that　speaks　to　thought　by　thought；　without　the　help　of　words；　or
  color；　or　form。　Candor；　openness　of　heart　have　the　same　power　over　a
  man　that　childhood　has；　the　same　charm；　the　same　irresistible
  seductions。　Ursula　was　never　more　honest　and　candid　than　at　this
  moment；　when　she　was　born　again　into　a　new　life。
  The　abbe　came　to　tear　Savinien　from　his　dream；　requesting　him　to　take
  a　fourth　hand　at　whist。　Ursula　went　on　playing；　the　heirs　departed；
  all　except　Desire；　who　was　resolved　to　find　out　the　intentions　of　his
  uncle　and　the　viscount　and　Ursula。
  〃You　have　as　much　talent　as　soul；　mademoiselle；〃　he　said；　when　the
  young　girl　closed　the　piano　and　sat　down　beside　her　godfather。　〃Who　is
  your　master？〃
  〃A　German；　living　close　to　the　Rue　Dauphine　on　the　quai　Conti；〃　said
  the　doctor。　〃If　he　had　not　given　Ursula　a　lesson　every　day　during　her
  stay　in　Paris　he　would　have　been　here　to…day。〃
  〃He　is　not　only　a　great　musician；〃　said　Ursula；　〃but　a　man　of　adorable
  simplicity　of　nature。〃
  〃Those　lessons　must　cost　a　great　deal；〃　remarked　Desire。
  The　players　smiled　ironically。　When　the　game　was　over　the　doctor；　who
  had　hitherto　seemed　anxious　and　pensive；　turned　to　Savinien　with　the
  air　of　a　man　who　fulfills　a　duty。
  〃Monsieur；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　grateful　for　the　feeling　which　leads　you　to
  make　me　this　early　visit；　but　your　mother　attributes　unworthy　and
  underhand　motives　to　what　I　have　done；　and　I　should　give　her　the　right
  to　call　them　true　if　I　did　not　request　you　to　refrain　from　coming
  here；　in　spite　of　the　honor　your　visits　are　to　me；　and　the　pleasure　I
  should　otherwise　feel　in　cultivating　your　society。　Tell　your　mother
  that　if　I　do　not　beg　her；　in　my　niece's　name　and　my　own；　to　do　us　the
  honor　of　dining　here　next　Sunday　it　is　because　I　am　very　certain　that
  she　would　find　herself　indisposed　on　that　day。〃
  The　old　man　held　out　his　hand　to　the　young　viscount；　who　pressed　it
  respectfully；　saying：
  〃You　are　quite　right；　monsieur。〃
  He　then　withdrew；　but　not　without　a　bow　to　Ursula；　in　which　there　was
  more　of　sadness　than　disappointment。
  Desire　left　the　house　at　the　same　time；　but　he　found　it　impossible　to
  exchange　even　a　word　with　the　young　nobleman；　who　rushed　into　his　own
  house　precipitately。
  CHAPTER　XIII
  BETROTHAL　OF　HEARTS
  This　rupture　between　the　Portendueres　and　Doctor　Minoret　gave　talk
  among　the　heirs　for　a　week；　they　did　homage　to　the　genius　of　Dionis；
  and　regarded　their　inheritance　as　rescued。
  So；　in　an　age　when　ranks　are　leveled；　when　the　mania　for　equality
  puts　everybody　on　one　footing　and　threatens　to　destroy　all　bulwarks；
  even　military　subordination；that　last　refuge　of　power　in　France；
  where　passions　have　now　no　other　obstacles　to　overcome　than　personal
  antipathies；　or　differences　of　fortune；the　obstinacy　of　an　old…
  fashioned　Breton　woman　and　the　dignity　of　Doctor　Minoret　created　a
  barrier　between　these　lovers；　which　was　to　end；　as　such　obstacles
  often　do；　not　in　destroying　but　in　strengthening　love。　To　an　ardent
  man　a　woman's　value　is　that　which　she　costs　him；　Savinien　foresaw　a
  struggle；　great　efforts；　many　uncertainties；　and　already　the　young
  girl　was　rendered　dearer　to　him；　he　was　resolved　to　win　her。　Perhaps
  our　feelings　obey　the　laws　of　nature　as　to　the　lastingness　of　her
  creations；　to　a　long　life　a　long　childhood。
  The　next　morning；　when　they　woke；　Ursula　and　Savinien　had　the　same
  thought。　An　intimate　understanding　of　this　kind　would　create　love　if
  it　were　not　already　its　most　precious　proof。　When　the　young　girl
  parted　her　curtains　just　far　enough　to　let　her　eyes　take　in　Savinien's
  window；　she　saw　the　face　of　her　lover　above　the　fastening　of　his。　When
  one　reflects　on　the　immense　services　that　windows　render　to　lovers　it
  seems　natural　and　right　that　a　tax　should　be　levied　on　them。　Having
  thus　protested　against　her　godfather's　harshness；　Ursula　dropped　the
  curtain　and　opened　her　window　to　close　the　outer　blinds；　through　which
  she　could　continue　to　see　without　being　seen　herself。　Seven　or　eight
  times　during　the　day　she　went　up　to　her　room；　always　to　find　the　young
  viscount　writing；　tearing　up　what　he　had　written；　and　then　writing
  againto　her；　no　doubt！
  The　next　morning　when　she　woke　La　Bougival　gave　her　the　following
  letter：
  To　Mademoiselle　Ursula：
  Mademoiselle；I　do　not　conceal　from　myself　the　distrust　a　young
  man　inspires　when　he　has　placed　himself　in　the　position　from　which
