Sittingattheendofthepiano，hiselbowrestingonthecoverandhisheadonhislefthand，SavinienadmiredUrsula，whoseeyes，fixedonthepanelingofthewallbeyondhim，seemedtobequestioninganotherworld。Manyamanwouldhavefallendeeplyinloveforalessreason。Genuinefeelingshaveamagnetismoftheirown，andUrsulawaswillingtoshowhersoul，asacoquetteherdressestobeadmired。
Savinienenteredthatdelightfulkingdom，ledbythispureheart，which，tointerpretitsfeelings，borrowedthepoweroftheonlyartthatspeakstothoughtbythought，withoutthehelpofwords，orcolor，orform。Candor，opennessofhearthavethesamepoweroveramanthatchildhoodhas；thesamecharm，thesameirresistibleseductions。Ursulawasnevermorehonestandcandidthanatthismoment，whenshewasbornagainintoanewlife。
TheabbecametotearSavinienfromhisdream，requestinghimtotakeafourthhandatwhist。Ursulawentonplaying；theheirsdeparted，allexceptDesire，whowasresolvedtofindouttheintentionsofhisuncleandtheviscountandUrsula。
“Youhaveasmuchtalentassoul，mademoiselle，“hesaid，whentheyounggirlclosedthepianoandsatdownbesidehergodfather。“Whoisyourmaster？“
“AGerman，livingclosetotheRueDauphineonthequaiConti，“saidthedoctor。“IfhehadnotgivenUrsulaalessoneverydayduringherstayinParishewouldhavebeenhereto-day。“
“Heisnotonlyagreatmusician，“saidUrsula，“butamanofadorablesimplicityofnature。“
“Thoselessonsmustcostagreatdeal，“remarkedDesire。
Theplayerssmiledironically。Whenthegamewasoverthedoctor，whohadhithertoseemedanxiousandpensive，turnedtoSavinienwiththeairofamanwhofulfillsaduty。
“Monsieur，“hesaid，“Iamgratefulforthefeelingwhichleadsyoutomakemethisearlyvisit；butyourmotherattributesunworthyandunderhandmotivestowhatIhavedone，andIshouldgivehertherighttocallthemtrueifIdidnotrequestyoutorefrainfromcominghere，inspiteofthehonoryourvisitsaretome，andthepleasureI
shouldotherwisefeelincultivatingyoursociety。TellyourmotherthatifIdonotbegher，inmyniece’snameandmyown，todousthehonorofdiningherenextSundayitisbecauseIamverycertainthatshewouldfindherselfindisposedonthatday。“
Theoldmanheldouthishandtotheyoungviscount，whopresseditrespectfully，saying:——
“Youarequiteright，monsieur。“
Hethenwithdrew；butnotwithoutabowtoUrsula，inwhichtherewasmoreofsadnessthandisappointment。
Desireleftthehouseatthesametime；buthefounditimpossibletoexchangeevenawordwiththeyoungnobleman，whorushedintohisownhouseprecipitately。
ThisrupturebetweenthePortendueresandDoctorMinoretgavetalkamongtheheirsforaweek；theydidhomagetothegeniusofDionis，andregardedtheirinheritanceasrescued。
So，inanagewhenranksareleveled，whenthemaniaforequalityputseverybodyononefootingandthreatenstodestroyallbulwarks，evenmilitarysubordination，——thatlastrefugeofpowerinFrance，wherepassionshavenownootherobstaclestoovercomethanpersonalantipathies，ordifferencesoffortune，——theobstinacyofanold-
fashionedBretonwomanandthedignityofDoctorMinoretcreatedabarrierbetweentheselovers，whichwastoend，assuchobstaclesoftendo，notindestroyingbutinstrengtheninglove。Toanardentmanawoman’svalueisthatwhichshecostshim；Savinienforesawastruggle，greatefforts，manyuncertainties，andalreadytheyounggirlwasrendereddearertohim；hewasresolvedtowinher。Perhapsourfeelingsobeythelawsofnatureastothelastingnessofhercreations；toalonglifealongchildhood。
