“Yourmotherborrowedahundredthousandfrancsofme，butIhavepaidoutonlyeightythousand。Hereistherest；becarefulhowyouspendit，monsieur；considerwhatyouhaveleftofitasyourstakeonthegreenclothoffortune。“
　　DuringthelasteightdaysSavinienhadmademanyreflectionsonthepresentconditionsoflife。Competitionineverythingnecessitatedhardworkonthepartofwhoeversoughtafortune。Illegalmethodsandunderhanddealingdemandedmoretalentthanopeneffortsinfaceofday。Successinsociety，farfromgivingamanposition，wastedhistimeandrequiredanimmensedealofmoney。ThenameofPortenduere，whichhismotherconsideredall-powerful，hadnopoweratallinParis。Hiscousinthedeputy，ComtedePortenduere，cutaverypoorfigureintheElectiveChamberinpresenceofthepeerageandthecourt；andhadnonetoomuchcreditpersonally。AdmiralKergarouetexistedonlyasthehusbandofhiswife。Savinienadmittedtohimselfthathehadseenorators，menfromthemiddleclasses，orlessernoblemen，becomeinfluentialpersonages。Moneywasthepivot，thesolemeans，theonlymechanismofasocietywhichLouisXVIII。hadtriedtocreateinthelikenessofthatofEngland。
　　OnhiswayfromtheRuedelaCleftotheRueCroixdesPetits-ChampstheyounggentlemandivulgedtheupshotofthesemeditationswhichwerecertainlyinkeepingwithdeMarsay’sadvicetotheolddoctor。
　　“Iought，“hesaid，“togointooblivionforthreeorfouryearsandseekacareer。PerhapsIcouldmakemyselfanamebywritingabookonstatesmanshipormorals，oratreatiseonsomeofthegreatquestionsoftheday。WhileIamlookingoutforamarriagewithsomeyoungladywhocouldmakemeeligibletotheChamber，Iwillworkhardinsilenceandinobscurity。“
　　Studyingtheyoungfellow’sfacewithakeeneye，thedoctorsawtheseriouspurposeofawoundedmanwhowasanxioustovindicatehimself。
　　Hethereforecordiallyapprovedofthescheme。
　　“Myfriend，“hesaid，“ifyoustripofftheskinoftheoldnobilitywhichisnolongerwornthesedaysIwillundertake，afteryouhavelivedforthreeorfouryearsinasteadyandindustriousmanner，tofindyouasuperioryounggirl，beautiful，amiable，pious，andpossessingfromseventoeighthundredthousandfrancs，whowillmakeyouhappyandofwhomyouwillhaveeveryreasontobeproud，——onewhoseonlynobilityisthatoftheheart！“
　　“Ah，doctor！“criedtheyoungman，“thereisnolongeranobilityinthesedays，——nothingbutanaristocracy。“
　　“Goandpayyourdebtsofhonorandcomebackhere。Ishallengagethecoupeofthediligence，formynieceiswithme，“saidtheoldman。
　　Thatevening，atsixo’clock，thethreetravelersstartedfromtheRueDauphine。Ursulahadputonaveilanddidnotsayaword。Savinien，whoonce，inamomentofsuperficialgallantry，hadsentherthatkisswhichinvadedandconqueredhersoullikealove-poem，hadcompletelyforgottentheyounggirlinthehellofhisParisiandebts；moreover，hishopelessloveforEmiliedeKergarouethinderedhimfrombestowingathoughtonafewglancesexchangedwithalittlecountrygirl。Hedidnotrecognizeherwhenthedoctorhandedherintothecoachandthensatdownbesidehertoseparateherfromtheyoungviscount。
　　“Ihavesomebillstogiveyou，“saidthedoctortotheyoungman。“I
　　havebroughtallyourpapersanddocuments。“
　　“Icameverynearnotgettingoff，“saidSavinien，“forIhadtoorderlinenandclothes；thePhilistinestookall；Ireturnlikeatrueprodigal。“
　　Howeverinterestingwerethesubjectsofconversationbetweentheyoungmanandtheoldone，andhoweverwittyandcleverwerecertainremarksoftheviscount，theyounggirlcontinuedsilenttillafterdusk，hergreenveillowered，andherhandscrossedonhershawl。
　　“MademoiselledoesnotseemtohaveenjoyedParisverymuch，“saidSavinienatlast，somewhatpiqued。
　　“IamgladtoreturntoNemours，“sheansweredinatremblingvoiceraisingherveil。
　　NotwithstandingthedimlightSavinienthenrecognizedherbytheheavybraidsofherhairandthebrilliancyofherblueeyes。
　　“I，too，leaveParistoburymyselfinNemourswithoutregretnowthatImeetmycharmingneighbouragain，“hesaid；“Ihope，Monsieurledocteurthatyouwillreceivemeinyourhouse；Ilovemusic，andI
　　remembertohavelistenedtoMademoiselleUrsula’spiano。“
　　“Idonotknow，“repliedthedoctorgravely，“whetheryourmotherwouldapproveofyourvisitstoanoldmanwhosedutyitistocareforthisdearchildwithallthesolicitudeofamother。“
　　ThisreservedanswermadeSavinienreflect，andhethenrememberedthekissessothoughtlesslywafted。Nightcame；theheatwasgreat。
