ThoughthenameofMinoretobtainedduringthelivelydebatestowhichmesmerismgaveriseacertaincelebritywhichoccasionallyrecalledhimtothemindsofhisrelatives，stilltheRevolutionwassogreatadestroyeroffamilyrelationsthatin1813NemoursknewlittleofDoctorMinoret，whowasinducedtothinkofreturningtheretodie，liketheharetoitsform，byacircumstancethatwaswhollyaccidental。
　　WhohasnotfeltintravelingthroughFrance，wheretheeyeisoftenweariedbythemonotonyofplains，thecharmingsensationofcomingsuddenly，whentheeyeispreparedforabarrenlandscape，uponafreshcoolvalley，wateredbyariver，withalittletownshelteringbeneathaclifflikeaswarmofbeesinthehollowofanoldwillow？
　　Wakenedbythe“hu！hu！“ofthepostilionashewalksbesidehishorses，weshakeoffsleepandadmire，likeadreamwithinadream，thebeautifulscenewhichistothetravelerwhatanoblepassageinabookistoareader，——abrilliantthoughtofNature。SuchisthesensationcausedbyafirstsightofNemoursasweapproachitfromBurgundy。Weseeitencircledwithbarerocks，gray，black，white，fantasticinshapelikethosewefindintheforestofFontainebleau；
　　fromthemspringscatteredtrees，clearlydefinedagainstthesky，whichgivetothisparticularrockformationthedilapidatedlookofacrumblingwall。HereendsthelongwoodedhillwhichcreepsfromNemourstoBouron，skirtingtheroad。Atthebottomofthisirregularampitheaterliemeadow-landsthroughwhichflowstheLoing，formingsheetsofwaterwithmanyfalls。Thisdelightfullandscape，whichcontinuesthewholewaytoMontargis，islikeanoperascene，foritseffectsreallyseemtohavebeenstudied。
　　OnemorningDoctorMinoret，whohadbeensummonedintoBurgundybyarichpatient，wasreturninginallhastetoParis。Nothavingmentionedatthelastrelaytherouteheintendedtotake，hewasbroughtwithouthisknowledgethroughNemours，andbeheldoncemore，onwakingfromanap，thesceneryinwhichhischildhoodhadbeenpassed。Hehadlatelylostmanyofhisoldfriends。ThevotaryoftheEncyclopedistshadwitnessedtheconversionofLaHarpe；hehadburiedLebrun-PindareandMarie-JosephdeChenier，andMorellet，andMadameHelvetius。Heassistedatthequasi-fallofVoltairewhenassailedbyGeoffroy，thecontinuatorofFreton。Forsometimepasthehadthoughtofretiring，andso，whenhispostchaisestoppedattheheadoftheGrand’RueofNemours，hisheartpromptedhimtoinquireforhisfamily。Minoret-Levrault，thepostmaster，cameforwardhimselftoseethedoctor，whodiscoveredhimtobethesonofhiseldestbrother。
　　Thenephewpresentedthedoctortohiswife，theonlydaughterofthelateLevrault-Cremiere，whohaddiedtwelveyearsearlier，leavinghimthepostbusinessandthefinestinninNemours。
　　“Well，nephew，“saidthedoctor，“haveIanyotherrelatives？“
　　“MyauntMinoret，yoursister，marriedaMassin-Massin——“
　　“Yes，Iknow，thebailiffofSaint-Lange。“
　　“Shediedawidowleavinganonlydaughter，whohaslatelymarriedaCremiere-Cremiere，afineyoungfellow，stillwithoutaplace。“
　　“Ah！sheismyownniece。Now，asmybrother，thesailor，diedabachelor，andCaptainMinoretwaskilledatMonte-Legino，andhereI
　　am，thatendsthepaternalline。HaveIanyrelationsonthematernalside？MymotherwasaJean-Massin-Levrault。“
　　“OftheJean-Massin-Levrault’sthere’sonlyoneleft，“answeredMinoret-Levrault，“namely，Jean-Massin，whomarriedMonsieurCremiere-
　　Levrault-Dionis，apurveyorofforage，whoperishedonthescaffold。
