Ursula’sextremebeauty，towhichheralmosthopelesslovegaveadepthwhichgreatpaintershavesometimesconveyedinpictureswherethesoulisbroughtintostrongrelief，hadstruckMadamedePortendueresuddenly，andmadehersuspectthatthedoctor’sapparentgenerositymaskedanambitiousscheme。ShehadmadethespeechtowhichSavinienrepliedwiththeintentionofwoundingthedoctorinthatwhichwasdearesttohim；andshesucceeded，thoughtheoldmancouldhardlyrestrainasmileasheheardhimselfstyleda“chevalier，“amusedtoobservehowtheeagernessofaloverdidnotshrinkfromabsurdity。
“TheorderofSaint-Michelwhichinformerdaysmencommittedfolliestoobtain，“hesaid，“hasnow，Monsieurlevicomte，gonethewayofotherprivileges！Itisgivenonlytodoctorsandpoorartists。ThekingshavedonewelltojoinittothatofSaint-Lazarewhowas，I
believe，apoordevilrecalledtolifebyamiracle。FromthispointofviewtheorderofSaint-MichelandSaint-Lazaremaybe，formanyofus，symbolic。“
Afterthisreply，atoncesarcasticanddignified，silencereigned，which，asnooneseemedinclinedtobreakit，wasbecomingawkward，whentherewasarapatthedoor。
“Thereisourdearabbe，“saidtheoldlady，whorose，leavingUrsulaalone，andadvancingtomeettheAbbeChaperon，——anhonorshehadnotpaidtothedoctorandhisniece。
TheoldmansmiledtohimselfashelookedfromhisgoddaughtertoSavinien。ToshowoffenceortocomplainofMadamedePortenduere’smannerswasarockonwhichamanofsmallmindmighthavestruck，butMinoretwastooaccomplishedinthewaysoftheworldnottoavoidit。
HebegantotalktotheviscountofthedangerCharlesX。wasthenrunningbyconfidingtheaffairsofthenationtothePrincedePolignac。Whensufficienttimehadbeenspentonthesubjecttoavoidallappearanceofrevenginghimselfbysodoing，hehandedtheoldlady，inaneasy，jestingway，apacketoflegalpapersandreceiptedbills，togetherwiththeaccountofhisnotary。
“Hasmysonverifiedthem？“shesaid，givingSavinienalook，towhichherepliedbybendinghishead。“Well，thentherestismynotary’sbusiness，“sheadded，pushingawaythepapersandtreatingtheaffairwiththedisdainshewishedtoshowformoney。
Toabasewealthwas，accordingtoMadamedePortenduere’sideas，toelevatethenobilityandrobthebourgeoisieoftheirimportance。
AfewmomentslaterGoupilcamefromhisemployer，Dionis，toaskfortheaccountsofthetransactionbetweenthedoctorandSavinien。
“Whydoyouwantthem？“saidtheoldlady。
“Toputthematterinlegalform；therehavebeennocashpayments。“
UrsulaandSavinien，whobothforthefirsttimeexchangedaglancewithoffensivepersonage，wereconsciousofasensationlikethatoftouchingatoad，aggravatedbyadarkpresentimentofevil。Theybothhadthesameindefinableandconfusedvisionintothefuture，whichhasnonameinanylanguage，butwhichiscapableofexplanationastheactionoftheinwardbeingofwhichthemysteriousSwedenborgianhadspokentoDoctorMinoret。ThecertaintythatthevenomousGoupilwouldinsomewaybefataltothemmadeUrsulatremble；butshecontrolledherself，consciousofunspeakablepleasureinseeingthatSaviniensharedheremotion。
“Heisnothandsome，thatclerkofMonsieurDionis，“saidSavinien，whenGoupilhadclosedthedoor。
“Whatdoesitsignifywhethersuchpersonsarehandsomeorugly？“saidMadamedePortenduere。
“Idon’tcomplainofhisugliness，“saidtheabbe，“butIdoofhiswickedness，whichpassesallbounds；heisavillain。“
Thedoctor，inspiteofhisdesiretobeamiable，grewcoldanddignified。Theloverswereembarrassed。Ifithadnotbeenforthekindlygood-humoroftheabbe，whosegentlegayetyenlivenedthedinner，thepositionofthedoctorandhisniecewouldhavebeenalmostintolerable。Atdessert，seeingUrsulaturnpale，hesaidtoher:——
“Ifyoudon’tfeelwell，dearchild，wehaveonlythestreettocross。“
“Whatisthematter，mydear？“saidtheoldladytothegirl。
“Madame，“saidthedoctorseverely，“hersoulischilled，accustomedassheistobemetbysmiles。“
“Averybadeducation，monsieur，“saidMadamedePortenduere。“Isitnot，Monsieurl’abbe？“
“Yes，“answeredMinoret，withalookattheabbe，whoknewnothowtoreply。“Ihave，itistrue，renderedlifeunbearabletoanangelicspiritifshehastopassitintheworld；butItrustIshallnotdieuntilIplaceherinsecurity，safefromcoldness，indifference，andhatred——“
“Oh，godfather——Ibegofyou——saynomore。Thereisnothingthematterwithme，“criedUrsula，meetingMadamedePortenduere’seyesratherthangivetoomuchmeaningtoherwordsbylookingatSavinien。
“Icannotknow，madame，“saidSavinientohismother，“whetherMademoiselleUrsulasuffers，butIdoknowthatyouaretorturingme。“
Hearingthesewords，draggedfromthegenerousyoungmanbyhismother’streatmentofherself，UrsulaturnedpaleandbeggedMadamedePortendueretoexcuseher；thenshetookheruncle’sarm，bowed，lefttheroom，andreturnedhome。Oncethere，sherushedtothesalonandsatdowntothepiano，putherheadinherhands，andburstintotears。
