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！
showed you in your dreamswhere he said that he placed those
certificates and banknotes。〃
Ursula and the abbe went up to the library and took down the third
volume of the Pandects。 When the old man opened it he noticed； not
without surprise； a mark left by some enclosure upon the pages； which
still kept the outline of the certificate。 In the other volume he
found a sort of hollow made by the long…continued presence of a
package； which had left its traces on the two pages next to it。
〃Yes； go up； Monsieur Bongrand；〃 La Bougival was heard to say； and the
justice of the peace came into the library just as the abbe was
putting on his spectacles to read three numbers in Doctor Minoret's
hand…writing on the fly…leaf of colored paper with which the binder
had lined the cover of the volume；figures which Ursula had just
discovered。
〃What's the meaning of those figures？〃 said the abbe； 〃our dear doctor
was too much of a bibliophile to spoil the fly…leaf of a valuable
volume。 Here are three numbers written between a first number preceded
by the letter M and a last number preceded by a U。〃
〃What are you talking of？〃 said Bongrand。 〃Let me see that。 Good God！〃
he cried； after a moment's examination； 〃it would open the eyes of an
atheist as an actual demonstration of Providence！ Human justice is； I
believe； the development of the divine thought which hovers over the
worlds。〃 He seized Ursula and kissed her forehead。 〃Oh！ my child； you
will be rich and happy； and all through me！〃
〃What is it？〃 exclaimed the abbe。
〃Oh； monsieur；〃 cried La Bougival； catching Bongrand's blue overcoat；
〃let me kiss you for what you've just said。〃
〃Explain； explain！ don't give us false hopes；〃 said the abbe。
〃If I bring trouble on others by becoming rich；〃 said Ursula；
forseeing a criminal trial； 〃I〃
〃Remember；〃 said the justice； interrupting her； 〃the happiness you
will give to Savinien。〃
〃Are you mad？〃 said the abbe。
〃No； my dear friend；〃 said Bongrand。 〃Listen； the certificates in the
Funds are issued in series；as many series as there are letters in
the alphabet； and each number bears the letter of its series。 But the
certificates which are made out 'to bearer' cannot have a letter； they
are not in any person's name。 What you see there shows that the day
the doctor placed his money in the Funds； he noted down； first； the
number of his own certificate for fifteen thousand francs interest
which bears his initial M； next； the numbers of three inscriptions to
bearer； these are without a letter； and thirdly； the certificate of
Ursula's share in the Funds； the number of which is 23；534； and which
follows； as you see； that of the fifteen…thousand…franc certificate
with lettering。 This goes far to prove that those numbers are those of
five certificates of investments made on the same day and noted down
by the doctor in case of loss。 I advised him to take certificates to
bearer for Ursula's fortune； and he must have made his own investment
and that of Ursula's little property the same day。 I'll go to Dionis's
office and look at the inventory。 If the number of the certificate for
his own investment is 23；533； letter M； we may be sure that he
invested； through the same broker on the same day； first his own
property on a single certificate； secondly his savings in three
certificates to bearer （numbered； but without the series letter）；
thirdly； Ursula's own property； the transfer books will show； of
course； undeniable proofs of this。 Ha！ Minoret； you deceiver； I have
you Motus； my children！〃
Whereupon he left them abruptly to reflect with admiration on the ways
by which Providence had brought the innocent to victory。
〃The finger of God is in all this；〃 cried the abbe。
〃Will they punish him？〃 asked Ursula。
〃Ah； mademoiselle；〃 cried La Bougival。 〃I'd give the rope to hang
him。〃
Bongrand was already at Goupil's； now the appointed successor of
Dionis； but he entered the office with a careless air。 〃I have a
little matter to verify about the Minoret property；〃 he said to
Goupil。
〃What is it？〃 asked the latter。
〃The doctor left one or more certificates in the three…per…cent
Funds？〃
〃He left one for fifteen thousand francs a year；〃 said Goupil； 〃I
recorded it myself。〃
〃Then just look on the inventory；〃 said Bongrand。
Goupil took down a box； hunted through it； drew out a paper； found the
place； and read：
