peace。 〃I
shall negotiate to…night for Lecoeur's practice； I hope the reparation
I have now made will not injure me with you； and that you will back my
petition to the bar and the ministry。〃
Bongrand made a thoughtful inclination of his head； and Goupil left
the house to negotiate on the best terms he could for the sheriff's
practice。 The others remained with Ursula and did their best to
restore the peace and tranquillity of her mind； already much relieved
by Goupil's confession。
〃You see； my child； that God was not against you；〃 said the abbe。
Minoret came home late from Rouvre。 About nine o'clock he was sitting
in the Chinese pagoda digesting his dinner beside his wife； with whom
he was making plans for Desire's future。 Desire had become very sedate
since entering the magistracy； he worked hard； and it was not unlikely
that he would succeed the present procureur du roi at Fontainebleau；
who； they said； was to be advanced to Melun。 His parents felt that
they must find him a wife；some poor girl belonging to an old and
noble family； he would then make his way to the magistracy of Paris。
Perhaps they could get him elected deputy from Fontainebleau； where
Zelie was proposing to pass the winter after living at Rouvre for the
summer season。 Minoret； inwardly congratulating himself for having
managed his affairs so well； no longer thought or cared about Ursula；
at the very moment when the drama so heedlessly begun by him was
closing down upon him in a terrible manner。
〃Monsieur de Portenduere is here and wishes to speak to you；〃 said
Cabirolle。
〃Show him in；〃 answered Zelie。
The twilight shadows prevented Madame Minoret from noticing the sudden
pallor of her husband； who shuddered as he heard Savinien's boots on
the floor of the gallery； where the doctor's library used to be。 A
vague presentiment of danger ran through the robber's veins。 Savinien
entered and remaining standing； with his hat on his head； his cane in
his hand； and both hands crossed in front of him； motionless before
the husband and wife。
〃I have come to ascertain； Monsieur and Madame Minoret；〃 he said；
〃your reasons for tormenting in an infamous manner a young lady who；
as the whole town knows； is to be my wife。 Why have you endeavored to
tarnish her honor？ why have you wished to kill her？ why did you
deliver her over to Goupil's insults？Answer！〃
〃How absurd you are； Monsieur Savinien；〃 said Zelie； 〃to come and ask
us the meaning of a thing we think inexplicable。 I bother myself as
little about Ursula as I do about the year one。 Since Uncle Minoret
died I've not thought of her more than I do of my first tooth。 I've
never said one word about her to Goupil； who is； moreover； a queer
rogue whom I wouldn't think of consulting about even a dog。 Why don't
you speak up； Minoret？ Are you going to let monsieur box your ears in
that way and accuse you of wickedness that's beneath you？ As if a man
with forty…eight thousand francs a year from landed property； and a
castle fit for a prince； would stoop to such things！ Get up； and don't
sit there like a wet rag！〃
〃I don't know what monsieur means；〃 said Minoret in his squeaking
voice； the trembling of which was all the more noticeable because the
voice was clear。 〃What object could I have in persecuting the girl？ I
may have said to Goupil how annoyed I was at seeing her in Nemours。 My
son Desire fell in love with her； and I didn't want him to marry her；
that's all。〃
〃Goupil has confessed everything； Monsieur Minoret。〃
There was a moment's silence； but it was terrible； when all three
persons examined one another。 Zelie saw a nervous quiver on the heavy
face of her colossus。
〃Though you are only insects；〃 said the young nobleman； 〃I will make
you feel my vengeance。 It is not from you；
