“Pooh！“saidtheclerk，unabletoimaginewhatcapriciousconductmeant。
　　“Oh！I’mnotungrateful；youhaveenabledmetogetthisfinebrickchateauwiththestonecopingswhichcouldn’tbebuiltnowfortwohundredthousandfrancsandthosefarmsandpreservesandtheparkandgardensandwoods，allfortwohundredandeightythousandfrancs。
　　No，I’mnotungrateful；I’llgiveyoutenpercent，twentythousandfrancs，foryourservices，andyoucanbuyasheriff’spracticeinNemours。I’llguaranteeyouamarriagewithoneofCremiere’sdaughters，theeldest。“
　　“Theonewhotalkspiston！“criedGoupil。
　　“She’llhavethirtythousandfrancs，“repliedMinoret。“Don’tyousee，mydearboy，thatyouarecutoutforasheriff，justasIwastobeapostmaster？Peopleshouldkeeptotheirvocation。“
　　“Verywell，then，“saidGoupil，fallingfromthepinnacleofhishopes；“here’sastampedcheque；writemeanorderfortwentythousandfrancs；Iwantthemoneyinhandatonce。“
　　Minorethadeighteenthousandfrancsbyhimatthatmomentofwhichhiswifeknewnothing。HethoughtthebestwaytogetridofGoupilwastosignthedraft。Theclerk，seeingtheflushofseigniorialfeveronthefaceoftheimbecileandcolossalMachiavelli，threwhiman“aurevoir，“bywayoffarewell，accompaniedwithaglancewhichwouldhavemadeanyonebutanidioticparvenu，lostincontemplationofthemagnificentchateaubuiltinthestyleinvogueunderLouisXIII。，trembleinhisshoes。
　　“Areyounotgoingtowaitforme？“hecried，observingthatGoupilwasgoingawayonfoot。
　　“You’llfindmeonourpath，neverfear，papaMinoret，“repliedGoupil，athirstforvengeanceandresolvedtoknowthemeaningofthezigzagsofMinoret’sstrangeconduct。
　　SincethedaywhenthelastvilecalumnyhadsulliedherlifeUrsula，apreytooneofthoseinexplicablemaladiestheseatofwhichisinthesoul，seemedtoberapidlynearingdeath。Shewasdeathlypale，speakingonlyatrareintervalsandtheninslowandfeeblewords；
　　everythingabouther，herglanceofgentleindifference，eventheexpressionofherforehead，allrevealedthepresenceofsomeconsumingthought。Shewasthinkinghowtheidealwreathofchastity，withwhichthroughoutallagesthePeoplescrownedtheirvirgins，hadfallenfromherbrow。Sheheardinthevoidandinthesilencethedishonoringwords，themaliciouscomments，thelaughterofthelittletown。Thetrialwastooheavy，herinnocencewastoodelicatetoallowhertosurvivethemurderousblow。Shecomplainednomore；asorrowfulsmilewasonherlips；hereyesappealedtoheaven，totheSovereignofangels，againstman’sinjustice。
　　WhenGoupilreachedNemours，Ursulahadjustbeencarrieddownfromherchambertotheground-floorinthearmsofLaBougivalandthedoctor。Agreateventwasabouttotakeplace。WhenMadamedePortenduerebecamereallyawarethatthegirlwasdyinglikeanermine，thoughlessinjuredinherhonorthanClarissaHarlowe，sheresolvedtogotoherandcomforther。Thesightofherson’sanguish，whoduringthewholeprecedingnighthadseemedbesidehimself，madetheBretonsouloftheoldwomanyield。Moreover，itseemedworthyofherowndignitytorevivethecourageofagirlsopure，andshesawinhervisitacounterpoisetoalltheevildonebythelittletown。
　　Heropinion，surelymorepowerfulthanthatofthecrowd，oughttocarrywithit，shethought，theinfluenceofrace。Thisstep，whichtheabbecametoannounce，madesogreatachangeinUrsulathatthedoctor，whowasabouttoaskforaconsultationofParisiandoctors，recoveredhope。Theyplacedheronheruncle’ssofa，andsuchwasthecharacterofherbeautythatshelaythereinhermourninggarments，palefromsuffering，shewasmoreexquisitelylovelythaninthehappiesthoursofherlife。WhenSavinien，withhismotheronhisarm，enteredtheroomshecoloredvividly。
　　“Donotrise，mychild，“saidtheoldladyimperatively；“weakandillasIammyself，Iwishedtocomeandtellyoumyfeelingsaboutwhatishappening。Irespectyouasthepurest，themostreligiousandexcellentgirlintheGatinais；andIthinkyouworthytomakethehappinessofagentleman。“
