grandeur　of　religion　and　the　value　of　its　practices；　you　will　find　its
  philosophy　in　human　aspects　far　higher　than　that　of　the　boldest
  sceptics。〃
  The　abbe；　who　showed　a　joy　that　was　almost　infantine；　agreed　to
  catechize　the　old　man　and　confer　with　him　twice　a　week。　Thus　the
  conversion　attributed　to　Ursula　and　to　a　spirit　of　sordid　calculation；
  was　the　spontaneous　act　of　the　doctor　himself。　The　abbe；　who　for
  fourteen　years　had　abstained　from　touching　the　wounds　of　that　heart；
  though　all　the　while　deploring　them；　was　now　asked　for　help；　as　a
  surgeon　is　called　to　an　injured　man。　Ever　since　this　scene　Ursula's
  evening　prayers　had　been　said　in　common　with　her　godfather。　Day　after
  day　the　old　man　grew　more　conscious　of　the　peace　within　him　that
  succeeded　all　his　conflicts。　Having；　as　he　said；　God　as　the
  responsible　editor　of　things　inexplicable；　his　mind　was　at　ease。　His
  dear　child　told　him　that　he　might　know　by　how　far　he　had　advanced
  already　in　God's　kingdom。　During　the　mass　which　we　have　seen　him
  attend；　he　had　read　the　prayers　and　applied　his　own　intelligence　to
  them；　from　the　first；　he　had　risen　to　the　divine　idea　of　the　communion
  of　the　faithful。　The　old　neophyte　understood　the　eternal　symbol
  attached　to　that　sacred　nourishment；　which　faith　renders　needful　to
  the　soul　after　conveying　to　it　her　own　profound　and　radiant　essence。
  When　on　leaving　the　church　he　had　seemed　in　a　hurry　to　get　home；　it
  was　merely　that　he　might　once　more　thank　his　dear　child　for　having　led
  him　to　〃enter　religion；〃the　beautiful　expression　of　former　days。　He
  was　holding　her　on　his　knee　in　the　salon　and　kissing　her　forehead
  sacredly　at　the　very　moment　when　his　relatives　were　degrading　that
  saintly　influence　with　their　shameless　fears；　and　casting　their　vulgar
  insults　upon　Ursula。　His　haste　to　return　home；　his　assumed　disdain　for
  their　company；　his　sharp　replies　as　he　left　the　church　were　naturally
  attributed　by　all　the　heirs　to　the　hatred　Ursula　had　excited　against
  them　in　the　old　man's　mind。
  CHAPTER　VIII
  THE　CONFERENCE
  While　Ursula　was　playing　variations　on　Weber's　〃Last　Thought〃　to　her
  godfather；　a　plot　was　hatching　in　the　Minoret…Levraults'　dining…room
  which　was　destined　to　have　a　lasting　effect　on　the　events　of　this
  drama。　The　breakfast；　noisy　as　all　provincial　breakfasts　are；　and
  enlivened　by　excellent　wines　brought　to　Nemours　by　the　canal　either
  from　Burgundy　or　Touraine；　lasted　more　than　two　hours。　Zelie　had　sent
  for　oysters；　salt…water　fish；　and　other　gastronomical　delicacies　to　do
  honor　to　Desire's　return。　The　dining…room；　in　the　center　of　which　a
  round　table　offered　a　most　appetizing　sight；　was　like　the　hall　of　an
  inn。　Content　with　the　size　of　her　kitchens　and　offices；　Zelie　had
  built　a　pavilion　for　the　family　between　the　vast　courtyard　and　a
  garden　planted　with　vegetables　and　full　of　fruit…trees。　Everything
  about　the　premises　was　solid　and　plain。　The　example　of　Levrault…
  Levrault　had　been　a　warning　to　the　town。　Zelie　forbade　her　builder　to
  lead　her　into　such　follies。　The　dining…room　was；　therefore；　hung　with
  varnished　paper　and　furnished　with　walnut　chairs　and　sideboards；　a
  porcelain　stove；　a　tall　clock；　and　a　barometer。　Though　the　plates　and
  dishes　were　of　common　white　china；　the　table　shone　with　handsome　linen
  and　abundant　silverware。　After　Zelie　had　served　the　coffee；　coming　and
  going　herself　like　shot　in　a　decanter；for　she　kept　but　one　servant；
  and　when　Desire；　the　budding　lawyer；　had　been　told　of　the　event　of
  the　morning　and　its　probably　consequences；　the　door　was　closed；　and
  the　notary　Dionis　was　called　upon　to　speak。　By　the　silence　in　the　room
  and　the　looks　that　were　cast　on　that　authoritative　face；　it　was　easy
  to　see　the　power　that　such　men　exercise　over　families。
  〃My　dear　children；〃　said　he；　〃your　uncle　having　been　born　in　1746；　is
  eighty…three　years　old　at　the　present　time；　now；　old　men　are　given　to
  folly；　and　that　little〃
  〃Viper！〃　cried　Madame　Massin。
  〃Hussy！〃　said　Zelie。
  〃Let　us　call　her　by　her　own　name；〃　said　Dionis。
  〃Well；　she's　a　thief；〃　said　Madame　Cremiere。
  〃A　pretty　thief；〃　remarked　Desire。
  〃That　little　Ursula；〃　went　on　Dionis；　〃has　managed　to　get　hold　of　his
  heart。　I　have　been　thinking　of　your　interests；　and　I　did　not　wait
  until　now　before　making　certain　inquiries；　now　this　is　what　I　have
  discovered　about　that　young〃
  〃Marauder；〃　said　the　collector。
  〃Inveigler；〃　said　the　clerk　of　the　court。
