OnreturningfrommassMadamedePortendueretoldTiennettetoinformhersonthatshewishedtoseehim。
Thelittlehousehadthreebedroomsonthefirstfloor。ThatofMadamedePortenduereandthatofherlatehusbandwereseparatedbyalargedressing-roomlightedbyaskylight，andconnectedbyalittleantechamberwhichopenedonthestaircase。Thewindowoftheotherroom，occupiedbySavinien，looked，likethatofhislatefather，onthestreet。Thestaircasewentupatthebackofthehouse，leavingroomforalittlestudylightedbyasmallroundwindowopeningonthecourt。MadamedePortenduere’sbedroom，thegloomiestinthehouse，alsolookedintothecourt；butthewidowspentallhertimeinthesalononthegroundfloor，whichcommunicatedbyapassagewiththekitchenbuiltattheendofthecourt，sothatthissalonwasmadetoanswerthedoublepurposeofdrawing-roomanddining-roomcombined。
ThebedroomofthelateMonsieurdePortenduereremainedashehadleftitonthedayofhisdeath；therewasnochangeexceptthathewasabsent。MadamedePortenduerehadmadethebedherself；layinguponittheuniformofanavalcaptain，hissword，cordon，orders，andhat。Thegoldsnuff-boxfromwhichherlatehusbandhadtakensnuffforthelasttimewasonthetable，withhisprayer-book，hiswatch，andthecupfromwhichhedrank。Hiswhitehair，arrangedinonecurledlockandframed，hungaboveacrucifixandtheholywaterinthealcove。Allthelittleornamentshehadworn，hisjournals，hisfurniture，hisDutchspittoon，hisspy-glasshangingbythemantel，wereallthere。Thewidowhadstoppedthehandsoftheclockatthehourofhisdeath，towhichtheyalwayspointed。Theroomstillsmeltofthepowderandthetobaccoofthedeceased。Thehearthwasasheleftit。Toher，enteringthere，hewasagainvisibleinthemanyarticleswhichtoldofhisdailyhabits。Histallcanewithitsgoldheadwaswherehehadlastplacedit，withhisbuckskinglovescloseby。Onatableagainstthewallstoodagoldvase，ofcoarseworkmanshipbutworththreethousandfrancs，agiftfromHavana，whichcity，atthetimeoftheAmericanWarofIndependence，hehadprotectedfromanattackbytheBritish，bringinghisconvoysafeintoportafteranengagementwithsuperiorforces。TorecompensethisservicetheKingofSpainhadmadehimaknightofhisorder；thesameeventgavehimarighttothenextpromotiontotherankofvice-
admiral，andhealsoreceivedtheredribbing。Hethenmarriedhiswife，whohadafortuneofabouttwohundredthousandfrancs。ButtheRevolutionhinderedhispromotion，andMonsieurdePortenduereemigrated。
“Whereismymother？“saidSavinientoTiennette。
“Sheiswaitingforyouinyourfather’sroom，“saidtheoldBretonwoman。
Saviniencouldnotrepressashudder。Heknewhismother’srigidprinciples，herworshipofhonor，herloyalty，herfaithinnobility，andheforesawascene。Hewentuptotheassaultwithhisheartbeatingandhisfaceratherpale。Inthedimlightwhichfilteredthroughtheblindshesawhismotherdressedinblack，andwithanairofsolemnityinkeepingwiththatfunerealroom。
“Monsieurlevicomte，“shesaidwhenshesawhim，risingandtakinghishandtoleadhimtohisfather’sbed，“therediedyourfather，——amanofhonor；hediedwithoutreproachfromhisownconscience。Hisspiritisthere。Surelyhegroanedinheavenwhenhesawhissondegradedbyimprisonmentfordebt。Undertheoldmonarchythatstaincouldhavebeensparedyoubyobtainingalettredecachetandshuttingyouupforafewdaysinamilitaryprison——Butyouarehere；youstandbeforeyourfather，whohearsyou。Youknowallthatyoudidbeforeyouweresenttothatignobleprison。Willyousweartomebeforeyourfather’sshade，andinpresenceofGodwhoseesall，thatyouhavedonenodishonorableact；thatyourdebtsaretheresultofyouthfulfolly，andthatyourhonorisuntarnished？Ifyourblamelessfatherwerethere，sittinginthatarmchair，andaskinganexplanationofyourconduct，couldheembraceyouafterhavingheardit？“
“Yes，mother，“repliedtheyoungman，withgraverespect。
Sheopenedherarmsandpressedhimtoherheart，sheddingafewtears。
“Letusforgetitall，myson，“shesaid；“itisonlyalittlelessmoney。IshallprayGodtoletusrecoverit。Asyouareindeedworthyofyourname，kissme——forIhavesufferedmuch。“
“Iswear，mother，“hesaid，layinghishanduponthebed，“togiveyounofurtherunhappinessofthatkind，andtodoallIcantorepairthesefirstfaults。“