“Whydon’tyouleavethemanagementofyouraffairstomyoldexperience，cruelchild？“criedthedoctorindespair。“Noblesneverthinkthemselvesunderanyobligationstothebourgeoisie。Whenwedothemaservicetheyconsiderthatwedoourduty，andthat’sall。
Besides，theoldladysawthatyoulookedfavorablyonSavinien；sheisafraidhewillloveyou。“
“Atanyrateheissaved！“saidUrsula。“Butah！totrytohumiliateamanlikeyou！“
“WaittillIreturn，mychild，“saidtheoldmanleavingher。
Whenthedoctorre-enteredMadamedePortenduere’ssalonhefoundDionisthenotary，accompaniedbyMonsieurBongrandandthemayorofNemours，witnessesrequiredbylawforthevalidityofdeedsinallcommuneswherethereisbutonenotary。MinorettookMonsieurDionisasideandsaidawordinhisear，afterwhichthenotaryreadthedeedsaloudofficially；fromwhichitappearedthatMadamedePortendueregaveamortgageonallherpropertytosecurepaymentofthehundredthousandfrancs，theinterestonwhichwasfixedatfivepercent。AtthereadingofthislastclausetheabbelookedatMinoret，whoansweredwithanapprovingnod。Thepoorpriestwhisperedsomethingintheoldlady’seartowhichshereplied，——
“Iwillowenothingtosuchpersons。“
“Mymotherleavesmethenoblerpart，“saidSavinientothedoctor；
“shewillrepaythemoneyandchargesmetoshowourgratitude。“
“Butyouwillhavetopayeleventhousandfrancsthefirstyeartomeettheinterestandthelegalcosts，“saidtheabbe。
“Monsieur，“saidMinorettoDionis，“asMonsieurandMadamedePortenduerearenotinaconditiontopaythosecosts，addthemtotheamountofthemortgageandIwillpaythem。“
Dionismadethechangeandthesumborrowedwasfixedatonehundredandseventhousandfrancs。Whenthepaperswereallsigned，Minoretmadehisfatigueanexcusetoleavethehouseatthesametimeasthenotaryandwitnesses。
“Madame，“saidtheabbe，“whydidyouaffronttheexcellentMonsieurMinoret，whosavedyouatleasttwenty-fivethousandfrancsonthosedebtsinParis，andhadthedelicacytogivetwentythousandtoyoursonforhisdebtsofhonor？“
“YourMinoretissly，“shesaid，takingapinchofsnuff。“Heknowswhatheisabout。“
“Mymotherthinkshewishestoforcemeintomarryinghisniecebygettingholdofourfarm，“saidSavinien；“asifaPortenduere，sonofaKergarouet，couldbemadetomarryagainsthiswill。“
Anhourlater，Savinienpresentedhimselfatthedoctor’shouse，wherealltherelativeshadassembled，enticedbycuriosity。Thearrivaloftheyoungviscountproducedalivelysensation，allthemorebecauseitseffectwasdifferentoneachpersonpresent。MesdemoisellesCremiereandMassinwhisperedtogetherandlookedatUrsula，whoblushed。ThemotherssaidtoDesirethatGoupilwasrightaboutthemarriage。Theeyesofallpresentturnedtowardsthedoctor，whodidnotrisetoreceivetheyoungnobleman，butmerelybowedhisheadwithoutlayingdownthedice-box，forhewasplayingagameofbackgammonwithMonsieurBongrand。Thedoctor’scoldmannersurprisedeveryone。
“Ursula，mychild，“hesaid，“giveusalittlemusic。“
Whiletheyounggirl，delightedtohavesomethingtodotokeepherincountenance，wenttothepianoandbegantomovethegreen-coveredmusic-books，theheirsresignedthemselves，withmanydemonstrationsofpleasure，tothetortureandthesilenceabouttobeinflictedonthem，soeagerweretheytofindoutwhatwasgoingonbetweentheiruncleandthePortendueres。
Insometimeshappensthatapieceofmusic，poorinitself，whenplayedbyayounggirlundertheinfluenceofdeepfeeling，makesmoreimpressionthanafineovertureplayedbyafullorchestra。Inallmusicthereis，besidesthethoughtofthecomposer，thesouloftheperformer，who，byaprivilegegrantedtothisartonly，cangivebothmeaningandpoetrytopassageswhichareinthemselvesofnogreatvalue。Chopinproves，forthatunresponsiveinstrumentthepiano，thetruthofthisfact，alreadyprovedbyPaganiniontheviolin。Thatfinegeniusislessamusicianthanasoulwhichmakesitselffelt，andcommunicatesitselfthroughallspeciesofmusic，evensimplechords。Ursula，byherexquisiteandsensitiveorganization，belongedtothisrareclassofbeings，andoldSchmucke，themaster，whocameeverySaturdayandwho，duringUrsula’sstayinPariswaswithhereveryday，hadbroughthispupil’stalenttoitsfullperfection。
“Rousseau’sDream，“thepiecenowchosenbyUrsula，composedbyHeroldinhisyoungdays，isnotwithoutacertaindepthwhichiscapableofbeingdevelopedbyexecution。Ursulathrewintoitthefeelingswhichwereagitatingherbeing，andjustifiedtheterm“caprice“givenbyHeroldtothefragment。Withsoftanddreamytouchhersoulspoketotheyoungman’ssoulandwrappedit，asinacloud，withideasthatwerealmostvisible。
