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第55章

ursula-第55章

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

son。〃



〃Monsieur Minoret;〃 said Ursula; 〃I have no claim to that money; and I

cannot accept it from you。 We are scarcely relations; still less are

we friends。 I have suffered too much from calumny to give a handle for

evil…speaking。 What have I done to deserve that money? What reason

have you to make me such a present? These questions; which I have a

right to ask; persons will answer as they see fit; some would consider

your gift the reparation of a wrong; and; as such; I choose not to

accept it。 Your uncle did not bring me up to ignoble feelings。 I can

accept nothing except from friends; and I have no friendship for you。〃



〃Then you refuse?〃 cried the colossus; into whose head the idea had

never entered that a fortune could be rejected。



〃I refuse;〃 said Ursula。



〃But what grounds have you for offering Mademoiselle Ursula such a

fortune?〃 asked Bongrand; looking fixedly at Minoret。 〃You have an

ideahave you an idea?〃



〃Well; yes; the idea of getting her out of Nemours; so that my son

will leave me in peace; he is in love with her and wants to marry

her。〃



〃Well; we'll see about it;〃 said Bongrand; settling his spectacles。

〃Give us time to think it over。〃



He walked home with Minoret; applauding the solicitude shown by the

father for his son's interests; and slightly blaming Ursula for her

hasty decision。 As soon as Minoret was within his own gate; Bongrand

went to the post house; borrowed a horse and cabriolet; and started

for Fontainebleau; where he went to see the deputy procureur; and was

told that he was spending the evening at the house of the sub…prefect。

Bongrand; delighted; followed him there。 Desire was playing whist with

the wife of the procureur du roi; the wife of the sub…prefect; and the

colonel of the regiment in garrison。



〃I come to bring you some good news;〃 said Bongrand to Desire; 〃you

love your cousin Ursula; and the marriage can be arranged。〃



〃I love Ursula Mirouet!〃 cried Desire; laughing。 〃Where did you get

that idea? I do remember seeing her sometimes at the late Doctor

Minoret's; she certainly is a beauty; but she is dreadfully pious。 I

certainly took notice of her charms; but I must say I never troubled

my head seriously for that rather insipid little blonde;〃 he added;

smiling at the sub…prefect's wife (who was a piquante brunetteto use

a term of the last century)。 〃You are dreaming; my dear Monsieur

Bongrand; I thought every one knew that my father was a lord of a

manor; with a rent roll of forty…five thousand francs a year from

lands around his chateau at Rouvre;good reasons why I should not

love the goddaughter of my late great…uncle。 If I were to marry a girl

without a penny these ladies would consider me a fool。〃



〃Have you never tormented your father to let you marry Ursula?〃



〃Never。〃



〃You hear that; monsieur?〃 said the justice to the procureur du roi;

who had been listening to the conversation; leading him aside into the

recess of a window; where they remained in conversation for a quarter

of an hour。



An hour later Bongrand was back in Nemours; at Ursula's house; whence

he sent La Bougival to Minoret to beg his attendance。 The colossus

came at once。



〃Mademoiselle〃 began Bongrand; addressing Minoret as he entered the

room。



〃Accepts?〃 cried Minoret; interrupting him。



〃No; not yet;〃 replied Bongrand; fingering his glasses。 〃I had

scruples as to your son's feelings; for Ursula has been much tried

lately about a supposed lover。 We know the importance of tranquillity。

Can you swear to me that your son truly loves her and that you have no

other intention than to preserve our dear Ursula from any further

Goupilisms?〃



〃Oh; I'll swear to that;〃 cried Minoret。



〃Stop; papa Minoret;〃 said the justice; taking one hand from the

pocket of his trousers to slap Minoret on the shoulder (the colossus

trembled); 〃Don't swear falsely。〃



〃Swear falsely?〃



〃Yes; either you or your son; who has just sworn at Fontainebleau; in

presence of four persons and the procureur du roi; that he has never

even thought of his cousin Ursula。 You have other reasons for offering

this fortune。 I saw you were inventing that tale; and went myself to

Fontainebleau to question your son。〃



Minoret was dumbfounded at his own folly。



〃But where's the harm; Monsieur Bongrand; in proposing to a young

relative to help on a marriage which seems to be for her happiness;

and to invent pretexts to conquer her reluctance to accept the money。〃



Minoret; whose danger suggested to him an excuse which was almost

admissible; wiped his forehead; wet with perspiration。



〃You know the cause of my refusal;〃 said Ursula; 〃and I request you

never to come here again。 Though Monsieur de Portenduere has not told

me his reason; I know that he feels such contempt for you; such

dislike even; that I cannot receive you into my house。 My happiness is

my only fortune;I do not blush to say so; I shall not risk it。

Monsieur de Portenduere is only waiting for my majority to marry me。〃



〃Then the old saw that 'Money does all' is a lie;〃 said Minoret;

looking at the justice of peace; whose observing eyes annoyed him so

much。



He rose and left the house; but; once outside; he found the air as

oppressive as in the little salon。



〃There must be an end put to this;〃 he said to himself as he re…

entered his own home。



When Ursula came down; bring her certificates and those of La

Bougival; she found Monsieur Bongrand walking up and down the salon

with great strides。



〃Have you no idea what the conduct of that huge idiot means?〃 he said。



〃None that I can tell;〃 she replied。



Bongrand looked at her with inquiring surprise。



〃Then we have the same idea;〃 he said。 〃Here; keep the number of your

certificates; in case I lose them; you should always take that

precaution。〃



Bongrand himself wrote the number of the two certificates; hers and

that of La Bougival; and gave them to her。



〃Adieu; my child; I shall be gone two days; but you will see me on the

third。〃



That night the apparition appeared to Ursula in a singular manner。 She

thought her bed was in the cemetery of Nemours; and that her uncle's

grave was at the foot of it。 The white stone; on which she read the

inscription; opened; like the cover of an oblong album。 She uttered a

piercing cry; but the doctor's spectre slowly rose。 First she saw his

yellow head; with its fringe of white hair; which shone as if

surmounted by a halo。 Beneath the bald forehead the eyes were like two

gleams of light; the dead man rose as if impelled by some superior

force or will。 Ursula's body trembled; her flesh was like a burning

garment; and there was (as she subsequently said) another self moving

within her bodily presence。 〃Mercy!〃 she cried; 〃mercy; godfather!〃

〃It is too late;〃 he said; in the voice of death;to use the poor

girl's own expression when she related this new dream to the abbe。 〃He

has been warned; he has paid no heed to the warning。 The days of his

son are numbered。 If he does not confess all and restore what he has

taken within a certain time he must lose his son; who will die a

violent and horrible death。 Let him know this。〃 The spectre pointed to

a line of figures which gleamed upon the side of the tomb as if

written with fire; and said; 〃There is his doom。〃 When her uncle lay

down again in his grave Ursula heard the sound of the stone falling

back into its place; and immediately after; in the distance; a strange

sound of horses and the cries of men。



The next day Ursula was prostrate。 She could not rise; so terribly had

the dream overcome her。 She begged her nurse to find the Abbe Chaperon

and bring him to her。 The good priest came as soon as he had said

mass; but he was not surprised at Ursula's revelation。 He believed the

robbery had been committed; and no longer tried 

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