ToMadamedePortenduere:
Mydearaunt，——IammoreannoyedthansurprisedatSavinien’spranks。AsIammarriedandthefatheroftwosonsandonedaughter，myfortune，alreadytoosmallformypositionandprospects，cannotbelessenedtoransomaPortenduerefromthehandsoftheJews。Sellyourfarm，payhisdebts，andcomeandlivewithusatPortenduere。Youshallreceivethewelcomeweoweyou，eventhoughourviewsmaynotbeentirelyinaccordancewithyours。Youshallbemadehappy，andwewillmanagetomarrySavinien，whommywifethinkscharming。Thislittleoutbreakisnothing；donotmakeyourselfunhappy；itwillneverbeknowninthispartofthecountry，wherethereareanumberofrichgirlswhowouldbedelightedtoenterourfamily。
Mywifejoinsmeinassuringyouofthehappinessyouwouldgiveus，andIbegyoutoacceptherwishesfortherealizationofthisplan，togetherwithmyaffectionaterespects。
Luc-Savinien，ComtedePortenduere。
“WhatlettersforaKergarouettoreceive！“criedtheoldBretonlady，wipinghereyes。
“Theadmiraldoesnotknowhisnephewisinprison，“saidtheAbbeChaperonatlast；“thecountessalonereadyourletter，andhasanswereditforhim。Butyoumustdecideatonceonsomecourse，“headdedafterapause，“andthisiswhatIhavethehonortoadvise。Donotsellyourfarm。Theleaseisjustout，havinglastedtwenty-fouryears；inafewmonthsyoucanraisetherenttosixthousandfrancsandgetapremiumfordoublethatamount。Borrowwhatyouneedofsomehonestman，——notfromthetownspeoplewhomakeabusinessofmortgages。Yourneighbourhereisamostworthyman；amanofgoodsociety，whoknewitasitwasbeforetheRevolution，whowasonceanatheist，andisnowanearnestCatholic。Donotletyourfeelingsdebaryoufromgoingtohishousethisveryevening；hewillfullyunderstandthestepyoutake；forgetforamomentthatyouareaKergarouet。“
“Never！“saidtheoldmother，inasharpvoice。
“Well，then，beanamiableKergarouet；comewhenheisalone。Hewilllendyouthemoneyatthreeandahalfpercent，perhapsevenatthreepercent，andwilldoyouthisservicedelicately；youwillbepleasedwithhim。HecangotoParisandreleaseSavinienhimself，——forhewillhavetogotheretosellouthisfunds，——andhecanbringtheladbacktoyou。“
“AreyouspeakingofthatlittleMinoret？“
“ThatlittleMinoretiseighty-threeyearsold，“saidtheabbe，smiling。“Mydearlady，dohavealittleChristiancharity；don’twoundhim，——hemightbeusefultoyouinotherways。“
“Whatways？“
“Hehasanangelinhishouse；apreciousyounggirl——“
“Oh！thatlittleUrsula。Whatofthat？“
Thepoorabbedidnotpursuethesubjectafterthesesignificantwords，thelaconicsharpnessofwhichcutthroughthepropositionhewasabouttomake。
“IthinkDoctorMinoretisveryrich，“hesaid。
“Somuchthebetterforhim。“
“Youhaveindirectlycausedyourson’smisfortunesbyrefusingtogivehimaprofession；bewareforthefuture，“saidtheabbesternly。“AmI
totellDoctorMinoretthatyouarecoming？“
“WhycannothecometomeifheknowsIwanthim？“shereplied。
“Ah，madame，ifyougotohimyouwillpayhimthreepercent；ifhecomestoyouyouwillpayhimfive，“saidtheabbe，inventingthisreasontoinfluencetheoldlady。“AndifyouareforcedtosellyourfarmbyDionisthenotary，orbyMassintheclerk(whowouldrefusetolendyouthemoney，knowingitwasmoretheirinteresttobuy)，youwouldlosehalfitsvalue。IhavenottheslightestinfluenceontheDionis，Massins，orLevraults，oranyofthoserichmenwhocovetyourfarmandknowthatyoursonisinprison。“
“Theyknowit！oh，dotheyknowit？“sheexclaimed，throwingupherarms。“There！mypoorabbe，youhaveletyourcoffeegetcold！
Tiennette，Tiennette！“
Tiennette，anoldBretonservantsixtyyearsofage，wearingashortgownandaBretoncap，camequicklyinandtooktheabbe’scoffeetowarmit。
“Letbe，Monsieurlerecteur，“shesaid，seeingthattheabbemeanttodrinkit，“I’lljustputitintothebain-marie，itwon’tspoilit。“
“Well，“saidtheabbetoMadamedePortenduereinhismostinsinuatingvoice，“Ishallgoandtellthedoctorofyourvisit，andyouwillcome——“
Theoldmotherdidnotyieldtillafteranhour’sdiscussion，duringwhichtheabbewasforcedtorepeathisargumentsatleasttentimes。
AndeventhentheproudKergarouetwasnotvanquisheduntilheusedthewords，“Savinienwouldgo。“
