Whiletheseeventsweretakingplacethepostmasterhadhurriedhometoopenthemysteriouspackageandknowitscontents。
TomydearUrsulaMirouet，daughterofmynaturalhalf-brother，JosephMirouet，andDinahGrollman:——
MydearAngel，——ThefatherlyaffectionIbearyou——andwhichyouhavesofullyjustified——camenotonlyfromthepromiseIgaveyourfathertotakehisplace，butalsofromyourresemblancetomywife，UrsulaMirouet，whosegrace，intelligence，frankness，andcharmyouconstantlyrecalltomymind。Yourpositionasthedaughterofanaturalsonofmyfather-in-lawmightinvalidatealltestamentarybequestsmadebymeinyourfavor——
“Theoldrascal！“criedthepostmaster。
HadIadoptedyoutheresultmightalsohavebeenalawsuit，andI
shrankfromtheideaoftransmittingmyfortunetoyoubymarriage，forImightliveyearsandthusinterferewithyourhappiness，whichisnowdelayedonlybyMadamedePortenduere。
Havingweightedthesedifficultiescarefully，andwishingtoleaveyouenoughmoneytosecuretoyouaprosperousexistence——
“Thescoundrel，hehasthoughtofeverything！“——
withoutinjuringmyheirs——
“TheJesuit！asifhedidnotoweuseverypennyofhismoney！“——
IintendyoutohavethesavingsfrommyincomewhichIhaveforthelasteighteenyearssteadilyinvested，bythehelpofmynotary，seekingtomakeyoutherebyashappyasanyonecanbemadebyriches。Withoutmeans，youreducationandyourloftyideaswouldcauseyouunhappiness。Besides，yououghttobringaliberaldowrytothefineyoungmanwholovesyou。YouwillthereforefindinthemiddleofthethirdvolumeofPandects，folio，boundinredmorocco(thelastvolumeonthefirstshelfabovethelittletableinthelibrary，onthesideoftheroomnextthesalon)，threecertificatesofFundsinthethree-per-cents，madeouttobearer，eachamountingtotwelvethousandfrancsayear——
“Whatdepthsofwickedness！“screamedthepostmaster。“Ah！Godwouldnotpermitmetobesodefrauded。“
Taketheseatonce，andalsosomeuninvestedsavingsmadetothisdate，whichyouwillfindintheprecedingvolume。Remember，mydarlingchild，thatyoumustobeyawishthathasmadethehappinessofmywholelife；awishthatwillforcemetoasktheinterventionofGodshouldyoudisobeyme。But，toguardagainstallscruplesinyourdearconscience——forIwellknowhowreadyitistotortureyou——youwillfindherewithawillindueformbequeathingthesecertificatestoMonsieurSaviniendePortenduere。So，whetheryoupossesstheminyourownname，orwhethertheycometoyoufromhimyoulove，theywillbe，ineverysense，yourlegitimateproperty。
Yourgodfather，DenisMinoret。
Tothisletterwasannexedthefollowingpaperwrittenonasheetofstampedpaper。
Thisismywill:I，DenisMinoret，doctorofmedicine，settledinNemours，beingofsoundmindandbody，asthedateofthisdocumentwillshow，dobequeathmysoultoGod，imploringhimtopardonmyerrorsinviewofmysincererepentance。Next，havingfoundinMonsieurleVicomteSaviniendePortenduereatrueandhonestaffectionforme，Ibequeathtohimthesumofthirty-sixthousandfrancsayearfromtheFunds，atthreepercent，thesaidbequesttotakeprecedenceofallinheritanceaccruingtomyheirs。
Writtenbymyownhand，atNemours，onthe11thofJanuary，1831。
DenisMinoret。
Withoutaninstant’shesitationthepostmaster，whohadlockedhimselfintohiswife’sbedroomtoinsurebeingalone，lookedaboutforthetinder-box，andreceivedtwowarningsfromheavenbytheextinctionoftwomatcheswhichobstinatelyrefusedtolight。Thethirdtookfire。Heburnedtheletterandthewillonthehearthandburiedthevestigesofpaperandsealing-waxintheashesbywayofsuperfluouscaution。Then，alluredbythethoughtofpossessingthirty-sixthousandfrancsayearofwhichhiswifeknewnothing，hereturnedatfullspeedtohisuncle’shouse，spurredbytheonlyidea，aclear-cut，simpleidea，whichwasabletopieceandpenetratehisdullbrain。Findingthehouseinvadedbythethreefamilies，nowmastersoftheplace，hetrembledlestheshouldbeunabletoaccomplishaprojecttowhichhegavenoreflectionwhatever，exceptsofarastofeartheobstacles。
“Whatareyoudoinghere？“hesaidtoMassinandCremiere。“Wecan’tleavethehouseandthepropertytobepillaged。Wearetheheirs，butwecan’tcamphere。You，Cremiere，gotoDionisatonceandtellhimtocomeandcertifytothedeath；Ican’tdrawupthemortuarycertificateforanuncle，thoughIamassistant-mayor。You，Massin，goandaskoldBongrandtoattachtheseals。Asforyou，ladies，“headded，turningtohiswifeandMesdamesCremiereandMassin，“goandlookafterUrsula；thennothingcanbestolen。Aboveall，closetheirongateanddon’tletanyoneleavethehouse。“
