Sittingattheendofthepiano，hiselbowrestingonthecoverandhisheadonhislefthand，SavinienadmiredUrsula，whoseeyes，fixedonthepanelingofthewallbeyondhim，seemedtobequestioninganotherworld。Manyamanwouldhavefallendeeplyinloveforalessreason。Genuinefeelingshaveamagnetismoftheirown，andUrsulawaswillingtoshowhersoul，asacoquetteherdressestobeadmired。
　　Savinienenteredthatdelightfulkingdom，ledbythispureheart，which，tointerpretitsfeelings，borrowedthepoweroftheonlyartthatspeakstothoughtbythought，withoutthehelpofwords，orcolor，orform。Candor，opennessofhearthavethesamepoweroveramanthatchildhoodhas；thesamecharm，thesameirresistibleseductions。Ursulawasnevermorehonestandcandidthanatthismoment，whenshewasbornagainintoanewlife。
　　TheabbecametotearSavinienfromhisdream，requestinghimtotakeafourthhandatwhist。Ursulawentonplaying；theheirsdeparted，allexceptDesire，whowasresolvedtofindouttheintentionsofhisuncleandtheviscountandUrsula。
　　“Youhaveasmuchtalentassoul，mademoiselle，“hesaid，whentheyounggirlclosedthepianoandsatdownbesidehergodfather。“Whoisyourmaster？“
　　“AGerman，livingclosetotheRueDauphineonthequaiConti，“saidthedoctor。“IfhehadnotgivenUrsulaalessoneverydayduringherstayinParishewouldhavebeenhereto-day。“
　　“Heisnotonlyagreatmusician，“saidUrsula，“butamanofadorablesimplicityofnature。“
　　“Thoselessonsmustcostagreatdeal，“remarkedDesire。
　　Theplayerssmiledironically。Whenthegamewasoverthedoctor，whohadhithertoseemedanxiousandpensive，turnedtoSavinienwiththeairofamanwhofulfillsaduty。
　　“Monsieur，“hesaid，“Iamgratefulforthefeelingwhichleadsyoutomakemethisearlyvisit；butyourmotherattributesunworthyandunderhandmotivestowhatIhavedone，andIshouldgivehertherighttocallthemtrueifIdidnotrequestyoutorefrainfromcominghere，inspiteofthehonoryourvisitsaretome，andthepleasureI
　　shouldotherwisefeelincultivatingyoursociety。TellyourmotherthatifIdonotbegher，inmyniece’snameandmyown，todousthehonorofdiningherenextSundayitisbecauseIamverycertainthatshewouldfindherselfindisposedonthatday。“
　　Theoldmanheldouthishandtotheyoungviscount，whopresseditrespectfully，saying:——
　　“Youarequiteright，monsieur。“
　　Hethenwithdrew；butnotwithoutabowtoUrsula，inwhichtherewasmoreofsadnessthandisappointment。
　　Desireleftthehouseatthesametime；buthefounditimpossibletoexchangeevenawordwiththeyoungnobleman，whorushedintohisownhouseprecipitately。
　　ThisrupturebetweenthePortendueresandDoctorMinoretgavetalkamongtheheirsforaweek；theydidhomagetothegeniusofDionis，andregardedtheirinheritanceasrescued。
　　So，inanagewhenranksareleveled，whenthemaniaforequalityputseverybodyononefootingandthreatenstodestroyallbulwarks，evenmilitarysubordination，——thatlastrefugeofpowerinFrance，wherepassionshavenownootherobstaclestoovercomethanpersonalantipathies，ordifferencesoffortune，——theobstinacyofanold-
　　fashionedBretonwomanandthedignityofDoctorMinoretcreatedabarrierbetweentheselovers，whichwastoend，assuchobstaclesoftendo，notindestroyingbutinstrengtheninglove。Toanardentmanawoman’svalueisthatwhichshecostshim；Savinienforesawastruggle，greatefforts，manyuncertainties，andalreadytheyounggirlwasrendereddearertohim；hewasresolvedtowinher。Perhapsourfeelingsobeythelawsofnatureastothelastingnessofhercreations；toalonglifealongchildhood。