“ItisbetterthatIshouldgothanhe，“shesaid。
TheclockwasstrikingninewhenthelittledoormadeinthelargedoorofMadamedePortenduere’shouseclosedontheabbe，whoimmediatelycrossedtheroadandhastilyrangthebellatthedoctor’sgate。HefellfromTiennettetoLaBougival；theonesaidtohim，“Whydoyoucomesolate，Monsieurl’abbe？“astheotherhadsaid，“WhydoyouleaveMadamesoearlywhensheisintrouble？“
Theabbefoundanumerouscompanyassembledinthegreenandbrownsalon；forDionishadstoppedatMassin’sonhiswayhometore-assuretheheirsbyrepeatingtheiruncle’swords。
“IbelieveUrsulahasalove-affair，“saidhe，“whichwillbenothingbutpainandtroubletoher；sheseemsromantic“(extremesensibilityissocalledbynotaries)，“and，you’llsee，shewon’tmarrysoon。
Therefore，don’tshowheranydistrust；beveryattentivetoherandveryrespectfultoyouruncle，forheisslyerthanfiftyGoupils，“
addedthenotary——withoutbeingawarethatGoupilisacorruptionofthewordvulpes，afox。
SoMesdamesMassinandCremierewiththeirhusbands，thepostmasterandDesire，togetherwiththeNemoursdoctorandBongrand，madeanunusualandnoisypartyinthedoctor’ssalon。Astheabbeenteredheheardthesoundofthepiano。PoorUrsulawasjustfinishingasonataofBeethoven’s。Withgirlishmischiefshehadchosenthatgrandmusic，whichmustbestudiedtobeunderstood，forthepurposeofdisgustingthesewomenwiththethingtheycoveted。Thefinerthemusicthelessignorantpersonslikeit。So，whenthedooropenedandtheabbe’svenerableheadappearedtheyallcriedout:“Ah！here’sMonsieurl’abbe！“inatoneofrelief，delightedtojumpupandputanendtotheirtorture。
Theexclamationwasechoedatthecard-table，whereBongrand，theNemoursdoctor，andoldMinoretwerevictimstothepresumptionwithwhichthecollector，inordertopropitiatehisgreat-uncle，hadproposedtotakethefourthhandatwhist。Ursulaleftthepiano。Thedoctorroseasiftoreceivetheabbe，butreallytoputanendtothegame。Aftermanycomplimentstotheiruncleonthewonderfulproficiencyofhisgoddaughter，theheirsmadetheirbowandretired。
“Good-night，myfriends，“criedthedoctorastheirongateclanged。
“Ah！that’swherethemoneygoes，“saidMadameCremieretoMadameMassin，astheywalkedon。
“GodforbidthatIshouldspendmoneytoteachmylittleAlinetomakesuchadinasthat！“criedMadameMassin。
“ShesaiditwasBeethoven，whoisthoughttobefinemusician，“saidthecollector；“hehasquiteareputation。“
“NotinNemours，I’msureofthat，“saidMadameCremiere。
“Ibelieveunclemadeherplayitexpresslytodriveusaway，“saidMassin；“forIsawhimgivethatlittleminxawinkassheopenedthemusic-book。“
“Ifthat’sthesortofcharivaritheylike，“saidthepostmaster，“theyarequiterighttokeepittothemselves。“
“MonsieurBongrandmustbefondofwhisttostandsuchadreadfulracket，“saidMadameCremiere。
“Ishallneverbeabletoplaybeforepersonswhodon’tunderstandmusic，“Ursulawassayingasshesatdownbesidethewhist-table。
“Innaturesrichlyorganized，“saidtheabbe，“sentimentscanbedevelopedonlyinacongenialatmosphere。Justasapriestisunabletogivetheblessinginpresenceofanevilspirit，orasachestnut-
treediesinaclaysoil，soamusician’sgeniushasamentaleclipsewhenheissurroundedbyignorantpersons。Inalltheartswemustreceivefromthesoulswhomaketheenvironmentofoursoulsasmuchintensityasweconveytothem。Thisaxiom，whichrulesthehumanmind，hasbeenmadeintoproverbs:’Howlwiththewolves’；’Likemeetslike。’Butthesufferingyoufelt，Ursula，affectsdelicateandtendernaturesonly。“
“Andso，friends，“saidthedoctor，“athingwhichwouldmerelygivepaintomostwomenmightkillmyUrsula。Ah！whenIamnolongerhere，IchargeyoutoseethatthehedgeofwhichCatullusspoke，——“Utflos，“etc。，——aprotectinghedgeisraisedbetweenthischerishedflowerandtheworld。“
“Andyetthoseladiesflatteredyou，Ursula，“saidMonsieurBongrand，smiling。
“Flatteredhergrossly，“remarkedtheNemoursdoctor。
“Ihavealwaysnoticedhowvulgarforcedflatteryis，“saidoldMinoret。“Whyisthat？“
“Atruethoughthasitsowndelicacy，“saidtheabbe。
“DidyoudinewithMadamedePortenduere？“askedUrsula，withalookofanxiouscuriosity。
