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！
bench； and when Savinien sat beside her； entreating pardon； he saw the
doctor standing before them。
〃My friend；〃 said the old man； 〃Ursula is a born sensitive； too rough
a word might kill her。 For her sake you must moderate the enthusiasm
of your loveAh！ if you had loved her for sixteen years as I have；
you would have been satisfied with her word of promise；〃 he added； to
revenge himself for the last sentence in Savinien's second letter。
Two days later the young man departed。 In spite of the letters which
he wrote regularly to Ursula； she fell a prey to an illness without
apparent cause。 Like a fine fruit with a worm at the core； a single
thought gnawed her heart。 She lost both appetite and color。 The first
time her godfather asked her what she felt； she replied：
〃I want to see the ocean。〃
〃It is difficult to take you to a sea…port in the depth of winter；〃
answered the old man。
〃Shall I really go？〃 she said。
If the wind was high； Ursula was inwardly convulsed； certain； in spite
of the learned assurances of the doctor and the abbe； that Savinien
was being tossed about in a whirlwind。 Monsieur Bongrand made her
happy for days with the gift of an engraving representing a midshipman
in uniform。 She read the newspapers； imagining that they would give
news of the cruiser on which her lover sailed。 She devoured Cooper's
sea…tales and learned to use sea…terms。 Such proofs of concentration
of feeling； often assumed by other women； were so genuine in Ursula
that she saw in dreams the coming of Savinien's letters； and never
failed to announce them； relating the dream as a forerunner。
〃Now；〃 she said to the doctor the fourth time that this happened； 〃I
am easy； wherever Savinien may be； if he is wounded I shall know it
instantly。〃
The old doctor thought over this remark so anxiously that the abbe and
Monsieur Bongrand were troubled by the sorrowful expression of his
face。
〃What pains you？〃 they said； when Ursula had left them。
〃Will she live？〃 replied the doctor。 〃Can so tender and delicate a
flower endure the trials of the heart？〃
Nevertheless； the 〃little dreamer；〃 as the abbe called her； was
working hard。 She understood the importance of a fine education to a
woman of the world； and all the time she did not give to her singing
and to the study of harmony and composition she spent in reading the
books chosen for her by the abbe from her godfather's rich library。
And yet while leading this busy life she suffered； though without
complaint。 Sometimes she would sit for hours looking at Savinien's
window。 On Sundays she would leave the church behind Madame de
Portenduere and watch her tenderly； for； in spite of the old lady's
harshness； she loved her as Savinien's mother。 Her piety increased；
she went to mass every morning； for she firmly believed that her
dreams were the gift of God。
At last her godfather； frightened by the effects produced by this
nostalgia of love； promised on her birthday to take her to Toulon to
see the departure of the fleet for Algiers。 Savinien's ship formed
part of it； but he was not to be informed beforehand of their
intention。 The abbe and Monsieur Bongrand kept secret the object of
this journey； said to be for Ursula's health； which disturbed and
greatly puzzled the relations。 After beholding Savinien in his naval
uniform； and going on board the fine flag…ship of the admiral； to whom
the minister had given young Portenduere a special recommendation；
Ursula； at her lover's entreaty； went with her godfather to Nice； and
along the shores of the Mediterranean to Genoa； where she heard of the
safe arrival of the fleet at Algiers and the landing of the troops。
The doctor would have liked to continue the journey through Italy； as
much to distract Ursula's mind as to finish； in some sense； her
education； by enlarging her ideas through comparison with other
manners and customs and countries； and by the fascination of a land
where the masterpieces of art can still be seen； and where so many
civilizations have left their brilliant traces。 But the tidings of the
opposition by the throne to the newly elected Chamber of 1830 obliged
the doctor to return to France； bringing back his treasure in a
flourishing state of health and possessed of a charming little model
of the ship on which Savinien was serving。
The elections of 1830 united into an active body the various Minoret
