reflectioncamelater。Now，ifyouhavethoroughlypossessedyourselfofthisman’snatureandbodilypresenceyouwillunderstandthemightyeffectproducedonhimbyathought。Remorseismorethanathought；itcomesfromafeelingwhichcannomorebehiddenthanlove；likelove，ithasitsowntyranny。But，justasMinorethadcommittedthecrimeagainstUrsulawithouttheslightestreflection，sohenowblindlylongedtodriveherfromNemourswhenhefelthimselfdisturbedbythesightofthatwrongedinnocence。Being，inasense，imbecile，heneverthoughtoftheconsequences；hewentfromdangertodanger，drivenbyaselfishinstinct，likeawildanimalwhichdoesnotforeseethehuntsman’sskill，andreliesonitsownrapidityorstrength。Beforelongtherichbourgeois，whostillmetinDionis’ssalon，noticedagreatchangeinthemannersandbehaviorofthemanwhohadhithertobeensofreeofcare。
“Idon’tknowwhathascometoMinoret，heisallNOHOW，“saidhiswife，fromwhomhewasresolvedtohidehisdaringdeed。
Everybodyexplainedhisconditionasbeing，neithermorenorless，ennui(infactthethoughtnowexpressedonhisfacedidresembleennui)，caused，theysaid，bythesuddencessationofbusinessandthechangefromanactivelifetooneofwell-to-doleisure。
WhileMinoretwasthinkingonlyofdestroyingUrsula’slifeinNemours，LaBougivalneverletadaygobywithouttorturingherfosterchildwithsomeallusiontothefortunesheoughttohavehad，orwithoutcomparinghermiserablelotwiththeprospectsthedoctorhadpromised，andofwhichhehadoftenspokentoher，LaBougival。
“ItisnotformyselfIspeak，“shesaid，“butisitlikelythatmonsieur，goodandkindashewas，wouldhavediedwithoutleavingmethemeresttrifle？——“
“AmInothere？“repliedUrsula，forbiddingLaBougivaltosayanotherwordonthesubject。
Shecouldnotenduretosoilthedearandtendermemoriesthatsurroundedthatnoblehead——asketchofwhichinblackandwhitehunginherlittlesalon——withthoughtsofselfishinterest。ToherfreshandbeautifulimaginationthatsketchsufficedtomakeherSEEhergodfather，onwhomherthoughtscontinuallydwelt，allthemorebecausesurroundedwiththethingshelovedandused，——hislargeduchess-sofa，thefurniturefromhisstudy，hisbackgammon-table，andthepianohehadchosenforher。Thetwooldfriendswhostillremainedtoher，theAbbeChaperonandMonsieurBongrand，theonlyvisitorswhomshereceived，were，inthemidstoftheseinanimateobjectsrepresentativeofthepast，liketwolivingmemoriesofherformerlifetowhichsheattachedherpresentbythelovehergodfatherhadblessed。
Afterawhilethesadnessofherthoughts，softeninggradually，gavetonetothegeneraltenorofherlifeandunitedallitspartsinanindefinableharmony，expressedbytheexquisiteneatness，theexactsymmetryofherroom，thefewflowerssentbySavinien，thedaintynothingsofayounggirl’slife，thetranquillitywhichherquiethabitsdiffusedabouther，givingpeaceandcomposuretothelittlehome。Afterbreakfastandaftermassshecontinuedherstudiesandpracticed；thenshetookherembroideryandsatatthewindowlookingonthestreet。Atfouro’clockSavinien，returningfromawalk(whichhetookinallweathers)，findingthewindowopen，wouldsitupontheoutercasingandtalkwithherforhalfanhour。IntheeveningtheabbeandMonsieurBongrandcametoseeher，butsheneverallowedSavinientoaccompanythem。NeitherdidsheacceptMadamedePortenduere’sproposition，whichSavinienhadinducedhismothertomake，thatsheshouldvisitthere。
