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occasions Zelie sent to Paris for delicaciesobliging Dionis the

notary to emulate her display。 Goupil; whom the Minorets endeavored to

ignore as a questionable person who might tarnish their splendor; was

not invited until the end of July。 The clerk; who was fully aware of

this intended neglect; was forced to be respectful to Desire; who;

since his entrance into office; had assumed a haughty and dignified

air; even in his own family。



〃You must have forgotten Esther;〃 Goupil said to him; 〃as you are so

much in love with Mademoiselle Mirouet。〃



〃In the first place; Esther is dead; monsieur; and in the next I have

never even thought of Ursula;〃 said the new magistrate。



〃Why; what did you tell me; papa Minoret?〃 cried Goupil; insolently。



Minoret; caught in a lie by a man whom he feared; would have lost

countenance if it had not been for a project in his head; which was;

in fact; the reason why Goupil was invited to dinner;Minoret having

remembered the proposition the clerk had once made to prevent the

marriage between Savinien and Ursula。 For all answer; he led Goupil

hurriedly to the end of the garden。



〃You'll soon be twenty…eight years old; my good fellow;〃 said he; 〃and

I don't see that you are on the road to fortune。 I wish you well; for

after all you were once my son's companion。 Listen to me。 If you can

persuade that little Mirouet; who possesses in her own right forty

thousand francs; to marry you; I will give you; as true as my name is

Minoret; the means to buy a notary's practice at Orleans。〃



〃No;〃 said Goupil; 〃that's too far out of the way; but Montargis〃



〃No;〃 said Minoret; 〃Sens。〃



〃Very good;Sens;〃 replied the hideous clerk。 〃There's an archbishop

at Sens; and I don't object to devotion; a little hypocrisy and there

you are; on the way to fortune。 Besides; the girl is pious; and she'll

succeed at Sens。〃



〃It is to be fully understood;〃 continued Minoret; 〃that I shall not

pay the money till you marry my cousin; for whom I wish to provide;

out of consideration for my deceased uncle。〃



〃Why not for me too?〃 said Goupil maliciously; instantly suspecting a

secret motive in Minoret's conduct。 〃Isn't it through information you

got from me that you make twenty…four thousand a year from that land;

without a single enclosure; around the Chateau du Rouvre? The fields

and the mill the other side of the Loing make sixteen thousand more。

Come; old fellow; do you mean to play fair with me?〃



〃Yes。〃



〃If I wanted to show my teeth I could coax Massin to buy the Rouvre

estate; park; gardens; preserves; and timber〃



〃You'd better think twice before you do that;〃 said Zelie; suddenly

intervening。



〃If I choose;〃 said Goupil; giving her a viperish look; 〃Massin would

buy the whole for two hundred thousand francs。〃



〃Leave us; wife;〃 said the colossus; taking Zelie by the arm; and

shoving her away; 〃I understand him。 We have been so very busy;〃 he

continued; returning to Goupil; 〃that we have had no time to think of

you; but I rely on your friendship to buy the Rouvre estate for me。〃



〃It is a very ancient marquisate;〃 said Goupil; maliciously; 〃which

will soon be worth in your hands fifty thousand francs a year; that

means a capital of more than two millions as money is now。〃



〃My son could then marry the daughter of a marshal of France; or the

daughter of some old family whose influence would get him a fine place

under the government in Paris;〃 said Minoret; opening his huge snuff…

box and offering a pinch to Goupil。



〃Very good; but will you play fair?〃 cried Goupil; shaking his

fingers。



Minoret pressed the clerk's hands replying:



〃On my word of honor。〃







CHAPTER XVII



THE MALIGNITY OF PROVINCIAL MINDS



Like all crafty persons; Goupil; fortunately for Minoret; believed

that the proposed marriage with Ursula was only a pretext on the part

of the colossus and Zelie for making up with him; now that he was

opposing them with Massin。



〃It isn't he;〃 thought Goupil; 〃who has invented this scheme; I know

my Zelie;she taught him his part。 Bah! I'll let Massin go。 In three

years time I'll be deputy from Sens。〃 Just then he saw Bongrand on his

way to the opposite house for his whist; and he rushed hastily after

him。



〃You take a great interest in Mademoiselle Mirouet; my dear Monsieur

Bongrand;〃 he said。 〃I know you will not be indifferent to her future。

Her relations are considering it; and there is the programme; she

ought to marry a notary whose practice should be in the chief town of

an arrondisement。 This notary; who would of course be elected deputy

in three years; should settle on a dower of a hundred thousand francs

on her。〃



〃She can do better than that;〃 said Bongrand coldly。 〃Madame de

Portenduere is greatly changed since her misfortunes; trouble is

killing her。 Savinien will have six thousand francs a year; and Ursula

has a capital of forty thousand。 I shall show them how to increase it

a la Massin; but honestly; and in ten years they will have a little

fortune。



〃Savinien will do a foolish thing;〃 said Goupil; 〃he can marry

Mademoiselle du Rouvre whenever he likes;an only daughter to whom

the uncle and aunt intend to leave a fine property。〃



〃Where love enters farewell prudence; as La Fontaine says By the

bye; who is your notary?〃 added Bongrand from curiosity。



〃Suppose it were I?〃 answered Goupil。



〃You!〃 exclaimed Bongrand; without hiding his disgust。



〃Well; well!Adieu; monsieur;〃 replied Goupil; with a parting glance

of gall and hatred and defiance。



〃Do you wish to be the wife of a notary who will settle a hundred

thousand francs on you?〃 cried Bongrand entering Madame de

Portenduere's little salon; where Ursula was seated beside the old

lady。



Ursula and Savinien trembled and looked at each other;she smiling;

he not daring to show his uneasiness。



〃I am not mistress of myself;〃 said Ursula; holding out her hand to

Savinien in such a way that the old lady did not perceive the gesture。



〃Well; I have refused the offer without consulting you。〃



〃Why did you do that?〃 said Madame de Portenduere。 〃I think the

position of a notary is a very good one。〃



〃I prefer my peaceful poverty;〃 said Ursula; 〃which is really wealth

compared with what my station in life might have given me。 Besides; my

old nurse spares me a great deal of care; and I shall not exchange the

present; which I like; for an unknown fate。〃



A few weeks later the post poured into two hearts the poison of

anonymous letters;one addressed to Madame de Portenduere; the other

to Ursula。 The following is the one to the old lady:



  〃You love your son; you wish to marry him in a manner conformable

  with the name he bears; and yet you encourage his fancy for an

  ambitious girl without money and the daughter of a regimental band…

  master; by inviting her to your house。 You ought to marry him to

  Mademoiselle du Rouvre; on whom her two uncles; the Marquis de

  Ronquerolles and the Chevalier du Rouvre; who are worth money; would

  settle a handsome sum rather than leave it to that old fool the

  Marquis du Rouvre; who runs through everything。 Madame de Serizy;

  aunt of Clementine du Rouvre; who has just lost her only son in the

  campaign in Algiers; will no doubt adopt her niece。 A person who is

  your well…wisher assures you that Savinien will be accepted。〃



The letter to Ursula was as follows:



  Dear Ursula;There is a young man in Nemours who idolizes you。 He

  cannot see you working at your window without emotions which prove

  to him that his love will last through life。 This young man is

  gifted with an iron will and a spirit of perseverance which

  nothing can discourage。 Receive his addresses favorably; for his

  intentions are pure; and he humbly asks your hand with a sincere

  desire to make you happy。 His fortune; already suitable; is

  nothing t

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