Whiletheseeventsweretakingplacethepostmasterhadhurriedhometoopenthemysteriouspackageandknowitscontents。
　　TomydearUrsulaMirouet，daughterofmynaturalhalf-brother，JosephMirouet，andDinahGrollman:——
　　MydearAngel，——ThefatherlyaffectionIbearyou——andwhichyouhavesofullyjustified——camenotonlyfromthepromiseIgaveyourfathertotakehisplace，butalsofromyourresemblancetomywife，UrsulaMirouet，whosegrace，intelligence，frankness，andcharmyouconstantlyrecalltomymind。Yourpositionasthedaughterofanaturalsonofmyfather-in-lawmightinvalidatealltestamentarybequestsmadebymeinyourfavor——
　　“Theoldrascal！“criedthepostmaster。
　　HadIadoptedyoutheresultmightalsohavebeenalawsuit，andI
　　shrankfromtheideaoftransmittingmyfortunetoyoubymarriage，forImightliveyearsandthusinterferewithyourhappiness，whichisnowdelayedonlybyMadamedePortenduere。
　　Havingweightedthesedifficultiescarefully，andwishingtoleaveyouenoughmoneytosecuretoyouaprosperousexistence——
　　“Thescoundrel，hehasthoughtofeverything！“——
　　withoutinjuringmyheirs——
　　“TheJesuit！asifhedidnotoweuseverypennyofhismoney！“——
　　IintendyoutohavethesavingsfrommyincomewhichIhaveforthelasteighteenyearssteadilyinvested，bythehelpofmynotary，seekingtomakeyoutherebyashappyasanyonecanbemadebyriches。Withoutmeans，youreducationandyourloftyideaswouldcauseyouunhappiness。Besides，yououghttobringaliberaldowrytothefineyoungmanwholovesyou。YouwillthereforefindinthemiddleofthethirdvolumeofPandects，folio，boundinredmoroccothelastvolumeonthefirstshelfabovethelittletableinthelibrary，onthesideoftheroomnextthesalon，threecertificatesofFundsinthethree-per-cents，madeouttobearer，eachamountingtotwelvethousandfrancsayear——
　　“Whatdepthsofwickedness！“screamedthepostmaster。“Ah！Godwouldnotpermitmetobesodefrauded。“
　　Taketheseatonce，andalsosomeuninvestedsavingsmadetothisdate，whichyouwillfindintheprecedingvolume。Remember，mydarlingchild，thatyoumustobeyawishthathasmadethehappinessofmywholelife；awishthatwillforcemetoasktheinterventionofGodshouldyoudisobeyme。But，toguardagainstallscruplesinyourdearconscience——forIwellknowhowreadyitistotortureyou——youwillfindherewithawillindueformbequeathingthesecertificatestoMonsieurSaviniendePortenduere。So，whetheryoupossesstheminyourownname，orwhethertheycometoyoufromhimyoulove，theywillbe，ineverysense，yourlegitimateproperty。
　　Yourgodfather，DenisMinoret。
　　Tothisletterwasannexedthefollowingpaperwrittenonasheetofstampedpaper。
　　Thisismywill:I，DenisMinoret，doctorofmedicine，settledinNemours，beingofsoundmindandbody，asthedateofthisdocumentwillshow，dobequeathmysoultoGod，imploringhimtopardonmyerrorsinviewofmysincererepentance。Next，havingfoundinMonsieurleVicomteSaviniendePortenduereatrueandhonestaffectionforme，Ibequeathtohimthesumofthirty-sixthousandfrancsayearfromtheFunds，atthreepercent，thesaidbequesttotakeprecedenceofallinheritanceaccruingtomyheirs。
　　Writtenbymyownhand，atNemours，onthe11thofJanuary，1831。
　　DenisMinoret。
　　Withoutaninstant’shesitationthepostmaster，whohadlockedhimselfintohiswife’sbedroomtoinsurebeingalone，lookedaboutforthetinder-box，andreceivedtwowarningsfromheavenbytheextinctionoftwomatcheswhichobstinatelyrefusedtolight。Thethirdtookfire。Heburnedtheletterandthewillonthehearthandburiedthevestigesofpaperandsealing-waxintheashesbywayofsuperfluouscaution。Then，alluredbythethoughtofpossessingthirty-sixthousandfrancsayearofwhichhiswifeknewnothing，hereturnedatfullspeedtohisuncle’shouse，spurredbytheonlyidea，aclear-cut，simpleidea，whichwasabletopieceandpenetratehisdullbrain。Findingthehouseinvadedbythethreefamilies，nowmastersoftheplace，hetrembledlestheshouldbeunabletoaccomplishaprojecttowhichhegavenoreflectionwhatever，exceptsofarastofeartheobstacles。
　　“Whatareyoudoinghere？“hesaidtoMassinandCremiere。“Wecan’tleavethehouseandthepropertytobepillaged。Wearetheheirs，butwecan’tcamphere。You，Cremiere，gotoDionisatonceandtellhimtocomeandcertifytothedeath；Ican’tdrawupthemortuarycertificateforanuncle，thoughIamassistant-mayor。You，Massin，goandaskoldBongrandtoattachtheseals。Asforyou，ladies，“headded，turningtohiswifeandMesdamesCremiereandMassin，“goandlookafterUrsula；thennothingcanbestolen。Aboveall，closetheirongateanddon’tletanyoneleavethehouse。“
