occasions　Zelie　sent　to　Paris　for　delicaciesobliging　Dionis　the
  notary　to　emulate　her　display。　Goupil；　whom　the　Minorets　endeavored　to
  ignore　as　a　questionable　person　who　might　tarnish　their　splendor；　was
  not　invited　until　the　end　of　July。　The　clerk；　who　was　fully　aware　of
  this　intended　neglect；　was　forced　to　be　respectful　to　Desire；　who；
  since　his　entrance　into　office；　had　assumed　a　haughty　and　dignified
  air；　even　in　his　own　family。
  〃You　must　have　forgotten　Esther；〃　Goupil　said　to　him；　〃as　you　are　so
  much　in　love　with　Mademoiselle　Mirouet。〃
  〃In　the　first　place；　Esther　is　dead；　monsieur；　and　in　the　next　I　have
  never　even　thought　of　Ursula；〃　said　the　new　magistrate。
  〃Why；　what　did　you　tell　me；　papa　Minoret？〃　cried　Goupil；　insolently。
  Minoret；　caught　in　a　lie　by　a　man　whom　he　feared；　would　have　lost
  countenance　if　it　had　not　been　for　a　project　in　his　head；　which　was；
  in　fact；　the　reason　why　Goupil　was　invited　to　dinner；Minoret　having
  remembered　the　proposition　the　clerk　had　once　made　to　prevent　the
  marriage　between　Savinien　and　Ursula。　For　all　answer；　he　led　Goupil
  hurriedly　to　the　end　of　the　garden。
  〃You'll　soon　be　twenty…eight　years　old；　my　good　fellow；〃　said　he；　〃and
  I　don't　see　that　you　are　on　the　road　to　fortune。　I　wish　you　well；　for
  after　all　you　were　once　my　son's　companion。　Listen　to　me。　If　you　can
  persuade　that　little　Mirouet；　who　possesses　in　her　own　right　forty
  thousand　francs；　to　marry　you；　I　will　give　you；　as　true　as　my　name　is
  Minoret；　the　means　to　buy　a　notary's　practice　at　Orleans。〃
  〃No；〃　said　Goupil；　〃that's　too　far　out　of　the　way；　but　Montargis〃
  〃No；〃　said　Minoret；　〃Sens。〃
  〃Very　good；Sens；〃　replied　the　hideous　clerk。　〃There's　an　archbishop
  at　Sens；　and　I　don't　object　to　devotion；　a　little　hypocrisy　and　there
  you　are；　on　the　way　to　fortune。　Besides；　the　girl　is　pious；　and　she'll
  succeed　at　Sens。〃
  〃It　is　to　be　fully　understood；〃　continued　Minoret；　〃that　I　shall　not
  pay　the　money　till　you　marry　my　cousin；　for　whom　I　wish　to　provide；
  out　of　consideration　for　my　deceased　uncle。〃
  〃Why　not　for　me　too？〃　said　Goupil　maliciously；　instantly　suspecting　a
  secret　motive　in　Minoret's　conduct。　〃Isn't　it　through　information　you
  got　from　me　that　you　make　twenty…four　thousand　a　year　from　that　land；
  without　a　single　enclosure；　around　the　Chateau　du　Rouvre？　The　fields
  and　the　mill　the　other　side　of　the　Loing　make　sixteen　thousand　more。
  Come；　old　fellow；　do　you　mean　to　play　fair　with　me？〃
  〃Yes。〃
  〃If　I　wanted　to　show　my　teeth　I　could　coax　Massin　to　buy　the　Rouvre
  estate；　park；　gardens；　preserves；　and　timber〃
  〃You'd　better　think　twice　before　you　do　that；〃　said　Zelie；　suddenly
  intervening。
  〃If　I　choose；〃　said　Goupil；　giving　her　a　viperish　look；　〃Massin　would
  buy　the　whole　for　two　hundred　thousand　francs。〃
  〃Leave　us；　wife；〃　said　the　colossus；　taking　Zelie　by　the　arm；　and
  shoving　her　away；　〃I　understand　him。　We　have　been　so　very　busy；〃　he
