Monsieurlevicomte，Iamapoorgirl，whosefortunedependsentirely，notonlyonmygodfather’sgood-will，butalsoonthedoubtfulsuccessofthemeasureshemaytaketoeludetheschemesofhisrelativesagainstme。ThoughIamthelegitimatedaughterofJosephMirouet，band-masterofthe45thregimentofinfantry，myfatherhimselfwasmygodfather’snaturalhalf-brother；andthereforetheserelativesmay，thoughwithoutreason，beingasuitagainstayounggirlwhowouldbedefenceless。Yousee，monsieur，thatthesmallnessofmyfortuneisnotmygreatestmisfortune。I
havemanythingstomakemehumble。Itisforyoursake，andnotformyown，thatIlaybeforeyouthesefacts，whichtolovinganddevotedheartsaresometimesoflittleweight。ButIbegyoutoconsider，monsieur，thatifIdidnotsubmitthemtoyou，Imightbesuspectedofleadingyourtendernesstooverlookobstacleswhichtheworld，andmoreespeciallyyourmother，regardasinsuperable。
Ishallbesixteeninfourmonths。PerhapsyouwilladmitthatwearebothtooyoungandtooinexperiencedtounderstandthemiseriesofalifeentereduponwithoutotherfortunethanthatI
havereceivedfromthekindnessofthelateMonsieurdeJordy。Mygodfatherdesires，moreover，nottomarrymeuntilIamtwenty。
Whoknowswhatfatemayhaveinstoreforyouinfouryears，thefinestyearsofyourlife？donotsacrificethemtoapoorgirl。
Havingthusexplainedtoyou，monsieur，theopinionsofmydeargodfather，who，farfromopposingmyhappiness，seekstocontributetoitineveryway，andearnestlydesiresthathisprotection，whichmustsoonfailme，maybereplacedbyatendernessequaltohisown；thereremainsonlytotellyouhowtouchedIambyyourofferandbythecomplimentswhichaccompanyit。Theprudencewhichdictatesmyletteristhatofanoldmantowhomlifeiswell-known；butthegratitudeIexpressisthatofayounggirl，inwhosesoulnoothersentimenthasarisen。
Therefore，monsieur，Icansignmyself，inallsincerity，Yourservant，UrsulaMirouet。
Savinienmadenoreply。Washetryingtosoftenhismother？Hadthisletterputanendtohislove？Manysuchquestions，allinsoluble，tormentedpoorUrsula，and，byrepercussion，thedoctortoo，whosufferedfromeveryagitationofhisdarlingchild。UrsulawentoftentoherchambertolookatSavinien，whomsheusuallyfoundsittingpensivelybeforehistablewithhiseyesturnedtowardsherwindow。Attheendoftheweek，butnosooner，shereceivedaletterfromhim；
thedelaywasexplainedbyhisincreasinglove。
ToMademoiselleUrsulaMirouet:
DearUrsula，——IamaBreton，andwhenmymindisoncemadeupnothingcanchangeme。Yourgodfather，whommayGodpreservetous，isright；butdoesitfollowthatIamwronginlovingyou？
Therefore，allIwanttoknowfromyouiswhetheryoucouldloveme。Tellmethis，ifonlybyasign，andthenthenextfouryearswillbethefinestofmylife。
Afriendofminehasdeliveredtomygreat-uncle，Vice-admiralKergarouet，aletterinwhichIaskedhishelptoenterthenavy。
Thekindoldman，grievedatmymisfortune，repliesthateventheking’sfavorwouldbethwartedbytherulesoftheserviceincaseIwantedacertainrank。Nevertheless，ifIstudythreemonthsatToulon，theministerofwarcansendmetoseaasmaster’smate；
thenafteracruiseagainsttheAlgerines，withwhomwearenowatwar，Icangothroughanexaminationandbecomeamidshipman。
Moreover，ifIdistinguishmyselfinanexpeditiontheyarefittingoutagainstAlgiers，Ishallcertainlybemadeensign——buthowsoon？thatnoonecantell。Only，theywillmaketherulesaselasticaspossibletohavethenameofPortenduereagaininthenavy。
IseeveryplainlythatIcanonlyhopetoobtainyoufromyourgodfather；andyourrespectforhimmakesyoustilldearertome。
Beforereplyingtotheadmiral，Imusthaveaninterviewwiththedoctor；onhisreplymywholefuturewilldepend。Whatevercomesofit，knowthis，thatrichorpoor，thedaughterofabandmasterorthedaughterofaking，youarethewomanwhomthevoiceofmyheartpointsouttome。DearUrsula，weliveintimeswhenprejudiceswhichmightoncehaveseparatedushavenopowertopreventourmarriage。Toyou，then，Iofferthefeelingsofmyheart，toyouruncletheguaranteeswhichsecuretohimyourhappiness。HehasnotseenthatI，inafewhours，cametoloveyoumorethanhehaslovedyouinfifteenyears。
Untilthisevening。
Savinien。
“Here，godfather，“saidUrsula，holdingtheletterouttohimwithaproudgesture。
“Ah，mychild！“criedthedoctorwhenhehadreadit，“Iamhappierthanevenyou。Herepairsallhisfaultsbythisresolution。“