　　AtfirstpoorUrsulawasunabletoanswer；shetookthewitheredhandsofSavinien’smotherandkissedthem。
　　“Ah，madame，“shesaidinafalteringvoice，“IshouldneverhavehadtheboldnesstothinkofrisingabovemyconditionifIhadnotbeenencouragedbypromises；myonlyclaimwasthatofanaffectionwithoutbounds；butnowtheyhavefoundthemeanstoseparatemefromhimI
　　love，——theyhavemademeunworthyofhim。Never！“shecried，witharinginhervoicewhichpainfullyaffectedthoseabouther，“neverwillIconsenttogivetoanymanadegradedhand，astainedreputation。Ilovedtoowell，——yes，Icanadmititinmypresentcondition，——IloveacreaturealmostasIloveGod，andGod——“
　　“Hush，mychild！donotcalumniateGod。Come，mydaughter，“saidtheoldlady，makinganeffort，“donotexaggeratetheharmdonebyaninfamousjokeinwhichnoonebelieves。Igiveyoumyword，youwillliveandyoushallbehappy。“
　　“Weshallbehappy！“criedSavinien，kneelingbesideUrsulaandkissingherhand；“mymotherhascalledyouherdaughter。“
　　“Enough，enough，“saidthedoctorfeelinghispatient’spulse；“donotkillherwithjoy。“
　　AtthatmomentGoupil，whofoundthestreetdoorajar，openedthatofthelittlesalon，andshowedhishideousfaceblazingwiththoughtsofvengeancewhichhadcrowdedintohismindashehurriedalong。
　　“MonsieurdePortenduere，“hesaid，inavoicelikethehissingofaviperforcedfromitshole。
　　“Whatdoyouwant？“saidSavinien，risingfromhisknees。
　　“Ihaveawordtosaytoyou。“
　　Savinienlefttheroom，andGoupiltookhimintothelittlecourtyard。
　　“SweartomebyUrsula’slife，byyourhonorasagentleman，todobymeasifIhadnevertoldyouwhatIamabouttotell。Dothis，andI
　　willrevealtoyouthecauseofthepersecutionsdirectedagainstMademoiselleMirouet。“
　　“CanIputastoptothem？“
　　“Yes。“
　　“CanIavengethem？“
　　“Ontheirauthor，yes——onhistool，no。“
　　“Whynot？“
　　“Because——Iamthetool。“
　　Savinienturnedpale。
　　“IhavejustseenUrsula——“saidGoupil。
　　“Ursula？“saidthelover，lookingfixedlyattheclerk。
　　“MademoiselleMirouet，“continuedGoupil，maderespectfulbySavinien’stone；“andIwouldundowithmybloodthewrongthathasbeendone；Irepentofit。Ifyouweretokillme，inaduelorotherwise，whatgoodwouldmyblooddoyou？canyoudrinkit？Atthismomentitwouldpoisonyou。“
　　Thecoldreasoningoftheman，togetherwithafeelingofeagercuriosity，calmedSavinien’sanger。HefixedhiseyesonGoupilwithalookwhichmadethatmoraldeformitywrithe。
　　“Whosetyouatthiswork？“saidtheyoungman。
　　“Willyouswear？“
　　“What，——todoyounoharm？“
　　“IwishthatyouandMademoiselleMirouetshouldnotforgiveme。“
　　“Shewillforgiveyou，——I，never！“
　　“Butatleastyouwillforget？“
　　Whatterriblepowerthereasonhaswhenitisusedtofurtherself-
　　interest。Hereweretwomen，longingtotearoneanotherinpieces，standinginthatcourtyardwithintwoinchesofeachother，compelledtotalktogetherandunitedbyasinglesentiment。
　　“Iwillforgiveyou，butIshallnotforget。“
　　“Theagreementisoff，“saidGoupilcoldly。Savinienlostpatience。Heappliedablowupontheman’sfacewhichechoedthroughthecourtyardandnearlyknockedhimdown，makingSavinienhimselfstagger。
　　“ItisonlywhatIdeserve，“saidGoupil，“forcommittingsuchafolly。Ithoughtyoumorenoblethanyouare。YouhaveabusedtheadvantageIgaveyou。Youareinmypowernow，“headdedwithalookofhatred。
　　“Youareamurderer！“saidSavinien。
　　“Nomorethanadaggerisamurderer。“
　　“Ibegyourpardon，“saidSavinien。
　　“Areyourevengedenough？“saidGoupil，withferociousirony；“willyoustophere？“
　　“Reciprocalpardonandforgetfulness，“repliedSavinien。
　　“Givemeyourhand，“saidtheclerk，holdingouthisown。
　　“Itisyours，“saidSavinien，swallowingtheshameforUrsula’ssake。
　　“Nowspeak；whomadeyoudothisthing？“
　　Goupillookedintothescalesasitwere；ononesidewasSavinien’sblow，ontheotherhishatredagainstMinoret。Forasecondhewasundecided；thenavoicesaidtohim:“Youwillbenotary！“andheanswered: