Ursule Mirouet by Honoré de Balzac

Author:Honoré de Balzac
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
ISBN: 9780241214411
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 2015-01-26T16:00:00+00:00

11

Savinien is Rescued

In was striking nine as the wicket closed behind the abbé, who rang sharply at the doctor’s iron gate. From Tiennette to La Bougival it was a change without a difference, for the latter greeted him with: ‘You’re very late, Monsieur le Curé!’ whereas the former had asked: ‘Why do you leave Madame so early when she’s distressed?’

The curé found quite a gathering in the doctor’s green and brown drawing-room, for Dionis had called in at Massin’s to reassure the collateral family, repeating their uncle’s words to them.

‘Ursule,’ he said, ‘has, I think, a love-affair on her mind which will only cause her trouble and distress; she seems romantic [the word notaries apply to extreme sensitivity], she’ll be a spinster for a long time yet. So don’t show any distrust. Make a fuss of her, and do as your uncle bids you. He’s smarter than a hundred Goupils,’ added the notary, unaware that ‘Goupil’ is a corruption of the Latin word vulpes, meaning a fox.

Thus, Madame Massin and Madame Crémière, their husbands, the postmaster and Désiré joined with Bongrand and the Nemours doctor to make up an unusual and rowdy gathering of people in the doctor’s house. On his arrival at the house Abbé Chaperon could hear the piano. Poor Ursule was coming to the end of Beethoven’s symphony in A. With the guile of innocence, the young girl – enlightened by her godfather and unfriendly towards the collateral heirs – chose this grandiose music, which must be studied before it can be understood, so as to dispel the women’s envy. The more beautiful music is, the less it is appreciated by ignorant people. Thus, when the door opened to reveal Abbé Chaperon’s venerable face the heirs cried out: ‘Hello! here’s the rector!’, happy to get up from their seats and put an end to their torture.

Their cry found an echo at the card-table where Bongrand, the Nemours doctor and Minoret were victims of the tax-collector’s impertinence: to please his great-uncle, Crémière had suggested he should make a fourth at whist. Ursule left the pianoforte. The doctor stood up as if to greet the parish priest, but really so as to end the game. After flowery compliments to their uncle about his goddaughter’s talent, the heirs withdrew.

‘Good night, my friends,’ cried the doctor as the iron gate clanged to.

‘Well! so that’s what all the money’s going on,’ Madame Crémière remarked to Madame Massin after they had gone a few paces.

‘Heaven preserve me from spending money for little Alice to kick up a racket like that in my house,’ was Madame Massin’s reply.

‘She says it’s by Bethovan, but he’s supposed to be a great musician,’ said the tax-gatherer. ‘He has quite a reputation.’

‘He’ll never have one in Nemours!’ Madame Crémière went on. ‘People are right to call him Bête à vent.’*

‘I think Uncle deliberately laid it on so we wouldn’t come again,’ said Massin. ‘He winked as he pointed out the green volume to that little minx.’

‘If that’s the kind of din they enjoy,’ said the postmaster, ‘then let them mix amongst themselves.

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