　　Thewomen，whofeltthejusticeofthisremark，rantoUrsula’sbedroom，wheretheyfoundthenoblegirl，socruellysuspected，onherkneesbeforeGod，herfacecoveredwithtears。Minoret，suspectingthatthewomenwouldnotlongremainwithUrsula，wentatoncetothelibrary，foundthevolume，openedit，tookthethreecertificates，andfoundintheothervolumeaboutthirtybanknotes。Inspiteofhisbrutalnaturethecolossusfeltasthoughapealofbellswereringingineachear。Thebloodwhistledinhistemplesashecommittedthetheft；coldastheweatherwas，hisshirtwaswetonhisback；hislegsgavewayunderhimandhefellintoachairinthesalonasifanaxehadfallenonhishead。
　　“Howtheinheritanceofmoneyloosensaman’stongue！DidyouhearMinoret？“saidMassintoCremiereastheyhurriedthroughthetown。
　　“’Gohere，gothere，’justasifhekneweverything。“
　　“Yes，foradullbeastlikehimhehadacertainairof——“
　　“Stop！“saidMassin，alarmedatasuddenthought。“Hiswifeisthere；
　　they’vegotsomeplan！Doyoudobotherrands；I’llgoback。“
　　Justasthepostmasterfellintothechairhesawatthegatetheheatedfaceoftheclerkofthecourtwhoreturnedtothehouseofdeathwiththecelerityofaweasel。
　　“Well，whatisitnow？“askedthepostmaster，unlockingthegateforhisco-heir。
　　“Nothing；Ihavecomebacktobepresentatthesealing，“answeredMassin，givinghimasavagelook。
　　“Iwishthosesealswerealreadyon，sothatwecouldgohome，“saidMinoret。
　　“Weshallhavetoputawatcheroverthem，“saidMassin。“LaBougivaliscapableofanythingintheinterestsofthatminx。We’llputGoupilthere。“
　　“Goupil！“saidthepostmaster；“putaratinthemeal！“
　　“Well，let’sconsider，“returnedMassin。“To-nightthey’llwatchthebody；thesealscanbeaffixedinanhour；ourwivescouldlookafterthem。To-morrowwe’llhavethefuneralattwelveo’clock。Buttheinventorycan’tbemadeunderaweek。“
　　“Let’sgetridofthatgirlatonce，“saidthecolossus；“thenwecansafelyleavethewatchmanofthetown-halltolookafterthehouseandtheseals。“
　　“Good，“criedMassin。“YouaretheheadoftheMinoretfamily。“
　　“Ladies，“saidMinoret，“begoodenoughtostayinthesalon；wecan’tthinkofourdinnerto-day；thesealsmustbeputonatonceforthesecurityofallinterests。“
　　HetookhiswifeapartandtoldherMassin’spropositionaboutUrsula。
　　Thewomen，whoseheartswerefullofvengeanceagainsttheminx，astheycalledher，hailedtheideaofturningherout。Bongrandarrivedwithhisassistantstoapplytheseals，andwasindignantwhentherequestwasmadetohim，byZelieandMadameMassin，asanearfriendofthedeceased，totellUrsulatoleavethehouse。
　　“Goandturnheroutofherfather’shouse，herbenefactor’shouseyourselves，“hecried。“Go！youwhooweyourinheritancetothegenerosityofhersoul；takeherbytheshouldersandflingherintothestreetbeforetheeyesofthewholetown！Youthinkhercapableofrobbingyou？Well，appointawatcheroftheseals；youhavearighttodothat。ButItellyouatonceIshallputnosealsonUrsula’sroom；
　　shehasarighttothatroom，andeverythinginitisherownproperty。Ishalltellherwhatherrightsare，andtellhertootoputeverythingthatbelongstoherinthishouseinthatroom——Oh！inyourpresence，“hesaid，hearingagrowlofdissatisfactionamongtheheirs。
　　“Whatdoyouthinkofthat？“saidthecollectortothepostmasterandthewomen，whoseemedstupefiedbytheangryaddressofBongrand。
　　“CallHIMamagistrate！“criedthepostmaster。
　　Ursulameanwhilewassittingonherlittlesofainahalf-faintingcondition，herheadthrownback，herbraidsunfastened，whileeverynowandthenhersobsbrokeforth。Hereyesweredimandtheirlidsswollen；shewas，infact，inastateofmoralandphysicalprostrationwhichmighthavesoftenedthehardesthearts——exceptthoseoftheheirs。
　　“Ah！MonsieurBongrand，aftermyhappybirthdaycomesdeathandmourning，“shesaid，withthepoetrynaturaltoher。“Youknow，YOU，whathewas。Intwentyyearsheneversaidanimpatientwordtome。I
　　believedhewouldliveahundredyears。Hehasbeenmymother，“shecried，“mygood，kindmother。“
　　Thesesimplethoughtsbroughttorrentsoftearsfromhereyes，interruptedbysobs；thenshefellbackexhausted。
　　“Mychild，“saidthejusticeofpeace，hearingtheheirsonthestaircase。“Youhavealifetimebeforeyouinwhichtoweep，butyouhavenowonlyamomenttoattendtoyourinterests。Gathereverythingthatbelongstoyouinthishouseandputitintoyourownroomatonce。Theheirsinsistonmyaffixingtheseals。“