AfterdinnerSavinienpresentedhimself，andfoundthedoctorwalkingwithUrsulabythebalustradeoftheterraceoverlookingtheriver。
TheviscounthadreceivedhisclothesfromParis，andhadnotmissedheighteninghisnaturaladvantagesbyacarefultoilet，aselegantasthoughhewerestrivingtopleasetheproudandbeautifulComtessedeKergarouet。Seeinghimapproachherfromtheportico，thepoorgirlclungtoheruncle’sarmasthoughsheweresavingherselffromafalloveraprecipice，andthedoctorheardthebeatingofherheart，whichmadehimshudder。
“Leaveus，mychild，“hesaidtothegirl，whowenttothepagodaandsatuponthesteps，afterallowingSavinientotakeherhandandkissitrespectfully。
“Monsieur，willyougivethisdearhandtoanavalcaptain？“hesaidtothedoctorinalowvoice。
“No，“saidMinoret，smiling；“wemighthavetowaittoolong，but——I
willgivehertoalieutenant。“
Tearsofjoyfilledtheyoungman’seyesashepressedthedoctor’shandaffectionately。
“Iamabouttoleave，“hesaid，“tostudyhardandtrytolearninsixmonthswhatthepupilsoftheNavalSchooltakesixyearstoacquire。“
“Youaregoing？“saidUrsula，springingtowardsthemfromthepavilion。
“Yes，mademoiselle，todeserveyou。ThereforethemoreeagerIamtogo，themoreIprovetoyoumyaffection。“
“Thisisthe3rdofOctober，“shesaid，lookingathimwithinfinitetenderness；“donotgotillafterthe19th。“
“Yes，“saidtheoldman，“wewillcelebrateSaint-Savinien’sday。“
“Good-by，then，“criedtheyoungman。“ImustspendthisweekinParis，totakethepreliminarysteps，buybooksandmathematicalinstruments，andtrytoconciliatetheministerandgetthebesttermsthatIcanformyself。“
UrsulaandhergodfatheraccompaniedSavinientothegate。Soonafterheenteredhismother’shousetheysawhimcomeoutagain，followedbyTiennettecarryinghisvalise。
“Ifyouarerich，“saidUrsulatoheruncle，“whydoyoumakehimserveinthenavy？“
“PresentlyitwillbeIwhoincurredhisdebts，“saidthedoctor，smiling。“Idon’tobligehimtodoanything；buttheuniform，mydear，andthecrossoftheLegionofhonor，woninbattle，willwipeoutmanystains。Beforesixyearsareoverhemaybeincommandofaship，andthat’sallIaskofhim。“
“Buthemaybekilled，“shesaid，turningapalefaceuponthedoctor。
“Lovers，likedrunkards，haveaprovidenceoftheirown，“hesaid，laughing。
Thatnightthepoorchild，withLaBougival’shelp，cutoffasufficientquantityofherlongandbeautifulblondhairtomakeachain；andthenextdayshepersuadedoldSchmucke，themusic-master，totakeittoParisandhavethechainmadeandreturnedbythefollowingSunday。WhenSaviniengotbackheinformedthedoctorandUrsulathathehadsignedhisarticlesandwastobeatBrestonthe25th。Thedoctoraskedhimtodinneronthe18th，andhepassednearlytwowholedaysintheoldman’shouse。Notwithstandingmuchsageadviceandmanyresolutions，theloverscouldnothelpbetrayingtheirsecretunderstandingtothewatchfuleyesoftheabbe，MonsieurBongrand，theNemoursdoctor，andLaBougival。
“Children，“saidtheoldman，“youareriskingyourhappinessbynotkeepingittoyourselves。“
Onthefete-day，aftermass，duringwhichseveralglanceshadbeenexchanged，Savinien，watchedbyUrsula，crossedtheroadandenteredthelittlegardenwherethepairwerepracticallyalone；forthekindoldman，bywayofindulgence，wasreadinghisnewspapersinthepagoda。
“DearUrsula，“saidSavinien；“willyoumakeagiftgreaterthanmymothercouldmakemeevenif——“
“Iknowwhatyouwishtoaskme，“shesaid，interruptinghim。“See，hereismyanswer，“sheadded，takingfromthepocketofheraprontheboxcontainingthechainmadeofherhair，andofferingittohimwithanervoustremorwhichtestifiedtoherillimitablehappiness。“Wearit，“shesaid，“forloveofme。Mayitshieldyoufromalldangersbyremindingyouthatmylifedependsonyours。“
“Naughtylittlething！sheisgivinghimachainofherhair，“saidthedoctortohimself。“Howdidshemanagetogetit？whatapitytocutthosebeautifulfairtresses；shewillbegivinghimmylife’sbloodnext。“
“YouwillnotblamemeifIaskyoutogiveme，nowthatIamleavingyou，aformalpromisetohavenootherhusbandthanme，“saidSavinien，kissingthechainandlookingatUrsulawithtearsinhiseyes。
“HaveInotsaidsotoooften——IwhowenttoseethewallsofSainte-
Pelagiewhenyouwerebehindthem？——“shereplied，blushing。“Irepeatit，Savinien；Ishallneverloveanyonebutyou，andIwillbeyoursalone。“