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第54章

ursula-第54章

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  had agreed that the first who died should bid adieu to the other。

  On which; not being able to restrain his fears as to the truth of

  this warning; he sent a servant to the marquis's quarters; which

  were distant from him。 But before the man could get back; the king

  sent to inform the duke; by persons fitted to console him; of the

  great loss he had sustained。



  〃I leave learned men to discuss the cause of this event; which I

  have frequently heard the Duc de Montmorency relate: I think that

  the truth and singularity of the fact itself ought to be recorded

  and preserved。〃



〃If all this is so;〃 said Ursula; 〃what ought I do do?〃



〃My child;〃 said the abbe; 〃it concerns matters so important; and

which may prove so profitable to you; that you ought to keep

absolutely silent about it。 Now that you have confided to me the

secret of these apparitions perhaps they may not return。 Besides; you

are now strong enough to come to church; well; then; come to…morrow

and thank God and pray to him for the repose of your godfather's soul。

Feel quite sure that you have entrusted your secret to prudent hands。〃



〃If you knew how afraid I am to go to sleep;what glances my

godfather gives me! The last time he caught hold of my dressI awoke

with my face all covered with tears。〃



〃Be at peace; he will not come again;〃 said the priest。



Without losing a moment the Abbe Chaperon went straight to Minoret and

asked for a few moments interview in the Chinese pagoda; requesting

that they might be entirely alone。



〃Can any one hear us?〃 he asked。



〃No one;〃 replied Minoret。



〃Monsieur; my character must be known to you;〃 said the abbe;

fastening a gentle but attentive look on Minoret's face。 〃I have to

speak to you of serious and extraordinary matters; which concern you;

and about which you may be sure that I shall keep the profoundest

secrecy; but it is impossible for me to do otherwise than give you

this information。 While your uncle lived; there stood there;〃 said the

priest; pointing to a certain spot in the room; 〃a small buffet made

by Boule; with a marble top〃 (Minoret turned livid); 〃and beneath the

marble your uncle placed a letter for Ursula〃 The abbe then went on

to relate; without omitting the smallest circumstance; Minoret's

conduct to Minoret himself。 When the last post master heard the detail

of the two matches refusing to light he felt his hair begin to writhe

on his skull。



〃Who invented such nonsense?〃 he said; in a strangled voice; when the

tale ended。



〃The dead man himself。〃



This answer made Minoret tremble; for he himself had dreamed of the

doctor。



〃God is very good; Monsieur l'abbe; to do miracles for me;〃 he said;

danger inspiring him to make the sole jest of his life。



〃All that God does is natural;〃 replied the priest。



〃Your phantoms don't frighten me;〃 said the colossus; recovering his

coolness。



〃I did not come to frighten you; for I shall never speak of this to

any one in the world;〃 said the abbe。 〃You alone know the truth。 The

matter is between you and God。〃



〃Come now; Monsieur l'abbe; do you really think me capable of such a

horrible abuse of confidence?〃



〃I believe only in crimes which are confessed to me; and of which the

sinner repents;〃 said the priest; in an apostolic tone。



〃Crime?〃 cried Minoret。



〃A crime frightful in its consequences。〃



〃What consequences?〃



〃In the fact that it escapes human justice。 The crimes which are not

expiated here below will be punished in another world。 God himself

avenges innocence。〃



〃Do you think God concerns himself with such trifles?〃



〃If he did not see the worlds in all their details at a glance; as you

take a landscape into your eye; he would not be God。〃



〃Monsieur l'abbe; will you give me your word of honor that you have

had these facts from my uncle?〃



〃Your uncle has appeared three times to Ursula and has told them and

repeated them to her。 Exhausted by such visions she revealed them to

me privately; she considers them so devoid of reason that she will

never speak of them。 You may make yourself easy on that point。〃



〃I am easy on all points; Monsieur Chaperon。〃



〃I hope you are;〃 said the old priest。 〃Even if I considered these

warnings absurd; I should still feel bound to inform you of them;

considering the singular nature of the details。 You are an honest man;

and you have obtained your handsome fortune in too legal a way to wish

to add to it by theft。 Besides; you are an almost primitive man; and

you would be tortured by remorse。 We have within us; be we savage or

civilized; the sense of what is right; and this will not permit us to

enjoy in peace ill…gotten gains acquired against the laws of the

society in which we live;for well…constituted societies are modeled

on the system God has ordained for the universe。 In this respect

societies have a divine origin。 Man does not originate ideas; he

invents no form; he answers to the eternal relations that surround him

on all sides。 Therefore; see what happens! Criminals going to the

scaffold; and having it in their power to carry their secret with

them; are compelled by the force of some mysterious power to make

confessions before their heads are taken off。 Therefore; Monsieur

Minoret; if your mind is at ease; I go my way satisfied。〃



Minoret was so stupefied that he allowed the abbe to find his own way

out。 When he thought himself alone he flew into the fury of a choleric

man; the strangest blasphemies escaped his lips; in which Ursula's

name was mingled with odious language。



〃Why; what has she done to you?〃 cried Zelie; who had slipped in on

tiptoe after seeing the abbe out of the house。



For the first and only time in his life; Minoret; drunk with anger and

driven to extremities by his wife's reiterated questions; turned upon

her and beat her so violently that he was obliged; when she fell half…

dead on the floor; to take her in his arms and put her to bed himself;

ashamed of his act。 He was taken ill and the doctor bled him twice;

when he appeared again in the streets everybody noticed a great change

in him。 He walked alone; and often roamed the town as though uneasy。

When any one addressed him he seemed preoccupied in his mind; he who

had never before had two ideas in his head。 At last; one evening; he

went up to Monsieur Bongrand in the Grand'Rue; the latter being on his

way to take Ursula to Madame de Portenduere's; where the whist parties

had begun again。



〃Monsieur Bongrand; I have something important to say to my cousin;〃

he said; taking the justice by the arm; 〃and I am very glad you should

be present; for you can advise her。〃



They found Ursula studying; she rose; with a cold and dignified air;

as soon as she saw Minoret。



〃My child; Monsieur Minoret wants to speak to you on a matter of

business;〃 said Bongrand。 〃By the bye; don't forget to give me your

certificates; I shall go to Paris in the morning and will draw your

dividend and La Bougival's。〃



〃Cousin;〃 said Minoret; 〃our uncle accustomed you to more luxury than

you have now。〃



〃We can be very happy with very little money;〃 she replied。



〃I thought money might help your happiness;〃 continued Minoret; 〃and I

have come to offer you some; out of respect for the memory of my

uncle。〃



〃You had a natural way of showing respect for him;〃 said Ursula;

sternly; 〃you could have left his house as it was; and allowed me to

buy it; instead of that you put it at a high price; hoping to find

some hidden treasure in it。〃



〃But;〃 said Minoret; evidently troubled; 〃if you had twelve thousand

francs a year you would be in a position to marry well。〃



〃I have not got them。〃



〃But suppose I give them to you; on condition of your buying an estate

in Brittany near Madame de Portenduere;you could then marry her

son。〃



〃Monsieur Minoret;〃 said Ursula; 〃I have no 

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