“Pardonandforgetfulness？Yes，onbothsides，monsieur——“
“WhoispersecutingUrsula？“persistedSavinien。
“Minoret。Hewouldhavelikedtoseeherburied。Why？Ican’ttellyouthat；butwemightfindoutthereason。Don’tmixmeupinallthis；I
coulddonothingtohelpyouiftheothersdistrustedme。InsteadofannoyingUrsulaIwilldefendher；insteadofservingMinoretIwilltrytodefeathisschemes。Iliveonlytoruinhim，todestroyhim——
I’llcrushhimunderfoot，I’lldanceonhiscarcass，I’llmakehisbonesintodominoes！To-morrow，everywallinNemoursandFontainebleauandRouvreshallblazewiththeletters，’Minoretisathief！’Yes，I’llbursthimlikeagun——There！we’realliesnowbytheimprudenceofthatoutbreak！IfyouchooseI’llbegMademoiselleMirouet’spardonandtellherIcursethemadnesswhichimpelledmetoinjureher。Itmaydohergood；theabbeandthejusticeareboththere；butMonsieurBongrandmustpromiseonhishonornottoinjuremycareer。Ihaveacareernow。“
“Waitaminute；“saidSavinien，bewilderedbytherevelation。
“Ursula，mychild，“hesaid，returningtothesalon，“theauthorofallyourtroublesisashamedofhiswork；herepentsandwishestoaskyourpardoninpresenceofthesegentlemen，onconditionthatallbeforgotten。“
“What！Goupil？“criedtheabbe，thejustice，andthedoctor，alltogether。
“Keephissecret，“saidUrsula，puttingafingeronherlips。
Goupilheardthewords，sawthegesture，andwastouched。
“Mademoiselle，“hesaidinatroubledvoice，“IwishthatallNemourscouldhearmetellyouthatafatalpassionhasbewilderedmybrainandledmetocommitacrimepunishablebytheblameofhonestmen。
WhatIsaynowIwouldbewillingtosayeverywhere，deploringtheharmdonebysuchmiserabletricks——whichmayhavehastenedyourhappiness，“headded，rathermaliciously，“forIseethatMadamedePortenduereiswithyou。“
“Thatisallverywell，Goupil，“saidtheabbe，“Mademoiselleforgivesyou；butyoumustnotforgetthatyoucamenearbeinghermurderer。“
“MonsieurBongrand，“saidGoupil，addressingthejusticeofpeace。“I
shallnegotiateto-nightforLecoeur’spractice；IhopethereparationIhavenowmadewillnotinjuremewithyou，andthatyouwillbackmypetitiontothebarandtheministry。“
Bongrandmadeathoughtfulinclinationofhishead；andGoupilleftthehousetonegotiateonthebesttermshecouldforthesheriff’spractice。TheothersremainedwithUrsulaanddidtheirbesttorestorethepeaceandtranquillityofhermind，alreadymuchrelievedbyGoupil’sconfession。
“Yousee，mychild，thatGodwasnotagainstyou，“saidtheabbe。
MinoretcamehomelatefromRouvre。Aboutnineo’clockhewassittingintheChinesepagodadigestinghisdinnerbesidehiswife，withwhomhewasmakingplansforDesire’sfuture。Desirehadbecomeverysedatesinceenteringthemagistracy；heworkedhard，anditwasnotunlikelythathewouldsucceedthepresentprocureurduroiatFontainebleau，who，theysaid，wastobeadvancedtoMelun。Hisparentsfeltthattheymustfindhimawife，——somepoorgirlbelongingtoanoldandnoblefamily；hewouldthenmakehiswaytothemagistracyofParis。
PerhapstheycouldgethimelecteddeputyfromFontainebleau，whereZeliewasproposingtopassthewinterafterlivingatRouvreforthesummerseason。Minoret，inwardlycongratulatinghimselfforhavingmanagedhisaffairssowell，nolongerthoughtorcaredaboutUrsula，attheverymomentwhenthedramasoheedlesslybegunbyhimwasclosingdownuponhiminaterriblemanner。
“MonsieurdePortenduereishereandwishestospeaktoyou，“saidCabirolle。
“Showhimin，“answeredZelie。
ThetwilightshadowspreventedMadameMinoretfromnoticingthesuddenpallorofherhusband，whoshudderedasheheardSavinien’sbootsonthefloorofthegallery，wherethedoctor’slibraryusedtobe。A
vaguepresentimentofdangerranthroughtherobber’sveins。Savinienenteredandremainingstanding，withhishatonhishead，hiscaneinhishand，andbothhandscrossedinfrontofhim，motionlessbeforethehusbandandwife。
“Ihavecometoascertain，MonsieurandMadameMinoret，“hesaid，“yourreasonsfortormentinginaninfamousmannerayoungladywho，asthewholetownknows，istobemywife。Whyhaveyouendeavoredtotarnishherhonor？whyhaveyouwishedtokillher？whydidyoudeliverherovertoGoupil’sinsults？——Answer！“
“Howabsurdyouare，MonsieurSavinien，“saidZelie，“tocomeandaskusthemeaningofathingwethinkinexplicable。IbothermyselfaslittleaboutUrsulaasIdoabouttheyearone。SinceUncleMinoretdiedI’venotthoughtofhermorethanIdoofmyfirsttooth。I’veneversaidonewordabouthertoGoupil，whois，moreover，aqueerroguewhomIwouldn’tthinkofconsultingaboutevenadog。Whydon’tyouspeakup，Minoret？Areyougoingtoletmonsieurboxyourearsinthatwayandaccuseyouofwickednessthat’sbeneathyou？Asifamanwithforty-eightthousandfrancsayearfromlandedproperty，andacastlefitforaprince，wouldstooptosuchthings！Getup，anddon’tsittherelikeawetrag！“
“Idon’tknowwhatmonsieurmeans，“saidMinoretinhissqueakingvoice，thetremblingofwhichwasallthemorenoticeablebecausethevoicewasclear。“WhatobjectcouldIhaveinpersecutingthegirl？I
mayhavesaidtoGoupilhowannoyedIwasatseeingherinNemours。MysonDesirefellinlovewithher，andIdidn’twanthimtomarryher，that’sall。“
“Goupilhasconfessedeverything，MonsieurMinoret。“
Therewasamoment’ssilence，butitwasterrible，whenallthreepersonsexaminedoneanother。Zeliesawanervousquiverontheheavyfaceofhercolossus。
“Thoughyouareonlyinsects，“saidtheyoungnobleman，“Iwillmakeyoufeelmyvengeance。Itisnotfromyou，MonsieurMinoret，amansixty-eightyearsofage，butfromyoursonthatIshallseeksatisfactionfortheinsultsofferedtoMademoiselleMirouet。ThefirsttimehesetshisfootinNemoursweshallmeet。Hemustfightme；hewilldoso，orbedishonoredandneverdaretoshowhisfaceagain。IfhedoesnotcometoNemoursIshallgotoFontainebleau，forIwillhavesatisfaction。Itshallneverbesaidthatyouweretamelyallowedtodishonoradefencelessyounggirl——“
“ButthecalumniesofaGoupil——are——not——“beganMinoret。
“Doyouwishmetobringhimfacetofacewithyou？Believeme，youhadbetterhushupthisaffair；itliesbetweenyouandGoupilandme。
Leaveitasitis；GodwilldecidebetweenusandwhenImeetyourson。“
“Butthissha’n’tgoone！“criedZelie。“DoyousupposeI’llstandbyandletDesirefightyou，——asailorwhosebusinessitistohandleswordsandguns？Ifyou’vegotanycauseofcomplaintagainstMinoret，there’sMinoret；takeMinoret，fightMinoret！Butdoyouthinkmyboy，who，byyourownaccount，knewnothingofallthis，isgoingtobearthebruntofit？No，mylittlegentleman！somebody’steethwillpinyourlegsfirst！Come，Minoret，don’tstandstaringtherelikeabigcanary；youareinyourownhouse，andyouallowamantokeephishatonbeforeyourwife！Isayheshallgo。Now，monsieur，beoff！aman’shouseishiscastle。Idon’tknowwhatyoumeanwithyournonsense，butshowmeyourheels，andifyoudaretouchDesireyou’llhavetoanswertoME，——youandyourminxUrsula。“
Sherangthebellviolentlyandcalledtotheservants。
“RememberwhatIhavesaidtoyou，“repeatedSavinientoMinoret，payingnoattentiontoZelie’stirade。SuspendingtheswordofDamoclesovertheirheads，helefttheroom。
“Now，then，Minoret，“saidZelie，“youwillexplaintomewhatthisallmeans。Ayoungmandoesn’trushintoahouseandmakeanuproarlikethatanddemandthebloodofafamilyfornothing。“
“It’ssomemischiefofthatvileGoupil，“saidthecolossus。“I
promisedtohelphimbuyapracticeifhewouldgetmetheRouvrepropertycheap。Igavehimtenpercentonthecost，twentythousandfrancsinanote，andIsupposeheisn’tsatisfied。“
“Yes，butwhydidhegetupthoseserenadesandthescandalsagainstUrsula？“
“Hewantedtomarryher。“
“Agirlwithoutapenny！theslything！NowMinoret，youaretellingmelies，andyouaretoomuchofafool，myson，tomakemebelievethem。Thereissomethingunderallthis，andyouaregoingtotellmewhatitis。“
“There’snothing。“
“Nothing？Itellyouyoulie，andIshallfinditout。“
“Doletmealone！“
“I’llturnthefaucetofthatfountainofvenom，Goupil——whomyou’reafraidof——andwe’llseewhogetsthebestofitthen。“
“Justasyouchoose。“
“IknowverywellitwillbeasIchoose！andwhatIchoosefirstandforemostisthatnoharmshallcometoDesire。Ifanythinghappenstohim，markyou，I’lldosomethingthatmaysendmetothescaffold——andyou，youhaven’tanyfeelingabouthim——“
AquarrelthusbegunbetweenMinoretandhiswifewassurenottoendwithoutalongandangrystrife。Soatthemomentofhisself-
satisfactionthefoolishrobberfoundhisinwardstruggleagainsthimselfandagainstUrsularevivedbyhisownfault，andcomplicatedwithanewandterribleadversary。Thenextday，whenheleftthehouseearlytofindGoupilandtrytoappeasehimwithadditionalmoney，thewallswerealreadyplacardedwiththewords:“Minoretisathief。“Allthosewhomhemetcommiseratedhimandaskedhimwhowastheauthoroftheanonymousplacard。Fortunatelyforhim，everybodymadeallowanceforhisequivocalrepliesbyreflectingonhisutterstupidity；foolsgetmoreadvantagefromtheirweaknessthanablemenfromtheirstrength。Theworldlooksonatagreatmanbattlingagainstfate，anddoesnothelphim，butitsuppliesthecapitalofagrocerwhomayfailandloseall。Why？Becausemenliketofeelsuperiorinprotectinganincapable，andaredispleasedatnotfeelingthemselvestheequalofamanofgenius。Aclevermanwouldhavebeenlostinpublicestimationhadhestammered，asMinoretdid，evasiveandfoolishanswerswithafrightenedair。Zeliesentherservantstoeffacethevindictivewordswherevertheywerefound；buttheeffectofthemonMinoret’sconsciencestillremained。
