ToMadamedePortenduere:
　　Mydearaunt，——IammoreannoyedthansurprisedatSavinien’spranks。AsIammarriedandthefatheroftwosonsandonedaughter，myfortune，alreadytoosmallformypositionandprospects，cannotbelessenedtoransomaPortenduerefromthehandsoftheJews。Sellyourfarm，payhisdebts，andcomeandlivewithusatPortenduere。Youshallreceivethewelcomeweoweyou，eventhoughourviewsmaynotbeentirelyinaccordancewithyours。Youshallbemadehappy，andwewillmanagetomarrySavinien，whommywifethinkscharming。Thislittleoutbreakisnothing；donotmakeyourselfunhappy；itwillneverbeknowninthispartofthecountry，wherethereareanumberofrichgirlswhowouldbedelightedtoenterourfamily。
　　Mywifejoinsmeinassuringyouofthehappinessyouwouldgiveus，andIbegyoutoacceptherwishesfortherealizationofthisplan，togetherwithmyaffectionaterespects。
　　Luc-Savinien，ComtedePortenduere。
　　“WhatlettersforaKergarouettoreceive！“criedtheoldBretonlady，wipinghereyes。
　　“Theadmiraldoesnotknowhisnephewisinprison，“saidtheAbbeChaperonatlast；“thecountessalonereadyourletter，andhasanswereditforhim。Butyoumustdecideatonceonsomecourse，“headdedafterapause，“andthisiswhatIhavethehonortoadvise。Donotsellyourfarm。Theleaseisjustout，havinglastedtwenty-fouryears；inafewmonthsyoucanraisetherenttosixthousandfrancsandgetapremiumfordoublethatamount。Borrowwhatyouneedofsomehonestman，——notfromthetownspeoplewhomakeabusinessofmortgages。Yourneighbourhereisamostworthyman；amanofgoodsociety，whoknewitasitwasbeforetheRevolution，whowasonceanatheist，andisnowanearnestCatholic。Donotletyourfeelingsdebaryoufromgoingtohishousethisveryevening；hewillfullyunderstandthestepyoutake；forgetforamomentthatyouareaKergarouet。“
　　“Never！“saidtheoldmother，inasharpvoice。
　　“Well，then，beanamiableKergarouet；comewhenheisalone。Hewilllendyouthemoneyatthreeandahalfpercent，perhapsevenatthreepercent，andwilldoyouthisservicedelicately；youwillbepleasedwithhim。HecangotoParisandreleaseSavinienhimself，——forhewillhavetogotheretosellouthisfunds，——andhecanbringtheladbacktoyou。“
　　“AreyouspeakingofthatlittleMinoret？“
　　“ThatlittleMinoretiseighty-threeyearsold，“saidtheabbe，smiling。“Mydearlady，dohavealittleChristiancharity；don’twoundhim，——hemightbeusefultoyouinotherways。“
　　“Whatways？“
　　“Hehasanangelinhishouse；apreciousyounggirl——“
　　“Oh！thatlittleUrsula。Whatofthat？“
　　Thepoorabbedidnotpursuethesubjectafterthesesignificantwords，thelaconicsharpnessofwhichcutthroughthepropositionhewasabouttomake。
　　“IthinkDoctorMinoretisveryrich，“hesaid。
　　“Somuchthebetterforhim。“
　　“Youhaveindirectlycausedyourson’smisfortunesbyrefusingtogivehimaprofession；bewareforthefuture，“saidtheabbesternly。“AmI
　　totellDoctorMinoretthatyouarecoming？“
　　“WhycannothecometomeifheknowsIwanthim？“shereplied。
　　“Ah，madame，ifyougotohimyouwillpayhimthreepercent；ifhecomestoyouyouwillpayhimfive，“saidtheabbe，inventingthisreasontoinfluencetheoldlady。“AndifyouareforcedtosellyourfarmbyDionisthenotary，orbyMassintheclerkwhowouldrefusetolendyouthemoney，knowingitwasmoretheirinteresttobuy，youwouldlosehalfitsvalue。IhavenottheslightestinfluenceontheDionis，Massins，orLevraults，oranyofthoserichmenwhocovetyourfarmandknowthatyoursonisinprison。“
　　“Theyknowit！oh，dotheyknowit？“sheexclaimed，throwingupherarms。“There！mypoorabbe，youhaveletyourcoffeegetcold！
　　Tiennette，Tiennette！“
　　Tiennette，anoldBretonservantsixtyyearsofage，wearingashortgownandaBretoncap，camequicklyinandtooktheabbe’scoffeetowarmit。
　　“Letbe，Monsieurlerecteur，“shesaid，seeingthattheabbemeanttodrinkit，“I’lljustputitintothebain-marie，itwon’tspoilit。“
　　“Well，“saidtheabbetoMadamedePortenduereinhismostinsinuatingvoice，“Ishallgoandtellthedoctorofyourvisit，andyouwillcome——“
　　Theoldmotherdidnotyieldtillafteranhour’sdiscussion，duringwhichtheabbewasforcedtorepeathisargumentsatleasttentimes。
　　AndeventhentheproudKergarouetwasnotvanquisheduntilheusedthewords，“Savinienwouldgo。“
