“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: