“Giveustimetothinkitover。“
HewalkedhomewithMinoret，applaudingthesolicitudeshownbythefatherforhisson’sinterests，andslightlyblamingUrsulaforherhastydecision。AssoonasMinoretwaswithinhisowngate，Bongrandwenttotheposthouse，borrowedahorseandcabriolet，andstartedforFontainebleau，wherehewenttoseethedeputyprocureur，andwastoldthathewasspendingtheeveningatthehouseofthesub-prefect。
Bongrand，delighted，followedhimthere。Desirewasplayingwhistwiththewifeoftheprocureurduroi，thewifeofthesub-prefect，andthecoloneloftheregimentingarrison。
“Icometobringyousomegoodnews，“saidBongrandtoDesire；“youloveyourcousinUrsula，andthemarriagecanbearranged。“
“IloveUrsulaMirouet！“criedDesire，laughing。“Wheredidyougetthatidea？IdorememberseeinghersometimesatthelateDoctorMinoret’s；shecertainlyisabeauty；butsheisdreadfullypious。I
certainlytooknoticeofhercharms，butImustsayInevertroubledmyheadseriouslyforthatratherinsipidlittleblonde，“headded，smilingatthesub-prefect’swife(whowasapiquantebrunette——touseatermofthelastcentury)。“Youaredreaming，mydearMonsieurBongrand；Ithoughteveryoneknewthatmyfatherwasalordofamanor，witharentrollofforty-fivethousandfrancsayearfromlandsaroundhischateauatRouvre，——goodreasonswhyIshouldnotlovethegoddaughterofmylategreat-uncle。IfIweretomarryagirlwithoutapennytheseladieswouldconsidermeafool。“
“HaveyounevertormentedyourfathertoletyoumarryUrsula？“
“Never。“
“Youhearthat，monsieur？“saidthejusticetotheprocureurduroi，whohadbeenlisteningtotheconversation，leadinghimasideintotherecessofawindow，wheretheyremainedinconversationforaquarterofanhour。
AnhourlaterBongrandwasbackinNemours，atUrsula’shouse，whencehesentLaBougivaltoMinorettobeghisattendance。Thecolossuscameatonce。
“Mademoiselle——“beganBongrand，addressingMinoretasheenteredtheroom。
“Accepts？“criedMinoret，interruptinghim。
“No，notyet，“repliedBongrand，fingeringhisglasses。“Ihadscruplesastoyourson’sfeelings；forUrsulahasbeenmuchtriedlatelyaboutasupposedlover。Weknowtheimportanceoftranquillity。
CanyousweartomethatyoursontrulylovesherandthatyouhavenootherintentionthantopreserveourdearUrsulafromanyfurtherGoupilisms？“
“Oh，I’llsweartothat，“criedMinoret。
“Stop，papaMinoret，“saidthejustice，takingonehandfromthepocketofhistrouserstoslapMinoretontheshoulder(thecolossustrembled)；“Don’tswearfalsely。“
“Swearfalsely？“
“Yes，eitheryouoryourson，whohasjustswornatFontainebleau，inpresenceoffourpersonsandtheprocureurduroi，thathehasnevereventhoughtofhiscousinUrsula。Youhaveotherreasonsforofferingthisfortune。Isawyouwereinventingthattale，andwentmyselftoFontainebleautoquestionyourson。“
Minoretwasdumbfoundedathisownfolly。
“Butwhere’stheharm，MonsieurBongrand，inproposingtoayoungrelativetohelponamarriagewhichseemstobeforherhappiness，andtoinventpretextstoconquerherreluctancetoacceptthemoney。“
Minoret，whosedangersuggestedtohimanexcusewhichwasalmostadmissible，wipedhisforehead，wetwithperspiration。
“Youknowthecauseofmyrefusal，“saidUrsula；“andIrequestyounevertocomehereagain。ThoughMonsieurdePortenduerehasnottoldmehisreason，Iknowthathefeelssuchcontemptforyou，suchdislikeeven，thatIcannotreceiveyouintomyhouse。Myhappinessismyonlyfortune，——Idonotblushtosayso；Ishallnotriskit。
MonsieurdePortenduereisonlywaitingformymajoritytomarryme。“
“Thentheoldsawthat’Moneydoesall’isalie，“saidMinoret，lookingatthejusticeofpeace，whoseobservingeyesannoyedhimsomuch。
Heroseandleftthehouse，but，onceoutside，hefoundtheairasoppressiveasinthelittlesalon。
“Theremustbeanendputtothis，“hesaidtohimselfashere-
enteredhisownhome。
WhenUrsulacamedown，bringhercertificatesandthoseofLaBougival，shefoundMonsieurBongrandwalkingupanddownthesalonwithgreatstrides。
“Haveyounoideawhattheconductofthathugeidiotmeans？“hesaid。
“NonethatIcantell，“shereplied。
Bongrandlookedatherwithinquiringsurprise。
“Thenwehavethesameidea，“hesaid。“Here，keepthenumberofyourcertificates，incaseIlosethem；youshouldalwaystakethatprecaution。“
Bongrandhimselfwrotethenumberofthetwocertificates，hersandthatofLaBougival，andgavethemtoher。