〃'Item； one certificate' Here； read for yourselfunder the number
23；533； letter M。〃
〃Do me the kindness to let me have a copy of that clause within an
hour；〃 said Bongrand。
〃What good is it to you？〃 asked Goupil。
〃Do you want to be a notary？〃 answered the justice of peace； looking
sternly at Dionis's proposed successor。
〃Of course I do；〃 cried Goupil。 〃I've swallowed too many affronts not
to succeed now。 I beg you to believe； monsieur； that the miserable
creature once called Goupil has nothing in common with Maitre Jean…
Sebastien…Marie Goupil； notary of Nemours and husband of Mademoiselle
Massin。 The two beings do not know each other。 They are no longer even
alike。 Look at me！〃
Thus adjured Monsieur Bongrand took notice of Goupil's clothes。 The
new notary wore a white cravat； a shirt of dazzling whiteness adorned
with ruby buttons； a waistcoat of red velvet； with trousers and coat
of handsome black broad…cloth； made in Paris。 His boots were neat； his
hair； carefully combed； was perfumedin short he was metamorphosed。
〃The fact is you are another man；〃 said Bongrand。
〃Morally as well as physically。 Virtue comes with practicea
practice； besides； money is the source of cleanliness〃
〃Morally as well as physically；〃 returned Bongrand； settling his
spectacles。
〃Ha！ monsieur； is a man worth a hundred thousand francs a year ever a
democrat？ Consider me in future as an honest man who knows what
refinement is； and who intends to love his wife；〃 said Goupil； 〃and
what's more； I shall prevent my clients from ever doing dirty
actions。〃
〃Well； make haste；〃 said Bongrand。 〃Let me have that copy in an hour；
and notary Goupil will have undone some of the evil deeds of Goupil
the clerk。〃
After asking the Nemours doctor to lend him his horse and cabriolet；
he went back to Ursula's house for the two important volumes and for
her own certificate of Funds； then； armed with the extract from the
inventory； he drove to Fontainebleau and had an interview with the
procureur du roi。 Bongrand easily convinced that official of the theft
of the three certificates by one or other of the heirs；presumably by
Minoret。
〃His conduct is explained；〃 said the procureur。
As a measure of precaution the magistrate at once notified the
Treasury to withhold transfer of the said certificates； and told
Bongrand to go to Paris and ascertain if the shares had ever been
sold。 He then wrote a polite note to Madame Minoret requesting her
presence。
Zelie； very uneasy about her son's duel； dressed herself at once； had
the horses put to her carriage and hurried to Fontainebleau。 The
procureur's plan was simple enough。 By separating the wife from the
husband； and bringing the terrors of the law to bear upon her； he
expected to learn the truth。 Zelie found the official in his private
office and was utterly annihilated when he addressed her as follows：
〃Madame；〃 he said； 〃I do not believe you are an accomplice in a theft
that has been committed upon the Minoret property； on the track of
which the law is now proceeding。 But you can spare your husband the
shame of appearing in the prisoner's dock by making a full confession
of what you know about it。 The punishment which your husband has
incurred is； moreover； not the only thing to be dreaded。 Your son's
career is to be thought of； you must avoid destroying that。 Half an
hour hence will be too late。 The police are already under orders for
Nemours； the warrant is made out。〃
Zelie nearly fainted； when she recovered her senses she confessed
everything。 After proving to her that she was in point of fact an
accomplice； the magistrate told her that if she did not wish to injure
either son or husband she must behave with the utmost prudence。
〃You have now to do with me as an individual； not as a magistrate；〃 he
said。 〃No complaint has been lodged by the victim； nor has any
publicity been given to the theft。 But your husband has committed a
great crime； which may be brought before a judge less inclined than
myself to be considerate。 In the present state of the affair I am
obliged to make you a prisoneroh； in my own house； on parole；〃 he
added； seeing that Zelie was about to faint。 〃You must remember that
my official duty would require me to issue a warrant at once and begin
an examination； but I am acting now individually； as guardian of
Mademoiselle Ursula Mirouet； and her best interests demand a
compromise。〃
〃A