　　Hiswifediedofdespairandwithoutapenny，leavingonedaughter，marriedtoaLevrault-Minoret，afarmeratMontereau，whoisdoingwell；theirdaughterhasjustmarriedaMassin-Levrault，notary’sclerkatMontargis，wherehisfatherisalocksmith。“
　　“SoI’veplentyofheirs，“saidthedoctorgayly，immediatelyproposingtotakeawalkthroughNemoursaccompaniedbyhisnephew。
　　TheLoingrunsthroughthetowninawavingline，bankedbyterracedgardensandneathouses，theaspectofwhichmakesonefancythathappinessmustabidetheresoonerthanelsewhere。WhenthedoctorturnedintotheRuedesBourgeois，Minoret-LevraultpointedoutthepropertyofLevrault-Levrault，arichironmerchantinPariswho，hesaid，hadjustdied。
　　“Theplaceisforsale，uncle，andaveryprettyhouseitis；there’sacharminggardenrunningdowntotheriver。“
　　“Letusgoin，“saidthedoctor，seeing，atthefartherendofasmallpavedcourtyard，ahousestandingbetweenthewallsofthetwoneighbouringhouseswhichweremaskedbyclumpsoftreesandclimbing-
　　plants。
　　“Itisbuiltoveracellar，“saidthedoctor，goingupthestepsofahighporticoadornedwithvasesofblueandwhitepotteryinwhichgeraniumsweregrowing。
　　Cutintwo，likethemajorityofprovincialhouses，byalongpassagewhichledfromthecourtyardtothegarden，thehousehadonlyoneroomtotheright，asalonlightedbyfourwindows，twoonthecourtyardandtwoonthegarden；butLevrault-Levraulthadusedoneofthesewindowstomakeanentrancetoalonggreenhousebuiltofbrickwhichextendedfromthesalontowardstheriver，endinginahorribleChinesepagoda。
　　“Good！bybuildingarooftothatgreenhouseandlayingafloor，“saidoldMinoret，“Icouldputmybookthereandmakeaverycomfortablestudyofthatextraordinarybitofarchitectureattheend。“
　　Ontheothersideofthepassage，towardthegarden，wasthedining-
　　room，decoratedinimitationofblacklacquerwithgreenandgoldflowers；thiswasseparatedfromthekitchenbythewellofthestaircase。Communicationwiththekitchenwashadthroughalittlepantrybuiltbehindthestaircase，thekitchenitselflookingintothecourtyardthroughwindowswithironrailings。Thereweretwochambersonthenextfloor，andabovethem，atticroomssheathedinwood，whichwerefairlyhabitable。Afterexaminingthehouserapidly，andobservingthatitwascoveredwithtrellisesfromtoptobottom，onthesideofthecourtyardaswellasonthattothegarden，——whichendedinaterraceoverlookingtheriverandadornedwithpotteryvases，——thedoctorremarked:——
　　“Levrault-Levraultmusthavespendagooddealofmoneyhere。“
　　“Ho！Ishouldthinkso，“answeredMinoret-Levrault。“Helikedflowers——nonsense！’Whatdotheybringin？’saysmywife。YousawinsidetherehowanartistcamefromParistopaintflowersinfrescointhecorridor。Heputthoseenormousmirrorseverywhere。Theceilingswereallre-madewithcorniceswhichcostsixfrancsafoot。Thedining-
　　roomfloorisinmarquetry——perfectfolly！Thehousewon’tsellforapennythemore。“
　　“Well，nephew，buyitforme:letmeknowwhatyoudoaboutit；here’smyaddress。TherestIleavetomynotary。Wholivesopposite？“heasked，astheyleftthehouse。
　　“Emigres，“answeredthepostmaster，“namedPortenduere。“
