下载辰思小说免费APP
WithstandingSavinien’sentreaties，sherefusedtotellhim，outofprudence，thesecretofherfears。Thedelightofseeinghimagain，aftershehadthoughthimlosttoher，couldalonehavemadeherrecoverfromthemortalchillofterror。Theexpectationofindefiniteevilistorturetoeveryone；sufferingassumestheproportionsoftheunknown，andtheunknownistheinfiniteofthesoul。ToUrsulathepainwasexquisite。Somethingwithoutherboundedattheslightestnoise；yetshewasafraidofsilence，andsuspectedeventhewallsofcollusion。Evenhersleepwasrestless。Goupil，whoknewnothingofhernature，delicateasthatofaflower，hadfound，withtheinstinctofevil，thepoisonthatcouldwitheranddestroyher。
Thenextdaypassedwithoutashock。Ursulasatplayingonherpianotillverylate；andwenttobedeasierinmindandverysleepy。Aboutmidnightshewasawakenedbythemusicofabandcomposedofaclarinet，hautboy，flute，cornetapiston，trombone，bassoon，flageolet，andtriangle。Alltheneighbourswereattheirwindows。Thepoorgirl，alreadyfrightenedatseeingthepeopleinthestreet，receivedadreadfulshockassheheardthecoarse，roughvoiceofamanproclaiminginloudtones:“ForthebeautifulUrsulaMirouet，fromherlover。“
Thenextday，Sunday，thewholetownhadheardofit；andasUrsulaenteredandleftthechurchshesawthegroupsofpeoplewhostoodgossipingabouther，andfeltherselftheobjectoftheirterriblecuriosity。Theserenadesetalltongueswagging，andconjectureswererifeonallsides。Ursulareachedhomemoredeadthanalive，determinednottoleavethehouseagain，——theabbehavingadvisedhertosayvespersinherownroom。Assheenteredthehouseshesawlyinginthepassage，whichwasflooredwithbrick，aletterwhichhadevidentlybeenslippedunderthedoor。Shepickeditupandreadit，undertheideathatitwouldobtainanexplanation。Itwasasfollows:——
“Resignyourselftobecomingmywife，richandidolized。Iamresolved。Ifyouarenotminelivingyoushallbeminedead。Toyourrefusalyoumayattributenotonlyyourownmisfortunes，butthosewhichwillfallonothers。
“Hewholovesyou，andwhosewifeyouwillbe。“
Curiouslyenough，attheverymomentthatthegentlevictimofthisplotwasdroopinglikeacutflower，MesdemoisellesMassin，Dionis，andCremierewereenvyingherlot。
“Sheisaluckygirl，“theyweresaying；“peopletalkofher，andcourther，andquarrelabouther。Theserenadewascharming；therewasacornet-a-piston。“
“What’sapiston？“
“Anewmusicalinstrument，asbigasthis，see！“repliedAngeliqueCremieretoPamelaMassin。
EarlythatmorningSavinienhadgonetoFontainebleautoendeavortofindoutwhohadengagedthemusiciansoftheregimenttheningarrison。ButasthereweretwomentoeachinstrumentitwasimpossibletofindoutwhichofthemhadgonetoNemours。Thecolonelforbadethemtoplayforanyprivatepersoninfuturewithouthispermission。Savinienhadaninterviewwiththeprocureurduroi，Ursula’slegalguardian，andexplainedtohimtheinjurythesesceneswoulddotoayounggirlnaturallysodelicateandsensitive，begginghimtotakesomeactiontodiscovertheauthorofsuchwrong。
Threenightslaterthreeviolins，aflute，aguitar，andahautboybegananotherserenade。ThistimethemusiciansfledtowardsMontargis，wheretherehappenedthentobeacompanyofcomicactors。
Aloudandringingvoicecalledoutastheyleft:“Tothedaughteroftheregime