  〃Hold　your　tongue；　friends；〃　said　the　notary；　〃or　I'll　take　my　hat　and
  be　off。〃
  〃Come；　come；　papa；〃　cried　Minoret；　pouring　out　a　little　glass　of　rum
  and　offering　it　to　the　notary；　〃here；　drink　this；　it　comes　from　Rome
  itself；　and　now　go　on。〃
  〃Ursula　is；　it　is　true；　the　legitimate　daughter　of　Joseph　Mirouet；　but
  her　father　was　the　natural　son　of　Valentin　Mirouet；　your　uncle's
  father…in…law。　Being　therefore　an　illegitimate　niece；　any　will　the
  doctor　might　make　in　her　favor　could　probably　be　contested；　and　if　he
  leaves　her　his　fortune　in　that　way　you　could　bring　a　suit　against
  Ursula。　This；　however；　might　turn　out　ill　for　you；　in　case　the　court
  took　the　view　that　there　was　no　relationship　between　Ursula　and　the
  doctor。　Still；　the　suit　would　frighten　an　unprotected　girl；　and　bring
  about　a　compromise〃
  〃The　law　is　so　rigid　as　to　the　rights　of　natural　children；〃　said　the
  newly　fledged　licentiate；　eager　to　parade　his　knowledge；　〃that　by　the
  judgment　of　the　court　of　appeals　dated　July　7；　1817；　a　natural　child
  can　claim　nothing　from　his　natural　grandfather；　not　even　a
  maintenance。　So　you　see　the　illegitimate　parentage　is　made
  retrospective。　The　law　pursues　the　natural　child　even　to　its
  legitimate　descent；　on　the　ground　that　benefactions　done　to
  grandchildren　reach　the　natural　son　through　that　medium。　This　is　shown
  by　articles　757；　908；　and　911　of　the　civil　Code。　The　royal　court　of
  Paris；　by　a　decision　of　the　26th　of　January　of　last　year；　cut　off　a
  legacy　made　to　the　legitimate　child　of　a　natural　son　by　his
  grandfather；　who；　as　grandfather；　was　as　distant　to　a　natural　grandson
  as　the　doctor；　being　an　uncle；　is　to　Ursula。〃
  〃All　that；〃　said　Goupil；　〃seems　to　me　to　relate　only　to　the　bequests
  made　by　grandfathers　to　natural　descendants。　Ursula　is　not　a　blood
  relation　of　Doctor　Minoret。　I　remember　a　decision　of　the　royal　court
  at　Colmar；　rendered　in　1825；　just　before　I　took　my　degree；　which
  declared　that　after　the　decease　of　a　natural　child　his　descendants
  could　no　longer　be　prohibited　from　inheriting。　Now；　Ursula's　father　is
  dead。〃
  Goupil's　argument　produced　what　journalists　who　report　the　sittings　of
  legislative　assemblies　are　wont　to　call　〃profound　sensation。〃
  〃What　does　that　signify？〃　cried　Dionis。　〃The　actual　case　of　the
  bequest　of　an　uncle　to　an　illegitimate　child　may　not　yet　have　been
  presented　for　trial；　but　when　it　is；　the　sternness　of　French　law
  against　such　children　will　be　all　the　more　firmly　applied　because　we
  live　in　times　when　religion　is　honored。　I'll　answer　for　it　that　out　of
  such　a　suit　as　I　propose　you　could　get　a　compromise；especially　if
  they　see　you　are　determined　to　carry　Ursula　to　a　court　of　appeals。〃
  Here　the　joy　of　the　heirs　already　fingering　their　gold　was　made
  manifest　in　smiles；　shrugs；　and　gestures　round　the　table；　and
  prevented　all　notice　of　Goupil's　dissent。　This　elation；　however；　was
  succeeded　by　deep　silence　and　uneasiness　when　the　notary　uttered　his
  next　word；　a　terrible　〃But！〃
  As　if　he　had　pulled　the　string　of　a　puppet…show；　starting　the　little
  people　in　jerks　by　means　of　machinery；　Dionis　beheld　all　eyes　turned
  on　him　and　all　faces　rigid　in　one　and　the　same　pose。
  〃BUT　no　law　prevents　your　uncle　from　adopting　or　marrying　Ursula；〃　he
  continued。　〃As　for　adoption；　that　could　be　contested；　and　you　would；　I
  think；　have　equity　on　your　side。　The　royal　courts　would　never　trifle
  with　questions　of　adoptions；　you　would　get　a　hearing　there。　It　is　true
  the　doctor　is　an　officer　of　the　Legion　of　honor；　and　was　formerly
  surgeon　to　the　ex…emperor；　but；　nevertheless；　he　would　get　the　worst
  of　it。　Moreover；　you　would　have　due　warning　in　case　of　adoptionbut
  how　about　marriage？　Old　Minoret　is　shrewd　enough　to　go　to　Paris　and
  marry　her　after　a　year's　domicile；　and　give　her　a　million　by　the
  marriage　contract。　The　only　thing；　therefore；　that　really　puts　your
  property　in　danger　is　your　uncle's　marriage　with　the　girl。〃
  Here　the　notary　paused。
  〃There's　another　danger；〃　said　Goupil；　with　a　knowing　air；〃that　of　a
  will　made　in　favor　of　a　third　person；　old　Bongrand　for　instance；　who
  will　hold　the　property　in　trust　for　Mademoiselle　Ursula〃
  〃If　you　tease　your　uncle；〃　continued　Dionis；　cutting　short　his　head…
  clerk；　〃if　you　are　not　all　of　you　very　polite　to　Ursula；　you　will
  drive　him　into　either　a　marriage　or　into　making　that　private　trust
  which　Goupil　speaks　of；though　I　don't　think　him　capable　of　that；　it
  is　a　dangerous　thing。　As　for　ma