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！
you； my good sir； that my disposition of my property is irrevocably
made。 My heirs will have the capital I brought here with me； I wish
them to know that； and to let me alone。 If any one of them attempts to
interfere with what I think proper to do for that young girl （pointing
to Ursula） I shall come back from the other world and torment him。 So；
Monsieur Savinien de Portenduere will stay in prison if they count on
me to get him out。 I shall not sell my property in the Funds。〃
Hearing this last fragment of the sentence Ursula experienced the
first and only pain which so far had ever touched her。 She laid her
head against the blind to steady herself。
〃Good God； what is the matter with her？〃 thought the old doctor。 〃She
has no color； such an emotion after dinner might kill her。〃
He went to her with open arms； and she fell into them almost fainting。
〃Adieu； Monsieur；〃 he said to the notary； 〃please leave us。〃
He carried his child to an immense Louis XV。 sofa which was in his
study； looked for a phial of hartshorn among his remedies； and made
her inhale it。
〃Take my place；〃 said the doctor to Bongrand； who was terrified； 〃I
must be alone with her。〃
The justice of peace accompanied the notary to the gate； asking him；
but without showing any eagerness； what was the matter with Ursula。
〃I don't know；〃 replied Dionis。 〃She was standing by the pagoda；
listening to us； and just as her uncle （so…called） refused to lend
some money at my request to young de Portenduere who is in prison for
debt；for he has not had； like Monsieur du Rouvre； a Monsieur
Bongrand to defend him；she turned pale and staggered。 Can she love
him？ Is there anything between them？〃
〃At fifteen years of age？ pooh！〃 replied Bongrand。
〃She was born in February； 1813； she'll be sixteen in four months。〃
〃I don't believe she ever saw him；〃 said the judge。 〃No； it is only a
nervous attack。〃
〃Attack of the heart； more likely；〃 said the notary。
Dionis was delighted with this discovery； which would prevent the
marriage 〃in extremis〃 which they dreaded；the only sure means by
which the doctor could defraud his relatives。 Bongrand； on the other
hand； saw a private castle of his own demolished； he had long thought
of marrying his son to Ursula。
〃If the poor girl loves that youth it will be a misfortune for her；〃
replied Bongrand after a pause。 〃Madame de Portenduere is a Breton and
infatuated with her noble blood。〃
〃LuckilyI mean for the honor of the Portendueres；〃 replied the
notary； on the point of betraying himself。
Let us do the faithful and upright Bongrand the justice to say that
before he re…entered the salon he had abandoned； not without deep
regret for his son； the hope he had cherished of some day calling
Ursula his daughter。 He meant to give his son six thousand francs a
year the day he was appointed substitute； and if the doctor would give
Ursula a hundred thousand francs what a pearl of a home the pair would
make！ His Eugene was so loyal and charming a fellow！ Perhaps he had
praised his Eugene too often； and that had made the doctor
distrustful。
〃I shall have to come down to the mayor's daughter；〃 he thought。 〃But
Ursula without any money is worth more than Mademoiselle Levrault…
Cremiere with a million。 However； the thing to be done is to manoeuvre
the marriage with this little Portenduereif she really loves him。〃
The doctor； after closing the door to the library and that to the
garden； took his goddaughter to the window which opened upon the
river。
〃What ails you； my child？〃 he said。 〃Your life is my life。 Without
your smiles what would become of me？〃
〃Savinien in prison！〃 she said。
With these words a shower of tears fell from her eyes and she began to
sob。
〃Saved！〃 thought the doctor； who was holding her pulse with great
anxiety。 〃Alas！ she has all the sensitiveness of my poor wife；〃 he
thought； fetching a stethoscope which he put to Ursula's heart；
applying his ear to it。 〃Ah； that's all right；〃 he said to himself。 〃I
did not know； my darling； that you loved any one as yet；〃 he added；
looking at her； 〃but think out loud to me as you think to yourself；
tell me all that has passed between you。〃
〃I do not love him； godfather； we have never spoken to each other；〃
she answered； sobbing。 〃But to hear that he is in prison； and to know
that youharshlyrefused to get him outyou； so good！〃