  continued；　returning　to　Goupil；　〃that　we　have　had　no　time　to　think　of
  you；　but　I　rely　on　your　friendship　to　buy　the　Rouvre　estate　for　me。〃
  〃It　is　a　very　ancient　marquisate；〃　said　Goupil；　maliciously；　〃which
  will　soon　be　worth　in　your　hands　fifty　thousand　francs　a　year；　that
  means　a　capital　of　more　than　two　millions　as　money　is　now。〃
  〃My　son　could　then　marry　the　daughter　of　a　marshal　of　France；　or　the
  daughter　of　some　old　family　whose　influence　would　get　him　a　fine　place
  under　the　government　in　Paris；〃　said　Minoret；　opening　his　huge　snuff…
  box　and　offering　a　pinch　to　Goupil。
  〃Very　good；　but　will　you　play　fair？〃　cried　Goupil；　shaking　his
  fingers。
  Minoret　pressed　the　clerk's　hands　replying：
  〃On　my　word　of　honor。〃
  CHAPTER　XVII
  THE　MALIGNITY　OF　PROVINCIAL　MINDS
  Like　all　crafty　persons；　Goupil；　fortunately　for　Minoret；　believed
  that　the　proposed　marriage　with　Ursula　was　only　a　pretext　on　the　part
  of　the　colossus　and　Zelie　for　making　up　with　him；　now　that　he　was
  opposing　them　with　Massin。
  〃It　isn't　he；〃　thought　Goupil；　〃who　has　invented　this　scheme；　I　know
  my　Zelie；she　taught　him　his　part。　Bah！　I'll　let　Massin　go。　In　three
  years　time　I'll　be　deputy　from　Sens。〃　Just　then　he　saw　Bongrand　on　his
  way　to　the　opposite　house　for　his　whist；　and　he　rushed　hastily　after
  him。
  〃You　take　a　great　interest　in　Mademoiselle　Mirouet；　my　dear　Monsieur
  Bongrand；〃　he　said。　〃I　know　you　will　not　be　indifferent　to　her　future。
  Her　relations　are　considering　it；　and　there　is　the　programme；　she
  ought　to　marry　a　notary　whose　practice　should　be　in　the　chief　town　of
  an　arrondisement。　This　notary；　who　would　of　course　be　elected　deputy
  in　three　years；　should　settle　on　a　dower　of　a　hundred　thousand　francs
  on　her。〃
  〃She　can　do　better　than　that；〃　said　Bongrand　coldly。　〃Madame　de
  Portenduere　is　greatly　changed　since　her　misfortunes；　trouble　is
  killing　her。　Savinien　will　have　six　thousand　francs　a　year；　and　Ursula
  has　a　capital　of　forty　thousand。　I　shall　show　them　how　to　increase　it
  a　la　Massin；　but　honestly；　and　in　ten　years　they　will　have　a　little
  fortune。
  〃Savinien　will　do　a　foolish　thing；〃　said　Goupil；　〃he　can　marry
  Mademoiselle　du　Rouvre　whenever　he　likes；an　only　daughter　to　whom
  the　uncle　and　aunt　intend　to　leave　a　fine　property。〃
  〃Where　love　enters　farewell　prudence；　as　La　Fontaine　says　By　the
  bye；　who　is　your　notary？〃　added　Bongrand　from　curiosity。
  〃Suppose　it　were　I？〃　answered　Goupil。
  〃You！〃　exclaimed　Bongrand；　without　hiding　his　disgust。
  〃Well；　well！Adieu；　monsieur；〃　replied　Goupil；　with　a　parting　glance
  of　gall　and　hatred　and　defiance。
  〃Do　you　wish　to　be　the　wife　of　a　notary　who　will　settle　a　hundred
  thousand　francs　on　you？〃　cried　Bongrand　entering　Madame　de
  Portenduere's　little　salon；　where　Ursula　was　seated　beside　the　old
  lady。
  Ursula　and　Savinien　trembled　and　looked　at　each　other；she　smiling；
  he　not　daring　to　show　his　uneasiness。