　　Thenextmorning，whentheywoke，UrsulaandSavinienhadthesamethought。Anintimateunderstandingofthiskindwouldcreateloveifitwerenotalreadyitsmostpreciousproof。WhentheyounggirlpartedhercurtainsjustfarenoughtolethereyestakeinSavinien’swindow，shesawthefaceofherloverabovethefasteningofhis。Whenonereflectsontheimmenseservicesthatwindowsrendertoloversitseemsnaturalandrightthatataxshouldbeleviedonthem。Havingthusprotestedagainsthergodfather’sharshness，Ursuladroppedthecurtainandopenedherwindowtoclosetheouterblinds，throughwhichshecouldcontinuetoseewithoutbeingseenherself。Sevenoreighttimesduringthedayshewentuptoherroom，alwaystofindtheyoungviscountwriting，tearingupwhathehadwritten，andthenwritingagain——toher，nodoubt！
　　ThenextmorningwhenshewokeLaBougivalgaveherthefollowingletter:——
　　ToMademoiselleUrsula:
　　Mademoiselle，——Idonotconcealfrommyselfthedistrustayoungmaninspireswhenhehasplacedhimselfinthepositionfromwhichyourgodfather’skindnessreleasedme。IknowthatImustinfuturegivegreaterguaranteesofgoodconductthanothermen；
　　therefore，mademoiselle，itiswithdeephumilitythatIplacemyselfatyourfeetandaskyoutoconsidermylove。Thisdeclarationisnotdictatedbypassion；itcomesfromaninwardcertaintywhichinvolvesthewholeoflife。Afoolishinfatuationformyyoungaunt，MadamedeKergarouet，wasthecauseofmygoingtoprison；willyounotregardasaproofofmysincerelovethetotaldisappearanceofthosewishes，ofthatimage，noweffacedfrommyheartbyyours？NosoonerdidIseeyou，asleepandsoengaginginyourchildlikeslumberatBouron，thanyouoccupiedmysoulasaqueentakespossessionofherempire。Iwillhavenootherwifethanyou。YouhaveeveryqualificationIdesireinherwhoistobearmyname。Theeducationyouhavereceivedandthedignityofyourownmind，placeyouonthelevelofthehighestpositions。ButIdoubtmyselftoomuchtodaredescribeyoutoyourself；Icanonlyloveyou。AfterlisteningtoyouyesterdayI
　　recalledcertainwordswhichseemasthoughwrittenforyou；
　　suffermetotranscribethem:——
　　“Madetodrawallheartsandcharmalleyes，gentleandintelligent，spiritualyetabletoreason，courteousasthoughshehadpassedherlifeatcourt，simpleasthehermitwhohadneverknowntheworld，thefireofhersoulistemperedinhereyesbysacredmodesty。“
　　Ifeelthevalueofthenoblesoulrevealedinyoubymany，eventhemosttrifling，things。Thisitiswhichgivesmethecouragetoaskyou，providedyoulovenooneelse，toletmeprovetoyoubymyconductandmydevotionthatIamnotunworthyofyou。Itconcernsmyverylife；youcannotdoubtthatallmypowerswillbeemployed，notonlyintryingtopleaseyou，butindeservingyouresteem，whichismoreprecioustomethananyotheruponearth。
　　Withthishope，Ursula——ifyouwillsuffermesotocallyouinmyheart——Nemourswillbetomeaparadise，thehardesttaskswillbringmejoysderivedthroughyou，aslifeitselfisderivedfromGod。TellmethatImaycallmyselfYourSavinien。
　　Ursulakissedtheletter；then，havingre-readitandclaspeditwithpassionatemotions，shedressedherselfeagerlytocarryittoheruncle。
　　“Ah，myGod！Inearlyforgottosaymyprayers！“sheexclaimed，turningbacktokneelonherprie-Dieu。
　　Afewmomentslatershewentdowntothegarden，whereshefoundhergodfatherandmadehimreadtheletter。TheybothsatdownonabenchunderthearchofclimbingplantsoppositetotheChinesepagoda。
　　Ursulaawaitedtheoldman’swords，andtheoldmanreflectedlong，toolongfortheimpatientyounggirl。Atlast，theresultoftheirsecretinterviewappearedinthefollowinganswer，partofwhichthedoctorundoubtedlydictated。
　　ToMonsieurleVicomteSaviniendePortenduere:
　　Monsieur，——Icannotbeotherwisethangreatlyhonoredbytheletterinwhichyouoffermeyourhand；but，atmyage，andaccordingtotherulesofmyeducation，Ihavefeltboundtocommunicateittomygodfather，whoisallIhave，andwhomIloveasafatherandalsoasafriend。Imustnowtellyouthepainfulobjectionswhichhehasmadetome，andwhichmustbetoyoumyanswer。