　　“ItisbetterthatIshouldgothanhe，“shesaid。
　　TheclockwasstrikingninewhenthelittledoormadeinthelargedoorofMadamedePortenduere’shouseclosedontheabbe，whoimmediatelycrossedtheroadandhastilyrangthebellatthedoctor’sgate。HefellfromTiennettetoLaBougival；theonesaidtohim，“Whydoyoucomesolate，Monsieurl’abbe？“astheotherhadsaid，“WhydoyouleaveMadamesoearlywhensheisintrouble？“
　　Theabbefoundanumerouscompanyassembledinthegreenandbrownsalon；forDionishadstoppedatMassin’sonhiswayhometore-assuretheheirsbyrepeatingtheiruncle’swords。
　　“IbelieveUrsulahasalove-affair，“saidhe，“whichwillbenothingbutpainandtroubletoher；sheseemsromantic“extremesensibilityissocalledbynotaries，“and，you’llsee，shewon’tmarrysoon。
　　Therefore，don’tshowheranydistrust；beveryattentivetoherandveryrespectfultoyouruncle，forheisslyerthanfiftyGoupils，“
　　addedthenotary——withoutbeingawarethatGoupilisacorruptionofthewordvulpes，afox。
　　SoMesdamesMassinandCremierewiththeirhusbands，thepostmasterandDesire，togetherwiththeNemoursdoctorandBongrand，madeanunusualandnoisypartyinthedoctor’ssalon。Astheabbeenteredheheardthesoundofthepiano。PoorUrsulawasjustfinishingasonataofBeethoven’s。Withgirlishmischiefshehadchosenthatgrandmusic，whichmustbestudiedtobeunderstood，forthepurposeofdisgustingthesewomenwiththethingtheycoveted。Thefinerthemusicthelessignorantpersonslikeit。So，whenthedooropenedandtheabbe’svenerableheadappearedtheyallcriedout:“Ah！here’sMonsieurl’abbe！“inatoneofrelief，delightedtojumpupandputanendtotheirtorture。
　　Theexclamationwasechoedatthecard-table，whereBongrand，theNemoursdoctor，andoldMinoretwerevictimstothepresumptionwithwhichthecollector，inordertopropitiatehisgreat-uncle，hadproposedtotakethefourthhandatwhist。Ursulaleftthepiano。Thedoctorroseasiftoreceivetheabbe，butreallytoputanendtothegame。Aftermanycomplimentstotheiruncleonthewonderfulproficiencyofhisgoddaughter，theheirsmadetheirbowandretired。
　　“Good-night，myfriends，“criedthedoctorastheirongateclanged。
　　“Ah！that’swherethemoneygoes，“saidMadameCremieretoMadameMassin，astheywalkedon。
　　“GodforbidthatIshouldspendmoneytoteachmylittleAlinetomakesuchadinasthat！“criedMadameMassin。
　　“ShesaiditwasBeethoven，whoisthoughttobefinemusician，“saidthecollector；“hehasquiteareputation。“
　　“NotinNemours，I’msureofthat，“saidMadameCremiere。
　　“Ibelieveunclemadeherplayitexpresslytodriveusaway，“saidMassin；“forIsawhimgivethatlittleminxawinkassheopenedthemusic-book。“
　　“Ifthat’sthesortofcharivaritheylike，“saidthepostmaster，“theyarequiterighttokeepittothemselves。“
　　“MonsieurBongrandmustbefondofwhisttostandsuchadreadfulracket，“saidMadameCremiere。
　　“Ishallneverbeabletoplaybeforepersonswhodon’tunderstandmusic，“Ursulawassayingasshesatdownbesidethewhist-table。
　　“Innaturesrichlyorganized，“saidtheabbe，“sentimentscanbedevelopedonlyinacongenialatmosphere。Justasapriestisunabletogivetheblessinginpresenceofanevilspirit，orasachestnut-
　　treediesinaclaysoil，soamusician’sgeniushasamentaleclipsewhenheissurroundedbyignorantpersons。Inalltheartswemustreceivefromthesoulswhomaketheenvironmentofoursoulsasmuchintensityasweconveytothem。Thisaxiom，whichrulesthehumanmind，hasbeenmadeintoproverbs:’Howlwiththewolves’；’Likemeetslike。’Butthesufferingyoufelt，Ursula，affectsdelicateandtendernaturesonly。“
　　“Andso，friends，“saidthedoctor，“athingwhichwouldmerelygivepaintomostwomenmightkillmyUrsula。Ah！whenIamnolongerhere，IchargeyoutoseethatthehedgeofwhichCatullusspoke，——“Utflos，“etc。，——aprotectinghedgeisraisedbetweenthischerishedflowerandtheworld。“
　　“Andyetthoseladiesflatteredyou，Ursula，“saidMonsieurBongrand，smiling。
　　“Flatteredhergrossly，“remarkedtheNemoursdoctor。
　　“Ihavealwaysnoticedhowvulgarforcedflatteryis，“saidoldMinoret。“Whyisthat？“
　　“Atruethoughthasitsowndelicacy，“saidtheabbe。
　　“DidyoudinewithMadamedePortenduere？“askedUrsula，withalookofanxiouscuriosity。