　　Thehouseoncebought，theillustriousdoctor，insteadofleavingthere，wrotetohisnephewtoletit。TheFolie-LevraughtwasthereforeoccupiedbythenotaryofNemours，whoaboutthattimesoldhispracticetoDionis，hishead-clerk，anddiedtwoyearslater，leavingthehouseonthedoctor’shands，justatthetimewhenthefateofNapoleonwasbeingdecidedintheneighbourhood。Thedoctor’sheirs，atfirstmisled，hadbythistimedecidedthathisthoughtofreturningtohisnativeplacewasmerelyarichman’sfancy，andthatprobablyhehadsometieinPariswhichwouldkeephimthereandcheatthemoftheirhoped-forinheritance。However，Minoret-Levrault’swifeseizedtheoccasiontowritehimaletter。Theoldmanrepliedthatassoonaspeacewassigned，theroadsclearedofsoldiers，andsafecommunicationsestablished，hemeanttogoandliveatNemours。Hedid，infact，putinanappearancewithtwoofhisclients，thearchitectofhishospitalandanupholsterer，whotookchargeoftherepairs，theindoorarrangements，andthetransportationofthefurniture。MadameMinoret-Levraultproposedthecookofthelatenotaryascaretaker，andthewomanwasaccepted。
　　Whentheheirsheardthattheiruncleandgreat-uncleMinoretwasreallycomingtoliveinNemours，theywereseizedinspiteofthepoliticaleventswhichwerejustthenweighingsoheavilyonBrieandontheGatinaiswithadevouringcuriosity，whichwasnotsurprising。
　　Washerich？Economicalorspendthrift？Wouldheleaveafinefortuneornothing？Washispropertyinannuities？Intheendtheyfoundoutwhatfollows，butonlybytakinginfinitepainsandemployingmuchsubterraneousspying。
　　Afterthedeathofhiswife，UrsulaMirouet，andbetweentheyears1789and1813，thedoctorwhohadbeenappointedconsultingphysiciantotheEmperorin1805musthavemadeagooddealofmoney；butnooneknewhowmuch。Helivedsimply，withoutotherextravaganciesthanacarriagebytheyearandasumptuousapartment。Hereceivednoguests，anddinedoutalmosteveryday。Hishousekeeper，furiousatnotbeingallowedtogowithhimtoNemours，toldZelieLevrault，thepostmaster’swife，thatsheknewthedoctorhadfourteenthousandfrancsayearonthe“grand-livre。“Now，aftertwentyyears’exerciseofaprofessionwhichhispositionasheadofahospital，physiciantotheEmperor，andmemberoftheInstitute，renderedlucrative，thesefourteenthousandfrancsayearshowedonlyonehundredandsixtythousandfrancslaidby。Tohavesavedonlyeightthousandfrancsayearthedoctormusthavehadeithermanyvicesormanyvirtuestogratify。ButneitherhishousekeepernorZelienoranyoneelsecoulddiscoverthereasonforsuchmoderatemeans。Minoret，whowhenheleftitwasmuchregrettedinthequarterofPariswherehehadlived，wasoneofthemostbenevolentofmen，and，likeLarrey，kepthiskinddeedsaprofoundsecret。
　　Theheirswatchedthearrivaloftheiruncle’sfinefurnitureandlargelibrarywithcomplacency，andlookedforwardtohisowncoming，hebeingnowanofficeroftheLegionofhonor，andlatelyappointedbythekingachevalieroftheorderofSaint-Michel——perhapsonaccountofhisretirement，whichleftavacancyforsomefavorite。Butwhenthearchitectandpainterandupholstererhadarrangedeverythinginthemostcomfortablemanner，thedoctordidnotcome。MadameMinoret-Levrault，whokeptaneyeontheupholstererandarchitectasifherownpropertywasconcerned，foundout，throughtheindiscretionofayoungmansenttoarrangethebooks，thatthedoctorwastakingcareofalittleorphannamedUrsula。Thenewsflewlikewild-firethroughthetown。Atlast，however，towardsthemiddleofthemonthofJanuary，1815，theoldmanactuallyarrived，installinghimselfquietly，almostslyly，withalittlegirlabouttenmonthsold，andanurse。