  〃I　am　not　mistress　of　myself；〃　said　Ursula；　holding　out　her　hand　to
  Savinien　in　such　a　way　that　the　old　lady　did　not　perceive　the　gesture。
  〃Well；　I　have　refused　the　offer　without　consulting　you。〃
  〃Why　did　you　do　that？〃　said　Madame　de　Portenduere。　〃I　think　the
  position　of　a　notary　is　a　very　good　one。〃
  〃I　prefer　my　peaceful　poverty；〃　said　Ursula；　〃which　is　really　wealth
  compared　with　what　my　station　in　life　might　have　given　me。　Besides；　my
  old　nurse　spares　me　a　great　deal　of　care；　and　I　shall　not　exchange　the
  present；　which　I　like；　for　an　unknown　fate。〃
  A　few　weeks　later　the　post　poured　into　two　hearts　the　poison　of
  anonymous　letters；one　addressed　to　Madame　de　Portenduere；　the　other
  to　Ursula。　The　following　is　the　one　to　the　old　lady：
  〃You　love　your　son；　you　wish　to　marry　him　in　a　manner　conformable
  with　the　name　he　bears；　and　yet　you　encourage　his　fancy　for　an
  ambitious　girl　without　money　and　the　daughter　of　a　regimental　band…
  master；　by　inviting　her　to　your　house。　You　ought　to　marry　him　to
  Mademoiselle　du　Rouvre；　on　whom　her　two　uncles；　the　Marquis　de
  Ronquerolles　and　the　Chevalier　du　Rouvre；　who　are　worth　money；　would
  settle　a　handsome　sum　rather　than　leave　it　to　that　old　fool　the
  Marquis　du　Rouvre；　who　runs　through　everything。　Madame　de　Serizy；
  aunt　of　Clementine　du　Rouvre；　who　has　just　lost　her　only　son　in　the
  campaign　in　Algiers；　will　no　doubt　adopt　her　niece。　A　person　who　is
  your　well…wisher　assures　you　that　Savinien　will　be　accepted。〃
  The　letter　to　Ursula　was　as　follows：
  Dear　Ursula；There　is　a　young　man　in　Nemours　who　idolizes　you。　He
  cannot　see　you　working　at　your　window　without　emotions　which　prove
  to　him　that　his　love　will　last　through　life。　This　young　man　is
  gifted　with　an　iron　will　and　a　spirit　of　perseverance　which
  nothing　can　discourage。　Receive　his　addresses　favorably；　for　his
  intentions　are　pure；　and　he　humbly　asks　your　hand　with　a　sincere
  desire　to　make　you　happy。　His　fortune；　already　suitable；　is
  nothing　to　that　which　he　will　make　for　you　when　you　are　once　his
  wife。　You　shall　be　received　at　court　as　the　wife　of　a　minister　and
  one　of　the　first　ladies　in　the　land。
  As　he　sees　you　every　day　（without　your　being　able　to　see　him）　put
  a　pot　of　La　Bougival's　pinks　in　your　window　and　he　will　understand
  from　that　that　he　has　your　permission　to　present　himself。
  Ursula　burned　the　letter　and　said　nothing　about　it　to　Savinien。　Two
  days　later　she　received　another　letter　in　the　following　language：
  〃You　do　wrong；　my　dear　Ursula；　not　to　answer　one　who　loves　you
  better　than　life　itself。　You　think　you　will　marry　Savinienyou
  are　very　much　mistaken。　That　marriage　will　not　take　place。　Madame
  de　Portenduere　went　this　morning　to　Rouvre　to　ask　for　the　hand　of
  Mademoiselle　Clementine　for　her　son。　Savinien　will　yield　in　the
  end。　What　objection　can　he　make？　The　uncles　of　the　young　lady　are
  willing　to　guarantee　their　fortune　to　her；　it　amounts　to　over
  sixty　t