Thewomen，whofeltthejusticeofthisremark，rantoUrsula’sbedroom，wheretheyfoundthenoblegirl，socruellysuspected，onherkneesbeforeGod，herfacecoveredwithtears。Minoret，suspectingthatthewomenwouldnotlongremainwithUrsula，wentatoncetothelibrary，foundthevolume，openedit，tookthethreecertificates，andfoundintheothervolumeaboutthirtybanknotes。Inspiteofhisbrutalnaturethecolossusfeltasthoughapealofbellswereringingineachear。Thebloodwhistledinhistemplesashecommittedthetheft；coldastheweatherwas，hisshirtwaswetonhisback；hislegsgavewayunderhimandhefellintoachairinthesalonasifanaxehadfallenonhishead。
“Howtheinheritanceofmoneyloosensaman’stongue！DidyouhearMinoret？“saidMassintoCremiereastheyhurriedthroughthetown。
“’Gohere，gothere，’justasifhekneweverything。“
“Yes，foradullbeastlikehimhehadacertainairof——“
“Stop！“saidMassin，alarmedatasuddenthought。“Hiswifeisthere；
they’vegotsomeplan！Doyoudobotherrands；I’llgoback。“
Justasthepostmasterfellintothechairhesawatthegatetheheatedfaceoftheclerkofthecourtwhoreturnedtothehouseofdeathwiththecelerityofaweasel。
“Well，whatisitnow？“askedthepostmaster，unlockingthegateforhisco-heir。
“Nothing；Ihavecomebacktobepresentatthesealing，“answeredMassin，givinghimasavagelook。
“Iwishthosesealswerealreadyon，sothatwecouldgohome，“saidMinoret。
“Weshallhavetoputawatcheroverthem，“saidMassin。“LaBougivaliscapableofanythingintheinterestsofthatminx。We’llputGoupilthere。“
“Goupil！“saidthepostmaster；“putaratinthemeal！“
“Well，let’sconsider，“returnedMassin。“To-nightthey’llwatchthebody；thesealscanbeaffixedinanhour；ourwivescouldlookafterthem。To-morrowwe’llhavethefuneralattwelveo’clock。Buttheinventorycan’tbemadeunderaweek。“
“Let’sgetridofthatgirlatonce，“saidthecolossus；“thenwecansafelyleavethewatchmanofthetown-halltolookafterthehouseandtheseals。“
“Good，“criedMassin。“YouaretheheadoftheMinoretfamily。“
“Ladies，“saidMinoret，“begoodenoughtostayinthesalon；wecan’tthinkofourdinnerto-day；thesealsmustbeputonatonceforthesecurityofallinterests。“
HetookhiswifeapartandtoldherMassin’spropositionaboutUrsula。
Thewomen，whoseheartswerefullofvengeanceagainsttheminx，astheycalledher，hailedtheideaofturningherout。Bongrandarrivedwithhisassistantstoapplytheseals，andwasindignantwhentherequestwasmadetohim，byZelieandMadameMassin，asanearfriendofthedeceased，totellUrsulatoleavethehouse。
“Goandturnheroutofherfather’shouse，herbenefactor’shouseyourselves，“hecried。“Go！youwhooweyourinheritancetothegenerosityofhersoul；takeherbytheshouldersandflingherintothestreetbeforetheeyesofthewholetown！Youthinkhercapableofrobbingyou？Well，appointawatcheroftheseals；youhavearighttodothat。ButItellyouatonceIshallputnosealsonUrsula’sroom；
shehasarighttothatroom，andeverythinginitisherownproperty。Ishalltellherwhatherrightsare，andtellhertootoputeverythingthatbelongstoherinthishouseinthatroom——Oh！inyourpresence，“hesaid，hearingagrowlofdissatisfactionamongtheheirs。
“Whatdoyouthinkofthat？“saidthecollectortothepostmasterandthewomen，whoseemedstupefiedbytheangryaddressofBongrand。
“CallHIMamagistrate！“criedthepostmaster。
Ursulameanwhilewassittingonherlittlesofainahalf-faintingcondition，herheadthrownback，herbraidsunfastened，whileeverynowandthenhersobsbrokeforth。Hereyesweredimandtheirlidsswollen；shewas，infact，inastateofmoralandphysicalprostrationwhichmighthavesoftenedthehardesthearts——exceptthoseoftheheirs。
“Ah！MonsieurBongrand，aftermyhappybirthdaycomesdeathandmourning，“shesaid，withthepoetrynaturaltoher。“Youknow，YOU，whathewas。Intwentyyearsheneversaidanimpatientwordtome。I
believedhewouldliveahundredyears。Hehasbeenmymother，“shecried，“mygood，kindmother。“
Thesesimplethoughtsbroughttorrentsoftearsfromhereyes，interruptedbysobs；thenshefellbackexhausted。
“Mychild，“saidthejusticeofpeace，hearingtheheirsonthestaircase。“Youhavealifetimebeforeyouinwhichtoweep，butyouhavenowonlyamomenttoattendtoyourinterests。Gathereverythingthatbelongstoyouinthishouseandputitintoyourownroomatonce。Theheirsinsistonmyaffixingtheseals。“
