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〃Yes。〃
Ursula was seized with a little nervous tremor which made the abbe
quiver as though a whole Leyden jar had been discharged at him； he
felt moreover a lasting commotion in his heart。
〃So we shall not go there to…night；〃 he said as gently as he could；
〃and； my child； it would be better if you did not go there again。 The
old lady will receive you in a way to wound your pride。 Monsieur
Bongrand and I； who had succeeded in bringing her to consider your
marriage； have no idea from what quarter this new influence has come
to change her； as it were in a moment。〃
〃I expect the worst； nothing can surprise me now；〃 said Ursula in a
pained voice。 〃In such extremities it is a comfort to feel that we
have done nothing to displease God。〃
〃Submit； dear daughter； and do not seek to fathom the ways of
Providence；〃 said the abbe。
〃I shall not unjustly distrust the character of Monsieur de
Portenduere〃
〃Why do you no longer call him Savinien？〃 asked the priest； who
detected a slight bitterness in Ursula's tone。
〃Of my dear Savinien；〃 cried the girl； bursting into tears。 〃Yes； my
good friend；〃 she said； sobbing； 〃a voice tells me he is as noble in
heart as he is in race。 He has not only told me that he loves me
alone； but he has proved it in a hundred delicate ways； and by
restraining heroically his ardent feelings。 Lately when he took the
hand I held out to him； that evening when Monsieur Bongrand proposed
to me a husband； it was the first time； I swear to you； that I had
ever given it。 He began with a jest when he blew me a kiss across the
street； but since then our affection has never outwardly passed； as
you well know； the narrowest limits。 But I will tell you；you who
read my soul except in this one region where none but the angels see；
well； I will tell you； this love has been in me the secret spring of
many seeming merits； it made me accept my poverty； it softened the
bitterness of my irreparable loss； for my mourning is more perhaps in
my clothes now than in my heart Oh； was I wrong？ can it be that love
was stronger in me than my gratitude to my benefactor； and God has
punished me for it？ But how could it be otherwise？ I respected in
myself Savinien's future wife； yes； perhaps I was too proud； perhaps
it is that pride which God has humbled。 God alone； as you have often
told me； should be the end and object of all our actions。〃
The abbe was deeply touched as he watched the tears roll down her
pallid face。 The higher her sense of security had been； the lower she
was now to fall。
〃But；〃 she said； continuing； 〃if I return to my orphaned condition； I
shall know how to take up its feelings。 After all； could I have tied a
mill…stone round the neck of him I love？ What can he do here？ Who am I
to bind him to me？ Besides； do I not love him with a friendship so
divine that I can bear the loss of my own happiness and my hopes？ You
know I have often blamed myself for letting my hopes rest upon a
grave； and for knowing they were waiting on that poor old lady's
death。 If Savinien is rich and happy with another I have enough to pay
for my entrance to a convent； where I shall go at once。 There can no
more be two loves in a woman's heart than there can be two masters in
heaven； and the life of a religious is attractive to me。〃
〃He could not let his mother go alone to Rouvre；〃 said the abbe；
gently。
〃Do not let us talk of that； my dear good friend；〃 she answered。 〃I
will write to…night and set him free。 I am glad to have to close the
windows of this room；〃 she continued； telling her old friend of the
anonymous letters； but declaring that she would not allow any
inquiries to be made as to who her unknown lover might be。
〃Why！ it was an anonymous letter that first took Madame de Portenduere
to Rouvre；〃 cried the abbe。 〃You are annoyed for some object by evil
persons。〃
〃How can that be？ Neither Savinien nor I have injured any one； and I
am no longer an obstacle to the prosperity of others。〃
〃Well； well； my child；〃 said the abbe； quietly； 〃let us profit by this
tempest； which has scattered our little circle； to put the library in
order。 The books are still in heaps。 Bongrand and I want to get them
in order； we wish to make a search among them。 Put your trust in God；
and remember also that in our good Bongrand and in me you have two
devoted friends。〃
〃That is much； very much；〃 she said； going with him to the threshold
of the door； where she stretched out her neck like a bird looking over
its nest； hoping against hope to see Savinien。
Just then Minoret and Goupil； returning from a walk in the meadows；
stopped as they passed； and the colossus spoke to Ursula。
〃Is anything the matter； cousin； for we are still cousins； are we not？
You seem changed。〃
Goupil looked so ardently at Ursula that she was frightened； and went
back into the house without replying。
〃She is cross；〃 said Minoret to the abbe。
〃Mademoiselle Mirouet is quite right not to talk to men on the
threshold of her door；〃 said the abbe； 〃she is too young〃
〃Oh！〃 said Goupil。 〃I am told she doesn't lack lovers。〃
The abbe bowed hurriedly and went as fast as he could to the Rue des
Bourgeois。
〃Well；〃 said Goupil to Minoret； 〃the thing is working。 Did you notice
how pale she was。 Within a fortnight she'll have left the townyou'll
see。〃
〃Better have you for a friend than an enemy；〃 cried Minoret；
frightened at the atrocious grin which gave to Goupil's face the
diabolical expression of the Mephistopheles of Joseph Brideau。
〃I should think so！〃 returned Goupil。 〃If she doesn't marry me I'll
make her die of grief。〃
〃Do it； my boy； and I'll GIVE you the money to buy a practice in
Paris。 You can then marry a rich woman〃
〃Poor Ursula！ what makes you so bitter against her？ what has she done
to you？〃 asked the clerk in surprise。
〃She annoys me；〃 said Minoret； gruffly。
〃Well； wait till Monday and you shall see how I'll rasp her；〃 said
Goupil； studying the expression of the late post master's face。
The next day La Bougival carried the following letter to Savinien。
〃I don't know what the dear child has written to you；〃 she said； 〃but
she is almost dead this morning。〃
Who； reading this letter to her lover； could fail to understand the
sufferings the poor girl had gone through during the night。
My dear Savinien；Your mother wishes you to marry Mademoiselle du
Rouvre； and perhaps she is right。 You are placed between a life
that is almost poverty…stricken and a life of opulence； between
the betrothed of your heart and a wife in conformity with the
demands of the world； between obedience to your mother and the
fulfilment of your own choicefor I still believe that you have
chosen me。 Savinien； if you have now to make your decision I wish
you to do so in absolute freedom； I give you back the promise you
made to yourselfnot to mein a moment w