Thenextmorning，whentheywoke，UrsulaandSavinienhadthesamethought。Anintimateunderstandingofthiskindwouldcreateloveifitwerenotalreadyitsmostpreciousproof。WhentheyounggirlpartedhercurtainsjustfarenoughtolethereyestakeinSavinien’swindow，shesawthefaceofherloverabovethefasteningofhis。Whenonereflectsontheimmenseservicesthatwindowsrendertoloversitseemsnaturalandrightthatataxshouldbeleviedonthem。Havingthusprotestedagainsthergodfather’sharshness，Ursuladroppedthecurtainandopenedherwindowtoclosetheouterblinds，throughwhichshecouldcontinuetoseewithoutbeingseenherself。Sevenoreighttimesduringthedayshewentuptoherroom，alwaystofindtheyoungviscountwriting，tearingupwhathehadwritten，andthenwritingagain——toher，nodoubt！
ThenextmorningwhenshewokeLaBougivalgaveherthefollowingletter:——
ToMademoiselleUrsula:
Mademoiselle，——Idonotconcealfrommyselfthedistrustayoungmaninspireswhenhehasplacedhimselfinthepositionfromwhichyourgodfather’skindnessreleasedme。IknowthatImustinfuturegivegreaterguaranteesofgoodconductthanothermen；
therefore，mademoiselle，itiswithdeephumilitythatIplacemyselfatyourfeetandaskyoutoconsidermylove。Thisdeclarationisnotdictatedbypassion；itcomesfromaninwardcertaintywhichinvolvesthewholeoflife。Afoolishinfatuationformyyoungaunt，MadamedeKergarouet，wasthecauseofmygoingtoprison；willyounotregardasaproofofmysincerelovethetotaldisappearanceofthosewishes，ofthatimage，noweffacedfrommyheartbyyours？NosoonerdidIseeyou，asleepandsoengaginginyourchildlikeslumberatBouron，thanyouoccupiedmysoulasaqueentakespossessionofherempire。Iwillhavenootherwifethanyou。YouhaveeveryqualificationIdesireinherwhoistobearmyname。Theeducationyouhavereceivedandthedignityofyourownmind，placeyouonthelevelofthehighestpositions。ButIdoubtmyselftoomuchtodaredescribeyoutoyourself；Icanonlyloveyou。AfterlisteningtoyouyesterdayI
recalledcertainwordswhichseemasthoughwrittenforyou；
suffermetotranscribethem:——
“Madetodrawallheartsandcharmalleyes，gentleandintelligent，spiritualyetabletoreason，courteousasthoughshehadpassedherlifeatcourt，simpleasthehermitwhohadneverknowntheworld，thefireofhersoulistemperedinhereyesbysacredmodesty。“
Ifeelthevalueofthenoblesoulrevealedinyoubymany，eventhemosttrifling，things。Thisitiswhichgivesmethecouragetoaskyou，providedyoulovenooneelse，toletmeprovetoyoubymyconductandmydevotionthatIamnotunworthyofyou。Itconcernsmyverylife；youcannotdoubtthatallmypowerswillbeemployed，notonlyintryingtopleaseyou，butindeservingyouresteem，whichismoreprecioustomethananyotheruponearth。
Withthishope，Ursula——ifyouwillsuffermesotocallyouinmyheart——Nemourswillbetomeaparadise，thehardesttaskswillbringmejoysderivedthroughyou，aslifeitselfisderivedfromGod。TellmethatImaycallmyselfYourSavinien。
Ursulakissedtheletter；then，havingre-readitandclaspeditwithpassionatemotions，shedressedherselfeagerlytocarryittoheruncle。
“Ah，myGod！Inearlyforgottosaymyprayers！“sheexclaimed，turningbacktokneelonherprie-Dieu。
Afewmomentslatershewentdowntothegarden，whereshefoundhergodfatherandmadehimreadtheletter。TheybothsatdownonabenchunderthearchofclimbingplantsoppositetotheChinesepagoda。
Ursulaawaitedtheoldman’swords，andtheoldmanreflectedlong，toolongfortheimpatientyounggirl。Atlast，theresultoftheirsecretinterviewappearedinthefollowinganswer，partofwhichthedoctorundoubtedlydictated。
ToMonsieurleVicomteSaviniendePortenduere:
Monsieur，——Icannotbeotherwisethangreatlyhonoredbytheletterinwhichyouoffermeyourhand；but，atmyage，andaccordingtotherulesofmyeducation，Ihavefeltboundtocommunicateittomygodfather，whoisallIhave，andwhomIloveasafatherandalsoasafriend。Imustnowtellyouthepainfulobjectionswhichhehasmadetome，andwhichmustbetoyoumyanswer。