　　Savinienandthedoctorwenttosleepfirst。Ursula，whoseheadwasfullofprojects，didnotsuccumbtillmidnight。Shehadtakenoffherstraw-bonnet，andherhead，coveredwithalittleembroideredcap，droppeduponheruncle’sshoulder。WhentheyreachedBouronatdawn，Savinienawoke。HethensawUrsulaintheslightdisarraynaturallycausedbythejoltingofthevehicle；hercapwasrumpledandhalfoff；thehair，unbound，hadfalleneachsideofherface，whichglowedfromtheheatofthenight；inthissituation，dreadfulforwomentowhomdressisanecessaryauxiliary，youthandbeautytriumphed。Thesleepofinnocenceisalwayslovely。Thehalf-openedlipsshowedtheprettyteeth；theshawl，unfastened，gavetoview，beneaththefoldsofhermuslingownandwithoutoffencetohermodesty，thegracefulnessofherfigure。Thepurityofthevirginspiritshoneonthesleepingcountenanceallthemoreplainlybecausenootherexpressionwastheretointerferewithit。OldMinoret，whopresentlywokeup，placedhischild’sheadinthecornerofthecarriagethatshemightbemoreatease；andshelethimdoitunconsciously，sodeepwashersleepafterthemanywakefulnightsshehadspentinthinkingofSavinien’strouble。
　　“Poorlittlegirl！“saidthedoctortohisneighbour，“shesleepslikethechildsheis。“
　　“Youmustbeproudofher，“repliedSavinien；“forsheseemsasgoodassheisbeautiful。“
　　“Ah！sheisthejoyofthehouse。Icouldnotloveherbetterifsheweremyowndaughter。Shewillbesixteenonthe5thFebruary。GodgrantthatImaylivelongenoughtomarryhertoamanwhowillmakeherhappy。IwantedtotakehertothetheaterinParis，whereshewasforthefirsttime，butsherefused，theAbbeChaperonhadforbiddenit。’But，’Isaid，’whenyouaremarriedyourhusbandwillwantyoutogothere。’’Ishalldowhatmyhusbandwants，’sheanswered。’IfheasksmetodoevilandIamweakenoughtoyield，hewillberesponsiblebeforeGod——andsoIshallhavestrengthtorefusehim，forhisownsake。’“
　　AsthecoachenteredNemours，atfiveinthemorning，Ursulawokeup，ashamedatherrumpledcondition，andconfusedbythelookofadmirationwhichsheencounteredfromSavinien。DuringthehourithadtakenthediligencetocomefromBourontoNemourstheyoungmanhadfalleninlovewithUrsula；hehadstudiedthepurecandorofhersoul，thebeautyofthatbody，thewhitenessoftheskin，thedelicacyofthefeatures；herecalledthecharmofthevoicewhichhadutteredbutoneexpressivesentence，inwhichthepoorchildsaidall，intendingtosaynothing。Apresentimentsuddenlyseemedtotakeholdofhim；hesawinUrsulathewomanthedoctorhadpicturedtohim，framedingoldbythemagicwords，“Sevenoreighthundredthousandfrancs。“
　　“Inthreeoffouryearsshewillbetwenty，andIshallbetwenty-
　　seven，“hethought。“Thegooddoctortalkedofprobation，work，goodconduct！SlyasheisIshallmakehimtellmethetruth。“
　　Thethreeneighbourspartedinthestreetinfrontoftheirrespectivehomes，andSavinienputalittlecourtingintohiseyesashegaveUrsulaapartingglance。
　　MadamedePortenduerelethersonsleeptillmidday；butthedoctorandUrsula，inspiteoftheirfatiguingjourney，wenttohighmass。
　　Savinien’sreleaseandhisreturnincompanywiththedoctorhadexplainedthereasonofthelatter’sabsencetothenewsmongersofthetownandtotheheirs，whowereoncemoreassembledinconventicleonthesquare，justastheyweretwoweeksearlierwhenthedoctorattendedhisfirstmass。Tothegreatastonishmentofallthegroups，MadamedePortenduere，onleavingthechurch，stoppedoldMinoret，whoofferedherhisarmandtookherhome。Theoldladyaskedhimtodinnerthatevening，alsoaskinghisnieceandassuringhimthattheabbewouldbetheonlyotherguest。
　　“HemusthavewishedUrsulatoseeParis，“saidMinoret-Levrault。
　　“Pest！“criedCremiere；“hecan’ttakeastepwithoutthatgirl！“
　　“SomethingmusthavehappenedtomakeoldPortenduereaccepthisarm，“
　　saidMassin。
　　“SononeofyouhaveguessedthatyourunclehassoldhisFundsandreleasedthatlittleSavinien？“criedGoupil。“HerefusedDionis，buthedidn’trefuseMadamedePortenduere——Ha，ha！youarealldonefor。
　　Theviscountwillproposeamarriage-contractinsteadofamortgage，andthedoctorwillmakethehusbandsettleonhisjewelofagirlthesumhehasnowpaidtosecurethealliance。“
　　“ItisnotabadthingtomarryUrsulatoSavinien，“saidthebutcher。
　　“Theoldladygivesadinnerto-daytoMonsieurMinoret。Tiennettecameearlyforafilet。“
　　“Well，Dionis，here’safineto-do！“saidMassin，rushinguptothenotary，whowasenteringthesquare。
　　“Whatis？It’sallgoingright，“returnedthenotary。“YourunclehassoldhisFundsandMadamedePortenduerehassentformetowitnessthesigningofamortgageonherpropertyforonehundredthousandfrancs，lenttoherbyyouruncle。“
　　“Yes，butsupposetheyoungpeopleshouldmarry？“
　　“That’sasifyousaidGoupilwastobemysuccessor。“
　　“Thetwothingsarenotsoimpossible，“saidGoupil。