UrsulaandLaBougivallived，moreover，withthestrictesteconomy；
theydidnotspend，countingeverything，morethansixtyfrancsamonth。Theoldnursewasindefatigable；shewashedandironed；cookedonlytwiceaweek，——mistressandmaideatingtheirfoodcoldonotherdays；forUrsulawasdeterminedtosavethesevenhundredfrancsstilldueonthepurchaseofthehouse。Thisrigidconduct，togetherwithhermodestyandherresignationtoalifeofpovertyaftertheenjoymentofluxuryandthefondindulgenceofallherwishes，deeplyimpressedcertainpersons。Ursulawontherespectofothers，andnovoicewasraisedagainsther。Eventheheirs，oncesatisfied，didherjustice。Savinienadmiredthestrengthofcharacterofsoyoungagirl。FromtimetotimeMadamedePortenduere，whentheymetinchurch，wouldaddressafewkindwordstoher，andtwicesheinsistedonhercomingtodinnerandfetchedherherself。Ifallthiswasnothappinessitwasatleasttranquillity。ButabenefitwhichcametoUrsulathroughthelegalcareandabilityofBongrandstartedthesmoulderingpersecutionwhichuptothistimehadlaidinMinoret’sbreastasadumbdesire。
Assoonasthelegalsettlementofthedoctor’sestatewasfinished，thejusticeofpeace，urgedbyUrsula，tookthecauseofthePortendueresinhandandpromisedhertogetthemoutoftheirtrouble。Indealingwiththeoldlady，whoseoppositiontoUrsula’shappinessmadehimfurious，hedidnotallowhertobeignorantofthefactthathisdevotiontoherservicewassolelytogivepleasuretoMademoiselleMirouet。HechoseoneofhisformerclerkstoactforthePortendueresatFontainebleau，andhimselfputinamotionforastayofproceedings。HeintendedtoprofitbytheintervalwhichmustelapsebetweenthestoppageofthepresentsuitandsomenewsteponthepartofMassintorenewtheleaseatsixthousandfrancs，getapremiumfromthepresenttenantsandthepaymentinfulloftherentofthecurrentyear。
Atthistime，whenthesemattershadtobediscussed，theformerwhist-partieswereagainorganizedinMadamedePortenduere’ssalon，betweenhimself，theabbe，Savinien，andUrsula，whomtheabbeandheescortedthereandbackeveryevening。InJune，Bongrandsucceededinquashingtheproceedings；whereuponthenewleasewassigned；heobtainedapremiumofthirty-twothousandfrancsfromthefarmerandarentofsixthousandayearforeighteenyears。TheeveningofthedayonwhichthiswasfinallysettledhewenttoseeZelie，whomheknewtobepuzzledastohowtoinvesthermoney，andproposedtosellherthefarmatBordieresfortwohundredandtwentythousandfrancs。
“I’dbuyitatonce，“saidMinoret，“ifIweresurethePortenduereswouldgoandlivesomewhereelse。“
“Why？“saidthejusticeofpeace。
“WewanttogetridofthenoblesinNemours。“
“IdidheartheoldladysaythatifshecouldsettleheraffairssheshouldgoandliveinBrittany，asshewouldnothavemeansenoughlefttoliveher。Sheisthinkingofsellingherhouse。“
“Well，sellittome，“saidMinoret。
“Toyou？“saidZelie。“Youtalkasifyouweremasterofeverything。
WhatdoyouwantwithtwohousesinNemours？“
“IfIdon’tsettlethismatterofthefarmwithyouto-night，“saidBongrand，“ourleasewillgetknown，Massinwillputinafreshclaim，andIshalllosethischanceofliquidationwhichIamanxioustomake。Soifyoudon’ttakemyofferIshallgoatoncetoMelun，wheresomefarmersIknowarereadytobuythefarmwiththeireyesshut。“