  your　godfather's　kindness　released　me。　I　know　that　I　must　in
  future　give　greater　guarantees　of　good　conduct　than　other　men；
  therefore；　mademoiselle；　it　is　with　deep　humility　that　I　place
  myself　at　your　feet　and　ask　you　to　consider　my　love。　This
  declaration　is　not　dictated　by　passion；　it　comes　from　an　inward
  certainty　which　involves　the　whole　of　life。　A　foolish　infatuation
  for　my　young　aunt；　Madame　de　Kergarouet；　was　the　cause　of　my　going
  to　prison；　will　you　not　regard　as　a　proof　of　my　sincere　love　the
  total　disappearance　of　those　wishes；　of　that　image；　now　effaced
  from　my　heart　by　yours？　No　sooner　did　I　see　you；　asleep　and　so
  engaging　in　your　childlike　slumber　at　Bouron；　than　you　occupied　my
  soul　as　a　queen　takes　possession　of　her　empire。　I　will　have　no
  other　wife　than　you。　You　have　every　qualification　I　desire　in　her
  who　is　to　bear　my　name。　The　education　you　have　received　and　the
  dignity　of　your　own　mind；　place　you　on　the　level　of　the　highest
  positions。　But　I　doubt　myself　too　much　to　dare　describe　you　to
  yourself；　I　can　only　love　you。　After　listening　to　you　yesterday　I
  recalled　certain　words　which　seem　as　though　written　for　you；
  suffer　me　to　transcribe　them：
  〃Made　to　draw　all　hearts　and　charm　all　eyes；　gentle　and
  intelligent；　spiritual　yet　able　to　reason；　courteous　as　though　she
  had　passed　her　life　at　court；　simple　as　the　hermit　who　had　never
  known　the　world；　the　fire　of　her　soul　is　tempered　in　her　eyes　by
  sacred　modesty。〃
  I　feel　the　value　of　the　noble　soul　revealed　in　you　by　many；　even
  the　most　trifling；　things。　This　it　is　which　gives　me　the　courage
  to　ask　you；　provided　you　love　no　one　else；　to　let　me　prove　to　you
  by　my　conduct　and　my　devotion　that　I　am　not　unworthy　of　you。　It
  concerns　my　very　life；　you　cannot　doubt　that　all　my　powers　will　be
  employed；　not　only　in　trying　to　please　you；　but　in　deserving　your
  esteem；　which　is　more　precious　to　me　than　any　other　upon　earth。
  With　this　hope；　Ursulaif　you　will　suffer　me　so　to　call　you　in　my
  heartNemours　will　be　to　me　a　paradise；　the　hardest　tasks　will
  bring　me　joys　derived　through　you；　as　life　itself　is　derived　from
  God。　Tell　me　that　I　may　call　myself
  Your　Savinien。
  Ursula　kissed　the　letter；　then；　having　re…read　it　and　clasped　it　with
  passionate　motions；　she　dressed　herself　eagerly　to　carry　it　to　her
  uncle。
  〃Ah；　my　God！　I　nearly　forgot　to　say　my　prayers！〃　she　exclaimed；
  turning　back　to　kneel　on　her　prie…Dieu。
  A　few　moments　later　she　went　down　to　the　garden；　where　she　found　her
  godfather　and　made　him　read　the　letter。　They　both　sat　down　on　a　bench
  under　the　arch　of　climbing　plants　opposite　to　the　Chinese　pagoda。
  Ursula　awaited　the　old　man's　words；　and　the　old　man　reflected　long；
  too　long　for　the　impatient　young　girl。　At　last；　the　result　of　their
  secret　interview　appeared　in　the　following　answer；　part　of　which　the
  doctor　undoubtedly　dictated。
  To　Monsieur　le　Vicomte　Savinien　de　Portenduere：
  Monsieur；I　cannot　be　otherwise　than　greatly　honored　by　the
  letter　in　which　you　offer　me　your　hand；　but；　at　my　age；　and
  according　to　the　rules　of　my　education；　I　have　felt　bound　to
  communicate　it　to　my　godfather；　who　is　all　I　have；　and　whom　I　love
  as　a　father　and　also　as　a　friend。　I　must　now　tell　you　the　painful
  objections　which　he　has　made　to　me；　and　which　must　be　to　you　my
  answer。
  Monsieur　le　vicomte；　I　am　a　poor　girl；　whose　fortune　depends
  entirely；　not　only　on　my　godfather's　good…will；　but　also　on　the
  doubtful　success　of　the　measures　he　may　take　to　elude　the　schemes
  of　his　relatives　against　me。　Though　I　am　the　legitimate　daughter
  of　Joseph　Mirouet；　band…master　of　the　45th　regiment　of　infantry；
  my　father　himself　was　my　godfather's　natural　half…brother；　and
  therefore　these　relatives　may；　though　without　reason；　being　a　suit
  against　a　young　girl　who　would　be　defenceless。　You　see；　monsieur；
  that　the　smallness　of　my　fortune　is　not　my　greatest　misfortune。　I
  have　many　things　to　make　me　humble。　It　is　for　your　sake；　and　not
  for　my　own；　that　I　lay　before　you　these　facts；　which　to　loving　and
  devoted　hearts　are　sometimes　of　little　weight。　But　I　beg　you　to
  consider；　monsieur；　that　if　I　did　not　submit　them　to　you；　I　might
  be　suspected　of　leading　your　tenderness　to　overlook　obstacles
  which　the　world；　and　more　especially　your　mother；　regard　as
  insuperable。
  I　shall　be　sixteen　in　four　months。　Perhaps　you　will　admit　that　we
  are　both　too　young　and　too　inexperienced　to　understand　the
  miseries　of　a　l