“Comeandbreakfast，mychild，“shesaid，turningtoleavetheroom。
In1829theoldnoblessehadrecoveredastomannersandcustomssomethingoftheprestigeithadirrevocablylostinpolitics。
Moreover，thesentimentwhichgovernsparentsandgrandparentsinallthatrelatestomatrimonialconventionsisanimperishablesentiment，closelyalliedtotheveryexistenceofcivilizedsocietiesandspringingfromthespiritoffamily。ItrulesinGenevaasinViennaandinNemours，where，aswehaveseen，ZelieMinoretrefusedherconsenttoapossiblemarriageofhersonwiththedaughterofabastard。Still，allsociallawshavetheirexceptions。Savinienthoughthemightbendhismother’spridebeforetheinbornnobilityofUrsula。Thestrugglebeganatonce。Assoonastheywereseatedattablehismothertoldhimofthehorribleletters，asshecalledthem，whichtheKergarouetsandthePortenduereshadwrittenher。
“Thereisnosuchthingasfamilyinthesedays，mother，“repliedSavinien，“nothingbutindividuals！Thenoblesarenolongeracompactbody。NooneasksorcareswhetherIamaPortenduere，orbrave，orastatesmen；alltheyasknow-a-daysis，’Whattaxesdoeshepay？’“
“Buttheking？“askedtheoldlady。
“ThekingiscaughtbetweenthetwoChamberslikeamanbetweenhiswifeandhismistress。SoIshallhavetomarrysomerichgirlwithoutregardtofamily，——thedaughterofapeasantifshehasamillionandissufficientlywellbrought-up——thatistosay，ifshehasbeentaughtinschool。“
“Oh！there’snoneedtotalkofthat，“saidtheoldlady。
Savinienfrownedasheheardthewords。Heknewthegranitewill，calledBretonobstinacy，thatdistinguishedhismother，andheresolvedtoknowatonceheropiniononthisdelicatematter。
“So，“hewenton，“ifIlovedayounggirl，——takeforinstanceyourneighbour’sgodchild，littleUrsula，——wouldyouopposemymarriage？“
“Yes，aslongasIlive，“shereplied；“andaftermydeathyouwouldberesponsibleforthehonorandthebloodoftheKergarouetsandthePortendueres。“
“Wouldyouletmedieofhungeranddespairforthechimeraofnobility，whichhasnorealityto-dayunlessithasthelustreofgreatwealth？“
“YoucouldserveFranceandputfaithinGod。“
“Wouldyoupostponemyhappinesstillafteryourdeath？“
“Itwouldbehorribleifyoutookitthen，——thatisallIhavetosay。“
“LouisXIV。cameverynearmarryingthenieceofMazarin，aparvenu。“
“Mazarinhimselfopposedit。“
“RememberthewidowScarron。“
“Shewasad’Aubigne。Besides，themarriagewasinsecret。ButIamveryold，myson，“shesaid，shakingherhead。“WhenIamnomoreyoucan，asyousay，marrywhomyouplease。“
Savinienbothlovedandrespectedhismother；butheinstantly，thoughsilently，sethimselfinoppositiontoherwithanobstinacyequaltoherown，resolvingtohavenootherwifethanUrsula，towhomthisoppositiongave，asoftenhappensinsimilarcircumstances，thevalueofaforbiddenthing。
When，aftervespers，thedoctor，withUrsula，whowasdressedinpinkandwhite，enteredthecold，stiffsalon，thegirlwasseizedwithnervoustrembling，asthoughshehadenteredthepresenceofthequeenofFranceandhadafavortobegofher。Sinceherconfessiontothedoctorthislittlehousehadassumedtheproportionsofapalaceinhereyes，andtheoldladyherselfthesocialvaluewhichaduchessoftheMiddleAgesmighthavehadtothedaughterofaserf。NeverhadUrsulameasuredasshedidatthatmomentthedistancewhichseparatedVicomtedePortenduerefromthedaughterofaregimentalmusician，aformeropera-singerandthenaturalsonofanorganist。
“Whatisthematter，mydear？“saidtheoldlady，makingthegirlsitdownbesideher。
“Madame，Iamconfusedbythehonoryouhavedoneme——“
“Mylittlegirl，“saidMadamedePortenduere，inhersharpesttone。“I
knowhowfondyouruncleisofyou，andIwishedtobeagreeabletohim，forhehasbroughtbackmyprodigalson。“
“But，mydearmother，“saidSaviniencuttotheheartbyseeingthecolorflyintoUrsula’sfaceasshestruggledtokeepbackhertears，“evenifwewereundernoobligationstoMonsieurleChevalierMinoret，IthinkweshouldalwaysbemostgratefulforthepleasureMademoisellehasgivenusbyacceptingyourinvitation。“
Theyoungmanpressedthedoctor’shandinasignificantmanner，adding:“Iseeyouwear，monsieur，theorderofSaint-Michel，theoldestorderinFrance，andonewhichconfersnobility。“