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it；〃 she said； 〃for love of me。 May it shield you from all dangers by
reminding you that my life depends on yours。〃
〃Naughty little thing！ she is giving him a chain of her hair；〃 said
the doctor to himself。 〃How did she manage to get it？ what a pity to
cut those beautiful fair tresses； she will be giving him my life's
blood next。〃
〃You will not blame me if I ask you to give me； now that I am leaving
you； a formal promise to have no other husband than me；〃 said
Savinien； kissing the chain and looking at Ursula with tears in his
eyes。
〃Have I not said so too oftenI who went to see the walls of Sainte…
Pelagie when you were behind them？〃 she replied； blushing。 〃I repeat
it； Savinien； I shall never love any one but you； and I will be yours
alone。〃
Seeing that Ursula was half…hidden by the creepers； the young man
could not deny himself the happiness of pressing her to his heart and
kissing her forehead； but she gave a feeble cry and dropped upon the
bench； and when Savinien sat beside her； entreating pardon； he saw the
doctor standing before them。
〃My friend；〃 said the old man； 〃Ursula is a born sensitive； too rough
a word might kill her。 For her sake you must moderate the enthusiasm
of your loveAh！ if you had loved her for sixteen years as I have；
you would have been satisfied with her word of promise；〃 he added； to
revenge himself for the last sentence in Savinien's second letter。
Two days later the young man departed。 In spite of the letters which
he wrote regularly to Ursula； she fell a prey to an illness without
apparent cause。 Like a fine fruit with a worm at the core； a single
thought gnawed her heart。 She lost both appetite and color。 The first
time her godfather asked her what she felt； she replied：
〃I want to see the ocean。〃
〃It is difficult to take you to a sea…port in the depth of winter；〃
answered the old man。
〃Shall I really go？〃 she said。
If the wind was high； Ursula was inwardly convulsed； certain； in spite
of the learned assurances of the doctor and the abbe； that Savinien
was being tossed about in a whirlwind。 Monsieur Bongrand made her
happy for days with the gift of an engraving representing a midshipman
in uniform。 She read the newspapers； imagining that they would give
news of the cruiser on which her lover sailed。 She devoured Cooper's
sea…tales and learned to use sea…terms。 Such proofs of concentration
of feeling； often assumed by other women； were so genuine in Ursula
that she saw in dreams the coming of Savinien's letters； and never
failed to announce them； relating the dream as a forerunner。
〃Now；〃 she said to the doctor the fourth time that this happened； 〃I
am easy； wherever Savinien may be； if he is wounded I shall know it
instantly。〃
The old doctor thought over this remark so anxiously that the abbe and
Monsieur Bongrand were troubled by the sorrowful expression of his
face。
〃What pains you？〃 they said； when Ursula had left them。
〃Will she live？〃 replied the doctor。 〃Can so tender and delicate a
flower endure the trials of the heart？〃
Nevertheless； the 〃little dreamer；〃 as the abbe called her； was
working hard。 She understood the importance of a fine education to a
woman of the world； and all the time she did not give to her singing
and to the study of harmony and composition she spent in reading the
books chosen for her by the abbe from her godfather's rich library。
And yet while leading this busy life she suffered； though without
complaint。 Sometimes she would sit for hours looking at Savinien's
window。 On Sundays she would leave the church behind Madame de
Portenduere and watch her tenderly； for； in spite of the old lady's
harshness； she loved her as Savinien's mother。 Her piety increased；
she went to mass every morning； for she firmly believed that her
dreams were the gift of God。
At last her godfather； frightened by the effects produced by this
nostalgia of love； promised on her birthday to take her to Toulon to
see the departure of the fleet for Algiers。 Savinien's ship formed
part of it； but he was not to be informed beforehand of their
intention。 The abbe and Monsieur Bongrand kept secret the object of
this journey； said to be for Ursula's health； which disturbed and
greatly puzzled the relations。 After beholding Savinien in his naval
uniform； and going on board the fine flag…ship of the admiral； to whom
the minister had given young Portenduere a special recommendation；
Ursula； at her lover's entreaty； went with her godfather to Nice； and
along the shores of the Mediterranean to Genoa； where she heard of the
safe arrival of the fleet at Algiers and the landing of the troops。
The doctor would have liked to continue the journey through Italy； as
much to distract Ursula's mind as to finish； in some sense； her
education； by enlarging her ideas through comparison with other
manners and customs and countries； and by the fascination of a land
where the masterpieces of art can still be seen； and where so many
civilizations have left their brilliant traces。 But the tidings of the
opposition by the throne to the newly elected Chamber of 1830 obliged
the doctor to return to France； bringing back his treasure in a
flourishing state of health and possessed of a charming little model
of the ship on which Savinien was serving。
The elections of 1830 united into an active body the various Minoret
relations；Desire and Goupil having formed a committee in Nemours by
whose efforts a liberal candidate was put in nomination at
Fontainebleau。 Massin； as collector of taxes； exercised an enormous
influence over the country electors。 Five of the post master's farmers
were electors。 Dionis represented eleven votes。 After a few meetings
at the notary's； Cremiere； Massin； the post master； and their
adherents took a habit of assembling there。 By the time the doctor
returned； Dionis's office and salon were the camp of his heirs。 The
justice of peace and the mayor； who had formed an alliance； backed by
the nobility in the neighbouring castles； to resist the liberals of
Nemours； now worsted in their efforts； were more closely united than
ever by their defeat。
By the time Bongrand and the Abbe Chaperon were able to tell the
doctor by word of mouth the result of the antagonism； which was
defined for the first time； between the two classes in Nemours （giving
incidentally such importance to his heirs） Charles X。 had left
Rambouillet for Cherbourg。 Desire Minoret； whose opinions were those
of the Paris bar； sent for fifteen of his friends； commanded by Goupil
and mounted on horses from his father's stable； who arrived in Paris
on the night of the 28th。 With this troop Goupil and Desire took part
in the capture of the Hotel…de…Veille。 Desire was decorated with the
Legion of honor and appointed deputy procureur du roi at
Fontainebleau。 Goupil received the July cross。 Dionis was elected
mayor of Nemours； and the city council was composed of t