“Whydidyoucometous，then？“saidZelie。
“Becauseyoucanpaymeincash，andmyotherclientswouldmakemewaitsometimeforthemoney。Idon’twantdifficulties。“
“GetHERoutofNemoursandI’llpayit，“exclaimedMinoret。
“YouunderstandthatIcannotanswerforMadamedePortenduere’sactions，“saidBongrand。“IcanonlyrepeatwhatIheardhersay，butIfeelcertaintheywillnotremaininNemours。“
Onthisassurance，enforcedbyanudgefromZelie，Minoretagreedtothepurchase，andfurnishedthefundstopayoffthemortgageduetothedoctor’sestate。ThedeedofsalewasimmediatelydrawnupbyDionis。TowardstheendofJuneBongrandbroughtthebalanceofthepurchasemoneytoMadamedePortenduere，advisinghertoinvestitintheFunds，where，joinedtoSavinien’stenthousand，itwouldgiveher，atfivepercent，anincomeofsixthousandfrancs。Thus，sofarfromlosingherresources，theoldladyactuallygainedbythetransaction。ButshedidnotleaveNemours。Minoretthoughthehadbeentricked，——asthoughBongrandhadhadanideathatUrsula’spresencewasintolerabletohim；andhefeltakeenresentmentwhichembitteredhishatredtohisvictim。Thenbeganasecretdramawhichwasterribleinitseffects，——thestruggleoftwodeterminations；onewhichimpelledMinorettodrivehisvictimfromNemours，theotherwhichgaveUrsulathestrengthtobearpersecution，thecauseofwhichwasforacertainlengthoftimeundiscoverable。Thesituationwasastrangeandevenunnaturalone，andyetitwasleduptobyalltheprecedingevents，whichservedasaprefacetowhatwasnowtooccur。
MadameMinoret，towhomherhusbandhadgivenahandsomesilverservicecostingtwentythousandfrancs，gaveamagnificentdinnereverySunday，thedayonwhichherson，thedeputyprocureur，camefromFontainebleau，bringingwithhimcertainofhisfriends。OntheseoccasionsZeliesenttoParisfordelicacies——obligingDionisthenotarytoemulateherdisplay。Goupil，whomtheMinoretsendeavoredtoignoreasaquestionablepersonwhomighttarnishtheirsplendor，wasnotinviteduntiltheendofJuly。Theclerk，whowasfullyawareofthisintendedneglect，wasforcedtoberespectfultoDesire，who，sincehisentranceintooffice，hadassumedahaughtyanddignifiedair，eveninhisownfamily。
“YoumusthaveforgottenEsther，“Goupilsaidtohim，“asyouaresomuchinlovewithMademoiselleMirouet。“
“Inthefirstplace，Estherisdead，monsieur；andinthenextIhavenevereventhoughtofUrsula，“saidthenewmagistrate。
“Why，whatdidyoutellme，papaMinoret？“criedGoupil，insolently。
Minoret，caughtinaliebyamanwhomhefeared，wouldhavelostcountenanceifithadnotbeenforaprojectinhishead，whichwas，infact，thereasonwhyGoupilwasinvitedtodinner，——MinorethavingrememberedthepropositiontheclerkhadoncemadetopreventthemarriagebetweenSavinienandUrsula。Forallanswer，heledGoupilhurriedlytotheendofthegarden。
“You’llsoonbetwenty-eightyearsold，mygoodfellow，“saidhe，“andIdon’tseethatyouareontheroadtofortune。Iwishyouwell，forafterallyouwereoncemyson’scompanion。Listentome。IfyoucanpersuadethatlittleMirouet，whopossessesinherownrightfortythousandfrancs，tomarryyou，Iwillgiveyou，astrueasmynameisMinoret，themeanstobuyanotary’spracticeatOrleans。“
“No，“saidGoupil，“that’stoofaroutoftheway；butMontargis——“
“No，“saidMinoret；“Sens。“