“Adieu，mychild，Ishallbegonetwodays，butyouwillseemeonthethird。“
ThatnighttheapparitionappearedtoUrsulainasingularmanner。ShethoughtherbedwasinthecemeteryofNemours，andthatheruncle’sgravewasatthefootofit。Thewhitestone，onwhichshereadtheinscription，opened，likethecoverofanoblongalbum。Sheutteredapiercingcry，butthedoctor’sspectreslowlyrose。Firstshesawhisyellowhead，withitsfringeofwhitehair，whichshoneasifsurmountedbyahalo。Beneaththebaldforeheadtheeyeswereliketwogleamsoflight；thedeadmanroseasifimpelledbysomesuperiorforceorwill。Ursula’sbodytrembled；herfleshwaslikeaburninggarment，andtherewas(asshesubsequentlysaid)anotherselfmovingwithinherbodilypresence。“Mercy！“shecried，“mercy，godfather！“
“Itistoolate，“hesaid，inthevoiceofdeath，——tousethepoorgirl’sownexpressionwhensherelatedthisnewdreamtotheabbe。“Hehasbeenwarned；hehaspaidnoheedtothewarning。Thedaysofhissonarenumbered。Ifhedoesnotconfessallandrestorewhathehastakenwithinacertaintimehemustlosehisson，whowilldieaviolentandhorribledeath。Lethimknowthis。“Thespectrepointedtoalineoffigureswhichgleameduponthesideofthetombasifwrittenwithfire，andsaid，“Thereishisdoom。“WhenherunclelaydownagaininhisgraveUrsulaheardthesoundofthestonefallingbackintoitsplace，andimmediatelyafter，inthedistance，astrangesoundofhorsesandthecriesofmen。
ThenextdayUrsulawasprostrate。Shecouldnotrise，soterriblyhadthedreamovercomeher。ShebeggedhernursetofindtheAbbeChaperonandbringhimtoher。Thegoodpriestcameassoonashehadsaidmass，buthewasnotsurprisedatUrsula’srevelation。Hebelievedtherobberyhadbeencommitted，andnolongertriedtoexplaintohimselftheabnormalconditionofhis“littledreamer。“HeleftUrsulaatonceandwentdirectlytoMinoret’s。
“Monsieurl’abbe，“saidZelie，“myhusband’stemperissosouredI
don’tknowwhathemightn’tdo。Untilnowhe’sbeenachild；butforthelasttwomonthshe’snotthesameman。Togetangryenoughtostrikeme——me，sogentle！Theremustbesomethingdreadfulthemattertochangehimlikethat。You’llfindhimamongtherocks；hespendsallhistimethere，——doingwhat，I’dliketoknow？“
Inspiteoftheheat(itwasthenSeptember，1836)，theabbecrossedthecanalandtookapathwhichledtothebaseofoneoftherocks，wherehesawMinoret。
“Youaregreatlytroubled，MonsieurMinoret，“saidthepriestgoinguptohim。“Youbelongtomebecauseyousuffer。Unhappily，Icometoincreaseyourpain。Ursulahadaterribledreamlastnight。Youruncleliftedthestonefromhisgraveandcameforthtoprophecyagreatdisasterinyourfamily。Icertainlyamnotheretofrightenyou；butyououghttoknowwhathesaid——“
“Ican’tbeeasyanywhere，MonsieurChaperon，notevenamongtheserocks，andI’msureIdon’twanttoknowanythingthatisgoingoninanotherworld。“
“ThenIwillleaveyou，monsieur；Ididnottakethishotwalkforpleasure，“saidtheabbe，moppinghisforehead。
“Well，whatdoyouwanttosay？“demandedMinoret。
“Youarethreatenedwiththelossofyourson。Ifthedeadmantoldthingsthatyoualoneknow，onemustneedstremblewhenhetellsthingsthatnoonecanknowtilltheyhappen。Makerestitution，Isay，makerestitution。Don’tdamnyoursoulforalittlemoney。“
“Restitutionofwhat？“
“ThefortunethedoctorintendedforUrsula。Youtookthosethreecertificates——Iknowitnow。Youbeganbypersecutingthatpoorgirl，andyouendbyofferingherafortune；youhavestumbledintolies，youhavetangledyourselfupinthisnet，andyouaretakingfalsestepseveryday。Youareveryclumsyandunskilful；youraccompliceGoupilhasservedyouill；hesimplylaughsatyou。Makehasteandclearyourmind，foryouarewatchedbyintelligentandpenetratingeyes，——thoseofUrsula’sfriends。Makerestitution！andifyoudonotsaveyourson(whomaynotreallybethreatened)，youwillsaveyoursoul，andyouwillsaveyourhonor。Doyoubelievethatinasocietylikeours，inalittletownlikethis，whereeverybody’seyesareeverywhere，andallthingsareguessedandallthingsareknown，youcanlonghideastolenfortune？Come，myson，aninnocentmanwouldn’thaveletmetalksolong。“
“Gotothedevil！“criedMinoret。“Idon’tknowwhatyouALLmeanbypersecutingme。Ipreferthesestones——theyleavemeinpeace。“
“Farewell，then；Ihavewarnedyou。NeitherthepoorgirlnorIhavesaidasinglewordaboutthistoanylivingperson。Buttakecare——
thereisamanwhohashiseyeuponyou。MayGodhavepityuponyou！“