〃Ursula； my dear little good angel； if you do not love him why did you
put that little red dot against Saint Savinien's day just as you put
one before that of Saint Denis？ Come； tell me everything about your
little love…affair。〃
Ursula blushed； swallowed a few tears； and for a moment there was
silence between them。
〃Surely you are not afraid of your father； your friend； mother；
doctor； and godfather； whose heart is now more tender than it ever has
been。〃
〃No； no； dear godfather；〃 she said。 〃I will open my heart to you。 Last
May； Monsieur Savinien came to see his mother。 Until then I had never
taken notice of him。 When he left home to live in Paris I was a child；
and I did not see any difference between him andall of youexcept
perhaps that I loved you； and never thought of loving any one else。
Monsieur Savinien came by the mail…post the night before his mother's
fete…day； but we did not know it。 At seven the next morning； after I
had said my prayers； I opened the window to air my room and I saw the
windows in Monsieur Savinien's room open； and Monsieur Savinien was
there； in a dressing gown； arranging his beard； in all his movements
there was such graceI mean； he seemed to me so charming。 He combed
his black moustache and the little tuft on his chin； and I saw his
white throatso round！must I tell you all？ I noticed that his
throat and face and that beautiful black hair were all so different
from yours when I watch you arranging your beard。 There cameI don't
know howa sort of glow into my heart； and up into my throat； my
head； it came so violently that I sat downI couldn't stand； I
trembled so。 But I longed to see him again； and presently I got up； he
saw me then； and； just for play； he sent me a kiss from the tips of
his fingers and〃
〃And？〃
〃And then；〃 she continued； 〃I hid myselfI was ashamed； but happy
why should I be ashamed of being happy？ That feelingit dazzled my
soul and gave it some power； but I don't know whatit came again each
time I saw within me the same young face。 I loved this feeling；
violent as it was。 Going to mass； some unconquerable power made me
look at Monsieur Savinien with his mother on his arm； his walk； his
clothes； even the tap of his boots on the pavement； seemed to me so
charming。 The least little thing about himhis hand with the delicate
gloveacted like a spell upon me； and yet I had strength enough not
to think of him during mass。 When the service was over I stayed in the
church to let Madame de Portenduere go first； and then I walked behind
him。 I couldn't tell you how these little things excited me。 When I
reached home； I turned round to fasten the iron gate〃
〃Where was La Bougival？〃 asked the doctor。
〃Oh； I let her go to the kitchen；〃 said Ursula simply。 〃Then I saw
Monsieur Savinien standing quite still and looking at me。 Oh！
godfather； I was so proud； for I thought I saw a look in his eyes of
surprise and admirationI don't know what I would not do to make him
look at me again like that。 It seemed to me I ought to think of
nothing forevermore but pleasing him。 That glance is now the best
reward I have for any good I do。 From that moment I have thought of
him incessantly； in spite of myself。 Monsieur Savinien went back to
Paris that evening； and I have not seen him since。 The street seems
empty； he took my heart away with himbut he does not know it。〃
〃Is that all？〃 asked the old man。
〃All； dear godfather；〃 she said； with a sigh of regret that there was
not more to tell。
〃My little girl；〃 said the doctor； putting her on his knee； 〃you are
nearly sixteen and your womanhood is beginning。 You are now between
your blessed childhood； which is ending； and the emotions of love；
which will make your life a tumultuous one； for you have a nervous
system of exquisite sensibility。 What has happened to you； my child；
is love；〃 said the old man with an expression of deepest sadness；
〃love in its holy simplicity； love as it ought to be； involuntary；
sudden； coming like a thief who takes allyes； all！ I expected it。 I
have studied women； many need proofs and miracles of affection before
love conquers them； but others there are； under the influence of
sympathies explainable to…day by magnetic fluids； who are possessed by
it in an instant。 To you I can now tell allas soon as I saw the
charming woman whose name you bear； I felt that I should love her
forever； solely and faithfully； without knowing whether our characters
or persons su