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。“