Page:Novels of Honoré de Balzac Volume 23.djvu/270

 testify to the decease. Although deputy-mayor, I cannot draw up my uncle’s certificate of death.—You, Massin, go and ask old Bongrand to affix the seals.—And you, mesdames, keep Ursule company,” he said to his wife, to Mesdames Massin and Crémière. “In this way nothing will be lost. Above all, shut the gate so that no one can go out!”

The women, who felt the propriety of this hint, ran to Ursule’s room and found this noble creature, already so cruelly suspected, on her knees praying to God, her face streaming with tears. Minoret, guessing that the three heiresses would not stay long with Ursule, and fearing the suspicion of his co-heirs, went into the library, found the book, opened it, took the three bonds and found thirty bank notes in the other. In spite of his coarse nature, the giant fancied he could hear a peal of bells in each ear, and the blood hissed in his temples as he accomplished this theft. In spite of the severity of the season, his shirt clung to his back; at last his legs trembled to such an extent that he sank upon one of the salon sofas, as if a club had struck him on the head.

“Ah! how an inheritance loosens the great Minoret’s tongue!” Massin said, as he rushed about the town. “Did you hear him?” he said to Crémière. “‘Go here! go there!’ as if he were drilling!”

“Yes, for a great big fool, he had a certain look—”

“Why,” said Massin, alarmed, “his wife is there, they are two too many! You do the commissions, I am going back.”