relations；Desire and Goupil having formed a committee in Nemours by
whose efforts a liberal candidate was put in nomination at
Fontainebleau。 Massin； as collector of taxes； exercised an enormous
influence over the country electors。 Five of the post master's farmers
were electors。 Dionis represented eleven votes。 After a few meetings
at the notary's； Cremiere； Massin； the post master； and their
adherents took a habit of assembling there。 By the time the doctor
returned； Dionis's office and salon were the camp of his heirs。 The
justice of peace and the mayor； who had formed an alliance； backed by
the nobility in the neighbouring castles； to resist the liberals of
Nemours； now worsted in their efforts； were more closely united than
ever by their defeat。
By the time Bongrand and the Abbe Chaperon were able to tell the
doctor by word of mouth the result of the antagonism； which was
defined for the first time； between the two classes in Nemours （giving
incidentally such importance to his heirs） Charles X。 had left
Rambouillet for Cherbourg。 Desire Minoret； whose opinions were those
of the Paris bar； sent for fifteen of his friends； commanded by Goupil
and mounted on horses from his father's stable； who arrived in Paris
on the night of the 28th。 With this troop Goupil and Desire took part
in the capture of the Hotel…de…Veille。 Desire was decorated with the
Legion of honor and appointed deputy procureur du roi at
Fontainebleau。 Goupil received the July cross。 Dionis was elected
mayor of Nemours； and the city council was composed of the post master
（now assistant…mayor）； Massin； Cremiere； and all the adherents of the
family faction。 Bongrand retained his place only through the influence
of his son； procureur du roi at Melun； whose marriage with
Mademoiselle Levrault was then on the tapis。
Seeing the three…per…cents quoted at forty…five； the doctor started by
post for Paris； and invested five hundred and forty thousand francs
in shares to bearer。 The rest of his fortune which amounted to about
two hundred and seventy thousand francs； standing in his own name in
the same funds； gave him ostensibly an income of fifteen thousand
francs a year。 He made the same disposition of Ursula's little capital
bequeathed to her by de Jordy； together with the accrued interest
thereon； which gave her about fourteen hundred francs a year in her
own right。 La Bougival； who had laid by some five thousand francs of
her savings； did the same by the doctor's advice； receiving in future
three hundred and fifty francs a year in dividends。 These judicious
transactions； agreed on between the doctor and Monsieur Bongrand； were
carried out in perfect secrecy； thanks to the political troubles of
the time。
When quiet was again restored the doctor bought the little house which
adjoined his own and pulled it down so as to build a coach…house and
stables on its side。 To employ a capital which would have given him a
thousand francs a year on outbuildings seemed actual folly to the
Minoret heirs。 This folly； if it were one； was the beginning of a new
era in the doctor's existence； for he now （at a period when horses and
carriages were almost given away） brought back from Paris three fine
horses and a caleche。
When； in the early part of November； 1830； the old man came to church
on a rainy day in the new carriage； and gave his hand to Ursula to
help her out； all the inhabitants flocked to the square；as much to
see the caleche and question the coachman； as to criticize the
goddaughter； to whose excessive pride and ambition Massin； Cremiere；
the post master； and their wives attributed this extravagant folly of
the old man。
〃A caleche！ Hey； Massin！〃 cried Goupil。 〃Your inheritance will go at
top speed now！〃
〃You ought to be getting good wages； Cabirolle；〃 said the post master
to the son of one of his conductors； who stood by the horses； 〃for it
is to be supposed an old man of eighty…four won't use up many horse…
shoes。 What did those horses cost？〃
〃Four thousand francs。 The caleche； though second…hand； was two
thousand； but it's a fine one； the wheels are patent。〃
〃Yes； it's a good carriage；〃 said Cremiere； 〃and a man must be rich to
buy that style of thing。〃
〃Ursula means to go at a good pace；〃 said Goupil。 〃She's right； she's
showing you how to enjoy life。 Why don't you have fine carriages and
horses； papa Minoret？ I wouldn't let myself be humiliated if I were
youI'd buy a carriage fit for a prince。〃
〃Come； Ca